Tech: Windows 10 Media Player.

Subject: Tech: Windows 10 Media Player.
From: Gurney
Date: 19 Sep 16 - 08:45 PM

My laptop is W10 and I'm not happy with M.P. there.

First it wouldn't copy a commercial CD, or rather, it wouldn't accept a full list of titles.
Then it wouldn't play a DVD at all. This is irritating because the DVD is the wrong region for my TV DVD-player.
When I put something in the CD drive, it seems not to know that it is there and I have to go to Menu to play it.

This old WXP machine had no trouble detecting, offering alternative programs, and playing the DVD on M.P. I didn't copy the CD here as I have Nero (good old Nero!) but that edition is too old for 'sophisticated' Windows 10.
Any comments?

Subject: RE: Tech: Windows 10 Media Player.
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Sep 16 - 09:48 PM

I'm using Nero 11, I think they're up to about 14 by now. It works fine. I have a variety of programs for different activities. For a free, versatile, and reliable program you might want to start with the open source VLC video player (and so much more).

I use a copy of Corel's WinDVD to play BluRays on my computer - Nero will play them, but it looks odd. I paid for this - shop around and you'll find bargains.

I have a receiver in my computer and when Windows Media Center was phased out in Win10 I started researching options. I could have cobbled a few things together, but decided to go with a product that so far has worked very well - they issue updates every year or so and want you to buy them, no lifetime updates with one purchase is the main drawback, but it works without being updated so I suspect I'll wait a couple of updates and then buy one when they offer it at a deep discount at the very beginning. JRiver is like a lot of companies these days, they expect you to solve problems by chatting in the forums, the support is kind of limited. But as I said, I'm finding it works. I had to purchase access to the channel listing service one time.

Subject: RE: Tech: Windows 10 Media Player.
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Sep 16 - 12:44 AM

Hi, Gurney- Here's an article that may be of interest to you:6 Features Disappearing in Windows 10 (and How to Replace Them)Once upon a time, I used Roxio for all the "media" tasks I needed to do, but eventually the version I bought ceased to work and the replacements had fewer features. So, then I switched to the free version of "Nero Burning ROM," and then broke down and bought Nero when the free version was crippled to the point it wouldn't do much of anything. Whatever version I have still does what I need to do - my version is 2000 miles away, so I can't tell you what version I have. I suppose once my version of Nero doesn't work anymore, I'll break down and buy an upgrade to either Nero or Roxio. These features were once a part of the Windows operating system, so it bugs me that I have to pay for them now. I pay as little as I can, as seldom as I can get away with. -Joe-

Subject: RE: Tech: Windows 10 Media Player.
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 20 Sep 16 - 05:22 AM

Nero keep bombarding me with emails declaring 'best unmissable price reduction ever !!!'
for previous download version of nero platinum suite..

the prices are actually quite low if you need it.

latest and best was £34.95 for both 2016 version and pre-order for 2017.

Note.. 2015 version is very unpopular for dropping blu-ray player amongst it's 'improvements'...
This has most probably affected sales of this years edition...???

Subject: RE: Tech: Windows 10 Media Player.
From: Gurney
Date: 21 Sep 16 - 03:15 AM

Thanks, guys.
That VLC looks promising, so I'll try it.
It seems that W10 is changing even from the page that Joe suggests, as I have a couple of programs that that page says W10 hasn't.
Not an Email program, though. Have to get one of those, too.

My Nero is version 5, and was bundled with something that died long ago!
Stand-alone scanner? Before printers had scanners?

Perhaps I should take this old faithful off the web so it works forever.
And take my surplus DVD player to the electronics whizz to get it unlocked. I was saving it to play CDs when the one in the stereo died, but.....
We get quite a few out-of-zone DVDs here in zone4, mostly English/zone2

Subject: RE: Tech: Windows 10 Media Player.
From: gnu
Date: 22 Sep 16 - 12:18 PM

Set the default to the one you like. I did it to get rid of the new ones for videos and for pics. Now, if I could just get back to the way I used to import camera file, I'd be happy... for a while.

Subject: RE: Tech: Windows 10 Media Player.
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 22 Sep 16 - 08:33 PM

I mistakenly decided to put a little faith in Microsoft and loaded W10 onto my tablet.

Oh dear!

I have now taken all my machines back to XP and that is where I mean to stay.

Everything works fine (fingers crossed!) and I can continue keeping all my various photographs, sound recordings, movies etc under my control.

Incidentally ther is a report today of Which! the consumer magazine absolutely hammering W10. Not something they would do lightly.

Subject: RE: Tech: Windows 10 Media Player.
From: DaveRo
Date: 23 Sep 16 - 03:39 AM

You can't actually read the Which? report unless you're a member. I suspect it does not 'hammer' Win10 - though that's all that's been reported from their press report.

Here's the link to Which?
http://www.which.co.uk/reviews/laptops/article/windows-10-review

This is how the BBC reported that:
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-37431343

Which reports reflects the demographic of Which? subscribers too. At the bottom of the BBC report is an alternative summary of how Win10 has been received.

Subject: RE: Tech: Windows 10 Media Player.
From: DaveRo
Date: 23 Sep 16 - 04:11 AM

This is actually the latest Which? salvo:
https://blogs.which.co.uk/technology/windows-10/windows-10-update-which-challenges/
My mistake.

Subject: RE: Tech: Windows 10 Media Player.
From: GUEST,Guest on XP
Date: 23 Sep 16 - 06:07 AM

Most people are loathe to admit they have made a mistake.

I'll stay where I am thank you!

Subject: RE: Tech: Windows 10 Media Player.
From: Gurney
Date: 24 Sep 16 - 01:10 AM

Well, I was told that you get trouble if you update to W10, and that you should only install W10 on a formatted hard-drive. As this old clunker, on WXP as I said above, but originally a W2000 desktop, is well past it, I decided to buy a laptop with W10. So I did.

Guest guest on XP, WXPpro is working well for me too, but on shut-down it tries to install the same three updates. Over and over. It's been doing that since before they stopped supporting XP. Borrowed time, I think.

I am disappointed with the laptop, though. The screen is too small for my old eyes and the mouse connection seems to be made of rubber, slow and imprecise. It boots fast, however.
Why a machine with a large HD is supplied with a meagre operating system is a puzzle though. My bloody CELLPHONE has a browser and email!

Subject: RE: Tech: Windows 10 Media Player.
From: Gurney
Date: 24 Sep 16 - 06:09 PM

Huge updates on W10 at the moment. I've left it to its own devices.

Subject: RE: Tech: Windows 10 Media Player.
From: Gurney
Date: 24 Sep 16 - 06:44 PM

Ah. Now have a browser.

Subject: RE: Tech: Windows 10 Media Player.
From: Gurney
Date: 25 Sep 16 - 05:10 PM

And Email. It seems as if MS is developing W10 piecemeal.
Another week and it might be a workmanlike OpSys.
Updates getting on for 1/2 hour each twice yesterday. Noticeable changes. Doesn't even close down the same way.

How about some of you experts having another look and commenting. Maybe MS is noting the many comments.