OT: question for computer gurus

[Trans-Siberian Outcast]

Hopefully one of the resident UMOS computer gurus can help me with my frustrating problem. It has to do with playing mp3s from webpages (IE and Windows Media Player). For months now I just right-click and save file as, then access from my hard drive. That was fine because I was on dial up and streaming didn't work worth crap. Now I have satellite internet and I need to get my multimedia functioning properly again. I don't want to download song samples to my hard drive to be cleaned up later. I just want them to play. Then I'll save them if I like them.

The problem: Whenever I click on a direct link to an mp3, it either a) opens a new browser window (that has to be closed manually) before streaming into Window Media Player or b) opens a new page (or window) and then attempts to play the mp3 with Quicktime.

Solutions that didn't work: Associating mp3 file extensions to WMP. Backing down security, privacy, pop-up settings, disabling the Quicktime plug-in with IE.

I am damn tempted to just delete Quicktime off my computer. Hate that invasive piece of shit, always have. But there are occasions when I need it, like enhanced cds with quicktime videos included.

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

 

[Hawk]

What is your browser of choice? Do you use IE or Firefox?

 

[Wyvern]

The problem: Whenever I click on a direct link to an mp3, it either a) opens a new browser window (that has to be closed manually) before streaming into Window Media Player or b) opens a new page (or window) and then attempts to play the mp3 with Quicktime.

Solutions that didn't work: Associating mp3 file extensions to WMP. Backing down security, privacy, pop-up settings, disabling the Quicktime plug-in with IE.

a) I seldom have found use for QT so if you want to kill it not big loss and it may stop the annoying intrusion (it worked for me).
b) the new browser window before opening WMP it's a glitch form some websites, you can still play the song and close the extra browser window
c) I have found as the best and most reliable MP3 player Winamp 5.xx. Not only play MP3, but also CDA, WMA and allows streaming media. Once installed I have it configured to associate all media except for WMA, MPEG, CDA and RM. I use WMP for CDs and the rest of the stuff and RM for the rare ocassions I want to stream some Real Media stuff.

Another possibility (but risky) is to deinstall all media programs and then reinstall only the necessary software (WMP, Winamp).

 

[Narcosynthesys68]

First things first.... Use Mozilla Firefox and STOP using IE.

Then the bullshit that MS is trying to associate itself with will go away. I would almost imagine just by doing that, the extra browser windows will stop and this will work the way you want it to.

I hate IE. With a passion. Very, very insecure and just a hell of an annoying program.

 

[Hawk]

First things first.... Use Mozilla Firefox and STOP using IE.

Then the bullshit that MS is trying to associate itself with will go away. I would almost imagine just by doing that, the extra browser windows will stop and this will work the way you want it to.

I hate IE. With a passion. Very, very insecure and just a hell of an annoying program.

Thats exactly, to a word, precisely what I was going to say. Thats why I asked what browser you were useing. Firefox will not open a new window but will open a new tab. IE is 1995 technology Firefox is from 2006.

 

[Narcosynthesys68]

Hawk, I just wish they (MS) would fix their shit. They have set the standard for everyone who writes programs... and that standard blows. They have proven that it doesn't need to work, at all, to be able to sell their horseshit as gold and claim that it will work wonders. We would have no viri if MS would make a product that would work correctly. 99.9% of computer crashes are due to MS and their worthless software.

This has gone on for WAY TOO long.

Everything nowadays that is computer related has to somehow adapt to the MS standard. When the base program is crap, doesn't work right, or at all, has bugs, security leaks... on and on... how can anyone expect to "keep up"?

After I found Firefox, I was happy as a clam because I too was sick and tired of window after window after window opening every single time I clicked on a link.

I no longer have THAT problem.

Some other day I need to have the AutoCAD (AutoCRAP) conversation with ya... talk about a worthless piece of dog doo!

