Windows media player sucks

[ksorense]

I had 5 system crashes today. Where did I go wrong? Easy, I downloaded Microsoft windows media player. I think the guys who write this crap really think that everyone can afford a cray supercomputer to play a few audio CD's.

Sorry to bother anyone with this, I just felt so frustrated I had to tell someone.

Winamp rules!

[Extremecriticiser]

WMP 7 is the lamest excuse for a bloatware, but WMP 6.4 is not. Be more specific. WMP 6.4 is the best quick click'n'play explorer player available - in my opinion.

What's a quick click'n'play explorer player? When I download a song or sound, I get frustrated of having to launch Winamp just play the damn thing as Winamp, a slim player, still takes 6 Megs. And often when I do this I'm doing other memory needing things, so I don't have the patience to launch Winamp. What do I do? I click on the file and for just 3 Megs, it quickly plays the file for me - very handy. I like :D.

[CtG]

I agree fully. It used to be that Windows Media-Player was exactly that - a media player. No bells'n'whistles, just what you needed to play the media file that you wanted.

Now it's gone the way of RealPlayer (and every Micro$ux program under the sun) - Bloated crap serving more use as placeholders on hard drives than as actual useful software.

Hey dev team!

Hmmm... How about a WinAmp animation player... WinMedia. =P

Or how about adding standard MPeg, AVI, VOB, etc plug-ins for WinAmp 3...

[carlito_au]

Realplayer
WMP 7
ICQ

are all gigantic bloatware!

[John M]

WMP is even more perverse now that it can steal winamp skins. I quote "Microsoft importing Winamp skins, huh? Well, I assume they're already aware that they're fucking lame-ass lamo fucks, so I needn't mention it here." - Brennen :D

[Indyrod]

Originally posted by Extremecriticiser
WMP 7 is the lamest excuse for a bloatware, but WMP 6.4 is not. Be more specific. WMP 6.4 is the best quick click'n'play explorer player available - in my opinion.

What's a quick click'n'play explorer player? When I download a song or sound, I get frustrated of having to launch Winamp just play the damn thing as Winamp, a slim player, still takes 6 Megs. And often when I do this I'm doing other memory needing things, so I don't have the patience to launch Winamp. What do I do? I click on the file and for just 3 Megs, it quickly plays the file for me - very handy. I like :D.

Bill Gates has taken over your mind EC, and your argument is ridiculous. I refuse to download WMP 6.4, because it is not needed for anything. Coolplayer is an excellent compliment to Winamp, when you just want to quickly launch a player to play a recently downloaded song, with little resources involved. I do it all the time. Other than that, I can see no reason to NOT use Winamp. As far as streaming video goes, Real Player works just fine. I don't like it, but it's a hell of a lot better than giving in to Gate's shit. If a streaming video, only accepts WMP, I just don't watch it, because Microsoft sucks, and I will not be a part of their grand plan to dominate the PC market.

[Extremecriticiser]

Let's see...

Support for Activemovie(pixel smudging, playback smoothing)?

Coolplayer: Nope
WMP 6.4: Yup

Support for MPEG videos?

Coolplayer: Nope
WMP 6.4: Yup

Support for Quicktime video formats?

Coolplayer: Nope
WMP 6.4: Yup

Support for video at all?

Coolplayer: Nope
WMP 6.4: Yup

OK, let's do it in pure audio terms, support for Quicktime formats?

Coolplayer: Nope
WMP 6.4: Yup

Support for *.mpe, *.m1v, *.mpv2, *.mp2v, *.mpa?

Coolplayer: Nope
WMP 6.4: Yup

Support for MIDIs?

Coolplayer: Nope
WMP 6.4: Yup

Support for Indeo, AU, and AIFF formats?

Coolplayer: Nope
WMP 6.4: Yup

Let's get a little simpler! Support for WMAs?

Coolplayer: Nope
WMP 6.4: Yup

ANY streaming support at all?

Coolplayer: Nope
WMP 6.4: Yup

Full desktop and browser intergration?

Coolplayer: Nope
WMP 6.4: Yup

OK, let's get down to MPEG audio! Audio quality.

Coolplayer: Poor
WMP 6.4: Excellent, inferior only to Winamp.

Is it skinned? Skinned = control frustration.

Coolplayer: Yup (Oh the humanity!)
WMP 6.4: Nope

Does it play ALL WAVs properly?

Coolplayer: Nope
WMP 6.4: Yup

SO WHAT THE HELL DOES IT DO??!!

Coolplayer: Not much, other than piss you off.
WMP 6.4: Just about all quick click'n'play jobs.

Conclusion: WMP 6.4 is the best Quick click'n'play explorer player around, full stop, hands down.

[implode]

Originally posted by Extremecriticiser
Is it skinned? Skinned = control frustration.

Freeform skinned = design your own damn controls.

CoolPlayer: Yup
WMP 6.4: Nope

[Extremecriticiser]

How many times I have to tell you this??!!

