News, Analysis, and Opinion on Microsoft Digital Media Technologies
There is a positive <a href="http://www.hardwareanalysis.com/content/article/1708/">GeForce 6800 review</a> on Hardware Analysis.
Is www.nacontap.com the right URL? I didn't see the software there. Chris
where is the software??
Sorry guys, for up to the minute info goto TGB. RC3.5 is ready now at http://www.nacontap.com/dvr2wmvrc35.cfm
Very good points on the beta. Say what you will about Microsoft products and the slow pace of development but you definately can't bitch about the beta bugs. You signed up for the program and could have stuck with Windows Media Player 9. I have found the WMP technical beta 10 though to be remarkedbly stable. This being said, it would be nice, beta 10 or WMP 9 to get the darned thing to load my music faster. With 70,000 + mp3s it takes forreeeever to load -- upwards of 5 minutes sometimes. Also sometimes my album artwork doesn't copy over on rips even after I delete all my temp files, both on 9 and 10. All the music copies over just fine but no artwork. What's up with that? Tom Thomas Hawk's Digital Connection http:/thomashawk.com
What if I don't care about the price for HDTV MCE? What if I'd pay $5,000 for a machine? Can I have my HD MCE then? Nope. Just abandoned all televsion on the MCE and bought the new HDTV Tivo -- an incredibly superior 4 tuner digital television recorder.
hey guys/gals keep up the good work..... on to business.. so yah i had mp9 works well....got the new version mp10 not so well... can not uninstall.. safe mode, rollback to mp9, restore.. dont work give you have some more info please post...
Basic steps are listed at http://www.zachd.com/pss/pss.html#wmp10rollback If it doesn't help then you might be out of luck. I would try reinstalling WMP 10 on top of the current install, then REBOOT. After the reboot try and use System Restore to revert back to WMP 9.
a must see url with similiar view is http://impulse7.com/zero/
I like to think of this new group at Microsoft as a giant Trojan horse (in the true historical sense, not the virus sense). Microsoft pushes it into Hollywood and are thanked and greeted for their nice gift and then bammmm! I think that much more money can be made selling technology that opens up all media than can be made protecting media content. Of course appearances are everything and it's probably wise to not tip the hand. It's interesting to see that Hollywood is going after Tivo. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A4042-2004Jul21.html Tivo is basically proposing a very similar thing to Microsoft but obviously Tivo doesn't have the deep pockets that Microsoft does to fight the Hollywood lawyers, nor possibly the corporate finesse to make the hollywoodicaly correct approach. Still they have PVR HDTV and Microsoft does not. It's all good though.
OK. I get it. Codecs-when needed but let's talk about audio codecs a bit shall we? OK. How can you play MP3s without the FgH's Radium codec? A pirate one that is(if there is actually a legal version of it). I couldn't and even now can't play MP3s because this codec is missing now. But this thing breaks crossfading(I know it's better not to have it all then to have nothing,right?)! So what's the solution? Get a legal codec? From where? And if its paid-Why? If people are using codecs(audio and video ones) to read media and not make one why they have to pay? Oh wait. I know! Someone has to get something for his creation even if not everyone is going to see/admire/use/share/remember it... Please tell me- what is the alternative? DivX,Xvid,FFDShow-ok. But what else? Give me some alternative for an MP3 codec(mail me at boen_robot@yahoo.com please). Where can users find free AND legal codecs?
You don't need to find one, it's a part of Windows! l3codecA.acm is a part of Windows and is a legal FhG decoder/encoder. l3codecP.acm is the Radium hack, FhG never made a full function ACM Encoder/Decoder. This is covered at http://msmvps.com/chrisl/articles/10723.aspx. If you can not get WMP to download it for you, it on your Windows disc, or should be.
Who in the world cares what fabulous flat panels Microsoft MCE is paired with. Untill they come out with support for HDTV the most amazing display in the world will pale in comparrison to the HDTV Tivo. Sounds like a really nice unit. Media Center used to get 100% of my living room time and is now reduced to 20% because Microsoft does not appear to have the company cash nor the engineering talent to get HDTV to market. No display that exisits (paired with a sucky MCE machine) could rival the brilliance that comes out of my 43" Pioneer Plasma with a HDTV Tivo at present. I'm really disappointed that Microsoft has missed the boat so badly on this one.
In addition if you have mixed, live or classical CDs that are supposed to play seamlessly with no gap between th tracks, a codec pack will break seamless playback and ruin your music.
How do you get rid of them then, if the uninstallers don't work?
Thank you for very valuable info -- I'm a Canadian in Hong Kong and have only seen info on the DRM for the new WMV-HDs on your blog. I read some stuff about T2 and Step Into Liquid not working outside North America and wasn't going to buy these DVDs until I found out for sure. Many thanks!
My Brother is one of the beta testers, and he says it is pretty amazing. Multi-tuners, HD capability, and a much smoother, more elegant interface
Well, the end user generally doesn't get rid of them. You format your system and rebuild it. The advanced user might know how to find all of them, un-register them, and then delete the filters. But that's a small smaount becuase you have to know the exact file name of what was installed by the 'codec pack' and the exact location. Add to this that many of the files they install are a huge part of WMP and allow you to decode Windows Media content, un-register these are have a fun time getting WMP/WME/MM2/Etc to start working again.
I downloaded the SLD codec pack purely so I can rip as mp3 although I have used it for some movies. So far I have no problems or conflicts with it and it works fine and it automatically select the appropriate video decoder without conflict. Without it I would have to pay for a mp3 encoder which, given the choice, I would take the free one. I just think it is ridiculous that microsoft cannot allow users of WMP to rip as mp3 for free with the player given that mp3 is the most widely used format and many mp3 players cannot support wma. If microsoft included a mp3 encoder in WMP then I would have no need for a codec pack. Thus I state; there is not ZERO reason for getting a codec pack, the is ONE, cos I found it. If anyone knows the url or name of a free mp3 encoder I would very much like to know about it.
You have a few holes in here, like most people when dealing with this issue. Yes, it will allow MP3 encoder, but try and use the crossfader! That is a pirated encoder/decoder. Microsoft has nothing to do with this. Its FhG's decoder that was hacked. FhG NEVER made a full fuction MP3 encoder/decoder @ all bitrates. The fact that "it worked for you" is great, good for you. You are one in millions and it still doesn't change the fact that you are pirated codec's installed! Assuming you are running XP, once you upgrade to SP2 you will be having fun. Explorer.exe should be crashing on you, due to the fact that the DivX folks are a bit slow updating their software, add to that you have 4 or 5 different decoders for DivX on your machine. I think its ridiculous that if Microsoft included a MP3 encoder, we would have to pay MORE for Windows. Most users don't think of things like this, and I bet you are one of the people who does not wish to pay more. If you want a free MP3 encoder go talk to FhG about it, or get the LameACM guys to care about you, they don't seem to care what I have to say. Lame is a free MP3 encoder, much better quality then the Radium hack which is what you are using. If your only reason for downloading a codec pack was to get the encoder, why not just download the encoder itself? That's pretty much that stupid thing I have never heard. You have failed to convise me with a good reason, you can go out and purchase a MP3 encoder that works with WMP for $10, and if you want that free MP3 encoder, go talk to any LameACM dev and tell him the rest of the WMP users want to free one too!
Firstly: that was bloody quick to reply. I see your point and I would rather not have the codec pack if I can help it. However you say just get the encod and don't bother with the pack, but where from, you say "Lame" is a good encoder. Where do I get it from? Is it free? is it part of WMP? Google just led me to this codec pack and it works. And about your point about how when I upgrade to SP2 I'll be having problems. I won't be upgrading to SP2; it's too much hassle and doesn't make any noticable difference (well I think so). As for talking to all these people to convince them to make one, somehow I have a funny feeling I'd be wasting my time.
Happen to be right here when you posted. :-) LAME is a free and open source MP3 encoder. For WMP to use Lame, it most use the ACM version. The ACM version is not as highly developered as the basic dll encoder most apps can use. You can download it from many different sites, but it will not work with WMP. All you would do is basically change the path in the registery from C:\Windows\L3codeca.acm (That's the pirated you are are using now) to C:\Windows\LameACM.acm. But, the issue is here that it encodes trash and hangs at 100% CPU usage and 500/512MB of RAM. So, it gives you nothing you can use. Not upgrading to SP2 on Windows XP is stupider then installing a Codec Pack for the MP3 encoder. I'm not joking. SP2 includes SO much in better security its not even funny. Most of the main system files have been recompiled to prevent buffer overflows, the new security center, etc. If you don't think you should upgrade to it when released via Windows Update you don't deserve to be on the internet. The rest of the users depend on people like *you* to keep the internet a safe place. It's people like you who don't install the stuff that ccuase virus' and worms to attack main internet routers and, in effect, shut down the internet for everyone. WHEN RELEASED GOTO WINDOWS UPDATE AND INSTALL IT!. To add to that it upgrades WMP9, Windows Movie Maker, DirectX 9.0c, Anyone running a MCE machine will now have MCE 2004, anyone running a Tablet will now have Tablet PC 2005. THERE IS ZERO REASON TO NOT INSTALL SP2 IF YOU ARE A BASIC END USER. Thanks for being that up, becuase now i'm going to have to make a whole long post about it. ;0 Yes, you would be wasting your time. No offense, but I know a bit more about the subject at hand. I have also seen "codec packs" kill people PC's to the point they have to format, lose everything, and start clean just to keep Explorer not from crashing, or to have WMP play anything.
Thanks for your advice, I will download and install the LAME encoder and I hope it will work. I really think that Microsoft should include an mp3 encoder of their own in WMP as it will stop these kind of problems. And your comment about an mp3 encoder increasing the price of Windows; no offense, but that's bollocks. How could the inclusion of a simple thing like an encoder in WMP make any difference. WMP is freeware anyway so previous users would still be able to download it. I will consider installing SP2 when it comes out but I have fairly good internet security(ad-aware pro and Norton antivirus) and my pc is not networked so risk of spread of anything that did get on my computer is small.
By the way, LAME only comes as a source code. What (free) software is there that intergrates it into WMP.
Let's see FhG changes "x" amount for each copy of the encoder shipped, lets say it was just $3. How many millions of copies of XP have been shipped? Lets just say 5 million. That's only, what, $150 million from MS 2 FhG? Take into account the people happy with WMA encoding (Since over 500 CE devices do support the format) and what have you gain? Nothing. What have you lost? A boat load of money. So, why not let Cyberlink, InterVideo, and Sonic sell the MP3 encoder then license from FhG? This way, the user can purchase it, if they want to, and the other user who isn't to to use MP3 or is not going to use WMP doesn't pay. Sounds simple to me. WMP is only freeware is MS doesn't spend billions in licensing tech. to include with it! If you include the encoder after the fact, you (1) Raise the price of Windows a lot to make up for it, remember, millions of copies are already shipped, you are not getting money from those people <or> (2) Charge for the WMP upgrade that includes a MP3 encoder, again, for reasons above this is stupid. Dispite the size of MS, you can't just spend that type of money, investors would kill you. And the last reason, this one is good. When Microsoft includes stuff like thism the feds get all up in arms and someone screams anti-trust. ----- Ad-aware only removes what's on the system, IE 6 is a huge UPGRADE in SP2. To the fact ad-aware will only be used to remove Cookies, which IE does anyway. the new build of IE will NOT allow anything to be downloaded unless you give it the okay. This means ActiveX controls and more. Spyware is put on the system by yourself, this helps protect your PC. Spyware and adware is installed by you, so get SP2 when it comes out. If you had a secure PC, you would not need an Anti-Virus or Ad-aware installed. But, only like 2% of the people out their know howto stay away from crap on the web. Those 2% of people are either not running IE or are running IE w/ SP2 installed. If your PC is connected to the internet (ie. you are posted from it now) it is networked. The internet is nothing but a network. Any e-mail you spend, and webpage you site, and chat room, etc, etc is your PC on a network. ------- Lame comes as the source <or> as the ZIP with it all compiled. http://users.tpg.com.au/mtam/install_lame.htm Here's a thread on WMP 9and LameACM. http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=23007 There is _no_ other MP3 encoders out there to use with WMP.
