- Microsoft Windows Media Player Update
- Windows Media Player On Mac
- Microsoft Windows Media Player Download For Mac
- # VLC media player for Mac can also be used to play WMV files. VLC is an open source, free media player developed by the VideoLAN project. VLC is an open source, free media player developed by the VideoLAN project.
- Microsoft 3D Pinball - Space. 1.0 Microsoft Windows Pinbal. Windows Media Player 11.0.5721.5145 Enjoy digital media with Windows Media Player; Visual Basic 2017 Express. Visual Studio Community. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.7.1 Bring out the best in your photographs.
MacMediaPlayer 2.8.6MacMediaPlayer is the best all-in-one free MediaPlayer for Mac OS X in the world. It can play HD movies on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch for free. It can support all Media formats with high quality. MacMediaPlayer is the best all-in-one free MediaPlayer for Mac OS X in the world. It can play HD movies on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch for free. It can support all Media formats with high quality. | Freeware Download 35.2 MB |
Kyaya Media Player 3.2. Kyaya Media Player aka KMP or Kyayamp is a Open Source media player for OS X and is licensed under GPL (GNU General Public License) software agreement and is free to build for Windows and Linux or any other platforms. Nov 07, 2007 The newest alternative to play Windows Media files on Mac is Flip4Mac, a plugin for QuickTime that gives you the possibility to play Windows formats using the the Apple multimedia player. Microsoft stopped updating Windows Media Player for Mac some time ago. However, if you still want to install it, be patient, it will not be easy. Introducing Windows Media Player 9 fordownload windows media center Mac OS X. Sporting a new brushed steel skin for Apple's newest operating system, this new version of our player opens the world of Windows Media 9 content to Macintosh users, enabling them to access the best audio and video on the Web.
Macgo Free MacMediaPlayer 2.16.9 Macgo Free MacMediaPlayer is the best all-in-one free MediaPlayer for Mac OS X in the world. It can play HD movies on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch for free. It can support all Media formats with high quality.Macgo Free MacMediaPlayer is the best all-in-one free MediaPlayer for Mac OS X in the world. It can play HD movies on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch for free. It can support all Media formats with high quality. | Freeware Download 34.9 MB |
Free MacMediaPlayer 1.0.28 Aiseesoft Free MacMediaPlayer is able to play video such as MP4/AVI/MKV/MOV/FLV/WMV, etc format with best quality. It can also play WMA, MP3, M4A, AAC, FLAC, etc audio.Aiseesoft Free MacMediaPlayer is able to play video such as MP4/AVI/MKV/MOV/FLV/WMV, etc format with best quality. It can also play WMA, MP3, M4A, AAC, FLAC, etc audio. | Freeware Download 36.1 MB |
Elmedia Player 7.0 Elmedia Player , a versatile free MediaPlayer for Mac , supports almost all commonly used video & audio formats. This app offers an extensive list of flexible settings for watching videos and streaming them to Apple TV, Smart TV or Chromecast.Elmedia Player , a versatile free MediaPlayer for Mac , supports almost all commonly used video & audio formats. This app offers an extensive list of flexible settings for watching videos and streaming them to Apple TV, Smart TV or Chromecast. | Freeware Download 53.5 MB |
Groovy MediaPlayer 1.5.0 Groovy MediaPlayer is the perfect music-manager application with cool looks and a garland of features: Internet streaming, continuous play, mp3 to wav converting function, built-in ID3 editor plus a bunch of other amazing features.Groovy MediaPlayer is the perfect music-manager application with cool looks and a garland of features: Internet streaming, continuous play, mp3 to wav converting function, built-in ID3 editor plus a bunch of other amazing features. | Freeware Download 2.2 MB |