I'll say for once more time and no more:

I HATE TWEAKING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ksorense]

While WMP 6.4 was in fact not a bad media player, WMP 7 is just about the worst peace of shit I have ever had on my PC. This thing takes up 60% of my system resources just playing some streaming audio (and with the "visualizations" off). This basically turns my pc into a 286, it takes the PC an hour to start notepad, you know what I mean.

I just removed WMP 7 and I have to restart my PC now. Bye!

[Extremecriticiser]

I've never said Coolplayer is crap (it just pisses me off with all its limitations), it still got some nice touches I like: like the Sonique-style built-in gap remover, multitagging, and freeform skins. When I made my comparison above, I was concidering the factors as someone who wants something quick, easy and simple while not limited at the same time.

I was wrong about streaming, it deos support streaming, but what I don't like is that it is not intergrated with your browser AND it doen't save multiple links.

WMP 7 is a Royal Bloatware - bloatwares which are too bloated to deserve a software status.

Royal Bloatware (Bloatware de Royale)
Price: turns your kickass P500 into a 486 in a matter of seconds.
Other examples of Bloatware de Royale: MusicMatch 6.0, Sonique 1.808 (takes up 13 megs! NOT 1.64 which takes up 6 megs like Winamp), Microsoft Windows 98 itself.

As for the EQ, I don't want an EQ when I just want to know what the hell it sounds - or looks - like.

If I have to rate Cooplayer, I would give:

Features: :) (3 Stars)

Lacks a lot of the features we appreciate in Winamp and other popular players, but still have plenty to play with. It also lacks too much on the files support to grant the "Quick click"n"play explorer player" status like WMP 6.4, though.

Interface: :D (4 Stars)

Simple, but freeform skins!! Oh the glory!

Audio Quality: :( (2 Stars)

Somewhat screwed, with the high-pitched part of the song being very high and the lower bass being very low. It also smudges the song and refuses to yeild clear, sharp audio, very poor.

Ease to use: :D (4 Stars)

Simple, user friendly. Not the best, but just about does it.

Stability: :D (4 Stars)

Would have given it a five had it not crashed on me once - takes ALMOST no memory at all, and very stable.

Conclusion: :) (3 Stars)

A long way to go for this nifty little player that offers lots but yeilds a little lacking. Keep it up, anyway.

[implode]

Originally posted by Extremecriticiser
As for the EQ, I don't want an EQ when I just want to know what the hell it sounds - or looks - like.

The CoolPlayer EQ is pretty bad anyway. He should have called it the Distortion Box :D

[boobless]

Originally posted by Extremecriticiser
Let's see...

OK, let's get down to MPEG audio! Audio quality.

Coolplayer: Poor
WMP 6.4: Excellent, inferior only to Winamp.


Coolplayer: Not much, other than piss you off.
WMP 6.4: Just about all quick click'n'play jobs.




Extremecriticiser did you try to make a funny there?

[Kaboon]

Originally posted by Extremecriticiser
Let's see...

Support for Quicktime video formats?

Coolplayer: Nope
WMP 6.4: Yup

OK, let's do it in pure audio terms, support for Quicktime formats?

Coolplayer: Nope
WMP 6.4: Yup

I'm sorry but I've never seen my MediaPlayer6.4 done that.
Or is it just me again, do I have a special version or something?:) Don't come with arguments it will autodownload the stupid codec, becouse that never has worked for me.

[Extremecriticiser]

Really? Oh dear, I hate prove a moderator wrong, but here we go:

Did you know that the walk-on videos in the game Journeyman Project 3 (great game) are actually quicktime format? I have the demo right here, you know.

A nice, fresh, uncut 800x600 screenshot for you...

http://www.geocities.com/k4ed/gutted1.jpg

I'm sorry, isn't the Quicktime file extension *.mov?

My computer must be screwed up or somein'!

I mean, it even claims support for Quicktime in the settings menu!

http://www.geocities.com/k4ed/gutted2.jpg

Oh my god! My computer must be screwed up real bad!!!!

Or maybe I have the special version??!! Yep, I have the special version - The Full Version.

Clear enough?

[Kaboon]

Originally posted by Extremecriticiser
Really? Oh dear, I hate prove a moderator wrong, but here we go:

Did you know that the walk-on videos in the game Journeyman Project 3 (great game) are actually quicktime format? I have the demo right here, you know.

A nice, fresh, uncut 800x600 screenshot for you...

I'm sorry, isn't the Quicktime file extension *.mov?

I mean, it even claims support for Quicktime in the settings menu!

Clear enough?

Yo chill dude! Tried it agian and found out that it was version 6.01. That won't work with quiktime for me at home. And I've treid on school with same version but it wont't work!

[CtG]

Same with me. Media Player 6, 7 & 8 has never and still does not play QuickTime .movs for me, and always chucks a wobly when it goes to download the required codec for it. I personally have had to install QuickTime itself for that job.