Thanks Chris. I trimmed the article down and was asked by Engadget to present it as a guest editorial for them at http://www.engadget.com/entry/7831605515083573/ Like you I am really excited about the potential with Longhorn. Really really excited about it in a huge way. As to the HDTV stuff I think that Microsoft needs to be ahead of the curve here. It's coming and they could be building loyal evangalizers with this right now. Instead they let Tivo beat them here and have gone radio silent on their plans for this -- not the right strategy. I agree on the stability of XP but disagree on the stability of MCE as an app. XP is so much better than Windows 98 and infinately better than when I was the unfortunate hack who ended up buying a PC during the brief Millenium phase. As MCE, however, runs on an XP Pro System the stability is nowhere near TiVo's. Yes, applications are the problem more than XP but MCE and WMP are essentially apps and can be very buggy. I agree with the poor quality that oftentimes come from the OEMs but the fact remains that Microsoft partners with them and won't sell me the software directly to build my own PC in a much better way. It killed me to buy an HP but this was my only path to get media center when it came out. There are more choices today but Microsoft should still sell the software and let me have a custom machine built with it on it from my vendor of choice. Third party plug ins will drive usage and sales of MCE. Microsoft should develop or at minimum significantly fund development (ala Intel's venture arm) of these outside plug ins. Microsoft should play a more active role than simply releasing an SDK.
I am not suggesting they get fhg to supply the encoder. That would surely be stupidly expensive with licensing and all. I am saying they could very easily develop their own mp3 encoder and intergrate into WMP. The development costs for a fairly simple thing like an mp3 encoder would pale into insignificance compared to Longhorn for example and would result in an mp3 encoder in WMP at no extra cost to the user. Voila. Ad-aware does not only remove cookies; it detects all malicious files (eg .dll's), registry modifications and BHO's, so it is a very useful piece of software to have. Plus sp2 may prevent stuff from installing itself, but I reckon about 95% of spyware/adware/malware etc is installed along with a perfectly innocent looking piece of freeware software, at this point SP2 is pretty useless. Lame sounds great but it involves altering the registry and I'm not touching that.
When you go off and develop your own Mp3 encoder you get junk like what Apple puts in with iTunes. :\ No MP3 encoder is better that then junk. All that needs to happen is for some lame dev to fix lameacm. then you have free mp3 encoding and the best mp3 encoder out there. it is worth noting that windows does ship with an fhg encoder, it just does not encode above 56kbps or something. I don't think i said ad-aware just removes cookies, i said that IE in Sp2 is so updated that all ad-ware would be deleting it cookies. this means you are not going to get the amount of spyware installed via random websites if you are running sp2. if you are not running sp2 you will still have huge problems. spyware/adware is installed via the user, if the user does not take the time to install a service pack, they should have to deal with hude amounts of spyware/adware/malware on their system, becuase it's their own fault. The % of that high, but its still installed via the user. Sp2 helps prevent installing through IE, since that is the main target for writers of the software. Sp2 is a big step to increase the users awarness about this stuff. All programs involve editing the registry. Your codec pack did all of the editing in this case. if lameACM did work, i would have already made an installer and put it up on wmplugins.com so editing the registry would not have to happen. :)
I couldn't agree with Thomas more. My experience has been that XP is rock solid, but, MCE is very very buggy. Don't get me wrong, I luv my MCE. It's the greatest thing since sliced bread, but, constant reboots & screen freezes prevent MCE from being the converged device that the average consumer is willing to put up with. Sure, a lot of the bugs are caused by 3rd party applications that interact with mce, but unlike any other Windows operating system, Microsoft has retained quite a bit of control on how it is being distributed & what hardware/software it's supplied with thus far. Overall, MCE 2002/2004 represent a very good first effort for Microsoft, but the boys in Redmond have a long way to go before it's ready for mass consumptoin by the average consumers.
please help me!!!!!!!! i have the error number c00d11c9 and i can fix it! and i have looked at so many help sites but i can not find my specific error on any of them! if you have the answer please email it to me at xoerikaox@sbcglobal.net
In response to:- "If you don't think you should upgrade to it when released via Windows Update you don't deserve to be on the internet." I thought the internet was about communication not segregation, ppl like you shouldn't be on the internet. Blanket statements, (which I'll admit I will say) aren't useful, many ppl don't upgrade because the application BREAKS current applications on a platform. They do what they can to get use out of their resources, not have them lay idle because some arrogant net-master says they shouldn't be doing what everyone was doing at one time previously. --- Codec Packs are evil, you say.. well Windows Media Player has and continues to fail in its attempts to find codecs for media files. WMP cannot play many files, audio and video without user intervention. I make these blanket statements because time and time again I find that 'technically' a media file should be able to decode (I'm talking about simple decoding here) the formats some twit has encoded his hour long presentation into xvid, divx, mp3 etc.. yet, WMP cannot play them? What is a user to do? .. besides using another player, witch simply relies on the OS to provide codecs.. Time and time again I'm forced to install misc codecs in the vain hope it'll play.. and usually, with some pain I admit, it does. You seem to suggest that, WMP will find a codec and play, I don't think I've ever had that happen to work successfully. It may download a codec, but still fail to play.. There seems to be no standards regarding codecs, so while you can claim 'codec packs' are evil, that simply binds oneself to never being able to play the simplest of mpeg's or divx. the windows media formats are simply creating more problems for those of us using cross platforms than creating some standard in the industry. I will not suggest a solution to this crisis in media.. but I will say that IP issues with regard to quality encoding it one reason for the current situation. Statements about using 'pirated codecs' aren't helpful because time and time again users are forced into installing anything they can to PLAY a KNOWN, and should already be available and working, format on their pc.
"I thought the internet was about communication not segregation, ppl like you shouldn't be on the internet. Blanket statements, (which I'll admit I will say) aren't useful, many ppl don't upgrade because the application BREAKS current applications on a platform. They do what they can to get use out of their resources, not have them lay idle because some arrogant net-master says they shouldn't be doing what everyone was doing at one time previously." So, you are saying that people with un-secure PC's should be on the internet causing more problems for you? Through this post you keep saying stuff about "Blanket statements" and how they are not helpful for me to say. I guess the difference between you and me is I can back mine up with facts. Sure, SP's can break things, so can the everyday update from Windows Update! How is this different? It updates more files, but wait, that right, they have all been recompiled. As for breaking current apps, ya, it will happen. SP2 has only been in beta longer than any other MS SP. It the app maker is not ready and has not seen what SP might do to their applications, thats just plain stupid. This is the case with Divxnetworks. SP2 broke divx, although they really didn't tell their users about upgrading. They had known before SP2 shippped that the users would have problems, any word from them? Nope. Who's fault? Microsoft's for releasing the SP or them for not caring enough about their customers to fix it, and get the word out? "Codec Packs are evil, you say.. well Windows Media Player has and continues to fail in its attempts to find codecs for media files. WMP cannot play many files, audio and video without user intervention. I make these blanket statements because time and time again I find that 'technically' a media file should be able to decode (I'm talking about simple decoding here) the formats some twit has encoded his hour long presentation into xvid, divx, mp3 etc.. yet, WMP cannot play them? What is a user to do? .. besides using another player, witch simply relies on the OS to provide codecs.. " Working on for WMP 10. Again with your blanket statements. Define should? Becuase you think you have the right codec's installed? Becuase a codec pack "should" of installed the codec? Becuase you downloaded from a random site and they say it "should" work? Becuase the header "might" not be corrupt through the download process? Becuase you downloaded from a P2P network, where the user who you downloaded it from said it should work? Simple decoding can only exist if (1) the users knows enough about the codec's he/she has put on their system not to get in the way of each other (2) the media was encoded correctly. (3) the app used to view the media can use the codec installed. - So, reason 1 is out for most of the users, becuase theyknow nothing about codecs. Reason 2 is out becuase all these people today think install DivX ;) 3.11 and encoding a video is fine, since it says Low Motion it might work for the low motion video, right? Reason 3 is a toss up. Many people try and install dshow codecs to use in quicktime, and they can't figure out they it doesn't work. "Time and time again I'm forced to install misc codecs in the vain hope it'll play.. and usually, with some pain I admit, it does." Right, becuase you take the "codec pack" approach. Install tons of juck, not knowing what it is, and hope the random media you have will play. This should be expected for somone who takes the shot in the dark approach. "You seem to suggest that, WMP will find a codec and play, I don't think I've ever had that happen to work successfully. It may download a codec, but still fail to play.. " Where do I do that? Throught the articles I have on this site I state that just becuase you have the correct codec's installed doesn't mean you don't have a problem with the file itself. "There seems to be no standards regarding codecs, so while you can claim 'codec packs' are evil, that simply binds oneself to never being able to play the simplest of mpeg's or divx. the windows media formats are simply creating more problems for those of us using cross platforms than creating some standard in the industry. " There are standards, but who says they have to apply to the pirates who think they know the most about decoding media? btw, MS licenses WM to anyone, can't say the same for folks like Apple and Real "Statements about using 'pirated codecs' aren't helpful because time and time again users are forced into installing anything they can to PLAY a KNOWN, and should already be available and working, format on their pc. " Now, good for you. Could this be why I have write 50+ articles about problems in WMP? They all are linked to from this site. I have posted almost 40,000 replies in the WMP newsgroups in the past year. Is this way I point out to every person who linsk to a codec pack that it is a dumb idea? Is this hy I uggest to everyone that downloading ffdshow to decode video is a good idea? Wake up dude.
"I have posted almost 40,000 replies in the WMP newsgroups in the past year" You need to get out more mate.
That's called being a senior in high school, having 3 classes then coming home at 10 something in the morning. All my friends were still back at school, you got to do something to pass the time [Plus, you get cool from from MS for doing it]
That is covered at http://msmvps.com/chrisl/articles/10918.aspx
This Encoder 9 SDK is not available at that address. Do you know what happended to it.
That's a good question, I will find out what happened and either post a new link here or post when its back up.
The links are not working. Can someone post a working link or send it directly to email?
Looks like Jeff's website is down. AFAIK he is the only one that links to it. I"m sure it will be up in a bit, if not post at http://www.thegreenbutton.com/community/shwmessage.aspx?ForumID=26&MessageID=61875
>>So, you are saying that people with un-secure PC's should >>be on the internet causing more problems for you? No, in responce to "If you don't think you should upgrade to it when released via Windows Update you don't deserve to be on the internet." I'm saying that computers deserve to be on the internet irrespective of their upgrade policies.. I develop pretty customized network involving applications for windows xp, and when they don't work because of a new patch, I think its unreasonable to not be able to still use that application until its re-written for the changed environment. Even if its on an unpatched machine. Also all machines connected to the internet, imo are 'unsecure' since they can be attacked from the internet. An internet connected secured machine is an unreachable perfect goal. imo. >> Through this post you keep saying stuff about "Blanket >>statements" and how they are not helpful for me to say. I >>guess the difference between you and me is I can back >>mine up with facts. I'm reminded of my comment about arrogant net-masters here. facts hey?.. well I'll just accept that, why not, its not like you'd have any reason to lie about something factual. However fair enough, I did go a over the top for something I care so little about. The point I was trying to make was that the comment about deserving to be on the internet, was in your own (our) self interest, and did not consider others who would be marginalized by that policy if put into action. >>...As for breaking current apps, ya, it will happen. SP2 has >>only been in beta longer than any other MS SP. It the app >>maker is not ready and has not seen what SP might do to >>their applications, thats just plain stupid. This is the case >>with Divxnetworks. SP2 broke divx, although they really >>didn't tell their users about upgrading. They had known >>before SP2 shippped that the users would have problems, >>any word from them? Nope. Who's fault? Microsoft's for >>releasing the SP or them for not caring enough about their >> customers to fix it, and get the word out? Whoa, tangent here, however this all stems from the problem of changing systems, change takes time, and resources and for many companies (at least those I know about) change is expensive. Hence it happens slowly. I'm in favour of trying to get it right the first time. I'm not trying to blame anyone here. And I certainly don't blame and label companies and people with resource constraints as stupid. I won't quote everything this'll get too huge, but you ask why do I think it 'should' work.. because it has in the past, the file hasn't changed yet the version of windows and wmp has. Wrong codec version? probably, I'm not a 'codec' god like you pretend to be, but as a user I find it frustrating when something that supposed to request from the 'central authority' of codecs from Microsoft cannot analyse the file and find at least a few options for me to work with. And just spits out, error codec not found, or click here to see if there's a codec on the net and then not find anything. (and if it did? would that be a codec pack?).. (how do I know it isn't illegal?) Btw, the files I'm talking about aren't from p2p they're usually video conferencing records or what not from people I work for, roughly encoded by them and told to me to be divx, mpeg. Maybe it shouldn't work, maybe its thourghly illlegal to decode using the patented codec, I'm not sure. How then pray tell, if wmp's automated approach cannot sort it out, how does a novice user? Why also does wmp not link to fddshow when ppl have these issues and fddshow could resolve it? If all media headers were not corrupt, would we still have these problems. I think so yes because files without corruption have these problems. Also if I can get a file to play using 'evil codec packs' does that make the file itself evil/corrupt? If everyone knew about the same as the developers of wmp would ppl still have these problems? I think so yes, because wmp doesn't adequately support its users atm, imo. Standards, I mention standards because I don't think 'whatever standard you call this' is working. You mention standards to suggest people don't follow them. Fair enough, I want to change the standards not the people because its easier imo. Maybe though, we need to change both. Starting here.
