Media Player Feature Requests

[Brad Adrian]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.staticfuzz.com/content/2003_10_30/index.html' target='_blank'>http://www.staticfuzz.com/content/2...0_30/index.html</a><br /><br /></div>Do you use Microsoft's Windows Media Player? Do you like it? Would you like to see if you can help make it even better? If so, Richard over at <a href="www.staticfuzz.com">www.staticfuzz.com</a> can use your help.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/adrian/wmp.jpg" /><br /><br />Richard has put together some very good ideas about how he thinks Media Player can be improved and has <a href="http://www.staticfuzz.com/content/2003_10_30/index.html">started a discussion thread</a> on the topic. If you've got some ideas of your own, why not go ahead and post them there? Or maybe you'd just like to read other people's suggestions. In any event, if the right people at Microsoft read the discussions, maybe some of the suggestions will get implemented. And who knows? The next version of Media Player just might end up with some of your best ideas built right in!

[Jonathan1]

How about playing DRMed AAC files?

Oh sorry. You mean suggestion that are at least remotely possible of being done? ;)

Seriously. I would like the ability to minimize to the task bar up top. So it would place an icon next to the time that I could tape and hold temp displaying playlist allowing me to quick switch songs on the fly. (No need for vol or forward or back since the buttons usually are maped for that.)

[surur]

How about playing DRMed AAC files?


How about playing DRM WMA files, like the temporary downloads from MSN music store. The integration between Microsoft's own music store and their own PDA OS is pathetic.

On a more trivial level, how about a simple visualiser to use up all that wasted screen space while playing audio.

Surur

[AhuhX]

Is it just me or is the MediaPlayer playlist editor extremely sucky?

Every time I try add a new CD it always ends up putting the playlist in reverse order, and I have to use the up/down arrows to juggle it about.

Other than the above. I just wish it was more like the PC version which doesn't even rely on playlists.

[William Yeung]

DRMed WMA seems playable... I remember?

Anyway, before other fancy stuff, FIX THE @(#&%!%#&* Playlist editor.

[Anthony Caruana]

Is it just me or is the MediaPlayer playlist editor extremely sucky?

Every time I try add a new CD it always ends up putting the playlist in reverse order, and I have to use the up/down arrows to juggle it about.

Other than the above. I just wish it was more like the PC version which doesn't even rely on playlists.

You're right - the playlist management is pretty poor. I'm considering paying for a player just for this reason. I'll probably buy Pocket Player as it has great playlist management and has nice control for sound. I reviewed a few months ago for this site and think I'll download it again and start using it.

[unxmully]

Caveat: I don't use media player beause I have an iPod.

Not being able to pause MP3 playback and have it restart at the same point was always a pain.

Fixing ActiveSynch so that when music is copied to the PocketPC it goes in the correct order so that you can playback an album in sequence without the need to create a playlist. OK, I know this isn't a problem with media player but it's still an annoyance with the package.

[mgd]

Not being able to pause MP3 playback and have it restart at the same point was always a pain.

That's why I installed PocketMusic yesterday--bookmarks!

[Brad Adrian]

I haven't tried out a whole lot of different editors, but I kinda like the playlist capabilities of Pocket MVP.

[Cortex]

how about implementing anyones suggestions on any of the pocketpc OS applications?

8O

[ctmagnus]

Actual FF/rewind in current track, rather than the silly next track/previous track that are the only options in WMP on PPC currrently.

[mace]

The playlist editior is awful, How about using ID3 tags?

Some visualizations, while playing music, would be 8).

[Bruno Figueiredo]

Here are my suggestions for Playlist Management:

- Create a My Music folder
- Every folder under that should be automatically a playlist
- You should have the ability to create a playlist from, say, 3 previous playlists, and so on (that would ease immensely) and shuffle through them
- Ability to map a key to scroll through playlists

[dhpss]

1-When play audio, use the sreen to show playlist
2-Add Spectrum analyzer (a la PocketMusic, WithMP3, etc.)
3-Add equalizer (toggle show/hidden)
4-Add Today Plugin (Transparent, 1 line or put the control on the bottom bar (a la Windows/XP and WMP)
5-Switchable to full screen with large buttons (in car use!!!)

[hdsalinas]

What I want is:

1) Being able to download "wmp themes" as the ones on the today page

2) car mode would be a plus.

3) being able to stretch videos (proportionately, of course) to the whole screen on landscape mode.

4) It would be nice if they could add an icon to the navigation bar that when tapped it would display a list of common task (pause, mute, stop)
this would be great when using PIE or any other application so you would not need to switch applications.

5) better playlist management. I would like to be able to sort by file name. When i rip my CDs I usually have Musicmatch label the file by "artist/album/number/song". This way I can listen to them in the right order.

6) bass and treble settings

plus everything else that you guys have mentioned! :lol:

[doc]

How about a skip 30 and -6? For my WMP on the desktop I found a skin that allows me to skip ahead 30 seconds or go back 6 seconds. This is great when watching videos. Skip30.wmz (http://daugherty.cc/skip30.wmz)

[David C]

Actual FF/rewind in current track, rather than the silly next track/previous track that are the only options in WMP on PPC currrently.

I agree, fast forward and rewind would be good to have.