 

[Hawk]

Hawk, I just wish they (MS) would fix their shit. They have set the standard for everyone who writes programs... and that standard blows. They have proven that it doesn't need to work, at all, to be able to sell their horseshit as gold and claim that it will work wonders. We would have no viri if MS would make a product that would work correctly. 99.9% of computer crashes are due to MS and their worthless software.

I would agree that Microsoft products are not always what MS claim they are. And I think that IE in most cases is even dangerous to use in a business environment.

But it is kinda logical that virus makers would target the most popular products like IE, OE and the several incarnations of MS OS'es

OTOH, it takes MS ages to fix existing holes where the open source community needs a few hours at most.

Btw I am very happy with Windows XP. I think its a great OS. Since Windows 2000 Microsoft has made a real effort to enhance their OS.

Yea I know, its still not perfect, but what is?

This has gone on for WAY TOO long.

Dude if you really mean that you can try to program your own OS. No kidding, I am serious. There are several projects alive at this moment.

Anyone is free to enter the OS market.

Everything nowadays that is computer related has to somehow adapt to the MS standard. When the base program is crap, doesn't work right, or at all, has bugs, security leaks... on and on... how can anyone expect to "keep up"?

Like I said, perfection is an very old dream. Plato anyone?
Besides, you know that Open Office is a great substitute for MS Office right? Its compatible with MS Office but has not adopted the MS standard.

The Open Source Community is doing some great things at the moment.

After I found Firefox, I was happy as a clam because I too was sick and tired of window after window after window opening every single time I clicked on a link.

I no longer have THAT problem.

Me neither! And indeed when I found Firefox I knew my IE troubled days were over. Firefox has everything I need and more!! Can you say extensions BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Some other day I need to have the AutoCAD (AutoCRAP) conversation with ya... talk about a worthless piece of dog doo!

Mmmm I don't know shit about AutoCAt. But I am gonna take your word on that one buddy!

 

[Narcosynthesys68]

Hawk,

Don't get me wrong. Once Windows went to NT and then 2000 then XP Pro, I was a little more satisfied. I know, I can't program and wouldn't want to. BUT, I think that they, like all other software mfgs., need to finish something before they go to the next version.

The biggest problem that I see is that they make this stuff to not work on purpose. You know that as well as I do. If it worked right in the first place, there would be no reason to upgrade which means no more money in their pocket.

This would be why Mozilla and Linux and the Open Source community will always flourish.

AutoCAD is $4,000 to purchase a license. It will not draw a window or a door out of the box. You have to add another $2,000-$10,000 for third party software on top of the $4,000 just to be able to draw a Floor Plan... or I could go buy a box of pencils, a scale, a triangle and some paper for about $100 tops and draw you a floor plan. You do the math!

Now on the opposite side of things, if I was designing the Space Shuttle, I am thinking that my $15,000 investment isn't all that much...

 

[Trans-Siberian Outcast]

I thank you all for your guidance. I downloaded Firefox, but it still tried playing mp3s with Quicktime (no idea why). I dumped Quicktime in the garbage can and that solved all my problems. I was hoping to avoid that, but until they make a program that doesn't initiate a hostile takeover of my system, Quicktime and anyone who creates media with it can sit and spin.

 

[Wyvern]

I use both IE and MF. I have WMP, RP and Winamp and so far no conflicts or problems, my OS is Windows XP Pro and like many here I wish some company comes and stop Bill Gates products from polluting the computer world.

Oh and say NO to Intel crap use AMD processors!

 

[Narcosynthesys68]

Right on Wyv! I have used Athlons in all of my systems for, well, hell, forever it seems! I have been building my own machines for the same amount of time. That way I know what parts are in them and I can pinpoint issues easier.

(it is early morning or I am just too damn old to remember how long this actually has been...)

All of my co-workers used to blow me crap for building my own machines... They would say, oh, go buy a Dell. No Thanks! I would have a machine that would out perform, out last and just work better... and like with Dell, they had this idea of loading all of this extra shit on them (besides all of MS's extra stuff). So you usually had to re-burn them when you got them in to get rid of all of the junk.

