Microsoft® Windows Media™ Player for Windows® XP Handbook (Cpg-Other) - Softcover

McEvoy, Seth

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0735614555 ISBN 13: 9780735614550

Publisher: Microsoft Press, 2001

Synopsis

Listen to Internet radio. Watch breaking news over broadband. Build your own music and video playlists. With the MICROSOFT WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER FOR WINDOWS XP HANDBOOK, you control the airwaves! Personalize the way you see, hear, and experience digital media with this all-in-one kit of tools and how-tos from Microsoft’s Windows Media team. You get everything you need to bring cutting-edge music and video everywhere your PC, laptop, or portable device goes!

• Discover the exciting new MP3 and Windows Media features throughout Windows XP
• Use built-in CD burning to produce your own discs fast
• Watch DVDs and streamed media—full screen!
• Create your own media library and keep it organized with automatic file-tracking
• Embed the player in your Web page
• Take your music and video to go on your Pocket PC or other device
• Personalize your player with skins and visualizations—and build your own with the Software Development Kit (SDK) on CD-ROM

CD-ROM FEATURES:

• Windows Media Player SDK—your complete resource for creating skins, visualizations, and player-enhanced Web pages
• Windows Media Player Bonus Pack—includes new skins and visualizations, MP3 converter, skin importer, Power Toys, and other useful utilities
• Advanced Script Indexer for creating multimedia files
• Additional tutorials, scenarios, and tips and tricks for Windows Media Player

For customers who purchase an ebook version of this title, instructions for downloading the CD files can be found in the ebook.

About this title

Review

So, maybe it is engaged in a kind of holy war with Real Networks RealPlayer, but Microsoft Windows Media Player is nevertheless a very cool audio and video player that belongs in every Windows user's quiver of applications. Microsoft Windows Media Player Handbook documents the latest version of this rad toy, and explains every detail of its operation and customization. If you're new to Windows Media Player, you'll find the introductory instructions in this book helpful. If you've got some experience with the streaming media utility, you'll appreciate author Seth McEvoy's treatment of advanced topics, such as designing custom skins and using Extensible Markup Language (XML) to associate your controls with Windows Media Player functions.

Even when it explains potentially difficult subjects, the text is clear and to the point. Once in a while, the illustrative examples seem a bit academic--for example, instructions on how to add features to a custom skin that really don't expand on the Microsoft documentation--but, by and large, you'll be happy with what you learn. Turn to this volume if you're not content with only playing tunes with Windows Media Player, and want to expand your knowledge of the product by developing skins and content. --David Wall

Topics covered:

• Microsoft Windows Media Player 7 from the client side (as opposed to the server side)
• Using Windows Media Player
• Windows Media Player's technology, including file format and streaming technique
• Creating custom skins (with playlists, progress bars, visualizations, and other snazzy features)
• Writing custom visualizations in C++

About the Author

Seth McEvoy wrote the Microsoft Windows Media Player 7 Handbook. He was also a co-author of the Microsoft Windows Movie Player Handbook and the lead writer for the Windows Media Player SDK, which recently won an award from the Society for Technical Communication. He’s been at Microsoft for nearly ten years as an editor and writer on a variety of projects, including Access, OLE, Microsoft Press, Windows 95, Interactive Television, NetShow, Virtual Worlds, VML, Mac Office, and the Windows Media Player. Before coming to Microsoft, he wrote 33 children’s books and computer books.

Edition details

• Publisher: Microsoft Press
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0735614555
• ISBN 13: 9780735614550
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 384