Also, It would be nice have some kinda of "down sampling" function to play higher resolution or high bitrate video as if they were of low bit rate. I don't know how it's possible though, but it would be nice if you are playing from a source with high bit rate that the PPC can't hadle.

Lastly, why can't there be a wmv 9 player for 2002 PPC?

[hyedipin]

First and the most crucial and possibly the most useful would be a button or a set up for Turning off the screen. Just turn off. I use a different player to turn the screen off, and keep WMP running for listening to music.

Second, divx support. I think Microsoft is powerful enough to replace Pocket MVP sooo easily, so please do so!

More information on the screen regarding the file name, especially when there is no ID3 tag. It should be able display information more clearly.

Skins. More AUDIO ONLY skins, Please!

Tray or Today Screen plugin, while listening to music the bottom bar is could be used to display just the ID3 information on mp3s. Today plug-in may not have to have controls, because WMP got great hardware button support!

MVP Does not need any major overhaul, so please do not change anything on how it works, or inner features.

Good Luck..

[volwrath]

I think the most important thing for we wifi users is the ability to stream any content that the PPCs brother can...especially audio like radio stations instead of a paltrey few.

[tanalasta]

All of the above suggestions would be nice :)

But an 8+ band equaliser with presets (although i'd probably tweak them anyway) In short, just take all of pocketplayer's features and incorporate them to windows media player.

And get rid of that awful "transfer music using the desktop WMP". I couldn't get pocket wmp to play any 96kbs mp3's I'd just copied onto a spare storage card and I positively HATE waiting an hour just for the stupid program to convert, transfer my music.

And yes, I use pocketplayer now. It's the greatest!!! Although pocketmusic isn't bad at all - especially the free version - can't ask for much more if it's free.

[ctmagnus]

First and the most crucial and possibly the most useful would be a button or a set up for Turning off the screen. Just turn off. I use a different player to turn the screen off, and keep WMP running for listening to music.

That already exists.

Tools -> Settings -> Buttons -> Screen toggle.

[hyedipin]

First and the most crucial and possibly the most useful would be a button or a set up for Turning off the screen. Just turn off. I use a different player to turn the screen off, and keep WMP running for listening to music.

That already exists.

Tools -> Settings -> Buttons -> Screen toggle.

I thought that toggled Full Screen / Regular Screen, because it never worked or did anything with MP3s.. :devilboy:

[hyedipin]

I know, sounds impossible, but how about a S/W AM/FM Tuner using the the PDA components to pick-up signals. :twisted: Heh. Just a wish.

[ipaq38vette]

I don't really care about playlists. I would only like a media library like the one in WMP9 for PC, with the ability to EDIT tags of mp3 and wma. Also, include the 'queue-it-up' feature of PC WMP.

[ppcsurfr]

Is it just me or is the MediaPlayer playlist editor extremely sucky?

Every time I try add a new CD it always ends up putting the playlist in reverse order, and I have to use the up/down arrows to juggle it about.
If you modify an existing playlist, it should retain the same sequence you set it to. Any added file should appear at the bottom. The only ones you will have to rearrange will be the latest items you've included.

Not being able to pause MP3 playback and have it restart at the same point was always a pain.
What do you mean? The Play button turns into a Pause button. And if you press this button it will restart where you've left off.

Actual FF/rewind in current track, rather than the silly next track/previous track that are the only options in WMP on PPC currrently.
Now this would be very useful... This certainly beats the "drag the progress button" process. I too would want Media Player for the Pcoket PC to have this feature.

Some visualizations, while playing music, would be.
Yep... this would definitely be fun.

Here are my suggestions for Playlist Management:
- Create a My Music folder
- Every folder under that should be automatically a playlist
- You should have the ability to create a playlist from, say, 3 previous playlists, and so on (that would ease immensely) and shuffle through them
- Ability to map a key to scroll through playlists
How hard is it to add a My Music Folder?

You can save your Playlists in that folder which can be in the Main Memory, Storage Card, or in the File Store.

You can easily copy a playlist and add to it... but not from different playlists...

And yes you can map a key to scroll within a playlist... but it would also be nice if there was another that would scroll through different playlists.

Mabuhay! ~ Carlo

[ppcsurfr]

5-Switchable to full screen with large buttons (in car use!!!)
1) Being able to download "wmp themes" as the ones on the today page

2) car mode would be a plus.

Why don't you just download the audio only skins with big buttons for the in-car use...

and there are some skins available... although in small numbers... at least there are... and if you find the time... tey even have instructions on how to create your own skins.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/software/pocket/custom.aspx

Mabuhay! ~ Carlo

[AhuhX]

Is it just me or is the MediaPlayer playlist editor extremely sucky?

Every time I try add a new CD it always ends up putting the playlist in reverse order, and I have to use the up/down arrows to juggle it about.
If you modify an existing playlist, it should retain the same sequence you set it to. Any added file should appear at the bottom. The only ones you will have to rearrange will be the latest items you've included.

I'm not modifying an existing playlist. As I described, I'm creating a new one from scratch and Media Player then creates the playlist in reverse when I choose the newly ripped tracks.

I'm not sure what you proposed there. Was it a solution, or are you talking about something else altogether? I don't follow you sorry.

[maximus]

How about support for OGGs ?

Tough luck maximus. Keep on dreaming.