[Ichiban_jay]

Hey, kudos to Gene Clean over at the ai for finding this; I just had to post it here because you guys might be interested.

"I THINK" Microsoft bought over Flip4Mac's media plugin that enables Quicktime to play WMA and WMV natively. They have in turn changed it so it is now free instead of the OUTRAGEOUS (sarcastic) price of $9.99 that was charged when it was out in the market.

You can get it here:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/win.../flip4mac.mspx



Not sure if this is breaking any policies... but here is the original post at ai.
http://forums.appleinsider.com/showt...threadid=60154

[torifile]

Great. It was good software. Now it's sure to suck.

[Dorian Gray]

I was looking into this earlier today, and what you say is entirely wrong. Microsoft did not buy Telestream at all, and Telestream is [still] entirely responsible for Flip4Mac. Microsoft is merely distributing it. This is a win-win-win situation. The only downside is it may encourage the usage of WMV as a delivery codec.

Way to spread incorrect rumours.

Telestream press release.

[scratt]

Wonder if it's broken now that the new Quicktime and OS revision is out?

It seems quite likely if M$ have anything to do with distributing it...

[Dorian Gray]

That Microsoft has entered into this agreement is merely testament to the fact that they recognise that Windows Media Player for the Mac is so bad that it is turning people off the WMV format, and perhaps Microsoft in general. Easier to distribute Flip4Mac instead, free of charge (also available directly from Telestream of course, from whom I got it), and doing so is good for Flip4Mac because it's free advertising for their more expensive products, and probably because they get some cash from Microsoft in the deal.

[Ichiban_jay]

oh sorry, so much flying around me today, I meant to say "I THINK"

*Machine gun sounds* AHHHHH SHOT DOWNNNNED

[Enki]

Originally Posted by scratt Wonder if it's broken now that the new Quicktime and OS revision is out? It seems quite likely if M$ have anything to do with distributing it...

It works for me on 10.4.4, I downloaded from the Flip4Mac site not MS though.

[MCQ]

Nice find Ichiban!

[morningstarrising]

Yea! Now I can watch all those fun WMV on Myspace...

Thanks alot

[scratt]

Originally Posted by Enki It works for me on 10.4.4, I downloaded from the Flip4Mac site not MS though.

Thanks. Once I've done al my usual updates and repairs and stuff I'll stick it on....

[Bryson]

Sweet! Was just considering buying it, and now it's free! Fantastic.

[alcimedes]

That's not breaking any policies. Feel free to crost post threads any time.

[omem]

I installed it and it just keeps crashing both Quicktime and Finder (because of preview). Mac OS X 10.4.4

[curiousuburb]

I don't have that many WMV files around, but even the old version of Flip4Mac seems to run them fine under 10.4.4

Looks like the 2.0 version adds some more codec support

Changes in this release • Added playback support for AVI files, the ISO MPEG-4 V1.1 video decoder and several audio decoders including: Microsoft ADPCM, IMA ADPCM, G.711, G.726 and MPEG Layer 3. • Exposed several advanced audio and video encoder controls and added the ability to save the encoder settings as a named profile. • Added support for real-time streaming from both live and on-demand sources. For multiple bit-rate sources, stream selection is based on the QuickTime 'Streaming Speed' preference setting. • Significant optimization for G4 and G5 systems allows real-time playback of HD media. • Added a pop-up menu to the Internet plug-in that allows movies to be saved from within the browser.

Just installing the new version... will see if any quirks surface.

[BenP]

Sweet. I was just about to buy it and now I don't have to.

[Bryson]

Originally Posted by Bryson Sweet! Was just considering buying it, and now it's free! Fantastic.

Originally Posted by BenP Sweet. I was just about to buy it and now I don't have to.

Are you following me?

[omem]

It crashes on my iMac G5 with Mac OS X 10.4.4

I've installed it and uninstalled it twice already. I guess I'll keep it uninstalled...

First it was flash that didn't play sound (and still doesn't), and now quicktime doesn't play sound on some files either. No sound on the keynote stream, for example..

[curiousuburb]

Originally Posted by curiousuburb I don't have that many WMV files around, but even the old version of Flip4Mac seems to run them fine under 10.4.4 Looks like the 2.0 version adds some more codec support Just installing the new version... will see if any quirks surface.

Whoa... Finder crashes wazzoo with the new version... files that previewed fine in column view with FLIP4Mac now regularly crash Finder.

Uninstalled. Going back to the earlier version (1.0.2) which seemed fine under 10.4.4.

[onlyafterdark]

Mine keeps crashing when I exit a movie. Other than that it works fine.

[Dorian Gray]

From the Flip4Mac website:

"QuickTime v7.0.4 users, please wait for version 2.0.1 which will be available here shortly."

[BenP]

Originally Posted by Bryson Are you following me?

No, but my league of professional ninjas is.

[morningstarrising]

Originally Posted by Dorian Gray From the Flip4Mac website: "QuickTime v7.0.4 users, please wait for version 2.0.1 which will be available here shortly."

Universal~! lol

[Paranoid666au]

I'll wait for 2.0.1

[Bryson]

It officially has the world's most confusing uninstaller, too. Try it!

[Dorian Gray]

That's better.

http://www.flip4mac.com/wmv_download.htm

[SledgeHammer]

This is excellent. I wasn't even aware of this product before, but I already love it.

[Ichiban_jay]

Well, now we know why microsoft is doing this... They are discontinuing WMP for mac...

"The company will continue to offer the current version for download. It also has announced a deal to offer for free the Flip4Mac plug-in from Telestream that will allow Mac OS X users to play Windows Media video and audio directly from Apple's QuickTime Player software."

[curiousuburb]

Originally Posted by curiousuburb Whoa... Finder crashes wazzoo with the new version... files that previewed fine in column view with FLIP4Mac now regularly crash Finder. Uninstalled. Going back to the earlier version (1.0.2) which seemed fine under 10.4.4.

2.0.1 seems to have solved the Finder crashiness.

[murbot]

My experience with this was it sucking ass like mad, and being stuck in my machine afterwards like a rammed-in tampon.

It's like an STD. I'd rather install WMP.

[kieran]

Originally Posted by murbot My experience with this was it sucking ass like mad, and being stuck in my machine afterwards like a rammed-in tampon. It's like an STD. I'd rather install WMP.