I actually look forward to my next computer build. I have been doing computers for so long that not much phases me anymore. Even though I still can go ballistic when they don't work right or I lose hours worth of work!

 

[SickBoy]

I see I've got some alike thinking minds here...
Yeah, I've always been anti-IE and pro-AMD kinda guy.
Ever since I first opened Opera 5.x on my computer, IE almost never gets opened. Opera is my favorite browser, fast as hell (just try back-forward with it, it's a snap!), has a superb image visibility control (all images, only cached or none) and on top of it all - its whole installation package weighs under 4MB!!!
Firefox has some nice features, like extensions and so forth and it in fact renders better some sites than Opera (like support.asus.com ), but Opera is faster and that's the main reason I use it...

Now that you mention Firefox, I'd recommend Thunderbird as a great and much safer OE replacement.

As for AMDs, many people still believe the myths about them overheating and that maybe true for Athlon in 1GHz days, but now the "proud" heir to the hottest CPU is in fact Intel, with Prescott cored P4 I think. Then again, all of todays CPUs are HOT, with heat dissipations over 80W and that's why we have better coolers today, even stock ones.
And AMD is the proof that not everything's in the mere strength (core speed here), but that some clever algorithms implemented by AMD produce great results at lower speeds, hence that dreaded ####+ marking by AMD.

Hats off to AMD, Mozilla and Opera!

 

[Wyvern]

Right on Wyv! I have used Athlons in all of my systems for, well, hell, forever it seems! I have been building my own machines for the same amount of time. That way I know what parts are in them and I can pinpoint issues easier.

(it is early morning or I am just too damn old to remember how long this actually has been...)

All of my co-workers used to blow me crap for building my own machines... They would say, oh, go buy a Dell. No Thanks!

I'm with you too on this one. I styarted with brand machines by the time of my Pentium 1666 MHz, it was a Compaq and nothing but trouble and bad customer service. Then I got a HP Pavillion with an AMD Athlon 850 Mhz and that was a dandy machine, when I went to study in US I had another HP with an Athlon processor, and when I returned home I brought with me a beautiful HP customized also with an Athlon 64 processor.

After it was stolen and since here only Dell (and I dislike the brand for own experience both in university and at work) offer customized machines I went again for a "clone" (non-brand PC compatible) I pick the porcessor the sound, video cards, the DVD and DVD-RW units, etc. Definitively are more robust, better adapted to change for upgrades and cheaper.

 

[Narcosynthesys68]

I used to be sold on Gateway years and years ago... Great customer support, pretty good product overall... This was before AMD stepped it up. Dell then kinda forced their way past Gateway... Dell's support was never up to what Gateway had in the 90's... Last time I had to call Dell for support (on my mothers laptop, which she won from her work) I SWORE that I would never let anyone I know spend one more penny with Dell. The customer support was non-existent. After talking to machines and waiting for more than an hour, I finally got to talk with someone (sorry for this in advance). I couldn't understand one fucking work the guy said. He didn't know one thing about what I was talking about, basically he was reading from a book, word for word... And maybe that would be great for someone who #1) doesn't know ANYTHING about computers and #2) can speak the language from wherever he was from...

After that... Never again.

Like I said before and you hit it on the head also... Better parts, less expensive, I know what the EXACT parts are... on and on. Plus, it is fun to build a machine in your "spare" time!

Speaking of Compaq machines... the thing that I remember most about them was that you had to buy Compaq parts only... You couldn't use stuff out of some other brand to make things work. This used to suck because before the Internet you had to mail off for parts and drivers and whatnot... boy that sucked. Sit and wait and wait... I think the first Compaq x86 machine, set up especially for CAD that was brought into the office to try out cost like $10,000-$20,000... This was just a desktop machine "specially setup for CAD"... LOL. Not too much of a sticker shock back then because the mainframe that we had at the time cost around $300,000+. My how times change.