Do you lock your car/house door when you leave it? Sure you do, why? That glass window is right their, what's stopping someone from getting in? By your internet statement you are saying that you do not lock the door to your house and/or car becuase there is still a way to get in even if you do. WinXP SP2: stop moaning and get downloading http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/08/12/winxp_sp2_stop_moaning/ As I have said, this is being worked on for WMP 10, I can not say anymore about that. I have brought this topic up so many times i'm sure parts of the WMP beta team hate me. Again, your statements all seem to be your opinion. I'm sure parts of my are my opinion, but larger parts of it are fact. I agree WMP needs to change, but so does the amount of pirated codec's going around.
"Do you lock your car/house door when you leave it? Sure you do, why? That glass window is right their, what's stopping someone from getting in?" Double Glazing is bloody strong. A brick lobbed at one would just bounce off.-That's what.. "I agree WMP needs to change, but so does the amount of pirated codec's going around." It seems as though the main reason you dislike codec packs is cause they are 'pirated'. A bit of a generalisation don't you think; it this thread you have only mentioned one codec pack - there are hundreds out there. Have you tested every single one for its integrity and legality? I think not. I'm sure there are many that do the job well and are not pirated. After all, if there's a free option and a paid for option, most people are going to go to the free option. It seems that the only way to resolve this is for WMP to include all neccassary codecs pre-installed so no-one has the need to download such 'evil' codec packs.
> It seems as though the main reason you dislike codec packs is cause they are 'pirated'. Wrong, If you read "In addition to them being pirated, they install out-of-date versions and versions that can confilt with each other." , "This will break a few things in Windows too.", "you should get a “Copyright Protection” error when playing a DVD.". They break more then a few things. The Radium Hack breaks Crossfading in WMP. The reason I only talk about one of them is that extracting the files from some of the others is not an easy thing to do. It just so happens that the K-Lite ones are packed with a 7Zip archive. >> Have you tested every single one for its integrity and legality? They don't change what's in there. Pirated is pirated, hacked is hacked. There is no legal version of l3codecA.acm, there is np legal version of DivX 3.11, there is no legal version of DivX that does not include spyware. How mnay of these do you see with Spyware in them? There is NO legal DVD decoder that is free, none, zip. There is (1) MPEG-2 decoder that is free, it can be downloaded from SourceForge, and guess what, its not in any of the packages. They choose it pirate one and stick it in there, most of the time, more than one. >> I'm sure there are many that do the job well and are not pirated. Could you point me to one? Remember, the owner of the codec's must be allowing them to re-distibute the codecs. >> After all, if there's a free option and a paid for option, most people are going to go to the free option. Who makes a paid codec pack? Link? Only reason stuff is free is beuase its pirated. >> It seems that the only way to resolve this is for WMP to include all neccassary codecs pre-installed so no-one has the need to download such 'evil' codec packs. Or, for people to stop distributing illegal, hacked, pirated codec packs. That's not a hard question to ask, or is it?
The link should now be back up everyone. :-)
>> On another note, mpgdec.ax doesn't play along with other DVD Decoders installed. In WMP (and WinDVD and PowerDVD) you should get a “Copyright Protection” error when playing a DVD. Un-registering mpgdec.ax will fix that if it happens to you. I have this problem... deleted the entire registry entry for Elecard, uninstalled the codec pack I had put in, and still getting the error. Any suggestions? After I installed a codec pack the video for my DVDs was all screwed up. Messed around for a while but only got it to the point where I can watch them in Media Player Classic but not WMP or other programs. Get the cannot watch due to digital copyright protection error message.
Chris Laner Have a thing for codecs huh? :) You also seem to write a very agressive uncompromising responce to peoples comments, upgrading to SP2 will be a bitch for many companies and individuals, how about showing some sympathy or at least some recognition of that pain. :P I believe what sftu was saying is not the he'll leave the door open, but he won't shut the door if it'll break his windows :) until he gets his windows reframed. If we are going to resolve pirating with regard to codecs we'll need to recruit people on board, instead of attacking them with the I'm right you're wrong aproach. Also there is a MPEG-2 decoder that is free and available in a codec pack, http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Codec_Pack_All_in_1.htm Yes there is a lot of pirated software/codecs being used in the world. :/ I'm sure the free software foundation would be insulted by your attitude that something is only free because its been pirated. Freedom can refer to both the cost of obtaining the item and the ability to use that item. There is a massive amount of quality free software out there which is very widely used and hasn't been stolen or otherwise pirated in anyway. You can buy codecs however to market them companies usually sell media players with them, Power DVD comes to mind. John
Steve: You might see if http://msmvps.com/chrisl/articles/11496.aspx address your problem. John: I have a thing for people pirating stuff, then, in turn screwing up their PC. As for that "free" decoder, its not. mcdsmpeg.ax is the file is installs. That's a MainConcept's file. Looking at their website, they are not offering free downloads, unless you see one I don't? Free is much different from pirated. Put a free application under a CNU GPL and then its free. Althrough a codec pack maker could claim their "product" is under a GPL, the files inside are copyrights owned by other companies. I'm sure that no free software foundation has a problem with my attitude, firstly I suggest open source software all the time. ffdshow, ac3filter, xvid, and these are just encoders/decoders! I hate to say, but the laws go the other way on your freedom statement. In terms of fair use, I would doubt they have a problem with me either. And codec packs prevent Cyberlink have selling their software. Why?\, is the average person going to purchase PowerDVD, when the K-Lite and Nimo codec packs already include their audio and video decoders? Any reason for the average person who knows little about it to purchase PowerDVD/WinDVD/nVDVD/CinePlayer?
An interesting situation: A product produced and given away by the author for no cost with no license is free. It would be stolen to have a license put on it by another that would removing it from public use. I'm not sure on your legal system, but from my point of view, it is legal to distribute software without a license on that software, and my 'freedom statement' is simply an understanding of the separate meanings of a term widely and vaguely used to cover cost and not ability to use. This understanding in no way conflicts with any body of law I know of. Don't mix up open source software and 'free software', that is why I tried to make a distinction between 'free use' and 'free cost'. I believe most of PowerDVD's customers come from when they purchase a DVD player with their software bundled into it so they can play DVD's from their DVD drive. MainConcept do offer a media player, see http://www.mainconcept.com/downloads.shtml which is available for purchase, I assume the file you mentioned is available in their downloads. The demo they produce will watermark video encoded with the codec until a registration code is provided. Decoding I would presume is not watermarked for media properly encoded. Is providing their decoder in a codec pack part of fair use when you could (say you can) install it by downloading a demo product? I'm not sure. I would hope so, imo it doesn't damage MainConcepts product line (encoders) to have their decoder widely available. MainConcept's opinion and yours may differ widely from this, fine. I'm not willing to argue over it, my point for that link was simply to show that free decoders are used in some codec packs, not to argue they are all clean or legal. You will notice ffdshow is included in that pack. Not all files inside a codec pack are copyright owned by other companies. Either way, if Free-Codecs.com is somehow infringing or helping infringe on MainConcept's legal rights, then it can and should have a civil case brought against it. In this post I find myself largely repeating what I have said before, which I'm sure you do all the time :) I think I understand you, I'm just not sure you understood what I wast trying to communicate before. Regards John
In the US (Just noticed you are posting from AU) it is consider illegal to re-distribute someone elses copyrighted work. The main example we have of this is with the RIAA. At any given time the RIAA can slap a lawsuit on use for "trading" (Which is distributing) copyrighted music files. MainConcept owns that decoder, thus it is illegal for anyone else to distribute without their premissions. You can bet they are not giving premission to these people to give it away, "Free software" is still not this. If a Ferrari is stilling on the side of the road with a "free sign" on it, are you really thinking that someone is just giving away that $100,000+ car to the next person who might want it? On the same side do you think MainConcept's is giving away a part of their business? Remember, they make money off selling this. "Purchase" is a key word, the first text that strikes me on the site is "Try before you buy". You are not paying them for that decoder, thus you "trial" period gets extened. Legal? Not in the US. Its not fair use at all, back to the Ferrari. Say the sign that said "free" is gone, but you saw it there before. So, you hope in the car and take off (Much like downloading a codec pack, right? It says its free, you don't think twice, and you download it). 5 miles down the road the cops get you, is "fair use" something you would argue? "It said free a few minutes ago"? Not going to fly. Much of the responces to this post are personal opinion. Your (Nor anyone elses) personal opinion has any place. Its a fact that these can mess up your PC, It's a fact that they are pirated, Its a fact that the companies did not license their files out. You opinion of it not hurting the company is really ludicrous. let's take the codec pack you linked to, okay? 767,274 downloads, just from that webpage alone! Now, go purchase 767,274 players from MainConcept, make a difference, hell yes. You can't say they don't loss money. $26,854,590 is what they could have made had every person from that site bought there player/PVR product. Now, it is stupid to think everyone downloaded it to get the MPEG-2 decoder, but the point stands. It's MainConcept's file, they are distributing it without premission, and MainConcept's loses money off of it. I don't think you understnad what the legal and what's not, of course thats just my opinion (or is it)
Good job Chris! Very well written guide and compilations of all your WMP help articles and error codes. Best Regards, - Shadow
I would not buy a portable media center for the simple reason that my laptop computer is my portable media center. I take my IBM Thinkpad T40 everywhere with me outside of the home. The screen is bigger, the hard drive is bigger, it doubles as a useful computer with a full keyboard everywhere you go. I just recently re-read the old Bill Gates Playboy interview where he was asked if he used a PDA and he said no because he always had his laptop with him. Things may have changed of course but I identify with how Bill felt back then as someone who takes his laptop everywhere. My only disappointment is that Microsoft does not seem to recognize a laptop as a legitimate "portable device." For instance I can synch with WMP 10 to a host of portable devices but my laptop is not one of them unfortunately. This makes it very difficult for me to, for instance, get all of my 5 star songs on my laptop. Speaking of laptops and portable media. One thing does need to happen. I purchased a little add on device called from IROCK that allows me to transmit my laptop to 88.7 fm. rather than a cigarette lighter powered external device, laptop manufacturers need to put one of these little broadcasting devices in every laptop. Combined with some simple play, pause, volume and back and forward buttons on the outside laptop case it would be much easier for me to simply launch my laptop without opening it and use it as my own personal radio station anytime that i get in the car. If I want to watch recorded shows on my laptop I can just copy the MCE file over my network to my laptops hardrive and watch it later in WMP... oops or should I say USED to be able to do this. Since abandoning MCE's "my television" for my HDTV TiVo I'm not able to do this anymore. Tom
Owners of Windows Media Center Edition 2004 PC are going to love this news. Brian Binnerup has released a freeware add-on application for MCE called My DVD Collection 2004, which can index a PC's entire ripped DVD collection or pull information during playback. Once indexed, users are able to browse their entire collection by title, actor, director, or genre details also include ratings, cover art, and actor headshots. Overall, the application looks like a must have for any MCE owner. The graphics, layout, and information all look great and blend perfectly into the standard 10-foot interface. For more...
Sometime soon? Mabe this week? Very exciting... I read an article sometime back from PCWorld that an estimated release was the end of summer 2004 and other articles regarding hardware using WMP10, etc... And what do you know... summer is almost over. About three more weeks left before autumn. Sheesh time has gone by so fast. Can't wait to see the "Digital Media Mall" to see how it compares to that of Apple's and RealNetwork's music stores.
Woah woah woah! That's going to be a pain to the many average/new users installing SP2 with a Prescott CPU and a mainboard that is listed as possibly causing problems. The XP SP2 update is going to be made available to millions of users and I think MS should get the word out better about this issue before it is officially released on Windows Update. This makes me very hesitant of installing XP SP2 on my notebook computer running 3.2GHz Prescott with a SiS648FX + SiS963L AGP8X Chipset mainboard.
