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Author Topic: Windows Media Player  (Read 6848 times)

Peter

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Windows Media Player
« on: March 27, 2012, 07:57:12 PM »

Got a strange one for you here folks, hope you can help.

I have quite a lot of music on Windows Media Player and recently found that the tracks playing no longer match those shown on the album list, I've tried using the 'Update album Info.' to no avail, while the albums found are sometimes the same names the information is wrong, I know I can and do rename the tracks correctly, (When I know the song titles) but I find this an annoyance and wonder if there is an easy fix?

In some cases the original tracks were named correctly but changed later unknown to me.

I've also found that in one case instead of haveing one artist with one list of titles it has slit the list into fragments, same album cover but each with a different name and just one, two or even three and four tracks in each.

any helpful advice would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Peter
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AdrianH

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Re: Windows Media Player
« Reply #1 on: March 29, 2012, 08:03:02 AM »

I can only suggest you ask here >> http://support.microsoft.com/ph/7763 << .  WMP gets removed from my systems as soon as they are installed.
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scottiesmum

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Re: Windows Media Player
« Reply #2 on: March 29, 2012, 10:35:14 AM »

Adrian,  I gather you don't like WMP and I am wondering if this is a security reason or something else, and also which alternative player would you recommend please.   I'm not looking to change for changing sake, but from memory you have made  negative reference to WMP before and I was just wondering  :)  Merci  ......
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camallison

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Re: Windows Media Player
« Reply #3 on: March 29, 2012, 12:03:22 PM »

VLC Media Player does all you need without the bloatware.  Google for it.

Colin
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AdrianH

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Re: Windows Media Player
« Reply #4 on: March 29, 2012, 01:24:08 PM »

Adrian,  I gather you don't like WMP and I am wondering if this is a security reason or something else, and also which alternative player would you recommend please.   I'm not looking to change for changing sake, but from memory you have made  negative reference to WMP before and I was just wondering  :)  Merci  ......


WMP does come up in security scares quite often but I get rid of it because I think it has been ruined, the last few versions are horrible.  There are lots of players around, VLC, WinAmp, DivX, RealPlayer to name a few. KMplayer looks good too (http://kmplayer.soft32.com/)
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scottiesmum

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Re: Windows Media Player
« Reply #5 on: March 29, 2012, 04:24:43 PM »

Thank you Colin and Adrian for the suggestions  :)
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Peter

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Re: Windows Media Player
« Reply #6 on: March 29, 2012, 04:38:38 PM »

For some reason I didn't get the notifications of replies.

scottiesmum has asked the question I was about to ask, and I already have VLC so I'll try that as my default player for a while.

Still no idea why the track names were changed mind, or the way or why the Doris Day album should have been fragmented.

thanks to all who responded.


 :no:Peter :(
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scottiesmum

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Re: Windows Media Player
« Reply #7 on: March 29, 2012, 05:06:53 PM »

Peter    --


or why the Doris Day album should have been fragmented


 it was a case of Que Sera Sera     ..... ;D
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tonyappuk

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Re: Windows Media Player
« Reply #8 on: March 29, 2012, 05:30:26 PM »

VLC is my fallback player for "difficult" files and it rarely lets me down. My preferred player for all the facilities it offers, is SMPlayer. This is a Windows player derived from an established Linux player (MPlayer and its derivatives) with a nice graphical front end. I haven't used WMP for years because it became so restricted in the file types it could play. RealPlayer is so invasive I avoid it like the plague. Whether SMPlayer would be more successful at storing your file names I'm not able to say but it gives you another option to try.
Tony
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Peter

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Re: Windows Media Player
« Reply #9 on: March 29, 2012, 07:51:51 PM »

or why the Doris Day album should have been fragmented


 it was a case of Que Sera Sera     ..... ;D

 :'( More of a Calamity Jane I think.  ::)

Peter
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exo

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Re: Windows Media Player
« Reply #10 on: March 30, 2012, 11:56:38 AM »

Windows Media Player does not hold the music, it is merely an index (Library) obtained from the location of the original saved files.
Check the original files and ascertain if the tracks are correct.

If so, then delete the problem album from WMP and then insert the location again from WMP via Organise / Manage Libraries / Music.
Ensure you select deletion from WMP and not the computer.

What version of WMP are you using?

If the original files have been corrupted, then I am not sure how this has occurred.
This will entail ripping the music again or naming the tracks manually which will take some time.
I use CDex to rip music from discs and also use their online database to name tracks.

Never had a problem with WMP restricting file types for use, apart from playing .vob files direct but that can be overcome.

Let us know how it goes.

exo
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Peter

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Re: Windows Media Player
« Reply #11 on: March 30, 2012, 02:27:21 PM »

Hi Exo,

I've learned something at least, I didn't know Media Player doesn't strore the music, thanks for that.

I have WMP 11.

I checked the music file which show the wrong titles to what is actually playing, fortunately there are only a few albums affected so I can manually change those, (at least where I know the song names.)

Unfortunately the albums affected where about to be binned, (About forty CD!) but a friend of mine rescued them and one evening we loaded them onto his laptop and some onto my wife's, as he lives down south it is not possible to reloaded them.

As for the Doris Day disc I suspect WMP 'Find Album info.' May have found several different albums with same tracks on and split them into several named albums. (Hope that makes some sense.)

I shall continue to try VLC but find it more complicated to use than WMP.

As Scottiesmum says, 'Que Sera Sera'.

Peter
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exo

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Re: Windows Media Player
« Reply #12 on: March 30, 2012, 08:37:47 PM »

Sometimes the online data bases are not accurate, especially for some of the older or scarce music.
This may be caused by genuine mistakes by users when uploading information or variations produced for different countries of the same album.
You can prevent WMP from going online to update the database information and perhaps causing misinformation.

A Google search may be helpful for track listings and inserting album art. It is quicker to copy and paste than typing in track titles.

Whilst WMP does not actually retain the original music files, it does create a library database.
This database can be backed up and used again should you need to reinstall Windows for any reason.
For XP, by default, it is located at
C:\Documents and Settings\UserName\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Media Player

There are two files that need to be copied to create a backup: CurrentDatabase_59R.wmdb and wmpfolders.wmdb.
You may also have another named CurrentDatabase_360. If so, copy that also.
Provided the original music files are still in the same location, then the database files can be copied back into WMP and the Library will function as normal.

I quite like WMP but I do seem to be in a minority. The editing features are not so good in WMP 12 (a backward step by MS) but there is a third party plug-in that assists in this area.

Just post back if you need any further help or advice.

exo
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Peter

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Re: Windows Media Player
« Reply #13 on: March 30, 2012, 10:14:47 PM »

I think that just about covers everything Exp, thanks, at least with my very limited abilities.

Many thanks to all.

Peter
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