Groovy MediaPlayer 3.6.0 Groovy MediaPlayer is the perfect music-manager application with cool looks and a garland of features: Internet streaming, continuous play, mp3 to wav converting function, built-in ID3 editor plus a bunch of other amazing features.Groovy MediaPlayer is the perfect music-manager application with cool looks and a garland of features: Internet streaming, continuous play, mp3 to wav converting function, built-in ID3 editor plus a bunch of other amazing features. | Freeware Download 3.8 MB |
MediaPlayer Codec Pack 4.4.1 The MediaPlayer Codec Pack is a simple to install package of codecs/filters/splitters used for playing back music and movie files. After installation you will be able to play 99.9% of files on the internet, along with XCD's, VCD's, SVCD's and DVD's.The MediaPlayer Codec Pack is a simple to install package of codecs/filters/splitters used for playing back music and movie files. After installation you will be able to play 99.9% of files on the internet, along with XCD's, VCD's, SVCD's and DVD's. | Freeware Download 46.5 MB |
OSS MediaPlayer MAX 1.0.0.4MediaPlayer MAX is the most powerful MediaPlayer and easy-to-use with amazing, user friendly and smart interface to play almost all Media files with an easy-to-use playlist. Power Xpress MediaPlayer can also play DVD/CD-Video discs MediaPlayer MAX is the most powerful MediaPlayer and easy-to-use with amazing, user friendly and smart interface to play almost all Media files with an easy-to-use playlist. Power Xpress MediaPlayer can also play DVD/CD-Video discs | Freeware Download 17.9 MB |
AutoFi CarPC MediaPlayer Front-End 1.0 AUTOFI is a FREE Microsoft Windows MediaPlayer front end / MP3 Player for mobile PC use aimed at Personal Computers with smaller displays and/or touch screens, and is designed as an easy to use front end for a PC fitted to a car (CarPC)AUTOFI is a FREE Microsoft Windows MediaPlayer front end / MP3 Player for mobile PC use aimed at Personal Computers with smaller displays and/or touch screens, and is designed as an easy to use front end for a PC fitted to a car (CarPC) | Freeware Download 1.7 MB |
IQmango MediaPlayer 3.4.5 Smooth high quality playback is guaranteed with free IQmango MediaPlayer! Watch favorite movies and videos in AVI, MPEG, FLV, WMV, DivX on your PC using a completely free software - IQmango MediaPlayer . No codecs required, just install it and enjoySmooth high quality playback is guaranteed with free IQmango MediaPlayer! Watch favorite movies and videos in AVI, MPEG, FLV, WMV, DivX on your PC using a completely free software - IQmango MediaPlayer . No codecs required, just install it and enjoy | Freeware Download 12.0 MB |
Free MediaPlayer 1.2.0 Free MediaPlayer is a free multimedia Player and framework that has built in support for most video and audio formats such as RMVB, RM, OGM.Free MediaPlayer is a free multimedia Player and framework that has built in support for most video and audio formats such as RMVB, RM, OGM. | Freeware Download 2.6 MB |
Hypercube MediaPlayer 3.04 A powerful and quirky MediaPlayer , full of interesting and useful features that you probably won't find anywhere else, and expanding all the time. Written for the sheer pleasure of creating something useful with bags of character.A powerful and quirky MediaPlayer , full of interesting and useful features that you probably won't find anywhere else, and expanding all the time. Written for the sheer pleasure of creating something useful with bags of character. | Freeware Download 4.1 MB |
Elmedia Player 6.6 Elmedia Player , a versatile MediaPlayer for Mac , supports almost all commonly used video & audio formats. This free application offers an extensive list of flexible settings and handy options to make your watching experience really enjoyable.Elmedia Player , a versatile MediaPlayer for Mac , supports almost all commonly used video & audio formats. This free application offers an extensive list of flexible settings and handy options to make your watching experience really enjoyable. | Freeware Download 41.9 MB |
Windows MediaPlayer X 9 Microsoft MediaPlayer . Introducing Windows MediaPlayer 9 for Mac OS X.Microsoft MediaPlayer . Introducing Windows MediaPlayer 9 for Mac OS X. | Freeware Download 6.9 MB |