I've just written this up at http://cquirke.mvps.org/sp2intel.htm
Some help would really be appreciated!!! i have the error code: 8004020E and everytime i try to burn a CD, it says, "an invalid alignment has been specified" Ive been searching for the answer to this problem but have had no luck. Please help if at all possible. Thanks.
Chris A very well written article!! I hope you don't mind if I spread the link ? Will save a lot of anguish from people as well as resellers.
Just got WMP 10, and try using it for internet radio and get the "Error C00D109B". Can't find any information on this error anywhere...so thought maybe you could help
Congrats on getting your Blog listed on the WMP 10 site! http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/mp10/faq.aspx#1_20
Thanks. :)
You might try posting in the WMP Newsgroup with the site, system specs, etc.
If you copy a CD to your hard drive and use the Find Album Info function, Energy Bliss works fine. If you create a folder, put your own music in it, and create your own Folder.jpg and AlbumArtSmall.jpg, Energy Bliss ignores the pictures. This process is good enough for the regular Album Art option. For Energy Bliss, you have to use Find Album Info and go through that process. It then uses the smaller AlbumArtSmall.jpg which looks awful (which is easily resolved by making a copy of Folder.jpg and renaming it to AlbumArtSmall.jpg).
It would also be nice if it was capable of displaying longer song names. It is limited to two lines for song names and truncates instead of using the available space.
All the settings for WMA (if I rip a CD onto my computer) have changed from WMP 9, and a re now larger. WMP9's VBR 75 now seems to be VBR50, etc. I cannot confirm if the sound quality has changed either.
WMP 10 suddenly stopped playing any of my media. (WMAs, MP3s, AVIs... even CDs in the drive!) This problem popped up out of the blue. I came to my computer this morning and it was like this. It gives an error code of 1199.
i had a bug in another programme and had to system restore my computer to before media player 10 was installed now i do not have windows media player at all i cannot install wmp 10 or 9 the error states this player is cot compatable with windows i dont really want to format c: but i liked wmp how can i reinstall it windows xp sp2...
everytime i play a video (and music) the audio is fine but when i seek to a a few minutes or seconds ahead the volume goes to %100 but the volume bar is at the same position but once i touch to volume bar again it goes back down. so basically everytime i seek the volume gets loud and i have to turn it back down by clicking the volume bar
Not sure how this happened, but it seems that WMP10 erroneously found a Sinatra album cover to display when it doesn't have the real Album Art to show. How can I fix this? How could I locate the JPEG and delete it. Thanks, Chris
None of the play, stop, previous, next buttons work on the toolbar setting. Only the mute, volume, maximize, etc work.
When I Rip a CD, when it finishes I have to stop WMP 10 and restart it again before I can rip another. It won't refresh the rip screen when I put another disk in, even when I use the Rip Audio CD function under "CDs and Devices" in the File menu. Anyone else have this problem? I'm wondering if it's a bug or my CD/RW-DVD/RW drive. Rips fine, just have to restart WMP 10 on every disk.
I am with "Kevin" who posted on 9/11/04 @ 2:41 pm... "WMP 10 suddenly stopped playing any of my media. (WMAs, MP3s, AVIs... even CDs in the drive!) This problem popped up out of the blue. I came to my computer this morning and it was like this. It gives an error code of 1199." My WMP 9 was doing the same thing. So I upgraded to WMP 10, it didn't help. I opted to "roll back" to WMP 9. That didn't help. Looked for help all over, almost 'paid' MS for help =(. After a couple of days, opened WMP 9 again only to have it tell me "There are 'upgrades' available." OK, I'm game. I downloaded the 'upgrades', it was WMP 10. Hmmm... could it possibly work? NO! Same message... "Windows Media Player cannot play the file. The Player might not support the file type or might not support the codec that was used to compress the file." Which is the same error that Kevin is getting "C00D1199: Cannot play the file". I download and install the "Codec Installation Package for Windows Media Player 7.1 or later". Did it work?... Obviously not. So here we (at least Kevin and I) are, WMP deprived and stranded. Yes, I use WinAmp, it works fine. But let's face it folks, we need WMP to work. Sorry for the long-winded whine. Help in any way, shape or form would be appreciated.
Interesting. I guess, they're trying to one-up Google which has been in the news lately with their acquisitions. And just out of curiosity, what app do you prefer for all-in-one jukeboxing? I've been using MMJB personally since I like their super-tagging and burning.
to kevin and debby: I had the same problem, but I FIXED IT!! Just go to Tools/Options/Devices/Speakers/Properties, and try to play around with your "Audio device to use". Thanks to http://www.zachd.com/pss/pss.html for this.
My WMP9 worked perfectly, my 10 gives me 1199 errors all the time .
I was perfectly fine using WMP9, now I don't get the artist info for my mp3's, I just get a screen that says "No aditional information was available for the selected media". When I press the "online store" button, I get a message that says "There are no online stores available for your location" So I checked the regional settings on the control panel, It was set to Mexico (I live part of the year there) so I changed it back to US, but nothing changed. Besides all that, when I press the button that has a little globe on it, a message pops up, it reads "This type of document does not have a security certificate" and it does nothing else... How can I roll back to WMP9? by the way, I'm running SP2 I hope I'm not the only one with this problems... Any ideas?
When I installed WMP 10, all the taskbar buttons disappeared. Now I have to press alt/tab to see the active windows. I hate it...And whene i uninstalled it, the bug remained. Now I have to restor the Windows XP image that I had created before I installed WMP 10...This evening I'll try to install WMP 10 in Windows 2003...I hope there won't be that bug. I'm sorry for my fantastic use of English but I'm Italian and the First Certificate is not enough!
More links regarding that issue: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=9b99c199-5d75-454f-ae07-b620727be8d8&DisplayLang=en http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[LN];885626
Very good critique of their article. The Inquirer indeed has many of their facts wrong as you rightly point out. I wasn't aware that the Inquirer had also written MCE off for the scrap pile last year. I thought it was pretty funny in January on the eve of CES when the Register announced that Microsoft would be scrapping MCE http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/01/06/whatever_happened_to_the_windows/ and then Microsoft came out pushing it more heavily than ever. I really have not read the Register or seen them as a credible source for news since. Their layout looks alot like the Inquirer and not sure if their is any relationship there. Personally I would be surprised to see HDTV in MCE 2005 but stranger things have happened. Infoworld announced today without citing a source that HDTV support would be included in MCE 2005 http://www.infoworld.com/article/04/09/15/HNmediacenterupdate_1.html I would be diappointed if HDTV support only covered OTA broadcasts though and not HDTV offerings available through cable or satellite. I'm sure we will all know shortly enough. I'm looking forward to writing a review of MCE 2005 when it is finally officially released.
I appear to have a problem between WMP10 and Norton Internet Security/Personal Firewall. I never had this issue with WMP9. I've checked all my settings for NIS and can't find what might be preventing WMP10 from making outside connections in order to stream media. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
the mini player mode that appears in the toolbar everytime you minimize the player doesn't work. the play control buttons (play,stop,rewind,forward,etc) are disabled. the volume button is enabled but doesn't actually increase/decrease the volume when you move the volume slider accordingly. the maximize function is the only button functioning. all other else sucks. hope you could suggest anything for this. thanks!
Installed WMP 10 last night and once it had searched my harddrive for media files to add to the library, it had added duplicates to many of my files. Does anyone know if I could clear the library and have it search again for my media files?
2 days ago the color suddenly washed out when I play any thing. It looks like there was too much lighting was used when a video was shot. Help!!! Any advice would be brtter than this. BTW I am usin WMP 10. Thank you Buddy
I tried it on clips from the internet when I went back to the histroy list to replay them the clips were cut off after 1 to 5 seconds. The same clips in Player 9 worked perfectly. What is going on? Did they replace a good system with a worse system. Any help appreciated.
Running video clips from the internet and suddenly they are cut off after a few seconds. It worked fine on MMP 9.
Audio continues to play even after I close WPM10. Also, same problem with the taskbar player buttons being disabled. This next one may not be a bug as a loss of fuctionality from WMP9. I really liked the "Always on top when in skinned mode" option. WMP10 does not have an option like this. Oren
Hi Chris, I've got WMP 10, and I'm trying to save some web videos on my computer for offline playback. I can't do it. The files are downloaded to the temporary internet folder in ?.dat format, which WMP can't play without connecting to the web. I'm not a pirate, just a music fan - I would just as well get them from the store - but they aren't available - so I hope you can help me! Thanks, Mont
Tried to rip a CD using MP3 format and 128 Kbits/sec. Got error to the effect that I did not have the proper encodeer and go buy one, as if I had WMP 9!. 190, 256 and 320 Kbits/sec work just fine for MP3 ripping, but not the lower quality 128 Kbs. Help!
I'm getting the same problem as you josh: "None of the play, stop, previous, next buttons work on the toolbar setting. Only the mute, volume, maximize, etc work." Any idea how to fix it?
i hav e set the task bar for my player to appear in mini-mode, but i cannot control any of the playback functions while in mini-mode. the buttons will not highlight and cannot be pressed. only the volume fuction is controllable. any help with theis would be greatly appreciated. thanks
When I go into the library and click all music a lot of the songs appear as white bars. I don't know why it does this. Everything worked fine in WMP9.
I've got two major problems with this software: 1. When I upgraded from version 9 to version 10, my ratings were imported, but it seems like only a small percentage of them were imported as "my" ratings--most were imported as auto-ratings. 2. In version 9, I normally left the player in "Media Library" mode during playback so I could edit things like ratings and genres while the song was playing. In version 9, while playing all my music or a playlist in shuffle mode, the player would highlight the song playing, and then advance to the next song, jumping to it in the list and highlighting it automatically. In version 10, the player will shuffle through the songs and play them normally, but when the player starts playing the next song, it will not jump to and highlight the song in the media library list--the list does not move. This is the same regardless of whether the list I'm viewing is "Now Playing", the playlist itself, or "All Music". This drives me nuts--I'm about to switch back to version 9 because of this problem. If you know of any solution, I'd greatly appreciate it if you'd contact me (msmvps.20.sjb@recursor.net) and let me know about it. Another minor problem: The player shows "The Best of the Tams" as the album art for the album "A Slight Case of Overbombing" by the Sisters of Mercy. WTF? A problem that's magically resolved itself: Sometimes the list "All Music, All TV, All Video..." etc. on the left in the Media Library view shows up twice, e.g. "All Music, All TV, All Video...Now Playing, All Music, All TV, All Video..." I'm sad to say I'm not terribly impressed with this new version thus far.
Hi there, .DAT would generally be MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 video. Most people rename .DAT 2 .MPG first, if the video is MPEG-1 it should play just fine, if MPEG-2 you would need to purchased an MPEG-2 decoder. Link below should help with that. :) Guide To MPEG Playback In WMP http://msmvps.com/chrisl/articles/10633.aspx
The shell locked the player, you should of rebooted after your install and that should of made it work. Also, remember to disable mini-mode before the install as it asks you.
@William Berlin - They did upgrade the WMA codec and there do seem to be a number of problems being reported about it. @Kevin - That's very general. Likely being caused by third party software, but search the WMP Newsgroup for the error and my name and you will see a few of the common fixes. @Rod Taylor - I think I remember seeing that reinstalling SP2 would fix that up. @Chris Calo - Adding a custom album cover should overwrite that, but if you show the hidden OS files in Windows Explorer you will see that the album covers will show up, just delete the 2 for that album. @josh - You need to reboot after your install, also disable mini-mode before the install as it says to. @Derek - Sounds like you need to turn on AutoPlay/AutoInsert. :) @debby - That's a very "general" error. Likely being caused by third party software, but search the WMP Newsgroup for the error and my name and you will see a few of the common fixes. You can also post specific in the Newsgroup to see what others might have to suggest, it does not have a single fix. @someguy - Excellent! @elvis pelvis - See my advise to 'debby' above.
