Anyone tried Windows Media Player 9 Series Beta?

[Fat Tone]

Available from XP update:

"Download size: 8.3 MB, 2 minutes
You are about to download beta software, distributed for feedback and testing purposes. Microsoft does not provide technical support for beta products. If you install the beta version of Windows Media Player 9 Series, it will replace your current version of the player. This software is for advanced users who are comfortable testing pre-release software. If you are unsure of whether this accurately describes you, Microsoft recommends that you do not download this software. You can only download separately from other components. After installation, you can return to Windows Update to download additional components. Enjoy fast and flexible music and video playback with Windows Media Player 9 Series, the first Smart Jukebox! New features including Fast Streaming for instant-on playback, Mini-player mode, unmatched audio and video quality, and more make this the best player yet. Best experienced with Windows XP! "

Has anyone tried this? Any ads/disads over v8?

Cheers

T.

[ayoub_ibrahim]

I've heard that you can't uninstall it under XP so giving it a miss till it goes final!

[lecter]

I'm currently using it....pretty nice, no annoying bugs so far. Even though it is a beta, it's official, not leaked, so there shouldn't be that many problems with it. I like it more than v8.

[Admiral]

I've been using it for a week or so, in XP. The only problem is that with certain movies it doesn't let me seek.

[isochar]

Yep, the slider bug is the only one I've seen.

[Fat Tone]

ok, so need a restore point to remove, and a slider bug

Any good points?

Thanks

T.

[Wombat]

I bet it has all the latest in Digital Rights Removal.

I'll stick with sasami, I'm sure.

[Gurm]

I have a newer beta than the "official" one, and it has... a few issues.

A few good points, too. Much smaller footprint, better skin support (for more streamlined usability), better controls, better video quality, minimizes (with controls) to the taskbar, etc. etc.

But it does have a slider bug on some movies which can be QUITE annoying, and it has a few other miscellaneous issues.

Overall better than WMP8, but not better than WMP 6.4 or Sasami2k.

- Gurm

P.S. Where oh where has the guy making Sasami2k gotten off to? He's been AWOL for almost a year!

[Snake-Eyes]

Anyone noticing problems with it playing WMV format video files now? I originally installed the beta that was available prior to the XP SP1 release, but then SP1 made XP show WMP9 beta as available on the Windows Updates page, so I let it reinstall it. I'm not sure, but the WMV thing may have started for me at that point. (I didn't have problems with any of the files that I played prior to that, so I didn't pay too much attention to what format they were in at that time..)

[DGhost]

running WMP9 beta on my computer...

the one thing i cannot stand about it is full screen mode. I liked WMP8's ultra-low-screen usage full screen mode. i don't really like the fact that with playback controls there, even if it disappears, it distorts the video while they are on screen.

edit: eep, somethings up at murc... this should be two posts down!

[dbdg]

Been using for a little while now on win2k and not one problem yet.

[DentyCracker]

The only advantages that wmp8 and 9 have over 6.4 are that you can move the slider in full screen and smoother playlists. The only ones that matter to me. Sasami2k is decent though

[WyWyWyWy]

Hey it has hue adjustment for the skins

[Tom]

So far, WMP9 seems o.k.....
the seek function will only work on some multimedia
AFTER it's been played start > finish one time.

[DentyCracker]

I just installed SP1 and WMP 9 isn't available on windowsupdate. It was there yesterday. Going to install these drivers and see if it then becomes available