Ace DivX Player 2.1 Ace DivX Player is the best Windows MediaPlayer replacement program, it plays movie and music in formats including DivX, AVI, MPEG, WMV, ASF, MP3, CD and Video-CD. Powerful Playlists support, Full-Screen playback support with onscreen controls.Ace DivX Player is the best Windows MediaPlayer replacement program, it plays movie and music in formats including DivX, AVI, MPEG, WMV, ASF, MP3, CD and Video-CD. Powerful Playlists support, Full-Screen playback support with onscreen controls. | Freeware Download 517.0 KB |
Ashampoo Media Player+ 2.03 Multimedia Player to burn playlists to CD, and much more.Multimedia Player to burn playlists to CD, and much more. | Freeware Download 5.0 MB |
Zoom Player Home Free 8.00-RC1 Zoom Player Home Free - They say the best things in life are free, and Zoom Player Home free life delivers. The most powerful MediaPlayer for the Windows PC, giving ultimate control over your Media viewing experience.Zoom Player Home Free - They say the best things in life are free, and Zoom Player Home free life delivers. The most powerful MediaPlayer for the Windows PC, giving ultimate control over your Media viewing experience. | Freeware Download 6.2 MB |
mix max mediaplayer 1.0.0.18MediaPlayer Max is an easy-to-use program with amazing interface to play almost all Media files with an easy-to-use playlist, The Player can also play DVD-Video discs and Video-CD discs. The Supported Input Audio Formats: wav , wma , mka , m4a , mp3 MediaPlayer Max is an easy-to-use program with amazing interface to play almost all Media files with an easy-to-use playlist, The Player can also play DVD-Video discs and Video-CD discs. The Supported Input Audio Formats: wav , wma , mka , m4a , mp3 | Freeware Download 16.5 MB |
Max MediaPlayer 1.0.0.16 Max MediaPlayer is an easy-to-use program with amazing interface to play almost all Media files with an easy-to-use playlist, The Player can also play DVD-Video discs and Video-CD discs. The Supported Input Audio Formats: wav, wma, mka, m4a, mp3Max MediaPlayer is an easy-to-use program with amazing interface to play almost all Media files with an easy-to-use playlist, The Player can also play DVD-Video discs and Video-CD discs. The Supported Input Audio Formats: wav, wma, mka, m4a, mp3 | Freeware Download 16.6 MB |
Windows MediaPlayer for Max 1.0.0.18 This software is an easy-to-use MediaPlayer with amazing interface to play almost all Media files with an easy-to-use playlist, The Player can also play DVD-Video discs and Video-CD discs. The Supported Input Audio Formats: wav, wma, mka, m4a, mp3.This software is an easy-to-use MediaPlayer with amazing interface to play almost all Media files with an easy-to-use playlist, The Player can also play DVD-Video discs and Video-CD discs. The Supported Input Audio Formats: wav, wma, mka, m4a, mp3. | Freeware Download 16.7 MB |
SM MediaPlayer Max 3.1.0.15MediaPlayer Max is an easy-to-use program with amazing interface to play almost all Media files with an easy-to-use playlist, The Player can also play DVD-Video discs and Video-CD discs. The Supported Input Audio Formats: wav , wma , mka , m4a , mp3 MediaPlayer Max is an easy-to-use program with amazing interface to play almost all Media files with an easy-to-use playlist, The Player can also play DVD-Video discs and Video-CD discs. The Supported Input Audio Formats: wav , wma , mka , m4a , mp3 | Freeware Download 17.9 MB |
SD Free MediaPlayer Max 1.0.0.18MediaPlayer Max is an easy-to-use program with amazing interface to play almost all Media files with an easy-to-use playlist, The Player can also play DVD-Video discs and Video-CD discs. The Supported Input Audio Formats: wav , wma , mka , m4a , mp3 MediaPlayer Max is an easy-to-use program with amazing interface to play almost all Media files with an easy-to-use playlist, The Player can also play DVD-Video discs and Video-CD discs. The Supported Input Audio Formats: wav , wma , mka , m4a , mp3 | Freeware Download 17.8 MB |