@Paolo - Not sure that it was caused by WMP, but www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp.htm should have help to repair that if it happens again. WMP 10 is only for Windows XP at this point, it should not install on Server 2003 as you don't need it on a Server. WMP 9 Series contains *everything* (Server, Encoder, Player, etc) and is on Server 2003. @Shane - There's more than one problem with NIS and WMP (8/9/10), you might see if http://msmvps.com/chrisl/articles/11444.aspx applies to you. @Ethan - You need to reboot after your install, also disable mini-mode before the install as it says to. @Tmog - Sure, check out http://www.zachd.com/pss/pss.html#medialibrary for info on how to rebuild your library db @Buddy Bell - This is likely a issue with your video card drivers. http://www.zachd.com/pss/pss.html#vdriver has some basic tips. @Brandsxb - you might want to post in the WMP Newsgroup about this with specific's. @Oren - That should mean explorer.exe had crashed on your machine at some point. If that happens WMP will stay in the background unless you kill the process. @Tiny - I think this is confirmed problem, just not sure what is causing it. @billy - You need to reboot after your install, also disable mini-mode before the install as it says to. @Kyle - You are likely using the "Black Background" option and "Group by Sorted Field" option. Disable the Black Background to fix that,I have made a note of it. @Sarah Brodwall - I'll look at some of those a bit closer then post. ;)
I run a computer lab at a university. We updated to 10 and now get error ER_USERCASH_LOG which I belive is a product of Media player. This error shuts down exporer.exe.
After streaming a radio broadcast for 1 min. 25 sec. on WMP 10 the entire operating system locks up. WMP 9 did this too, but there was a fix for it that I cannot remember now. I assume both versions have the same problem and fix. An educated guess would be some kind of buffer overflow. Is there a setting in the registry or some other place that might eliminate the lockups?
I actually just had to remove everything absolutely EVERYTHING because of some crazy codec-DivX/WinAmp downloading sessions and now with my fresh version of Windows I would like to do the right thing. What is safe and free for me to download in order to play DVDs and Divx? I am totally not as computer savvy as yall but after reading all the comments I thought this might be the best place to get help. So, thank you.
Not in WMP per se, but try installing PowerCinema 3.0 with WMP 10 installed. Please install Windows media Player 9.0 or above before installing PowerCinema. Setup will abort. helpful, eh!
Ooh, thanks for the tip. I wonder if this will help me figure out the problem of WMP10 not supporting WinDVD6's MPEG2 codec (seemingly). WMP10 doesn't play MPEG content on my system anymore once WinDVD6 is installed. :-(
Overall I agree with you. However, it *is* somewhat frustrating that MCE is burdened by being the only PVR (that I know of) that actually respects CGMS-A. This means that shows like "The Sopranos" will be limited to something ridiculous like one week of viewing. With that said, MCE has finally hit a point with 2005 where I can comfortably say that I would live if TiVo died (I was a TiVo user from day 1 until earlier this year when I switched to 2005). Cheers, Steve
MCXs ROCK! (but then again, I'm a little biased)
I have a Dell DJ (20GB). Everytime I try to use the 'sync' feature, my computer totally hangs until I stop a process called 'pdesrv2.exe' which I'm not even sure is attached to WMP-10. Then when I can use my computer again, WMP recognizes my device, but I cant write to the DJ (citing that that item can't fit on device. I have 15GB free on it currrently) not can I delete. TOTALLY buggy, or am I doing something way wrong? XP-Pro SP2 Pentium 4 3.0 Prescott 1GB DDR3200 RAM
Hi! Have Windows XP w/SP2 installed. Was using WMP9 and it was working like a charm. After upgrading to WMP10 I lost the use of the WMP Toolbar in the Windows Taskbar. It shows an empty space where the WMP Toolbar used to be, even when the player is not minimized, but there's nothing there. Any help on this? Thx in advance.
Hi again! After reading the FAQ at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/mp10/faq.aspx (press [Ctrl]+F and look for 'taskbar') that sugested to disable the WMP Toolbar in the Windows Taskbar, restart the PC and re-install the WMP10 the problem seems to be solved. Try it if you have the same problem. Thx.
I have tried this utility. Unfortunately it keep crashing. ARGH!
It won't play any of the music on my external harddrive, eventhough it is all WMA format. It claims the music has moved, except for the fact that it hasn't.
@markusfarkus - I have never seen that anywhere. Is it happening when WMP is running? if not, it's likely not being caused by WMP. @bmcdanel - http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/mp10/faq.aspx#8_6 might address that problem. @Ed Constable - That means Cyberlink didn't code their check for WMP correctly. They didn't allow for feature changes in the version. You will want to talk to them about this. @Canasian - http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=dce_djmusic&message.id=20543 should cover that. It's Dell file, I think. @Philip W - I think you posted in the NG's to. You likely have the tracks pointing to the incorrect location in your library.
it will not let me burn a cd. i press the 'start burn' button, the computer thinks for a bit, the right window states 'burning in progress' then it comes up to the original screen again after 5 seconds with no burning taking place. there are no error messages, but there is also no burning.
nevermind. i found out that it does that if not all the songs are valid. no error message but it just doesn't continue burning. weird. an error message letting me know that not all the songs were valid would have saved a day's worth of headaches. thanks anyway.
alot of third party software like sonics record now and tmpgenc. dont recognize wmp 10 even though they worked fine with wmp 9 microsoft probably did this on purpose to get the other manufacturers off there back please advise of any patches or such
No. It's called bad proramming on the part of *those companies*. They didn't code their applications to allow for a greater version of the player to be detected. This is the case with many companies. If Microsoft didn't want other companies to use there tech. then they would not license it. Think Apple. :) You need to ask the company in question to fix it, they should have already done it. I know Sonic had known about it sine the first beta builds. Fixed yet? I don't think.
When i minimize WMP10 the mini player no longer comes up. I did for a while, but one day just stopped.
I have XP w/SP2. After Installing WMP 10, I am getting all my playlists twice, including All Music, All TV, e.t.c., and the ratings are not carried over to WMP 10 After reverting back to WMP 9 everything was fine. Can you please advise of any fixes, or workarounds.
I see the following comment XP Service Pack 2 will hard lockup the PC if Prescott's microcode is left below Revision 8 (or for some Prescott steppings, Revision 7). and don't know how to tell if my Prescott steppings should be to Revision 7 or Revision 8. I had Revision 0 and stupidly installed SP2 and it locked up tighter than a drum. It was a new installation anyway, so I just re-formatted and started over to full SP1 and pre-SP2 level. Finally, Soyo posted a BIOS update on 9-21 or 9-22 and I applied it in support of their P4I875P Dragon 2 V1.0 Black Label (Prescott ready) motherboard and it jacked up the Revision Code to 7. Great, I see it should be 8 in most cases, but 7 is OK in others. What others? Thanks.
I still have problems with no sound for DivX encoded AVIs, just like WMP9. Media Player Classic plays these files just fine. I have DivX codec 5.2.1 installed. Example: http://www.redvsblue.com/bloodgulch_s1.shtml (episode 0 is ok, but episode 1 isn't)
After I Installed Windows Service Pack 2 I installed Windows Media Player 10, then I tried to sync some songs to the Compact Flash Card on my HP iPAQ H2215, an activity which worked flawlessly with Windows Media Player 9 on Windows Service Pack 2, to my dismay you can not convert any of the files to lower bitrates, when you do the status just says converting 0% and never changes, so I opted to rollback to Windows Media Player 9 without uninstalling Service pack 2, and now I can convert files, but instead of getting smaller they get bigger, I know that's not supposed to happen. There's no third party software on my computer that could affect Windows Media Player except for DivX 512 and XviD codecs which only effect video. I have a Pentium 4 1.8 GHz processor, 256MB DDR 333 RAM running Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2.
The lack of clarity in getting SP2 to work on a Prescott CPU goes beyond my imagination. I have seen nothing clear posted at any site. I have had no straight answers from Intel, MS, or Soyo on whether my PC setup will work on not as it stands. I had one reply from MS that said SP2 is not at fault. Well, then why does base XP work and XP SP1 one work fine with this Prescott CPU and then SP2 comes along and screws everything up? This lack of clear answers and information is shameful. I shouldn't have to become a damn expert on CPUs, motherboards, BIOS updates, and workarounds just to install a service pack that is supposed to make my OS more secure. This is a bunch of bullshit.
No one cracked the CSS in DVDs until they reached critical mass. No one will crack the DRM in WMP because no one wants to: they just don't use it so why bother? (it's not because it's so wonderful, that's why the media didn't care when it was cracked once, it's just not news). Fairplay was cracked (and people will keep trying to do so) because it is the most common DRM system. How many songs have been sold using WMP DRM?
I bought 20 songs from Wal-Mart.com and the first few played fine. I tried to play th rest the next morning, and now I have no liscences. I worked for 2 hours with the Wal-Mart techie, and nothing. There is supposed to be a fix for it, but when I went to the link, I cannot even dowload it. Tech says the WMP10 simply is not accessing the net. Funny, I can watch and play anything other than the Wal-Mart music.
Considered the mass of the music services use WMRM it's still a very large amount. You have Napster, Wal-mart, MSN Music, MusicNow, MusicMatch, BuyMusic, Liquid Audio. Those are just in the US. You also have Fnac, musiqueenligne.com, Tiscali Music Club, Virgin Downloads, and Wanadoo in France. You have Karstadt, Media Markt, MTV, Tiscali Music Club, and WomDownload in Germany. And the list goes on and on. iTMS might have the largest singe sales, but there lack of licensing (Along with a few other things) will have it not being the mass for long. Then add to that Movie Services. You have CinemaNow and others. They might not be that popular now, but there is still a TON of media out there. DeCSS was written so people could enable playback on *nix system, IIRC. As most people using *nix would never think of purchasing music using Microsoft technologies it will be fun to see what happens.
My Microsoft Media skips like a broken record-player when ever I play anything back on it. I've updated to the WMP10 Media center but have had this problem with the other Media also. I would appreciate any help I could get with this. Thank you!
Hm, is there any difference in quality of encoded mp3 or is it just the same codec but legal version? I purchase Audioactive Production Studio 2 long time ago which uses the FhG pro and I use it for ripping music CDs. Is now better to use codec from WMP10 or FhG pro??? (I don't mind the speed of codec, but quality of encoded mp3) P.S.: I don't want to use another codec (like Lame), because I rely upon Frauenhofer IIS codec.
There have been no formal listening tests yet so old FhG vs. new FhG has not been seen yet. Did that program ship with l3codecp.acm? Do you know the version number and/coypright dates? The only other one I remember is 1.0.0.48 which would not encode above 128kbps. This one was legal, but I never remember seeing it at all. The Radium Hack (legal version) encodes with a slight 16kHz+ error on one channel (I think it was the left channel). I would *assume* this would have been fixed, but I really don't know. FhG encoder's are *theoretically* going to be better for encoding lower bitrate (< 128kbps) However at the same time FhG's should also be better for encoding at sampling rate's other then 44.100Hz. For CD audio this is not something to think about. LAME *will* produce better sound quality at bitrates great then 128kbps in comparison to FhG's. When some tests are done I will be sure to post them here.
I keep getting the same wmp error 1199, can you help me fix this problem. The media I am attempting to play is MPG. Help
DRM, drm. If you could eventually switch all the media to DRM media, would piracy increase because of the pressure to find non-DRM goods, or decrease because of the strength of the DRM itself? Hmmm!
That should say "...The Radium Hack (ILLegal version) encodes ..."
According to this article: http://ars-technica.com/news.ars/post/20041006-4276.html MCE 2005 IS based on XP Home.
Check out http://www.thegreenbutton.com/community/shwmessage.aspx?ForumID=41&MessageID=69197 for more information on that.
I lost WMP9 after a failed installation of WMP10 and had the above message after trying to reinstall WMP9. The fix worked and I am now happily using WMP9 again! Thank you.
WMP10 will not recoginize any of my 2 burners and dvd ? any help appreciated other burner software all ok Rob
hi there i have just downloaded the wmp10 as of today 10 october and it is still in greek!!!! i have tried the fix and it hasn't worked
Same here. It's not working, and I'm pretty sure I'm following you word for word. But then... I don't even know if I'm installing it right, because it's all in Greek and I can't read it.
Same problem, how do we change to English then?
from google groups: (posted by Chris Lanier: http://groups.google.co.uk/groups?hl=en&lr=&selm=%23DnHtRkrEHA.4044%40TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl) Please do the following... 1) *Delete* your current copy of mp10setup.exe 2) Download mp10setup.exe from the link below *Important* Do NOT download it directly from the WMP Homepage links. [Right click | Save Target As] ===== http://downloads.planetmirror.com/pub/majorgeeks/multimedia/mp10setup.exe ===== 3) Locate wmploc.dll on your system and rename it to wmploc.bak. 4) Run your new copy of mp10setup.exe 5) Reboot your PC 6) It *should* now be in English The MD5's of the download above matches my English copy downloaded the first day of the WMP 10 launch. MD5 of English Copy: F125BAFFC21CD879C0489B4F383759A7 MD5 of Greek Copy: 860AB38ED4D8FB4BD983162067CE038F
i should have said - notice the only difference between his original method and this new one is the download location. Do not download from the WMP site - but from this mirror/ :) HTH!
problem with above method: when renaming wmploc.dll to wmploc.bak a new wmploc.dll is generated immedietely.
