Related
Why am I still stuck with version 11 of the Windows Media Player?
And as they say, it’s never too late to teach an old dog a few new tricks.
We all have our favorite media players.
For some it’s the one which plays music best, for others it’s all about the movies.
Windows Media Player 11 is no slouch in both departments.
But its feature set needs getting used to.
While listening to music, you might just tap on a tiny arrow and switch to compact mode.
PressEnterto revert back to theFullmode.
TheSkinmode can be applied fromMenu - View - Skin Mode.
Increasevolume:F9
Decreasevolume:F8
Mutesound:F7
3.
To find out the codecs installed, go toHelp - About Windows Media Player “click onTechnical Support Information.
A net net app page opens up with all audio and video codecs listed.
you could play almost everything with theK-Lite codec pack.
Other must have downloads include theXP Codec PackandVista Codec Pack.
Even watching hi-definition DivX movies is not a problem with thefreely downloadable codecs.
-3 Ways to Play Unplayable Videos on your PC
-Audio File Formats Explained in Simple Terms
4.
The+orANDoperator lets you search a song using two values.
For instance, search by song and singer - Pink FloydANDThe Final Cut.
Use theORoperator to search across two attributes - JazzORBlues.
Songs can be searched according to length, ratings, whether it is protected or not etc.
The results depend on the media information that’s available with the song.
for more search operators.
Play songs according to musical eras
Do you like the golden oldies or the more current hip-hop?
WMP 11 lets you play songs according to the period mentioned in the tracks.
key in in the year range, like1980..1990for all songs in that period.
This gives you a short cut to particular songs without trawling throughout the library or creating period playlists.
Go Bass with the SRS WOW effects
SRS WOW Effects let you increase the bass (i.e.
the lowest part of a musical range) of a track for richer quality sounds.
TheSRS WOW Effectscan be found underMenu - View - Enhancements.
Turn on the effects and choose your speaker key in.
Slider movement sets theTruBassbetween high and low.
The adjacent slider increases or decreases the WOW effect.
Smooth the flow of streamed music
Streaming content relies on buffers to smoothly playback a movie or music track.
As the streaming proceeds, some content continuously gets stored in the background (that’s the buffer).
The buffer size can be changed if you feel that the streaming is not smooth enough.
From theMenu(or right hit title bar), chooseOptions - Performancetab.
Click OK. Too much buffering can slow downloads.
Some simple options allow you to change the pace of the voice.
With the audio playing, from theMenuchoose -View - Enhancements.Alternatively, right choose the WMP title and select.
Or you’re able to choose from the three presets -Slow, NormalorFast.
You have to trust your ears as not all files will sound well with change in playback speeds.
From theEnhancementssub-menu chooseVideo controls.
Lighten up the scene by slightly increasing theBrightness(drag the slider to the right).
Censor Movies by Ratings
In my wonder years, it was " Blue Lagoon'.
Now, I am not sure what’s PG and what’s not!
Windows Media Player 11 allows you to block certain movies which have higher playback restrictions using a simple dropdown.
Navigate toTools - Options - DVDtab.
go for the restriction from the dropdown.
(Umm"but I guess your child will be smart enough to sidetrack this lockdown).
For tagging your music collection, lot of specialized tools likeMP3Tag editorare handy .
How do you feel in general about the Windows Media Player?
Is it your preferred jukebox or do you have a more specific choice?
Let us into a few Windows Media Player 11 tips and tricks of your own.
Image Credit:Sabrina Campagna
