Feature-rich, customizable media player offering smooth audio and video playback with intuitive, powerful controls
Feature-rich, customizable media player offering smooth audio and video playback with intuitive, powerful controls
Vote (60 votes)
Program license Free
Developer Microsoft
Version 11.0.5721.5262
Works under Windows
Vote
(60 votes)
Developer
Microsoft
Works under
Windows
Program license
Free
Version
11.0.5721.5262
Pros
- Easy to use
- Personalization features
- Watch videos and listen to music without problems
- Intuitive navigation
- Powerful and fun to use
Cons
- Not as many features as some media players available
- Details and album art updates can take a while
- Not compatible with iPods or iPhones
Windows XP Professional users have access to the feature-rich Windows Media Player 11 for the smooth playing of video and audio files. This 64-bit version of Windows Media Player is simply a newer version of the media player that Microsoft has always made available for its operating systems. This means it has many of the characteristics of its previous version, but there are differences that set Media Player 11 apart from versions of the past.
Media Player 11 Features
What comes new with Media Player 11 is the ability to personalize. You can download add-ons-themes, and visualizations so the appearance and feel of the interface matches your style. Other than this, Media Player hasn’t changed from its previous version. The program is rather clean and free of glitches, so Microsoft didn’t change what was already working well.
Regardless of the minimal updating, this is an upgrade that XP users must have. The performance is impressive, the redesign is quite thoughtful, and there are many useful features that include:
- Intuitive controls
- Playback, repeat, and shuffle options
- Back and forward navigation buttons
- Improved menu buttons
- The Rip, burn, Now Playing, Library, and sync buttons have sub-buttons that open more menu items
- When ripping, bit rate and format are some of the aspects that can be adjusted
- Play virtually any type of media file
As far as system specs, Windows Media Player 11 will play on XP professional 64-bit and newer operating systems. However, Windows Media Player receives an upgrade once in a while, particularly when a new operating system is released or when a major OS update is made. Unless you’re looking for more specialized features, there isn’t much need for any other type of media player.
The Takeaway
Windows Media Player 11 has everything you need for a good listening or viewing experience. From the personalization capability to the more in-depth controls that allow you to achieve many goals with your media, Media Player is a win. As your default media player, it will pop up to play media files and will do so without too much operational noise or trouble.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Personalization features
- Watch videos and listen to music without problems
- Intuitive navigation
- Powerful and fun to use
Cons
- Not as many features as some media players available
- Details and album art updates can take a while
- Not compatible with iPods or iPhones
Pros
- Comes with lots of options for customizing the player
- Lets you rip and burn both music and video files
- Easy to use interface and layout
- Works with lots of different file formats
- Can automatically save copies of some files for future viewing and listening
Cons
- Will not run effectively on older Windows systems
- Must have a Windows operating system to use it
- Some features require additional extensions and plug-ins
- Requires a lot of hard drive space
- Download and installation times are too long for some
Designed for use on 64-bit computers running a Windows operating system, Windows Media Player is a handy tool that lets you play music and watch videos on your computer. Though you may have a different media player installed on your computer, this one is a good option for those who like watching videos that use different extensions and formats.
Though many manufacturers no longer include disc drives on laptops, if you have a disc drive on your old laptop or have a desktop computer, you need a good media player. The right media player will let you watch all the files you have saved on your computer and enjoy using physical discs that you have around your home. Windows Media Player can play both DVDs and compact discs.
The newest version of Windows Media Player can rip and burn clips and tracks for you too. When you put a compact disc or DVD in your computer, you can simply click on the files that you want to rip and ask the program to do the ripping for you. It will then save copies of those files on your hard drive. You can also use the program to burn discs as well, making it easy to create home movies and discs that you can listen to in your car.
Once you download and install Windows Media Player, it will become your default media player. Anytime you insert a disc or click a media file on your computer, this program will automatically load. To use a different player, you'll need to go in and adjust the settings on your computer. Another possible issue is that it doesn't change the video clarity as much as you might like. Its clarity is pretty similar to that found on the last version. As it's a big file, it can take some time to download too.
Windows Media Player also comes with lots of customizable features too. You can decide whether to let the program play files automatically or only with your permission, and you can even change the color and layout of the program. It features simple buttons for fast forwarding, rewinding, pausing, and even stopping content, and you'll find an easy to use volume button too. There are a lot of free media players available online, but Windows Media Player is one of the best.
Pros
- Comes with lots of options for customizing the player
- Lets you rip and burn both music and video files
- Easy to use interface and layout
- Works with lots of different file formats
- Can automatically save copies of some files for future viewing and listening
Cons
- Will not run effectively on older Windows systems
- Must have a Windows operating system to use it
- Some features require additional extensions and plug-ins
- Requires a lot of hard drive space
- Download and installation times are too long for some
