Organize your favorite music files and videos with Media Player.
Computer users often find that they have accumulated an unwieldy collection of music and video files and folders that are difficult to sort out. Microsoft Windows 7 running Windows Media Player 12 does many of these organizational chores for you. The program offers tools to organize your collections into a library, create playlists, convert audio CDs into digital music files, copy and burn CDs, copy your music to MP3 players and other portable devices and quickly find favorite albums.
Instructions
1. Open Media Player. The first time you use it, a Welcome page will appear allowing you to select your preferred settings. Choose "Recommended setting" to let Media Player be the default setting---if iTunes is your current default, Media Player will override it. Choose "Express" for quick access or "Custom" if you prefer to set your own options. You can always change your settings later by clicking "Organize" and "Options." You can also choose your default programs in Windows 7 by clicking "Start," "Default Programs," then "Set Your Default Programs."
2. Stock your Media Player Library. The Library holds links to music, photos, video and recorded TV. The program should automatically sort through your music, video and photo files, but you can add any that were omitted. Click "Organize," then "Manage Libraries." For digital music, there will be two folders: "My Music" and "Public Music." The public folder includes music added by another user. If you have music stored elsewhere, such as on a portable hard drive or flash drive, click "Add" and locate the new folder.
3. Add items to your Library. Any music that you play on your PC will automatically be added to your Library. You can also copy, or "rip," music from a CD to your computer; it will appear in your Library. With Media Player, you can buy music from many online sources (except iTunes) and these purchases will also be added to your Library.Your playable items will appear in the Navigation Pane on the left.
4. Organize your media. Media Player sorts your media into these Library categories: "Playlists," "Music," "Videos," "Pictures," "Recorded TV," "Other Media," "Media Guide" and "Other Libraries."
You can save albums or individual song tracks in playlists. Your digital music, including MP3, WMA, WAV and 3GP files will appear in "Music." To create a playlist, click "Create Playlist" and enter the name you have chosen for it. Find the item you want to add and then drag it to the "Drag items here" pane. When you have added all your selections, click "Save List."
"Videos" will hold your camcorder or digital camera videos or videos you downloaded from the Internet. Formats include AVI, MPG, WMV, DivX, MOV and several others.
Pictures show up in this folder, but the "Pictures" library is a better resource. To use "Recorded TV," you will need special equipment---a TV tuner and a TV signal, such as a cable. The "Media Guide" is a source for online music stores.
5. Use the "Navigation Pane" for several ways of viewing your collection. Click "Artist" in the music category to see music listed alphabetically by artists' first names. The "Genre" option arranges music by type, such as jazz, pop, rock and soundtrack, and it shows the album covers. "Album" lists the albums by name and contents.
To find an item quickly, click the category, then click the Search box at the top and type in the name that you are looking for.
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