HiFi Blog: digital audio goodness

A few days ago the beta version of WMP 11 surfaced, it sports a cleaner look than its predecessor (we had posted a preview with screenshots back in March) and features a built-in music store (like the iTunes Music Store within iTunes) called Urge. Urge is the fruit of collaboration between MTV Networks and Microsoft; apart from audio content, original programming from MTV’s channels will also be available for download in video format.

You can download the app from Microsoft’s site, it’s approx. 23,5 MB in filesize and if you’re using any other OS than Windows XP you shouldn’t bother.

Windows Genuine Authentication workaround

Apparently, Microsoft performs a Windows Genuine Authentication check on your system before allowing you to install WMP 11. If you don’t have a genuine copy of Windows XP, no WMP 11. I don’t condone software piracy, but running a WGA check to allow the installation of a media player is just plain stupid in my book. Therefore, a work-around to bypass the WGA check, courtesy of daydream:

1. Download wmp11-windowsxp-x86-enu.exe
2. Unzip it (extract its contents), locate wmp11.exe, install it and restart Windows
3. Install umdf.exe, wmdbexport.exe, wmfdist11.exe and restart Windows.
4. Extract the contents of the wmp11.exe file, locate the update folder and inside that folder, the update.exe file—run it.
5. You’re done.

To extract the contents of a file, WinRAR is preferred but any zip utility will probably do; I’ve used the one that comes built-in with Total Commander.

Finally, in WMP-related news: an app called MusicBridge which allows you to keep your iTunes and WMP libraries in sync. More discussion regarding the app can be found here (via).