Had the same problem too. Interesting... except that now I get the following message when I try to run the install program 'This version of Windows Media Technologies is incompatible with this version of Windows. For more information, view the information at the Microsoft web site.' Even tried to roll back to WMP 9 by trying a system restore and a new wmp9 install, but now I get the above message for that as well! Any ideas on this new development?
Alright everyone, let's try it this way. The Download Center is still not linking to the correct download on every click. In Internet Explorer you download *must* register as 12MB. If it says 12.1MB you have the *wrong* version! So we will try the mirror again. Right click and select "Save Target As" on the link below. ==== http://downloads.planetmirror.com/pub/majorgeeks/multimedia/mp10setup.exe ==== ***Important - Do this before you do anything else*** While that's downloading open My Computer and go to Tools | Folder Options | View | Uncheck "Hide protected operating system files". Now go to C:\WINDOWS\system32\dllcache and rename wmploc.dll to wmploc.bak. This should stop the file from being regenerated. Now, go to Start | Search. Search for "wmploc.dll". Right click and rename the one in C:\Windows\System32 and C:\WINDOWS\RegisteredPackages\{DD90D410-1823-43EB-9A16-A2331BF08799}. ***Important - Do not rename any of the other ones.*** After you download is complete close WMP and any open Interet Explorer windows. Also disable the Mini-mode toolbar. Right click on the Taskbar and go to Toolsbars, uncheck Windows Media Player. Right click on your new copy of mp10setup.exe and select Properties. Select the "Version" tab and make sure it says "English (United Sates)" under Language. Start the installer. At this point it should be in 100% US English. When the install is finished, reboot your machine. This should fix your problem. If not, please post. --------------- If you get "This version of Windows Media Technologies is incompatible with this version of Windows. For more information, view the information at the Microsoft web site." then you need to copy an *English* version of "wmploc.dll" to C:\Windows\System32 again. http://msmvps.com/chrisl/archive/2004/10/02/14743.aspx should cover that issue, you will be copying an older file, so it should be English to start with.
The above instruction totally works. thanks a tone!!!!!!!!!
Woohoo! Thanks heaps matey
Aight i changed all of the file names i checked to see if it was the english version bu it still does not work. when it installs the wmp it is in english but after the install the setup automaticly comes up in greek. Need help plz..
All I can say is try it again. Try just reinstalling it, if that doesn't do it, rename the files again and try. That's all that I have to suggest.
Or wait until MS gets the download wmp 10 page fixed (my choice - can't wait around at 30kbps transfer rate).
Right, so as noted just keep clicking it unitl you see 12MB. It looks as if just 1 server is not updating correctly. 8 out of 10 clicks I'm getting the correct one. Plus, waiting at 30k vs. waiting until all the server's have it does little to nothing. You are still waitng.
When you do all this renaming, what exactly are you doing, why, and does it muck-up anything?
Hi Chris, just wanted to say thanks for this info its been most helpfull, i was near on pulling my hair out over this "greek" edition lol. Cheers mate!!! :)
Thank you very much, Chris! I'm just wondering what are those jerks in Microsoft thinking??? They should have noticed and corrected this error within a few hours!
why wouldn't such a f-ed up situation be broadly broadcasted? wouldn't it help a lot of us being suckered into this nightmare. MS is going psycho ... (Note to MS pull down your site about the non english winmedia 10)
@Cool - You are renaming the file in \dllcache becuase WFP in XP will replace system files if you fool with them. You are renaming the files in the other location so that when you reinstall the correct version you can be sure that the installer is replacing that file. That specific file would contain the localized language. @jimbo - They did! I've got e-mails sitting in my Inbox from a few people right now. The problem is that there is just not one single server in which you can download from. Since the Greek version will be rolled out on Tues., it would appear they were getting ready. @joy - Rule #1 of trying to insult a company or person. "You must know what you are talking about" Not knowing just makes you look like a dumba** in the eyes of people who do. Remember that for next time. You must have no idea how these type of things work, if you did you would not have made a poor comment like "pull down your site", in the eyes of smarter people, we are just laughing at you right now.
Thanks
works great!! thanks! BUT, any idea how to get rid of the Greek in Windows Explorer "file description"???
I tired the above fix but i couldn't find the dllcache in system32. When i did a search for wmploc.dll it came up in the Windows/ServicePackFiles I changed that one from dll to bak and tired to run the installer and i'm still getting the same message. "This version of Windows Media Technologies is incompatible with this version of Windows. For more information, view the information at the Microsoft web site." Any thoughts?
This fix works about 75%. Greek still shows up during some functions of WMP 10. Is there a complete fix?
@thatdude - This is in Windows Explorer? Anyway you could send me a screenshot of this? cal2002a (at) hotmail (dot) com @LC - If you don't have it in dllcache don't worry for now. However now you will want to rename again that file in /ServicePackFiles to .dll and *copy* it to C:\Windows\System32. Then try and run the installer again, http://msmvps.com/chrisl/archive/2004/10/02/14743.aspx @LPC - Where are you seeing Greek still?
so Kinda confused. Now if I downloaded the 12.1 version but havent installed it yet. will I still have to rename the 12v version when I go to install it?
No. It you have not run mp10setup.exe yet, then you just need to download the 12MB version. No renaming at all, just delete your current 12.1MB file.
Dude, you're the man.
Thanks for that! The only person that seems to know what's going on! Not even Microsoft Could give me an answer!
Hi I think i did everything i was supposed to, but like a few others i'm getting this message when trying to run mp10setup: This version of Windows Media Technologies is incompatible with this version of Windows. For more information, view the information at the Microsoft web site. Does anyone know what this is or how i can get around it?? Thanks
Dave: read the end of the first post, this is noted up there.
Hi Sorry-i missed that bit!! Its working fine now, but i found the auto playlists are all still in greek. Thanks
Awesome - i replaced the file you said, and now I can install it fine! You are the man!
which is better windows media player 10 or windows media player series 9 for playback video and audio i heard that WMP9 is better all round is this true please tell me which one is should install for general reasons
Dave: In C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\My Music\Sample Playlists\000AD001 are just the file names listed in Greek still? They still function, correct?
Hi Chris, yes the greek bit is in the auto playlist. i found the 1st .dll file but when i did a search it didnt come up with anymore, and when i installed the 12.0 version it worked fine i didnt have to rename anything or do anymore to it but do have the auto playlist in greek but to be honest im not that bothered lol, but i guess if ur gonna do something do it right eh... :)
Yeah, renaming is not always needed. I'll work on the auto-playlists. It should not be that hard to get the right ones. You will either need to run a command line pram. from the installer, or I can make a little installer that you will just run and it will fix them.
***Auto Playlists*** Read the new section of the first post entitled ***This step covers Windows Media Player's Auto Playlists***. Let me know if that works please.
Nevermind. That's not going to do it. I'll try another way.
I honestly didn't mean pull down the site, I was just angry at that time, what I meant is to warn people or include the problem in their FAQ
The fix you told me worked. Thank you very much for your help
This worked for me, as far as getting WMP to install. Alas, the reason I was trying to do this was because I need to uninstall WMP 10, and the WMP9 installer just quits when it sees WMP10 is there. I got WMP 10 as part of the SP2 upgrade, so WMP 10 didn't show up under add/remove programs. I didn't really want to uninstall all of SP2. WMP10 is causing problems with my audible.com download to a USB MP3 device, and their site says the only current work-around is to uninstall WMP10. I hoped that by installing WMP10, it would show up under add/remove, and I could remove it so WMP9 install would work. No such luck, it doesn't show up. Anyone have any ideas, or know of the appropriate newsgroup I should post the questions to? I couldn't find a generic XP group. Thanks.
The nineMSN Music store does not supply any album data - it simply provides a list of other albums which may be purchased through that store. The net effect of this store coming online for Australian users is *less* of the old WMP9 functionality.
I'm seeing the same bug in WMP10 where if I seek, the volume resets to 100% without moving the position of the slider. Touching the slider then makes the volume normal again.
As of today the microsoft site is still giving us the greek version - the download from the mirror image site worked fine for me. Does microsoft pay any attention to the same problem being identified in their newsgroups.
my album covers wont display anymore ! they are still in the files but will not display and occasionally it picks some random photo from my pictures to display as "album art" - anyone have any idea how to fix that ??
Chris W, media player is part of the windows so u have to go into Add/Remove and remove windows components to remove the media player then just download and install version 9 again :)
I navigated to C:\Windows\ServicePackFiles\i386 and it didn't have a wmploc.dll file there for me to exchange with the one in C:\Windows\System32 . Is there a place where I can get the file from on the net?
I have not got the Greek download off of the US English link at all today.
I tried to remove Windows Media Player from my comp, but it doesn't remove it from the syste,....it says it is at 0.00mb. Also the .dll files keep replacing themselves after I change the name back to the newer versions that are available. Is there anyway to fix this?
I have been f**king around with this wmp10 problem for TWO days now, and am at wit's end!!!! I have done everything I read to do, and I get English upon initial install, then when the EULA displays, it is in Greek, and so is every OTHER screen after that! I also have the Removeable device (ipod thing) in Greek on my Control panel that I cannot delete or get rid of!!! Cannot install wmp9, either, because XP tells me that a newer version is already installed. Then I have no choice but to exit. I'm going to leave my computer for a few hours, in the hopes that when I cool off and return, SOMEONE, ANYONE, will have a solution for me. I wish I had never succumbed to the lure of the "latest technology"...
All the information I have is posted above. If you need more help either post in the WMP Newsgroup and see if someone else has a suggest or contact Product Support.
You can get it off your XP CD-ROM. I would not suggest downloading random files from the web.
Chris W and Dave, do a system restore to before u installed wmp 10 that should get rid of it. Dave, i made sure i got the 12mb version and mine works fine.
First off, much appreciation to Chris Lanier for all his work here. You've been the solution for this whole thing. Thanks. Alright, on to the problems. Yes, my auto-playlist is still in Greek. Also, all of my Windows Media file extension descriptions are in Greek (.wma, .wmv, .wmx, etc). Thirdly, after the initial install of the Greek version, I noticed a Greek object had been placed in my Control Panel. When opened, it was an empty folder. It's gone now, but it was strange while it was there. As for the file descriptions, I cannot manually change them in the Folder Options. I'm at a loss when it comes to those. I'm not too worried about the auto-playlist.. I don't use it anyways. Thanks.
Sweet!!! Moving wmploc.dll fixed the issue, allowing the wmp10 installer to run normally. Thanks!!
This new player version sucks! Everything in my library has been duplicated (fun to listen twice in a row!!) I cannot simply select and album to play as everything has been over-thought for me, and the whole thing is very user-unfriendly. and microsoft wants $100 just to send them an #@!$@ email!
Great job Im back to using wmp9
chris you are the man thanks
I compared the 2. The new 3.3.0.44 version sounded horrible but was faster in 128kbps, while the old 1.2.0.63 sounded great!
All I can say is YOU DA MAN!!! Thanks alot...
The Test Kit is not downloadable anymore! This page is empty as of today. I have no clue as to why this has been taken off. Anyone knows from where I can download this Test Kit, other than from the MS site?
do you know which version k-lite you tried? 95%+ of the people on the internet would never have to use something like klite or other codec packs on the internet. for the small % who do, it is their fault if they dont know what they are doing and dont know the alternatives just my thought
I just wish it would be released for existing customers (Windows Mobiel 2003 and 2003 SE). Reading about the new version with lots of interesting features and not being able to use it SUCKS!
I think the new version rules!
I lost WMP9 after a failed installation of WMP10 and had the above message after trying to reinstall WMP9. The fix worked and I am now happily using WMP10 Thank you.
Yes! This fix works!!!
wmploc.dll wasn't present in the C:\Windows\System32 directory so I copied the version on my installation CD (wmploc.dl_) over and it worked fine. Thanks a lot. Mike
the best thing for playing videos is the Videolan VLC media player. (just stick it in google to find it). It is an opensource media player that can play pretty much any video file; including DVD with menu support, DivX, Xvid, all the mpegs and a bunch of other obscure stuff. It doesn't look great but it is simple and works. It can also play audio files but I don't use it for that.
where is this great rc3.5 file located?? none of the links are working!! why isnt this file on thegreenbutton.com??
