The new version 7 is available for Win98/2000 users only at:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/en/download/default.asp

It's a 10MB download which I've just done but I haven't used it yet.

-- Frank Marshall (new_wave@one.net.au), July 19, 2000

Answers

I'd like to know if you have any luck I've had WinME for a week now with the new media player and I can't get vcdz to play at all, and can't find another decent player that might play them..

-- Mr Hankey (mrhankey@biz-direct.net), July 19, 2000.

The old and "new" Windows Media player both can't play VCD discs. However with the newest version, you CAN use the option to browse to the VCD folder with the Mpeg.dat file and play that file manually. Be sure to drop down the file type window when selecting to show *.* (all files) The VCD file is "not" a regular mpeg file. Besides having it's extension changed to *.dat it also has some header and other things changed. However "some" of the better players can play back that *.dat file. The new windows Media player 7 is one of them. It's just still not an "insert the disc and play" autostart capable player as far as VCD goes.

-- rich (rich@pcphotovideo.com), July 19, 2000.

No problem dropping a VCD's .dat file on top of Media Player 6.4 and having it play. I do it all the time. I've never tried to browse to the file, though, easier just to drag and drop.

-- Frankie G (frankG74@hotmail.com), July 20, 2000.

what i do is i just go into the vcds folder where the data is and double click that and windows media player takes it from there

-- Doug (mazinz@aol.com), July 21, 2000.

Thanks guys,

Mr. Hankey: I've decided not to use Media Player 7 cause of the problems I've heard from folks who've tried it; I'm sticking with 6.4 until Microsoft develop updates for version 7. BTW, I play VCDs just fine using Win98 and Media Player 6.4.

Rich: I'm using Media Player 6.4; no problem.

Frankie G and Doug: ummm, nothing to add.

Thanks again lads. As per usual it looks like we have another application that Microsoft has taken to market while it's still too green. It should improve as updates are released...

Cya.

-- Frank Marshall (new_wave@one.net.au), July 24, 2000.

I have found that windows media player 7 is for the most part a pile of crap. stick to 6.4.

-- s (sgrovue@hotmail.com), December 05, 2000.

7.0 is spyware like real player. Microsoft doesn't need to know what I listen to, what I watch or when I am on the internet.

-- private (private@private.com), December 05, 2000.