Alternative to Windows Media Player

Marc Aldrich

Member
Member
Messages
23
Location
Philadelphia, PA
Hi everyone~ I couuld use some insight. On my new laptop I noticed though its not on the start screen it has Windows Media Player. Never been a big fan though I used it on my last laptop with Vista. After the 8.1 update Media Player is real buggy and stops working.

When I went to Microsoft looking for some info, it stated that Windows Media Player is not compatible with 8.1 (x64). It will still play music, but I am looking for an alternative.

Any opinions on a media ( audio) player would be greatly appreciated!

Also, I am wondering if I should uninstall it so it does not cause problems with other programs?

Thanks again
:D
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavilion 17 Notebook PC
    CPU
    Intel(R) Core(TM) i3-4000M CPU @ 2.40GHz
    Motherboard
    1977 96.32
    Memory
    6GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel(R) HD Graphics 4600
    Sound Card
    Realtek High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17.03 HD Backlit
    Screen Resolution
    1600 x 900
    Hard Drives
    HGST HTS541075A9E680
    Cooling
    HP Cool Sense Teechnology
    Mouse
    Microdoft 4000
If you are talking about the metro interface. WMP should play in either one. If you are getting the error regarding WMP, something happened during the upgrade process to 8.1.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Linux Mint 17.2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Toshiba Satellite C850D-st3nx1
    CPU
    AMD E1-1200 APU with Radeon (tm) HD Graphics 1.40 GHZ
    Memory
    12GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD Radeon™ HD 7310 Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LCD
    Screen Resolution
    1366 x 768
    Hard Drives
    Crucial M500 240GB SSD
    Mouse
    Logitech M525
    Internet Speed
    45/6 - ATT U-Verse
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    None needed. It is Linux.
    Other Info
    Arris NVG589 Gateway; Router - Cisco RV320; Switch - Netgear GS108 8-Port Switch & Trendnet TEG-S50g 5-Port Switch; Access Points - Engenius ECB350, Trendnet TEW-638APB; NAS - Lenovo ix2-4; Printer - Brother HL-2280DW; Air Print Server - Lantronix XPrintServer

    A/V UPS - Tripp-Lite Smart 1500LCD 1500 Va/900 W.
I like MPC-HC myself. Plays DVDs and all videos I've tried including dvr-ms which my broadcast TV recording software uses.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro 64-bit
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer V3 771G-6443
    CPU
    i5-3230m
    Motherboard
    Acer VA70_HC (U3E1)
    Memory
    8GB DDR3 PC3-12800 (800 MHz)
    Graphics Card(s)
    HD4000 + GeForce GT 730M
    Sound Card
    Realtek High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17" Generic PnP Display on Intel HD Graphics 4000
    Screen Resolution
    1600x900 pixels
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250 GB
    ADATA SSD SP900 128GB
    PSU
    90 watt brick
    Mouse
    Bluetooth
    Antivirus
    Comodo
    Other Info
    Asus RT-AC56R dual-band WRT router (Merlin firmware). Intel 7260.HMWWB.R dual-band ac wireless adapter.