The Final was released, it's in the Download Center at TGB. We are changing server's right now, so the file will likely error out we you try and download it. This will be fixed soon.
Man, your fix worked like a charm... were do I send the cheque... I don't have a clue what the hell I was doing, but I followed your step by step and I'm feeling pretty smart tight now. Your a genius... Thank you very much... -GS-
correction to above... tight s/b right
The above information, re WMA Lossless is not clear (owing to a lack of punctuation), so I wondered if you could clear something up for me: If I have a libary of WMA lossless files on my MCE PC, which I have ripped from my own CD's without any copy protection or DRM (as far as I know), will they be able to be played on the Extender? In other words is it all WMA Lossless files that won't work, or just DRM'ed WMA Lossless files? Thanks, Mitre
Yeah, that is not of confusing. WMA Pro and WMA Lossless and both supported over Extenders. DRM-enabled WMA Pro and Lossless are *not* supported.
I wish I could type... "Yeah, that is *kind of* confusing."
Thanks, I'm much more interested now - they look like a good solution.
thank you
HI, CHRIS . HAVE U COME UP WHITH A FIX TO CORRECT THE GREEK PLAYLIST REMAINING IN WMP AFTER SWPPING FOR THE ENGLISH VERSION, OR HAVE U POSTED SOMETHING THAT I'VE MISSED? PS. UR DA MAN !!!!!!!!
Incredable mate, what can i say, but it works
Thanks very much for the help. The copy of the wmploc.dll solved the problem immediately.
I almost reinstalled the whole operating system. Your suggestion worked and I am very grateful. Why doesn't Microsoft suggest this fix????????? Thanks again
help me i can't see open range on media because of erreor id cood1199.what can i do?thank you
The link is back up.
I love this program and created a site with tons of guides and tutorials on it! http://www.windowsphotostory.com
Magic, 1 minute's work and WM10, installed immediately, it was just waiting for your tip. Many thanks. Rawman
No, I never found out how to correctly get the playlists copied from the installer. If you extract the files form the installer, all the playlists are there, they are renamed by the install process however. The only thing I can think at that point is to follow the rollback and then install WMP 10 English again. :\
You guys are the best. I was having the same problem, I tried your solution, and Media Player 10 finally Re-installed. Now if only I was not getting this messege.Windows Media Player encountered an unknown error. This can occur when another program or operating system component encounters a problem but does not communicate the nature of the problem to the Player.
My growing list of library bugs, many of which have been around since the beta of the *previous* version: http://msmvps.com/thinice/articles/16084.aspx
Your article describes very well basic meaning of container formats.I would like to know more about relationships between container formats and audio & video codecs. "The audio and video inside a container can be encoded with any codec." Do really there aren't any limitations, what kind of audio and video stream can be enclosed in a particular container? Could you tell more about limitations and advantages of popular containers like avi, mp4, ogg, matroska? Your opinions and explanations regarding this matter would be appreciated.
Great! Thanx! Keep up the good work!!!!!!
that worked great thanks for your help
its good
I think it is good, and I need this article for research.
Speaking of WMP in different languages, does anyone know how to get the player to show characters of a different language in the names of songs, etc? I have a bunch of Hebrew files that just show up as nonsense letters, but they don't show up even in the Hebrew WMP10. Please help!
I have been trying to figure this thing out all day. You are a miracle worker. Thanks. It sure would have been nice if the error message was more specific to the incompatibility! It just goes to show that knowledge is king.
oh yes your the best man keep up the good work!thanks!
Thanks a lot after many many many hours searching, you gave the right solution!
i almost agree that gigantix codec packs are evil - the legality should be left to law-users and law-abusers, not simple joes and janes like you and me - i for one don't pretend to be a lawer even though i was an avid LA Law fan =]...that aside, i am most concern with the conflicts introduced, out-of-date stuff. my 2cents why ppl make codec packs and why ppl use them, is because of the general confusion when faced with the many container (what's a 'container'?) formats, encoders & decoders for audio and visual files multiple that with some frustrations when things don't play and players hang/crash. codec packs are the anti-biotics of av-world, one shot cures all that's ill with one's viewing happiness, purportedly. therefore, could you be so kind as to straighten 'everything' out, make a table full of these codecs and say what goes and what don't go and why, and what-for and what-ifs. guide these unhappy folks to greener and *open* pastures eh?
You are the Bosss !!!! Thanks a lot, it solved my issue :D
where do I get this device from?
O what a great help you've been. However, I'm very sad I didn't find your suggestion sooner, since I've reinstalled XP SP2 for nothing!! Keep up the good work!
Where can I download it from???
Hey geek thankz from brazil! see ya!
Is Windows Media Player 10 Mobile available for my device? http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/knowledgecenter/mediaadvice/0036.aspx
My local Best Buy has them for sale, you can also purchase them online from various places. http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/portablemediacenter/default.mspx
Beatrice: The DivX Codec from DivXNetworks will do fine for DivX/XivD decoding. There are many DVD Decoders, wmplugins.com lists a few of them. inoesomestuff: It was the "Mega Pack". By the number of download tracked LOTS of people are downloading these. miocene: ffdshow adds much of this to WMP. ffmpeg is one of the major keys to VLC, ffdshow adds DirectShow ability to work with WMP. vidhead: Microsoft is trying to help with this, but the main problem is people just don't read. They search for "codec" on the web, download a "codec pack" that says it will let them play everything and thus screw up their PC's. http://www.fourcc.org/codecs.php lists all the FourCC for the major codec's. just click the links to the owners/developers of that codec and download it from them. Don't follow the links at the top of their page, just the ones in the table.
This fix is simple and really works!! Again, this applies to those of you with WindowXP Home, with SP2. Attempting to install Windows Media Player 10 results in error message "...this version of Window Media is not compatible with your version of Windows..." It is now....Thanks Chris for this awesome and helpful service you provide! David
Awesome man - that did the trick. Many thanks
Just installed it from with the Dell ROM update for x-30.....and it ain't working....
T2 WMV-HD still doesn't work for me under WinXP SP2, WMP10. I tried all steps you had outlined above. I get to the point where it sends me to http://1.licenseserver.com/indiv.aspx to download a security update for windows media player. I click upgrade button and nothing happens after waiting a few minutes. Without this DRM update its a no go. I found a faq addressing this issue and its only solutions were to make sure bios date/time was correct and make sure cookies in browser are set to allow. Both non-issues on my machine. I even set IE to allow all cookies. Any Suggestions?
I think you want this. It uses a webserver on the MCE box and .Net framework. Then you can browse to it from any machine :)
http://www.showtell.com/mce_webguide/
Yes - I am aware of this - and would consider using it. But from what I've read, remote desktop should work as well without having to get IIS all involved on my machine... I see that Chris has added a link to beta the MSN remote record service as well...
i have a hp 2210 do u know when its coming out
FANTASTIC !!!! PROBLEMS SOLVED IN 5 MINS THANKS CHRIS
Saved the day, didn't want to reload XP just for WMP. Thanks
the best mediaplayer!All- In-One
I am no expert but I need all the possible microsoft features to play my videos and NVIDIA decoders are the best
oh......dude you're my best . Thank's a lot but some surprised . i don't have folder servicepackfiles that made me non-sense cause i'm running on xp sp2. but i copied it from my another pc. it worked great.
My computer doesnt have that much harddrive space!!
a few comments I like it initally but a few things that bug me... its not real clear as how to pick the save feature that you want to Burn it to DVD and it only allows 300 pictures for one project which is a real bummer!!! any word if limitation will be removed?
Oh fantastic - you're the man It works and i had spent 3 days going through trying to sort this out!!!
I have tried this: I Installed MCE 2004 from MSDN and joined the domin. I installed Windows SP2 and used the machine for a while. I got MCE 2005 from the action pack and tried to install it. I got the following message. This version of windows cannot be upgraded. The option to upgrade will not be available. I am doing this to get domain membership and I want to install the Windows Server tools on it. Any Clues?
yes - im very interested - ive just put mce 2005 on my pc and it is amaizing - one problem is tho is that the Hauppauge tv card ive got dosent work, and i want a dual tuner card anyway. do you know where i can get a dual tuner dvb-t tv card for my pc (so i can wach 1 freeview channel and record another) any help would be very helpfull - thanks.
Thanks YOU ARE THE MAN. !!! I HATE the Service packs, THANKS ALOT The Faroe Island (Europe)
i want media player 10 for me you can e mail me at earnest1@comcast.net please e mail me and tell me how i can get it thank you earnest
i also use HP 2210, waiting for Windows Media Player 10 Mobile ......
It works!!! Thanks man
Youre the man.....Windows Media PLayer 10 are now keep on rockin my files....hehe
Come on Microsoft! If you have faith in your Media Player 10 Mobile, release it NOW for updating current users of v9 who have shown faith in that version. Failure to do so shows disregard for current users, and risks raising the, already apparently high, level of disgust in Microsoft.
Hi Chris, Any news on an upgrade path for the customers who bought it earlier? Thanks, Danee
Thank you thank you thank you ! This incomaptable thing was doing my head in....no matter what else i tried nothing worked. HAL strikes again. Im sure computers would be a lot happier if us humans didnt try to keep them working all the time. Happy UK
tks ....i have been trying ......for 2 days to try and get wmp 10 to work......all ok now......tks again..........too bad windows can't figure it out.....phil
I found, on my HTPC, that after the licenses are acquired you can copy the hidden WMV files from the DVD to your hard drive and view them through WMP in the usual way. X:\common\win\lang\en\t2x\esource\ T2_Part1.wmv 2gb T2_Part2.wmv 2gb T2_Part3.wmv 2gb T2_Part4.wmv ~870mb where X is your DVD drive
Thanks Chris, it works.
Anyone who purchased the decoders will be able to upgrade for free. This is for the 01.00.58 decoders (Decoder version 04.00.48).
Can one do this over the web? Do u have a link please //Lasse
hope that it is good
Absolutely worthless without record and archive capability. Come on people. Quit being so scared of the media companies. GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT! Microsoft has had radio record technology for years. The mylifebits guys over at Microsoft Research have talked about it in the past. Push the envelope guys. Be the first one to enable podcasting of The Howard Stern show and before he goes to satellite. Quit being chicken on this.
I just installed this, any Idea if I can use it to serve media to other comouters on my home network. Using Media player as the client?
In a word...Fantastic! thanks mate
I like the program but it really needs a way to convert the .WMV file format to an MPEG so that it can be burned to a DVD. If I could do that I could just send the DVD in the mail for other family members who don't have slow computers or no computer at all to at least see your photo story on the DVD player on the TV screen. I know there are conversion programs out there but which one will convert a Photo Story 3 file to the right kind of MPEG to burn to a DVD. I bought Microsoft Plus with Photo Story 2, which was a disapointment after using Photo Story 3. Plus the Photo Story 2 won't recognize the Photo Story 3 format. Can someone help me?? I don't know how to contact anyone at Microsoft for help with this matter. If you have an answer please email me at lucandoit@yahoo.com.
In my previous message I ment those who have slow computers or do not have a computer at all. Like my mother inlaw. But she does have a DVD player.
i can not find a download/fix for this. all i can find on microsoft's site is the same info you've posted above. please advise...
when is the extact date of this update to be released ? - were well after Thanksgiving - and no sign of the update yet :(
I've been searching everywhere for a solution to this problem.... Your suggestion worked like a charm..... I guess Microsoft doesn't want to address the issue because they would have to admit to causing the problem in the first place. THANKS AGAIN!
There is no exact date, "After Thanksgiving" can mean just about anything. But, remember it's in the works.
You download it at Windows Update.
Worked a treat!
Excellent roundup. Thanks for the information!
You're incredible guys. Thanks a lot.
Many thanks! Problem solved. Thanks again.
I have tried the filter and it seems to cause mce to crash when using spdif out. The movie will start for a second then freeze. I am using a creative blaster audigy2 platinum ex with the spdif passthrough enabled. I did the regedit as well and there are no differences.
You mean you can't use Photo Story 2.0 to make a DVD? If not, what's the point? What's the difference between 2.0 and 3.0? And are there transitions like there are in Movie Maker?
i also use hp h2210 and i search for windows mp 10 m for 2 weeks. maybe i found somebody who knows wehre i can get ms w mp 10 m from. ill tell it to you when ill know it! ciao!
what the f***, why isn't that an open update, microsoft *sometimes* sucks???!!! it is for free, so why are trained users who dare to update exclosed to this new version? i will never understand this companys behavior in my lifetime! regards Daniel@toshiba e800 wifi
Thanks for the tip. Your help was invaluable in solving this problem.
