BleepingComputer.com: Vista, WMA, and Winamp

so over two seperate machines running vista, I've gone through several versions of winamp trying to get it to play WMA files. I've even cloned an install that I -KNOW- plays them. but still they don't play and I'm forced to fire up windows media player, or mediaplayer classic. is this some kind of DRM hell action against winamp, or is there just something special I'm missing for winamp that MPC doesn't miss? it's kind of irritating because I like winamp, and don't like being forced to use multiple programs when there's no distinct reason (like lack of format support) to do so. :/ anybody have some ideas?

This post has been edited by hamluis: 07 March 2011 - 09:31 AM
Reason for edit: Moved from Vista to Audio & Video.

It has been years since I last used WinAmp and it was mostly for the playing of web based radio broadcasts.

You should check WinAmps options to see if you can check off WMA as one of the file types it recognizes.

You did not specify what OS you have, but you can right click the file and choose a default program which will open the file, in this case, WinAmp.

You may have already tried both options I mentioned above and the truth may be that WinAmp just can't play those WMA files.

According to their web site WinAmp 5.6 should play WMA files.

Try downloading this version here. http://www.winamp.com/media-player/en

Bruce.

Mr Bruce, please reread my post. the first two sentences already counter your suggestions. I do not mean to be rude, but if you aren't going to pay attention to what is stated, please refrain from interjecting. I do not believe my initial post to be such that one can justify applying "tl;dr" to it, as appears to be what you must have done to make the suggestions you have.

I read your post and although I have Windows Media Player 12 on my computer, I just downloaded and installed WinAmp 5.6 and it played WMA files just fine.

In fact, I just played 6 WMA files in a row and they played fine with no errors.

I was even actually able to get Windows Media Player 12 to play the files once I changed the default player back to WMP 12.

I take no personal offense to criticism or correction, that is what being part of the staff here is all about, accepting it.

Bruce.

at any rate, the matter is still not explained in the slightest. as I said, on both machines I've tried several versions of winamp, including a copy of an installation from an older machine that most definately does play WMA files without issue, and all the same attempting to play them, fully associated and everything, results in the file being loaded but refusing to play.

I'm completely unconcerned with whether or not windows media player will play them, because I generally avoid using it.


so I want to figure out why in the world something that's intended to play these WMA files is not doing so.

ZT-repairseek, on 15 March 2011 - 03:50 PM, said:

Just out of curiosity what are you using for audio software?

There has to be something that is specific to your computer's software that is preventing those files from playing on the WinAmp platform.

I know my question may appear to be a stupid one, but as I see it, it is not the WinAmp software that is failing to play the files, its something else that is hindering its ability to play them.

So we need to investigate what is audio related since the player is in fact an audio processing software.

So we need to research anything that is in close relation to audio.

We also have to look at the WMA files in question and what code or tags may be embedded in the media file's properties, some of which can be hidden by default.

Are you having an issue with a certain set of files you are attempting to play, or are you having problems with any and all files you are attempting to play?


Bruce.

I'd also be curious about the key files (licenses). When you playback the DRMed WMA files using WMP, is this on the same computer that won't play them back with Winamp? Does your Winamp have the Plays-for-sure plug-in installed?

These are all theoretical on my part -- I have successfully avoided DRMed WMA files.

they're not even DRMed as far as I know, being as half of them -I made with software that doesn't apply drm-. what is this "plays for sure" plugin? as I had said, the most recent attempt was me specifically copying a functional installation from a machine that does NOT have this going on.

bruce, if there's something "specific to the computer's software" getting in the way, at this point I can only surmise it to be vista itself, because prior to the installation of winamp on BOTH MACHINES, there was only WMP, but no .wma files were played at the time. now, as to both machines, no version of winamp will play anything .wma, whatsoever. it will load it, but I could hit play untill my finger fell off and the files would not be played.
what exactly do you mean by "audio software"? because aside from the OS and winamp, the other installed software differs between the machines, while winamp being prevented from playing .wma files is the same.


I have long since established that winamp is not at fault.


incidentally, the failure of my external HDD has robbed me of most of my .wma files. I should suppose that I might as well convert what few remain to a format that DOES NOT seem to be triggering vistAIDS' tendancy to make life more difficult.