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 HP 64bit, Windows 8.1 Pro w/Media Center 64BIT
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS - Home Built
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X6 1100T
    Motherboard
    ASUS M5A99X EVO
    Memory
    Crucial Balistic DDR-3 1866 CL 9 (8 GB)
    Graphics Card(s)
    MSI R6850 Cyclone IGD5 PE
    Sound Card
    On Chip
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ASUS VE258Q 25" LED with DVI-HDMI-DisplayPort
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Two WD Cavier Black 2TB Sata 6gbs
    WD My Book Essential 2TB USB 3.0
    PSU
    Seasonic X650 80 Plus GOLD Modular
    Case
    Corsair 400R
    Cooling
    Antec Kuhler H2O 620, Two 120mm and four 140mm
    Keyboard
    AVS Gear Blue LED Backlight
    Mouse
    Logitech Marble Mouse USB, Logitech Precision Game Pad
    Internet Speed
    15MB
    Antivirus
    NIS, Malwarebytes Premium 2
    Other Info
    APC UPS ES 750, Netgear WNR3500L Gigabit & Wireless N Router with SamKnows Test Program,
    Motorola SB6120 Gigabit Cable Modem.
    Brother HL-2170W Laser Printer,
    Epson V300 Scanner
WMP is too compatible with 8.1 x64. It work's fine on my 8.1 Pro w/MC x64 desktop and 8.1 x64 laptop. You probably need some driver and software updates. As for an alternative, use VLC media player. VLC can also play dvd's. WMP doesn't come with the dvd codec anymore and you need a 3rd party dvd codec for WMP to play them.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro w/Media Center x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    self built
    CPU
    AMD FX 8350
    Motherboard
    Asus Sabertooth 990fx r2.0
    Memory
    G-Skill Ripjaws-X DDR3 2400 16 gbs.
    Graphics Card(s)
    MSI N760 TF 2GD5OC
    Sound Card
    on-bord Realtek ALC 889/ALC 892
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ViewSonic VX2250wm-LED
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 840 Pro 256 gb. ssd. & Seagate Barracuda 7200.14 3.o tb.
    PSU
    Corsair HX-850 watt
    Case
    Corsair Carbide 500r White
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro Series H-100, 3 120mm. & 1 200mm. case fan's
    Keyboard
    Logitech wired
    Mouse
    Logitech wired
    Internet Speed
    30 m.b.p.s.
    Browser
    IE 11 & Firefox 26
    Antivirus
    BitDefender Internet Security 2014
    Other Info
    Iomega Pro Series U.S.B. 2.0/eS.A.T.A. 2.0tb. h.d., Seagate Backup Plus U.S.B. 3.0 3.0tb. h.d., Hauppage WinTV HVR-1850 t.v. tuner, Logitech x530 5.1 speaker's, Logitech c615 webcam, Logitech h150 headset, M.S. Xbox 360 wired gamepad & Xbox 360 as W.M.C. extender
Thank you all for the ideas. I did a refersh and update of WMP and now it is working well. Does VLC or the others mentioned have the same features of searching and providing Album, Artist and cover art for music tracks? As far as codec is the k-lite codec pack the best choice?

Much appreciation for the tips!!
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavilion 17 Notebook PC
    CPU
    Intel(R) Core(TM) i3-4000M CPU @ 2.40GHz
    Motherboard
    1977 96.32
    Memory
    6GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel(R) HD Graphics 4600
    Sound Card
    Realtek High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17.03 HD Backlit
    Screen Resolution
    1600 x 900
    Hard Drives
    HGST HTS541075A9E680
    Cooling
    HP Cool Sense Teechnology
    Mouse
    Microdoft 4000
My favorite : PotPlayer - Download using it as replacement for KM Player I used previously, no need for extra codecs ether.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home made
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen7 2700x
    Motherboard
    Asus Prime x470 Pro
    Memory
    16GB Kingston 3600
    Graphics Card(s)
    Asus strix 570 OC 4gb
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 960 evo 250GB
    Silicon Power V70 240GB SSD
    WD 1 TB Blue
    WD 2 TB Blue
    Bunch of backup HDDs.
    PSU
    Sharkoon, Silent Storm 660W
    Case
    Raidmax
    Cooling
    CCM Nepton 140xl
    Internet Speed
    40/2 Mbps
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    WD
As far as codec is the k-lite codec pack the best choice?
With VLC or MPC-HC you also do not need to install any codecs. I have not installed any for years.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8.1.1 Pro x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo E525
    CPU
    AMD A4-3300M @ 2,0GHz
    Memory
    6GB DDR3 1333MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD Radeon HD 6480G 512MB shared
    Sound Card
    Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    WD 465GB
    Cooling
    Fusion Tweaker
    Keyboard
    Logitech K360
    Mouse
    Logitech M705
    Internet Speed
    50/50 MBps
    Browser
    Yandex
    Antivirus
    No AV & No Firewall
    Other Info
    Headphones: Sennheiser RS170
for Music, I use WMP

For videos, I use MPC-BE + madVR + LAV + Smooth Video Project

nothing beats that combo in terms of quality and smoothness of videos played @ 60 FPS
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    ALIENWARE 18 Laptop
    CPU
    Intel Core i7-4940MX Extreme CPU @ 4 GHz
    Motherboard
    Alienware 0FT9KT
    Memory
    32 GB Kingston HyperX 1866MHz DDR3 PC3-14900 RAM
    Graphics Card(s)
    Dual GeForce GTX 780M SLI 2x4GB GDDR5 RAM
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC668 HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell 18.4" WLED FHD (1920 X 1080) TrueLife Display IPS 16:9 1080p [SDC4C48]
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    2x SanDisk Extreme PRO 960GB SSDs + 850 EVO 1TB mSATA SSD
    Keyboard
    Alienware TactX Keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech G602 Wireless Gaming Mouse
    Internet Speed
    50 MBPS Download / 10 MBPS Upload
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    ESET NOD32 Antivirus
Back
Top