1MediaPlayer 1.0.5 Smart and different free MediaPlayer . 1MediaPlayer is probably the best multimedia Player . It includes most popular video and audio codecs built-in. It stands out for its impressive list of supported formats, flexibility and simplicity.Smart and different free MediaPlayer . 1MediaPlayer is probably the best multimedia Player . It includes most popular video and audio codecs built-in. It stands out for its impressive list of supported formats, flexibility and simplicity. | Freeware Download 224.0 KB |
Zoom Player FREE 12.1 Zoom Player FREE - They say the best things in life are free, and Zoom Player Home FREE life delivers. The most powerful MediaPlayer for the Windows PC, giving ultimate control over your Media viewing experience.Zoom Player FREE - They say the best things in life are free, and Zoom Player Home FREE life delivers. The most powerful MediaPlayer for the Windows PC, giving ultimate control over your Media viewing experience. | Freeware Download 27.5 MB |
Jolix MediaPlayer 1.2.0 Jolix MediaPlayer is an audio software offering great features like a smart interface, net streaming, continuous play, mp3 wav converter, an integrated ID3 editor which makes renaming and changing files easier and supports MP3, FLAC, AAC, MP4, etc.Jolix MediaPlayer is an audio software offering great features like a smart interface, net streaming, continuous play, mp3 wav converter, an integrated ID3 editor which makes renaming and changing files easier and supports MP3, FLAC, AAC, MP4, etc. | Freeware Download 1.4 MB |
UnionCam Player 1.0 This is a MediaPlayer software for windows. It can play almost all Media files, AVI, MP4, MOV, 3GP, FLV, SWF, ASF, WMV, VOB, DAT, MPG, MPEG, TS, RMVB, PSP, 3G2, MKV, M4V, M2T video files, and MP3,WMA,WAV,AC3,AMR,OGG,CDA,AAC,RM audio files etc.This is a MediaPlayer software for windows. It can play almost all Media files, AVI, MP4, MOV, 3GP, FLV, SWF, ASF, WMV, VOB, DAT, MPG, MPEG, TS, RMVB, PSP, 3G2, MKV, M4V, M2T video files, and MP3,WMA,WAV,AC3,AMR,OGG,CDA,AAC,RM audio files etc. | Freeware Download 2.4 MB |
VLC Player 16.03 VLC MediaPlayer is a free and open source multimedia Player and a system able to play most multimedia files as well as DVDs, Audio CDs, VCDs, and various streaming protocols.VLC MediaPlayer is a free and open source multimedia Player and a system able to play most multimedia files as well as DVDs, Audio CDs, VCDs, and various streaming protocols. | Freeware Download 965.0 KB |
MediaPlayer Codec Pack 2.2.0 The MediaPlayer Codec Pack is a simple to install package of codecs/filters/splitters used for playing back music and movie files. After installation you will be able to play 99.The MediaPlayer Codec Pack is a simple to install package of codecs/filters/splitters used for playing back music and movie files. After installation you will be able to play 99. | Freeware Download 17.6 MB |
MakeitOne MediaPlayer 1.00 The make it one MediaPlayer is a fully featured DirectShow based audio MediaPlayer capable of playing MP3, WMA and even AVI, MPG, M3U Playlists, in fact any Media type that is supported by DirectShow.The make it one MediaPlayer is a fully featured DirectShow based audio MediaPlayer capable of playing MP3, WMA and even AVI, MPG, M3U Playlists, in fact any Media type that is supported by DirectShow. | Freeware Download 777.0 KB |
Microsoft Windows MediaPlayer PowerToys v1.0 is a set of utilities for use with Windows MediaPlayer 7. The Microsoft Windows MediaPlayer team has put together a set of utilities that enhance Windows MediaPlayer .is a set of utilities for use with Windows MediaPlayer 7. The Microsoft Windows MediaPlayer team has put together a set of utilities that enhance Windows MediaPlayer . | Freeware Download 475.0 KB |
Microsoft Windows Media Player Update
- Windows Media Audio Codecs
- Windows Media Video 9 Series Codecs
Windows Media Audio Codecs
Windows Media Audio 9
This codec samples audio at 44.1 or 48 kilohertz (kHz) using 16 bits, similar to the current CD standard, offering CD quality at data rates from 64 to 192 kilobits per second (Kbps). The resulting sound quality is 20 percent better than audio sampled with Windows Media Audio 8 at equivalent data rates.
