Showing posts with label Media Player Classic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Media Player Classic. Show all posts

06 October, 2014

Windows Media Player can't save playlist - solved!

Windows Media Player simplified logo.
Windows Media Player simplified logo. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
06-Oct-2014


Okay, I admit I have to put the date. Whenever I browse for solutions to problems that I encounter now and then, and find an article that seems to be the answer, I am very, very disappointed when I find later on, after reading and studying and all, the information and suggestions and solutions presented therein, that the article is already outdated!

Anyway, this one, regarding the solution to Windows Media Player not able to save playlist, is not going to be outdated - perhaps not for a very long time!

As I have said in my reply to a Windows forum, that problem didn't bug me even though I observed it for some time already. And why not? Because I have other players, like Media Player Classic Home Cinema, and VLC. Two classics that is readily available (and able) to take over Windows Media Player!

Until recently, that I had to run over a series of video tutorials, that I had to make Windows Media Player be able to save playlists, as I had to run the videos in sequence.

Now, the articles I found was in a Windows forum, and surprisingly, to the disappointment of the users airing the same exasperation and frustration over and over again, the situation was even made worse - because the suggestions and solutions offered by MS folks were, well, not fixing the problem, and what's more, there were more than one from MS who gave solutions that didn't work!

For example, they suggested to:
1. Run Windows Media Player Settings - didn't work
2. Uninstall/Reinstall Windows Media Player - didn't work
3. Delete the folder 'Media Player'

I simply listed the suggestions and omitted the details. And mind you, item #2 isn't one simple task. That entails restarting your machine!

Now, one user gave one suggestion, which is to select the folder where you'd keep your playlists and all, well, that worked! I would deduce from that step that when installing Windows Media Player, some defaults are set, and if users log in and use the computer, then that default would clash or conflict with the other users' settings. I was wondering why MS guys don't know that. Too much advises 'by the book'?

How is that solution executed?
1. Open up Windows Media Player.
2. If menu isn't showing, click on 'Switch to Library'.
3. Click on 'Organize > Manage libraries > Music' (you can do 'Video' afterwards).
4. Delete/Add as you desire.

What I did was delete whatever was in there, then selected my own folder for Music. Then Videos. Curious still, I assigned the folder 'Media Player' for my user account, the one that didn't work, as mentioned in item #3 above. Interestingly, it worked, when done from the Windows Media Player 'Organize' menu.

So there, it was that simple, but took some time to get fixed. I now can save playlists. Hurray!

Till then.

21 December, 2011

Codec Pack and Filters for playing flac in WMP/Classic Media Player

English: This image is the computer icon of Me...Image via Wikipedia
21-Dec-2011

I was searching for the Christmas songs that I downloaded, so I can play them while working. It took a while, for it would only be opened once a year, but anyway, these are the Carpenters songs, and lo and behold, they are in flac format.

So when I tried to open them in Windows Media Player, I was alerted of a probable problem, that the audio format is unsupported.

I therefore searched for this issue, and found a good forum, where the different media players are discussed, the pros and cons, and the various audio formats are also put to the test and evaluated, and of course, the heated arguments are there – usually balanced off by the cool-headed arguers.

Anyway, I got what I wanted, and acquired what I needed, to play the Christmas songs.

But I learned a couple of things from that forum, which is here: Windows Media Player: How do I Play Ogg and FLAC Files in WMP?.

As for the codecs, I downloaded from here, K-Lite Codec Pack.

This is because I decided to stick with Windows Media Player and Media Player Classic Home Cinema. Others went on to advocate VLC media player, or foobar2000, or MediaMonkey, or Zoom player, or what have you!

I also installed DFX audio enhancer for Windows Media Player, which I got from wmplugins site. I just got the free version.

And the other codec pack that I installed (the first one actually) is from Xiph.org: Directshow Filters for Ogg Vorbis, Speex, Theora, FLAC, and WebM.

Findings:

It was not so good for Windows Media Player, in that while it was able to play the flac format, the sound quality was ‘thin’ – kinda squeaky, like there was no mid to low audio information. But when I switched to Media Player Classic, the full sound spectrum was there.

Now at this point, I can’t say what is wrong, so I will reserve my comments what Windows Media Player isn’t at all good for playing flac audio format. For all the good points that users threw at the forum, I am one who will also vouch for this free media player. It is best at its good points, and only poor at its weak points, for one reason that I can presume: those who made it, whatever they fitted it with, made it at its best, so what third-party providers add in, it isn’t – or it may never be – at its best.

Remember Edward Scissorhands? He didn’t get a heart, but he got scissors for his hands, and they functioned very well, he used them very well. It’s like that for Windows Media Player.

Okay, so I will end here, and here’s to wish everyone a very blessed Christmas, and a joyful New Year!

Till then!


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