Making Windows Media Player the default video player for you

[mikewg]

I have Windows Media Player (on Windows 9 and want to make WMP the default player on my computer. Problem is... I also have ATI's file player. Each program has claimed about 1/2 of the video files on my computer. I want WMP to have control of all the video files on my computer (because I've noticed that ATI File Player will actually make some videos appear out of synch even when I know the file is fine).

I've tried reinstalling WMP but ATI keeps its hold some of the video files. Is there a way to make WMP the default player for everything? I'd rather not edit the Options folder tab so each extension points to WMP instead... is there a way to go into Preferences in WMP and set it to read certain files (like how WinAmp gives you the option to pick what you want it to play)? Also, is there a way to have WMP run an icon by the clock in the lower right corner so that it'll always claim its files back if another problem tries to take them away?

[Sefy]

You could use the "View / Options / Formats" in WMP and tell it which files you want it to handle, god knows I don't know why you want to do it, but that would be the way.

[mikewg]

You know I don't want to do what? Have WMP be the default player for all my video files? I don't understand, is there something wrong with WMP that I don't know about? Because I have the ATI file player and that sucks, videos appear out of sync, all sorts of problems. I never had any problems with Windows Media Player but if there is a problem with it, I'd love to know.

[pinoy2201]

why dont you uninstall the ATI player and go to view?option/formats like Sefy said and select all the movie/music files u want this should solve the problem

[raven4]

WMP has never given me anything but grief....frozen playback, stuttering avi's, etc., etc. I finally removed it from my system and installed Elecarg Mpeg player for my MPEG2 files and The Playa for everything else. Clean clear, stutterfree video's.....M$ WMP is a piece of garbage.

[tlegion]

I installed WMP 7x for the codecs but make the old mplayer2.exe (ver 6x) the default for avi's, mpg's, etc. It loads faster, unloads faster and plays any installed codec just fine.

[sracer]

tlegion is right on the mark! WMP7 is a bloated pig, but mplayer2.exe (v6) is light and nimble and plays AVI and MPEG files better/smoother than any other program that I've tried.

[Sefy]

mikewg, as you can see (and so do I, i'm surprised actually) alot of people hate WMP7, like sracer said and I quite agree, it's a bloated pig, and even I use mplayer2 (v6) for regular playback of AVI and MPG files.

But as for VideoCD/SuperVCD/DVD contents, I prefer using a dedicated program such as: PowerDVD / WinDVD / DVDstation

Those programs know how to handle all the special features and give you maximum quality playback and enjoyment.