The Windows Media Audio 9 codec (WMA 9) supports variable bit rate encoding (VBR), which enables even higher quality audio at smaller file sizes by automatically varying the encoding bit rate according to the complexity of the audio data. With VBR, the encoding bit rate increases to capture complex sections of data and then decreases to maximize the compression of the less complex sections, producing compact, high-quality compression.
WMA 9 is backward-compatible with previous Windows Media Audio-compatible decoders, which means that WMA 9 content can be played with previous versions of Windows Media Player or older consumer electronic devices that support Windows Media. As with all Windows Media 9 Series codecs, it supports the Windows Media digital rights management platform, which is used to securely package and distribute copy-protected digital media.
Windows Media Audio 10 Professional
Windows Media Audio 10 Professional (WMA 10 Pro) is the most flexible Windows Media audio codec available – supporting profiles that include everything from full-resolution 24-bit/96 kHz audio in stereo, 5.1 channel, or even 7.1 channel surround sound, to highly efficient mobile capabilities at 24 Kbps to 96 Kbps for stereo, and 128 Kbps to 256 Kbps for 5.1-channel sound. WMA 10 Pro offers incredible quality for consumers using high-fidelity hardware and 5.1 channel surround sound-equipped computers — and for consumers playing audio content on their mobile devices. WMA 10 Pro supports streaming, progressive download, or download-and-play delivery at 128 to 768 Kbps. For more information about the mobile capabilities in WMA Pro and how it compares to other audio codecs, download the NSTL Test Report.
When using 5.1 surround sound audio compressed at 384 Kbps with WMA 10 Pro, most listeners cannot discern any differences between the compressed music and the original pulse code modulation (PCM) files. WMA Pro also offers dynamic range control using the maximum and average audio amplitudes that are calculated during the encoding process. Using the Quiet Mode feature in Windows Media Player 9 and later, users can hear either the full dynamic range, a medium difference range up to 12 decibels (dB) above the average, or a little difference range up to 6 dB above the average.
If a user tries to play back a file that was encoded using the 5.1 channel, 24-bit, 96 kHz sampling capabilities, but does not have a system or sound card that supports multi-channel or high-resolution sound, multiple channels are combined into stereo audio (for example, 16-bit, two channel audio), ensuring that users get the best playback experience their systems can provide.
The following table compares WMA Pro to competing compression technology.
| Audio Data | Industry Compression* | Windows Media* | Compression Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 ch x 48 kHz x 16 bits | Dolby Digital 2.0 at 220 Kbps | WMA 10 Pro at 128 Kbps | 1.7:1 |
| 6 ch x 48 kHz x 20 bits | Dolby Digital 5.1 at 384 Kbps | WMA 10 Pro at 192–256 Kbps | 1.5–2:1 |
| 6 ch x 48 kHz x 24 bits | DTS 5.1 at 1,536 Kbps | WMA 10 Pro at 768 Kbps | 2:1 |
* Content dependent
Windows Media Audio 9 Lossless
The audio quality of content that is compressed using this codec is the best of all Windows Media Audio codecs. It creates a bit-for-bit duplicate of the original audio file so that no data is lost, which makes it ideal for archiving content masters.
Depending on the complexity of the original, content will be compressed at a 2:1 or 3:1 ratio. Although this is lower than the ratio achieved with other Windows Media Audio 9 Series codecs, it provides the same benefits of compression while leaving the data intact.
Like Windows Media Audio 9 Professional, the Windows Media Audio 9 Lossless codec also offers dynamic range control using the maximum and average audio amplitudes that are calculated during the encoding process. Using the Quiet Mode feature in Windows Media Player 9 and later, users can hear the full dynamic range, a medium difference range up to 12 dB above the average, or a little difference range up to 6 dB above the average.