Why the hell can we ("users of an "older PDA") not download the new mediaplayer? Bloody Microsoft crap. Like Bill Gates didn't earn enough money YET!!! Just crap
Sound seems mych better quality. Nice.
give me one for free
Filter version will be 04.00.66 due next week.
Re: JohnnyboyLeeds: The Version from the Action Pack is not an upgrade it is the full version. I do not belive you can upgrade from any of Microsofts full version Software.
Thanks a bunch, i missed having media player, why couldnt microsoft post a fix like this. :( Your 1 of a kind, thanks again.. :)
God Bless this man
I have record now version 6.0. Now what?
I wanna get that software
YOU ARE A GOD!
thank you very very much
it works...... who ever is responsible for figuring that out is the sheeeeeeeet! gg=?
Thank you... you are a godsend!!!
What the f**k is wrong with Bill Gate and Microsoft in general, everything he releases is with a price tag, he dosen't give out anything for free. Unfathomable co-operation.
Yep crashing on me too
typo on my link (has a space). Should be this: http://blog.tmcnet.com/blog/tom-keating/voip/voip-blog/linksys-media-center-extender-mcx-review.asp
I have been playing with version 3 for a weekend now and a coworker has been researching. She says that version 2 would export to VCD but 3 will not. 3 does have a lot of transitions and the music maker, but will not import midi.
It's a first gen product. You can help make it better. Have you shared this feedback with the people over at Creative? This is good information for them to have.
Next week is almost gone now :-(
Chris, Can you tell me what version of the Xvid codecs you are using? When I use an old outdated version (circa May 2002) everything works okay but if I use the latest build (1.0.2) I get a wierd error message from both the M2PMCEncoderZX application and the Windows 9 Media Encoder application. The error code I get is C00D002F. Moving a couple of generations back to 1.0.1 or 1.0.0, I get the same error. I've isolated it to the codecs but I really don't like using such an old set of codecs since I figure newer ones will give me better performance and results... Thanks, Jim
I only use ffdshow. On this machine now I'm running the Oct 3, 2004 build.
its very good but the sound quility is not 2 bad
The week is over, and no update :-( Next year...?
It is very unclear how to get it to DVD, but I found a great program that will take the WMV file and burn it straight to a DVD all in one shot. Its called DVD Santa. http://www.mp3towav.org/dvdSanta/ Cheers
Hope we will get it this week as a xmas gift :)
many thanx for the fix your the dude
Link is there now but the file isnt...
Update posted! http://msmvps.com/chrisl/archive/2004/12/20/26501.aspx
I was under the impression never to get further Windows Media Player downloads. What with the horrible hiddenware and all. I use WinAMP anyway.
awsome this worked like a charm u rock dude
Yep, and this actually solved a problem I was having with live TV being jumpy. I was ready to send my PVR150MCE back as defective, but figured I would try this update. And so far, this has fixed the problem. Cool...
This fix worked great for me too. However I still can't get the Premium page in ver 9, or the Shop for Music page in ver 10 to load. Everytime I try to access it the program shuts down. I really would like to d/l some music. Any suggestions. And thanks again for the fix.
Your fix worked, thank god! Thanks man, I've been tryin to fix that stupid thing forever.
My Recipes, Fantasic! Australia
Hello! I just installed Winter Fun Pack 2004 for Windows XP on my MCE 2005 PC. But after I try to start TweakMCE for Media Center 2005 powertoy from within MCE 2005, error dialog pops up: "The Media Center PowerToy can only be run on Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005." I am sure that I have MCE version 2005 and it is activated. Any solution ? Thank you!
The Thing That bugs me about Windows Media Player 10 is that there is no radio tunner. I loved this feature on Windows Media Player 9 as I discoverd many great radio stations.
i have also set the task bar for my player to appear in mini-mode, but i cannot control any of the playback functions while in mini-mode. but the bar cannot be displayed I have also renstalled Windows Media Player and still nothing is present, any help with theis would be greatly appreciated. thanks
Both of your issues are covered in the FAQ. 1.14 and 2.5
damn he's good. Merry Christmas everyone!
Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Media Center\Indent and change the value to 3.
What a great Xmas present! I'd just about given up before trying your fix, and like magic I was able to install WMP10. Thanks a million!
It is very unclear how to get it to DVD, but I found a great program that will take the WMV file and burn it straight to a DVD all in one shot. Its called DVD Santa.
i have been playing version of 2,now i want 3
Great, it worked fine! On the Microsoft-site they gave a link that did not even exist! But you helped me out. Thanks.
Thanks, this saved my day!
you da man.... on the flip side I think I have cleaned out every erroneous entry in my registry.... thanks.
Sure this is supposed to be public info?
Yes, via Ed Rich (microsoft.public.windows.mediacenter)
Chris, Could not agree more. Following is what I posted on my blog today. Why Can't the WMP Team Be Like the MCE Team? Chris Lanier nails it right on in his post "Why Can't the WMP Team Be Like the MCE Team." I've really enjoyed reading Michael Creasy, Matt Goyer and Sean Alexander as they blog about MCE. They create, to borrow from the perhaps overused Scoble reference, a human face for the MCE product. They provide a means of communication and are a very valuable resource to the product. Hat's off to them for their valuable work. I agree with Chris that to a degree though MCE is only as strong as it's weakest link. The product, like many Microsoft products, relies on integration with other products and most significantly Windows Media Player. Now Windows Media Player is an amazing piece of software and as I've said in the past is perhaps the biggest freebie of the decade -- but like anything it can be improved. The Windows Media Player User Group is a less than optimal place to discuss Windows Media Player. Posts are difficult to track. There is a lot of clutter. There is no central person or point to aggregate the information. I'd love to see some of the folks on the WMP team step up to the challenge and begin to be the public face of the WMP product. There is so much exciting and important work to be done in this area. The technology over the next few years for personal media is booming and in addition to providing key support to MCE, Windows Media Player will play an important role in this. Nice work Chris on bringing attention to this important area. By the way, anyone have any idea on when we might see a Windows Media Player 11 beta?
Or how about Windows Media 10 running on Windows Server 2003
WMP 10 for Server 2003 will be included with Server 2003 SP1. It can not correctly install on Server 2003 Gold.
That doesn't seem to be specificto media technologies beta. That Guest ID appears to be very generic...
The Guest ID is generic, however the survery relates very much to Media Center.
I tried to do the same, but got "access denied" message - make sure file isn't write protected or in use. Any way to get around this? Thanks! John
Well said Chris. For now the biggest bump in the road for MCE will be integration with Digital broadcasts such as satellite and digital cable. I think that MCE offers enough value in other areas to the consumer where they can be a little inconvenienced with the IR blaster and slow response time that satellite and digital cable seem to cause. Phillip Swann has had some great articles in the past, but I often feel like he is not on the forefront of technology and he misses the mark a lot of the time. I can tell you there is nothing quite like having an MCE system hooked up to a 42" plasma where you can show off pictures in a slideshow (with music playing in the background) while at the same time being able to stream music to a Roku SoundBridge in the other room - "awesome" is an understatement.
Well I have MCE 2005, I joined it to my domain durning install. I have the linksys media extender. It works fine...... It does lock the screen if i open Remote desktop to it.
I'm having difficutly getting the mutliple Watched TV Folders option to work. I have two 160 GB HD's for recorded TV storage but wanted to move some shows over to my server Win Server 2k3. I have shared the drive on my MCE machine opened TweakMCE and added the paths but when I move the content over to the server the MCE interface doesn't see it. Does this feature not support network drives or am I doing something wrong. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Bryan
Hi chris this is Vishal from india and i work fro dell computers as a technical support manager i just wanted to say thanksalot for the same solution but i also myself knew there was a older version of the file but dint knew exactly wher to lokit thanks ur solution works and has helped many thanks again
Just received mine yesterday; sync'd last night and listening to wma's (not sure what bitrate) this morning on some nice Sony neckband headphones and I reckon the quality is awesome. Can't comment yet on what it sounds like through my home hifi, but I'm blown away (with the portable audio quality). Just waiting for my friend to get into work so that I can laugh at the audio quality on his iPod ;-)
How can I create an HD WMV (720 p or 2080i) from a software like after fx (or similar). I can work in that resolution but i don't understand the options in render. How can i do it. Do i need to install a MS SDK before o similar. Obviously i've got MP 10 Thanks... Marcello siroma@siroma.com
The only explenation for Phillip's remarks has to be that he is not running MCE at home. I recently had 36 people over to my house for a holiday party, I had just finished my dedicated home theater with a HD front projector and a 8 foot screen. Of course I was showing it off to everyone, so what stole the show... MCE! Everyone wanted to know what the cool program was that was driving the whole system, nevermind the thousands of dollars worth of equipment sitting around the room, a $100 piece of software wowed 30 some people. It will make it, and it will succeed. It is transforming all of those who give it a chance, it is now a seperate platform all of its own. I do everything on MCE now. It is replacing 10-12 other devices or dedicated sources or media in my home. Sure its not perfect, but its growing. I love it. Anyone else on board?
Totally agree.... Been trying to do this home media system for over a year now, MCE2005 OEM just makes it work. and the two Acid tests are my mum and my wife, both who can use a remote, and for 99% of what they want to do with MCE, that will suffice. It's shut up any complaints about hard to use home entertainment. Watch TV, Watch a DVD record stuff, play recorded stuff, get the weather (using the MCEweather plugin), play some music , look at the Christmas photos. All of which is handled by the MCE remote. The Gyration Mouse/Keyboard spends most of it's time in the Hfi cabinet. I'm the only one who uses it and only when I'm tweaking something or other... We use it all the time friends we've had over during the holidays are really caught by the UI even the wives are sort of interested in it... Simon.
URL???
That would hlep, wouldn't it.
C:\Windows\ServicePackFiles\i386 and copy wmploc.dll to C:\Windows\System32. Now, run the WMP 10 installer again and see what you get. if not try c:\windows\servicepackfiles\i386 and copy wmpband.dll to C:\Windows\System32. Now, run the WMP 10 installer again and see what you get. if not copy all the wmp.... .dll from the servicepack and paste to system32
I installed the patch for the Update Rollup 1 patch for the Linksys Media Center, hoping to solve my #1 gripe with Media Center --- not being able to watch HBO on the extender. The good news: The flashing messages about my HBO content being copy protected whenever I tried to played the channel went away after applying the patch. The bad news: I still can't watch HBO on the extender because the screen freezes for approximately 3 of every 10 seconds. This "freezing" behavior only impacts copy protected content. And it only exists on the extender (I can watch HBO just fine on my main Media Center PC). Has anyone else installed the Linksys patch? Can you view copy protected content without issue? Any suggestions?
Why is the album art not option not available in skin mode - only full mode? Makes no sense. The energy bliss viz kinda stinks, it is a CPU hog, leaks memory, and I dont need fluffy clouds - I just want the album art in skin mode.
it took me a while to find your site but your fix seems to have worked, brilliant!!!!!!!
Funny, these guys said the exact opposite, that this would be the year of the media center: http://www.thenetreport.com/2005/01/2005_prediction.html#more I do think TiVos days are numbered.
after seeing your message, I think you made the right choice here.
All of scoble's referrals will just see 404's now :)
Chris, do give us an update tomorrow. Best, Tom
All the best Chris :-)
Good move man. Chin up, hang in there, all that stuff.
You Rule! Thank you! I'm bookmarking your site!!!!
google has the original story cached though.
Bad precedent. Who are you worried about offending?
Thanks man!!
ok
ur plugins are very nice. could u tell me, is this plugins are free for commercial use. i want to give this in free of cost to my customers.
Why can't I use LAME with WMP 10? Why cannot I intsall the FLAC encoder if that is my preference for lossless files? WMP 10 is a great improvement over WMP 9 and something I would use daily if I could use LAME and FLAC. I have to use Exact Audio Copy otherwise. Sure, its not spiffy, but it lets me use the encoder of my choice.
You can't use LAME becuase none of the LAME dev's want to put any development into LAME ACM to fix the memory leak. You can't encode as FLAC because WMP only supports MP3, if you use an ACM FLAC encoder (is there one?) then WMP will spit out a FLAC encoded file with an MP3 header (i.e. it will only play right in any app). Plus, FLAC doesn't use standard ID3 tags, so WMP can't write tags or display them.
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