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Windows Media Player ...and how to avoid it

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    Windows Media Player ...and how to avoid it

    Okay - I've had my new laptop for over a week now and annoyingly, it seems that Windows Media Player comes pre-installed as part of Windows XP (which I had specified as the OS in the 'build'). However, I haven't used it (WMP) yet.

    The thing is, each time I try to play an MP3, it asks me to start the Windows Media Player set-up process ...but I'm avoiding doing so! What I'm hoping is that I can avoid using that annoying, restrictive piece of shit altogether and use another application instead. (Ideally one that allows me to make CDs with no gaps between the tracks and which doesn't insert them when there are meant to be none, of course!)

    So... does anyone have any tips on how I can avoid having Windows Media Player ever try to start up on my machine and also what are useful, versatile substitutes for it, bearing in mind that burning CDs will be a major preoccupation for me?

    Cheers in advance, chaps.

    #2
    Windows Media Player ...and how to avoid it

    I use WinAmp. Here's a link to a good version.

    I use it to rip and burn CDs all the time. You create a playlist in WinAmp and then set it to burn. It will only burn at full speed if you buy the pay version however, which is $15 or so.

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      #3
      Windows Media Player ...and how to avoid it

      VLC plays anything. Get VLC.

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        #4
        Windows Media Player ...and how to avoid it

        You need to get something instead, and then make it default for playing mp3's, mpegs and whatever. At the moment WMP is set as default, and you need to override that.

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          #5
          Windows Media Player ...and how to avoid it

          Yeah, that.

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            #6
            Windows Media Player ...and how to avoid it

            Another vote for VLC here. In addition to being the best music/video application I've used, it also has a neat traffic cone icon. How cool is that?

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              #7
              Windows Media Player ...and how to avoid it

              Somebody else will know better than I do, but I think you can burn gapless CDs with iTunes.

              I use WinAmp, but not to burn CDs. For that I tend to use Nero, which has a one-click "no gap between songs" function. It converts MP3s automatically to Wave files in the burning process.

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                #8
                Windows Media Player ...and how to avoid it

                The thing about VLC is that it comes loaded with every codec possible, which id why it plays everything.

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                  #9
                  Windows Media Player ...and how to avoid it

                  Why don't you want gaps between songs?

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                    #10
                    Windows Media Player ...and how to avoid it

                    TonTon wrote:
                    Why don't you want gaps between songs?
                    On albums like 2 of the 3 albums by This Mortal Coil (just for instance) or 'Substrata' by Biosphere there are no gaps between the tracks - they run into each other seemlessly, adding to their atmosphere. Having gaps thrust into them ruins them more than you'd think was possible.

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                      #11
                      Windows Media Player ...and how to avoid it

                      Yeah but, you know, it's only a couple of seconds...

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                        #12
                        Windows Media Player ...and how to avoid it

                        Oh, but it is irritating. If you can avoid it, why not actively seek ways of doing so?

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                          #13
                          Windows Media Player ...and how to avoid it

                          And furthermore, if you want to make a 'mixed' compilation of your favourite tunes - whether for our own or other's pleasure - the gaps undermine the point of it entirely.

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                            #14
                            Windows Media Player ...and how to avoid it

                            That depends the musical genre and on what you're after, I think. But you're right, it should be up to you, not the application.

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                              #15
                              Windows Media Player ...and how to avoid it

                              foobar2000

                              Shite name, great music player.

                              Low memory footprint, customisable, plays anything, good plugins - I love it.

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