Windows Media Audio 9 Voice
This low-bit-rate codec is primarily targeted for speech content, but performs very well with mixed-mode content that includes both voice and music. In voice mode, the codec takes advantage of the relatively less complicated and narrower frequency range of the human voice to maximize compression. In music mode, the codec operates like the standard Windows Media Audio 9 codec. Encoded content can be configured to switch between voice and music modes automatically.
The Windows Media Audio 9 Voice codec offers superior quality for low-bit-rate streaming scenarios (less than 20 Kbps), such as radio broadcasts, advertising, e-books, podcasts, and voiceovers. The voice codec can also compress content to as low as 4 Kbps at 8 kHz.
Windows Media Player On Mac
Compatibility
The following table outlines what your audience will experience when playing Windows Media Audio 9 Series content on earlier Microsoft Windows operating systems than Windows XP or with earlier versions of Windows Media Player. This table also lists the compatibility for Apple Mac OS X and Windows CE–based platforms.
| Codec | Feature | Player backward compatibility |
|---|---|---|
| Windows Media Audio 9 | Constant-bit rate (CBR) encoding |
|
| Variable-bit-rate (VBR) encoding | Windows Media Player 7 or later on all devices that support the Player (using transcoding as needed) | |
| Windows Media Audio 9 Professional | General |
|
| Discrete channel playback (for instance, 5.1) | Requires Windows Media Player 9 Series (or SDK) or later, Windows XP, and a multichannel audio card. | |
| High-resolution audio (24-bit, 96 kHz) | Requires Windows Media Player 9 Series (or SDK) or later, Windows XP, and a high-resolution audio card. | |
| Dynamic range control | Requires Windows Media Player 9 Series (or SDK) or later and Windows XP. | |
| Windows Media Audio 9 Lossless | General |
|
| Discrete channel playback (for instance, 5.1) | Requires Windows Media Player 9 Series (or SDK) or later, Windows XP, and a multichannel audio card. | |
| Windows Media Audio 9 Voice | General |
|
Note
* All versions of Windows Media Player for Pocket PC and Smartphone are shipped as part of the Microsoft Windows Mobile operating system. Windows Media Player for Pocket PC and Windows Media Player for Smartphone are not available for download from Microsoft.
Windows Media Video 9 Series Codecs
In 2006, the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) formally published the Final Specification for SMPTE 421M, also known as VC-1. Formal standardization of VC-1 represents the culmination of years of technical scrutiny by over 75 companies, leading to a codec that is well-documented, extremely stable, easily licensable, and accepted by the industry. VC-1 supports three profiles: Simple, Main, and Advanced. The Simple and Main profiles have been complete for several years, and existing implementations such as WMV 9 have long supported the creation and playback of content using these profiles, as well as an early implementation of the Advanced profile. The completion of the Advanced profile and consequent standardization of all profiles in VC-1 represents the final step in a comprehensive specification that delivers high definition content—either interlaced or progressive—across any medium and to any capable device.
Windows Media Video 9
Windows Media Video 9 is the Microsoft implementation of the VC-1 SMPTE standard. It supports Simple, Main, and Advanced profiles.
Simple and Main Profiles
The Windows Media Video 9 Simple and Main profiles fully conform to the SMPTE VC-1 standard and provide high-quality video for streaming and downloading. These profiles support a wide range of bit rates, from high-definition content at one-half to one-third the bit rate of MPEG-2, to low-bit-rate Internet video delivered over a dial-up modem. This codec also supports professional-quality downloadable video with two-pass and variable bit rate (VBR) encoding. Windows Media Video 9 is already supported by a wide variety of players and devices.
Advanced Profile
The Windows Media Video 9 Advanced profile fully conforms to the SMPTE VC-1 standard, supports interlaced content, and is transport-independent. Content creators can use this profile to deliver either progressive or interlaced content at data rates as low as one-third that of the MPEG-2 codec—with the same quality as MPEG-2.