 

[Bryant]

c) I have found as the best and most reliable MP3 player Winamp 5.xx. Not only play MP3, but also CDA, WMA and allows streaming media. Once installed I have it configured to associate all media except for WMA, MPEG, CDA and RM. I use WMP for CDs and the rest of the stuff and RM for the rare ocassions I want to stream some Real Media stuff.

Another possibility (but risky) is to deinstall all media programs and then reinstall only the necessary software (WMP, Winamp).

You have great replies on this thread with little I can add, but I do want to also praise Winamp. Go ahead and spend the $10-15 (I can't remember which) and buy the full version. It is very easy to burn CDs with it as well as rip CDs. Also a gazillion codecs are available for those movie files other players can't seem to play for free if you own the full version. You can also ge great skins for it.


Bryant

 

[Bryant]

Right on Wyv! I have used Athlons in all of my systems for, well, hell, forever it seems! I have been building my own machines for the same amount of time. That way I know what parts are in them and I can pinpoint issues easier.

(it is early morning or I am just too damn old to remember how long this actually has been...)

All of my co-workers used to blow me crap for building my own machines... They would say, oh, go buy a Dell. No Thanks! I would have a machine that would out perform, out last and just work better... and like with Dell, they had this idea of loading all of this extra shit on them (besides all of MS's extra stuff). So you usually had to re-burn them when you got them in to get rid of all of the junk.

I actually look forward to my next computer build. I have been doing computers for so long that not much phases me anymore. Even though I still can go ballistic when they don't work right or I lose hours worth of work!

I used to do the same thing. I have built several AMD machines dating back to the K6 line of processors. Not anymore..... computers have become too cheap. I can buy a E-machines tower for about $300 and add a SB platinum, and a little RAM and get what I need out of a PC.
Don't get me wrong.... if I were still gaming, I would still be building, but for my application it's not worth the money. I do hate the "bundled" software and stuff though. That is definitely a pain in the ass.


Bryant

 

[Bryant]

Ever since I first opened Opera 5.x on my computer, IE almost never gets opened. Opera is my favorite browser, fast as hell (just try back-forward with it, it's a snap!), has a superb image visibility control (all images, only cached or none) and on top of it all - its whole installation package weighs under 4MB!!!

I am currently posting this message on Opera. It is typically the browser I use and am very happy with the way it lays out multiple windows. My only complaint is that it simply is not supported by some flash stuff etc. Some web sites just don't support it. It is a minor inconvenience as I can always copy, open IE and paste for stuff it doesn't support.

Bryant

 

[Trans-Siberian Outcast]

You have great replies on this thread with little I can add, but I do want to also praise Winamp. Go ahead and spend the $10-15 (I can't remember which) and buy the full version. It is very easy to burn CDs with it as well as rip CDs. Also a gazillion codecs are available for those movie files other players can't seem to play for free if you own the full version. You can also ge great skins for it.

I have Winamp too, but it doesn't really feature anything that WMP doesn't have (for my needs anyway).

Does anyone know of a good media player that has basic bass and treble controls instead of graphic equalizer? I need tone control to be happy, but EQs are a pain in the ass.

 

[Bryant]

I have Winamp too, but it doesn't really feature anything that WMP doesn't have (for my needs anyway).

Does anyone know of a good media player that has basic bass and treble controls instead of graphic equalizer? I need tone control to be happy, but EQs are a pain in the ass.

No problem buddy. Sorry you aren't as tickled with Winamp as Wyvern and I are. I can't help you with that one buddy either. : ( Good luck.


Bryant

 

[Wyvern]

Does anyone know of a good media player that has basic bass and treble controls instead of graphic equalizer? I need tone control to be happy, but EQs are a pain in the ass.

Not on media players but you're my type of user TSO! I love sound systems with bass and treble only. I don't have a EQ neither on my main sound system nor in my car. The simple 3in1 Ihave on my room came with preset equalized sounds that's the drag with modern stuff.

All players I know today have EQ too