This situation has been over 2 years and several Win98 & MinME installs, so it ain't a one off that Media Player would not play QuickTime movies.

Do you work for Micro$ux or something Mr ExtremeCritisiser?
Nobody in there right mind would stick up for Media Player unless they were getting their palms greased for it.

[insert flame reply here]

[Extremecriticiser]

Again, are you SURE you have WMP 6.4? Not 6.01? 6.01 doesn't play Quicktime, but hell 6.4 definately does! No stupid codecs required!

I don't work for Malco-soft - WMP 6.4 is about the only decent Microsoft product other than games (AoE, ******s and stuffs), and anyway they didn't make those games. I have the right as a consumer of a product to stand up to the product I like and criticise idiots with stupid, untrue claims.

I did not call myself Extremecriticiser for nothing...

[carlito_au]

i have WMP 6.4.07.1112

and it sure as hell plays quicktime

[Kaboon]

Originally posted by Extremecriticiser
Again, are you SURE you have WMP 6.4? Not 6.01? 6.01 doesn't play Quicktime, but hell 6.4 definately does! No stupid codecs required!

I did not call myself Extremecriticiser for nothing...

Well yo go really extreme.:) I'm sure that mine is 6.01. WMP never had my interesed. It'always been Winamp.

[boobless]

maybe on your pc its using codecs from the quick time program it self.

http://www.geocities.com/boobless101/wmp.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/boobless101/wmp2.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/boobless101/wmp3.jpg

[Extremecriticiser]

1. I've installed Quicktime very recently, after I've just formatted my drive C a few days ago due to Xing MPEG player bug. For a time I didn't bother with Quicktime, cos I had WMP 6.4. It wasn't until I found the "The World is Not Enough" Music video on jamesbond.com, which was in Quicktime format, and my browser demanded me to install the Quicktime player, so I did.

2. For more than one players on the computer to use the same codec, it must be installed as a system codec.

http://www.geocities.com/k4ed/gutted3.jpg

I see no stupid Codec...

Note: as you can see, my pic load faster than yours. You know why? Cos before I uploaded the pics, I 50% compressed them, which is what you should do instead slabbing freakin' bloatpics on the forums.

3. Your "test" was made on an online file, which require THE Quicktime plugin on to your browser, not WMP 6.4. Apple disallowed Microsoft from playing online quicktime files, but WMP 6.4 can still play it if you save it to disk. At the moment the only media player that can play interent Quicktime is Quicktime itself.

When I started this debate, I did not mention ANYTHING aboiut internet Quicktime. All the way through I, and some of the smarter people out there assumed that we are not talking about internet Quicktime files, but saved Quicktime files. Update yourself, will ya.

Try find the demo video that comes with Quicktime, play that with WMP 6.4, and you'll be gutted once and for all.

[s1138]

i just use winamp for everything. video, RA, WMA, MP3, QT.
all formats work with my winamp. still takes up less memory then all the others. so whats the problem, download a few winamp plugins, and dont use all the other programs

[Winsane]

Sorry if this has been mentioned above (didn't feel like reading through the entire thread), but Windows Media Player 6.4 supports old versions of the QuickTime format but not the latest ones. If I remember correctly (not at all sure that I do, though), it supports pre-version 3 formats but not 3 or 4.

[Mr. Ice]

s1138, do you have a realplayer plug-in that doesn't require realplayer to be installed on the computer?

[Extremecriticiser]

Originally posted by s1138
i just use winamp for everything. video, RA, WMA, MP3, QT.
all formats work with my winamp. still takes up less memory then all the others. so whats the problem, download a few winamp plugins, and dont use all the other programs


Here are the memory usage of all the players mentioned here and more, rounded up to the nearest megabyte.

Sonique 1.808: 13MB
Sonique 1.64: 8MB
WInamp 2.71: 6MB >Video support through plugins
Ultraplayer: 5MB >Video support
Cowon JetAudio: 5MB >Video support
MusicMatch 5.1: 4MB >Video support
WMP 6.4: 3MB >Video support
AudioRack 32: 2MB >Video support
Coolplayer : Less than 1MB

Strange that, I can name five apps that uses less memory than Winamp.

Looks like Winamp DOESN'T use up less memory than others!

Correct yourself 5000 times over...

[MamiyaOtaru]

I still have and use the version of WMP from before 6.4, no idea what the number would be. It doesnt say anywhere. It plays Divx, and other files and opens very quickly I like it. No MP3, that is a small problem.

the real post:
Looking at your list of media players, I thought of a new one I just got, and I would like to hear you criticize it:
WPlay Pro
It uses about 20 percent more system resources than winamp by my rudimentary tests. It also has built in CD to mp3 ripping (blade codec), and mp3 to .wav decoding. ( I use Electronic Cosmo's MPEG suite for all that, but the built in is nice for my family and other neophytes) Free form skinning I believe as well. download size 717k. Anyone else tried it?

disclaimer: I still prefer Winamp