No media player

[Dawnsdad]

Hi All,

My other half bought a new Toshiba laptop a few months ago with Windows 8.1pre installed

she has now informed me there is no media player installed, and apparently MS MP is not compatible

unless she's doing something wrong?.

is it possible to find a free or inexpensive media player

she could install, and would upgrading to windows 10 improve the situation.

 

Thanks for any input that would give me a peaceful time:rolleyes:

 

Dawns Dad

[Plastic Nev]

Hi DD.

Microsoft in their wisdom have discontinued their media player, maybe they are going to produce one you will have to pay for at some time in the future to make up for the fact they are giving away Windows 10! Who knows?

 

Anyway, there is a superb open source (free) player available called VLC player. I prefer it to the old Windows Media player. you can download it direct from here :-

 

http://www.videolan.org/index.html

 

The controls are easy to understand, it will play any form of media as it has all the right codecs already installed, and quality of video or sound is as good as the original recording.

 

Nev.

[Dawnsdad]

Thanks Nev.

I will give this a try when I get home in the morning (night shift worker) and let you know how I get on.

 

DD

[Dawnsdad]

Hi Nev,

Thanks for that it works a treat, please mark as solved.

 

DD

[Starbuck]

Just to throw a few things in here.

 

Windows Media Player does come installed on both Win8 and Win10.

It's the Media Center that isn't installed.

So you can still play music, but you can't play dvd's.

 

Where is Windows Media Player in Windows 8.1?

 

Ever since the days of Windows 2000, Windows Media Player featured prominently in the Start menu — or with shortcuts already in the Taskbar. But with Windows 8.1, you’re not going to see it. There isn’t even a tile for it on the Start screen. It’s there, though.

First, use the Windows search box to search for WMP on your system.

 

To bring up the search box on Windows, hit two keys — Windows Key + S.

 

Then type: wmp

 

You will immediately see Windows Media Player listed as the first result.

 

, there is a superb open source (free) player available called VLC player.

Yes I prefer VLC as well :)

 

VLC has just had a name change for Win8 and Win10:

 

VLC for Windows 10 gets a new name

 

Now called: Vlc for Windows Store.

Works on Win8 as well.

It's had quite a make over:

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v708/starbuck50/Screenshot-38_r1_c1_zps8f31a2ah.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v708/starbuck50/screen3_r1_c1_zpsdpqzwsgq.jpg

 

maybe they are going to produce one you will have to pay for at some time in the future to make up for the fact they are giving away Windows 10! Who knows?

Yep, I know ... and yes they will charge for it ( sort of ) lol

 

Windows DVD Player for Windows 10 available

 

Microsoft has released the Windows DVD Player app for Windows PCs and desktops. Users upgrading from Windows 10 from Windows 7 Ultimate, Professional, Home Premium or Windows 8.1 with Media Center will get it as a free app from automatic Windows update for a limited time period -- there's no word on when the trial will end, but we'll update you as soon as it's available. Non-eligible users can also download the app from the Windows Store for $14.99.(£11.59)

 

If you upgraded to Windows 10 from Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 with Media Center, and don't see the app on your system, you can check for Windows Update by going to Start Menu > Update & Security > Check for Updates. You can check the list of updates being downloaded and it should include the free Windows DVD Player app.

 

I'll add this info to the Win10 forum later today.

[Dawnsdad]

Hi Starbuck,

Thanks for the info, just to clarify things, on my PC I have Windows 8 which was upgraded to 8.1 so still have Cyberlink media centre

which was preinstalled on Win 8, so if I upgrade to Windows 10 will I lose that install?

 

DD

[Starbuck]

Hi Dawnsdad

 

have Cyberlink media centre

which was preinstalled on Win 8, so if I upgrade to Windows 10 will I lose that install?

You shouldn't do.

The reason I say that is..... When Win10 installs, it will check your programs and anything that isn't compatible with Win10 will be removed.

I'm just upgrading a 4th system this week and haven't had any programs removed yet during the upgrade.

[Dawnsdad]

Thanks Starbuck,

Will look at upgrading to Win 10 in not to distant future.

 

DD