Cool WMP 9 feature

[phalkon30]

I only use Windows Media Player 9 when listening to cds on my comp, and when watching movies, I know most of you guys hate it, but I really like the interface, and I dont have to worry about it slowing down my computer, its too fast :)

anyway, by accident, I found a really cool feature (IMHO), I know it works on XP Pro, haven't tried it anywhere else tho

Right click on the taskbar, then go to the top where it says toolbars, then go to Windows Media Player (Step 1 in Screenshot)

Now start up WMP, and view a movie, if you minimize the player, it should go down to the taskbar (see screenshot 2)

The player should be minimized to the taskbar (step 3)

Click the up/down arrow thing (see red arrow on shot 4), and it should display a window playing the file

This window is allways on top, so if you want to watch the latest cam of LOTR, you can minimize it to tray, and browse a forum at the same time (this is the only resolution the TMD movies look good at :P )

This also works if you listen to music, it will display the visualization at the bottom, its sorta cool to see trippy colors with my techno when visiting ZP

I know this is sorta a useless feature, but I really like it, if you have WMP 9, give it a try

(btw, to maximize the window again, click the icon below the up/down one, its got the double box thingy)

[nasrules]

now thats cool!

i like wmp9 an i tink overdo does. looks like its jus us 3 then.............

[phalkon30]

wow....somebody actually read this guide!?!?!

Yeah, until they implement DRM, I like it, and will continue to use it

Btw, did overdo delete his post? because right now it looks like us 2.....

[overdo]

Originally posted by phalkon30
wow....somebody actually read this guide!?!?!

Yeah, until they implement DRM, I like it, and will continue to use it

Btw, did overdo delete his post? because right now it looks like us 2.....

yeah i did cause i didn't want to be stoned by every1 else. nah i mentioned it in another forum but i had read ur post b4, just saw it was a while ago so didn't bother to reply. i ran wm9 when it first was beta but uninstalled it a while back cause i couldn't be bothered with the glitches. apparently its out in full version on monday/tuesday according to some testers i know but i haven't heard anything from microsoft saying this. could be totally wrong but i'm waiting around to see.

oh yeah and as for DRM i'm keeping a close eye on that front. i might get so desparate if palladium works that i go buy a mac:bk *runs away being stoned by mac enthuisiasts*

[phalkon30]

Hmm, I thought WMP9 was full, but its only a release candidate ( http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/9series/default.asp )

They used to have 3 release candidates after their betas, now they're down to one, so I think the full version will be very similar

For me its been very stable, and works with every filet type I've used

Intresting, I found the MS equivalent of this guide ( http://windowsmedia.com/9series/WhatsNew/DiscoverModes.asp?page=2&lookup=DiscoverModes# ), which do you think is easier :P

If you want a list of updated features, check out http://windowsmedia.com/9series/WhatsNew/default.asp?page=2&lookup=WhatsNewHome

[overdo]

yeah i read all that stuff 2 days ago when i heard about the final release version. as for which guide is better i think they are both as sucky as each other cause they both feature XP which i don't have:black
also cause nearly 50% of the features are XP only i'm starting to question whether its gonna actually be very different from wmp7.1. ah well i have a downloading obsession so i'll still be getting it when its released.

[Christoph]

what about this DRM? can't I play/burn all my WMAs and MP3s??? :shy

[phalkon30]

Originally posted by Christoph
what about this DRM? can't I play/burn all my WMAs and MP3s??? :shy

For now, yes you can play and burn them as many times as you want, later on (this year sometime I suspect) you won't have this freedom

Just keep your eyes open, and check here or other tech sites before downloading updates, it most likely will be hidden in some other upgrade, maybe a service pack

[MusikBeatz23]

i have to rty that out im on my old computer right now Windows 98se...LOL... But i also have A new 1 with XP Pro so ill have to try it out later ill let you know what i thought of it but looks cool... :fire

[overdo]

wmp9 final version released tomorrow at noon. link (http://www.windowsmedia.com)

[Crazysah]

Man this is really cool

i love it

im going to try it out now

thx alot

[overdo]

hey np. remember that the final version is available tomorrow. don't go downloading the series release candidate version today:wings

[phalkon30]

Thanx for the update

I suggest that before anybody downloads the newest version, that they check the privacy policy from top to bottom, make sure there is nothing about DRM, I really have a bad feeling about this....

[CCSDUDE]

Phalkon, give this a try dude....not sure if it works on XP but I've tried it on 98/ME/2k .

They all worked just fine.....it's freakin trippy as hell when you're stoned.....

ALL text starts doing this rainbow thing....providing that you have the background overly to black or whatever your text color is. Try it on the task bar's's color scheme.....or the desktop....or the tops of yer windows. Hell I got it to make the start menu/quick link thing totally transparent. So all you saw was an outline of the window and the text.

http://www.zeropaid.com/bbs/showthread.php?threadid=5592

Later

[phalkon30]

This AVS kicks ass, I wish I could make it go to the background for an overlay, I think I have to enable active desktop, but I cant find the option....lol

[overdo]

grrrr i've just checked out the WMP site and i've worked out they must be releasing at noon EST or someother american timezone. perhaps i was just being ignorant by thinking the world revolved around the UK timezone.....

@phalkon - don't worry i'll check for DRM:mellow

[TFoS_Fan]

phalkon30, while the feature of playing from your taskbar seems to be interesting many users, for some reason, when I installed the latest beta this feature was automatically, turned on so this aint really news to me, but, its really good to see something positive said about WMP 9 which is the best version released yet.

[peace]

[phalkon30]

Strange, it wasn't turned on by default for me, maybe we had different beta versions, there was a beta or 3, and a release candidate, maybe the later was what you had

The full version is now out, check it out at this thread http://www.zeropaid.com/bbs/showthread.php?threadid=5915&goto=newpost

[CCSDUDE]

Originally posted by goldengirl
hi! could someone please explain to me in plain english why should i worry about DRM, or point me out to where i can get more info? :mellow

DRM (Digital Rights Management) isn't something you wish to have on your system for a number of reasons.

1) It just add's more bloated crap to your system. However, this depends on your definition of bloatware along with your system specs and what program you use that implements DRM.

2) It's like saying "because I wrote this or created that I wanna have full control over those bits and bytes! So nana I wanna be able to make YOUR PC do what I want it to do!"

3) DRM enabled shit can't be burned to CD (as a CD audio).

4) May have an expiration date which makes the file useless after a certain date.

5) It just plain sucks. ; )

6) It must be played with a certain player. No getting to listen to it with good 'ol Winamp.

Later

[overdo]

DRM doesn't appear to be as bad as it originally appeared to be. from reading the WMP9 guides and their own publication to developers of DRM, u will only be limited in what u play if u download it from a website, say www.u2.com. that way they can let u listen to the file for 5 days, then stop it playing, thereby making u go out and by the cd.

however DRM at the moment cannot apply to other files, eg MP3s obtained via P2P. so for the moment at least, there is not a lot to worry about on the DRM front.

palladium on the other hand is in a league of its own though....