In the past, interlaced video content was always de-interlaced before encoding with the Windows Media Video codec. Now, encoding applications such as Windows Media 9 Series, and third-party encoding solutions can support compression of interlaced content without first converting it to progressive content. Maintaining interlacing in an encoded file is important if the content is ever rendered on an interlaced display, such as a television.
Transport independence also enables the delivery of Windows Media Video 9 Advanced Profile over systems that are not Windows Media-based, such as standards-based broadcast infrastructures (through native MPEG-2 transport streams), wireless infrastructures (using real-time transfer protocol [RTP]), or even DVDs.
The following table compares Windows Media Video 9 Advanced Profile to competing compression technology.
| Video Data | Industry Compression* | Windows Media* | Compression Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 480/24p 720x480 pixels/frame x 8 bits per channel x 24 fps | MPEG-2 at 4–6 Mbps | Windows Media Video 9 Advanced Profile at 1.3–2 Mbps | 3:1 |
| 480/30i 720x480 pixels/frame x 8 bits per channel x 30 fps | MPEG-2 at 6–8 Mbps | Windows Media Video 9 Advanced Profile at 2–4 Mbps | 2–3:1 |
| 720/24p 1280x720 pixels/frame x 8 bits per channel x 24 fps | MPEG-2 at 19 Mbps | Windows Media Video 9 Advanced Profile at 5–8 Mbps | 2.4–3.8:1 |
*Content dependent
Windows Media Video 9 Screen
The Windows Media Video 9 Screen codec is optimized for compressing sequential screen shots and highly static video that is captured from the computer display, which makes it ideal for delivering demos or demonstrating computer use for training. The codec takes advantage of the typical image simplicity and relative lack of motion to achieve a very high compression ratio.
During the encoding process, the codec automatically switches between lossy and lossless encoding modes, depending on the complexity of the video data. For complex data, the lossless mode preserves an exact copy of the data. For less complex data, the lossy mode discards some data to achieve a higher compression ratio. By automatically switching between these two modes, the codec maintains video quality while maximizing compression.
Overall, the Windows Media Video 9 Screen codec delivers better handling of bitmap images and screen motion, even on relatively modest CPUs. It is also up to 100 times more efficient than the commonly-used run length encoding.
Windows Media Video 9 Image Version 2
The Windows Media Video 9 Image Version 2 codec is different from the other video codecs. Instead of processing uncompressed video, it transforms still images into video by using pan, zoom, and cross-fade transitions between clips to create an unlimited number of effects.
The results can then be delivered at data rates as low as 20 kilobits per second (Kbps). These files are compressed using either constant bit rate (CBR) or one-pass variable bit rate (VBR) modes.
Note
The Windows Media Video 9 Image Version 2 codec is not compatible with the Windows Media Video 9 Image codec.
Windows Media Video 9 VCM
The Video Compression Manager (VCM) version of the Windows Media Video 9 Series codec enables earlier versions of encoding and editing applications to support the Windows Media Video 9 Series codec in file containers such as Audio Video Interleaved (AVI). This codec package also allows Windows Media Video (WMV) files based on Windows Media Format 9 Series to be played in Windows Media Player 6.4, in both ASF and AVI file containers.
Compatibility
The following table outlines what your audience will experience when playing Windows Media Video 9 Series content on earlier Microsoft Windows operating systems or with earlier versions of Windows Media Player. This table also lists the compatibility for Apple Mac OS X and Windows CE–based platforms.
| Codec | Feature | Player backward compatibility |
|---|---|---|
| Windows Media Video 9 | General |
|
| Frame Interpolation | Requires Windows Media Player 9 Series (or Software Development Kit) or later and Windows XP. | |
| Windows Media Video 9 Advanced Profile | General | Windows Media Player 7 or later |
| Windows Media Video 9 Screen | General | Windows Media Player 7 or later |
| Windows Media Video 9 Image Version 2 | General | Windows Media Player 7 or later |
Note
*All versions of Windows Media Player for Pocket PC and Smartphone are shipped as part of the Microsoft Windows Mobile operating system. Windows Media Player for Pocket PC and Windows Media Player for Smartphone are not available for download from Microsoft.