10 Must Know Tips to Improve your Experience with Windows Media Player 11

Windows Media Player 11 have acquired fair share of admirers within no time. It wears a remodeled sleek look and comes with some utile upgrades. User-friendly playback controls, easy sync with mp3 player, better media management of audio, video as well as art albums are a few to mention among the number of other improvements in WMP 11 from its previous version. The new version includes an array of new add-ons that music-freaks would love to tamper with. Having said that, you need enough time to explore the features. So why not look for short-cuts? To make it easier here are 10 tips which you must know to improve upon Window Media Player 11.

1. How to Switch between Skin Modes

The music player allows you to switch between the modes from the menu as well as from the keyboard. Depending upon your choice you can choose between full mode, customized, or compact mode. However, remember that you have the menu bar according to your the skin mode you have selected. Not to worry, when you have the keyboard at hand. Use the following shortcuts

• To switch from skin mode to full, press Ctrl+1 and to return to the skin mode Ctrl+2.
• To exit the full screen just click the Esc button.
• Again, for compact mode you need to click on the Compact Mode button on right bottom and use the same button to return to the full mode.
• To switch modes from menu, first select the view and choose the skin mode.

2. How to Enhance Audio Experience through SRS Wow Effect

This player enhancement option is an upscale tool. Try and experiment with the SRS WOW, if you are looking for quality audio playback. Additionally, WOW offers 3d sound and has a TruBass for adjusting bass. Now, how to go about it? Switch to the full mode and start with a right click on the title bar. Next choose the view option and then enhancement. Finally, you are into the SRS WOW Effects. Make sure that it is ON and then feel the difference yourself.

3. How to Filter Music from Certain Time Period

Jostling up and down the library when you want your favorite Presley's music right in jiffy - surely makes you impatient. So what do you do? Luckily, there's is a simple way out of this. Just type in the years on the search bar like for instance you are in mood for the 50s, just type in 1950..1960 and you would have the tracks from the period listed.

4. How to Combine the Searches

Are you looking for a special track of your favorite artist and you are still searching for a clue? Here's a solution for you. Suppose you want it that way. What you do is a combine search, go to the search bar and type in the name of the artist plus the name of the album - "Backstreet boys+Millenium". Now you have the list of tracks from the album.

5. How to Stream Media files

Does your Windows Media Player 11 start and stop constantly while streaming music? This happens as your Window media player 11 stores or buffers a certain amount of content before playing it. while you play the multimedia, content is downloaded in the background. In case of a congestion in network or a related problem for few seconds, downloading suffers a break. However, in case the content is buffered for a longer time(say 5 seconds) no breaks in streaming playback occurs.
There is an easy and simple way to get out of this - increasing the size of buffer. in order to increase the buffer size follow the steps below:

1. First open the options menu by clicking Alt+T and then O
2. When the options dialog box appears select the performance tab
3. Click the buffer radio button underneath the Network Buffering
4. Beside the radio button you have the input box where you can enter the number of seconds you want to want WMP 11 to buffer the files before playback. The maximum is 60 seconds. 10 seconds can be a safe be for you.
5. Finally click OK to close the dialog box

6. How to Solve Codec Problems

All the audio and video files are not compatible with WMP 11. So what can you do to run latest formats? Here's an idea. Just download the latest release - Vista Codec Pack v5.x. It is available for free download and includes all the codecs required to play old as well as new files. It has no media player. Once you install the package it will allow you to play any media player. Enjoy the DVD movies and videoclips of different filetypes.

7. How to Create Playlist Effortlessly

Listing you favorite songs on the WMP 11 Media Center is as easy as child's play. However, the interface doesn't allow you to create or edit directly. You can overcome this without much fuss. Just include the Playlist Editor. It's a powerful tool with Media Center 2005. Download the program and install it. Now, you are free to create or edit a playlist including songs according to genre, artist or title.

8. How to Tag Your Music

The Media Center offers a unique way to organize the MP3 and audio files. Even after you have the tabs on ID3 tags containing album, artist, songs and other info, you might come across an unknown folder while searching through the Media Center. The best way to deal with it is to take one album at a time.

1. Begin by clicking on the Library tab and search the unknown folder.
2. Select the album and right click on any track name.
3. Next choose the Advanced Tag Editor.
4. Now, check the album box and provide the name of the album in it.
5. Next, click on the Artist Tab and check the Artist box and then write the name of the artist. Finally, click on OK. The unknown folder will disappear from the WMP and Media Center.
6. Repeat this for other songs.

9. How to Use the Childlock inside WMP11

Are you looking to block the R-rated movies from being played on your PC? Certainly, you don't want your children to watch The Passion of the Christ or Beverly HIlls. Here's a formula to stop them.

1. Go to the Tools and choose the Options tab and then to the DVD tab.
2. Under the DVD playback restrictions select the Change button. Here you get the choice for selecting the highest rating movie you want to play on the player. This is a great way to restrict undesired DVD movies from being played.

10. How to Manage Xbox errors

After installation of the WMP 11 most of the users are known to face an Xbox error while setting up the Xbox 360 Setup software. To solve this you can follow the steps provided below:

1. First open the Xbox 360 setup,
2. Click on the Next and then Finish.

In order to share media start the WMP11 for Windows XP. For more information check into the Windows Media Player Help with the topic Sharing your media.