Windows Media Technical Articles Archive
The technical articles available here cover a range of topics including encoding, playback, digital cinema, and securing
content with digital rights management.
Use the following categories to help you locate the article that meets your needs.
- Audio and Video Production
- Media and Entertainment
- Devices for the Home and on the Go
- Embedding and Customization
- Hosting and Infrastructure
- Enterprise Deployments
- Wireless
Audio and Video Production
Learn more about creating Microsoft Windows Media Audio (WMA) and Windows Media Video (WMV) files, and discover techniques
for encoding and publishing these files on an intranet or Internet.
Advanced Encoding Techniques with Windows
Media 9 Series
Provides tips for capturing and describes advanced techniques for encoding high-quality content when
using Microsoft Windows Media Encoder 9 Series.
Automating the Encoding Process
Describes how to automate converting audio and video into Windows Media-based content by using the Windows
Media Encoder SDK and its sample applications.
Building a Windows Media Encoding Workstation
Describes the optimal setup for an encoding workstation that you can use to create high-quality Windows
Media-based audio and video content.
Capturing and Encoding from DV Cameras
Using Windows Media Encoder
Describes the steps involved in controlling a DV camera from your computer, setting up an edit decision
list (EDL), and then encoding from the camera.
Creating 7.1 Audio
Describes how to create Windows Media-based audio or video files that are optimized for surround sound.
Creating Your First Movie with Windows Movie
Maker
Provides an initial analysis of the appropriate video creation tool to use for beginner moviemakers.
This article then focuses on the Windows Movie Maker 2.1 user interface and key features.
Encoding Audio and Video with Windows Media Codecs
Provides information on creating higher-quality digital media content using Windows Media codecs.
Getting Started with Screen Capture Using Windows Media Encoder
Describes how to get started with the screen-capture feature in Windows Media Encoder. Learn how to
capture a series of computer screens and the accompanying on-screen activities, such as typing and mouse movements. You'll
create a Windows Media Video (.wmv) file, which you can then share with other people and play back in Windows Media Player.
Getting Started with Windows Media Encoder
Provides an overview of Windows Media Encoder 9 Series, including the basic steps involved with encoding.
Enhancements to the Windows Media Audio and Video 9 Series codecs are also discussed.
Introduction to Windows Media Metafiles
Describes how to use client-side metafiles with Windows Media Player to provide metadata and playback
instructions for digital media files.
Producing a High-Definition Windows
Media Video File
Provides information about creating Windows Media Video files in the high-definition television (HDTV)
standard formats. This article is intended for post-production engineers and audio and video professionals.
Producing Multichannel Audio with Windows
Media 9 Series
Provides detailed information about producing high-quality multichannel audio in Windows Media Format.
This article also describes the configuration required for listening to multichannel audio and explains the playback behavior
for users who do not have the required configuration.
Reducing Broadcast Delay
Describes broadcast delay, and discusses how to minimize the size of buffers in Windows Media technologies to reduce this delay.
Tips and Tricks for Encoding Long Format Content with Windows Media Encoder
Explains how to use Windows Media Encoder to encode high-quality masters for both online streaming and
download-and-play scenarios. This article also includes steps that you can take before encoding to ensure that the encoding
process fits seamlessly with your existing video-production processes.
Using the Advanced Settings of the Windows Media Video 9 Advanced Profile Codec
Describes the advanced settings of the Windows Media Video 9 Advanced Profile codec.
Using the Windows Media Player 9 Series
HTMLView Feature
Describes the HTMLView feature in Windows Media Player 9 Series that lets Internet content providers
(ICPs) use the Now Playing feature of Windows Media Player to display Web-based content while digital media content
is playing.
VC-1 Technical Overview
Provides an overview of VC-1 and details its status as an established open standard. Comparative information is given to demonstrate how well VC-1 compares to two other codecs in use today, H.264 and MPEG-2.
Windows Media Player for Mac Guide for Internet
Content Providers
Outlines what you need to know about making your digital media content work on the Macintosh platform.
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Media and Entertainment
Discover how Windows Media 9 Series can bring new opportunities and approaches to delivering music and video to customers-meeting
customer needs and driving in revenue.
Digital Media Distribution
Opportunities for the Film Industry
Describes how filmmakers and distributors can use digital media technology to meet consumer demands
for movies and video content on the Internet, CDs and DVDs, and in theaters.
Media and Entertainment Content
Distribution on the Web
Describes the challenges and solutions surrounding media and entertainment content distribution on the Web, and how they are addressed by using the Window Media platform and a new Microsoft technology called Silverlight.
Windows Media 9 Series for Digital
Cinema Applications
Highlights how Windows Media 9 Series can help bring down the cost of digital cinema and make showing
independent films more affordable.
The Windows Media Digital Cinema
Process
Explains the process of bringing the BMW Films Digital Cinema Series to movie theaters. This article
also describes the system used to project the films digitally by using Windows Media 9 Series.
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Devices for the Home and on the Go
Find out how to build network devices that support Windows Media Connect technology.
Building a Network Device Compatible with Microsoft Windows Media Player 11
Describes concepts that help manufacturers to build a network audio/video device that is compatible with the new Media Sharing feature in Microsoft Windows Media Player 11.
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Embedding and Customization
Find out how you can embed Windows Media Player into your Web pages, as well as how to display Web pages and incorporate
advertising and subscription services in the Player.
Compatibility and Future Support for the Windows
Media Player ActiveX Control
Discusses changes in the behavior of the Microsoft Windows Media Player 6.4 ActiveX control that you
might experience after installing Windows Media Player 9 Series. This article also provides information to help you migrate
your content from Windows Media Player 6.4 to Windows Media Player 9 Series.
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Hosting and Infrastructure
Get tips about hosting content on a Windows Media server or Web server, and learn how to set up a streaming-media system.
Advertising Solutions: Embedding the Windows Media Player in Web Pages
Describes how to use an embedded Windows Media Player to create dynamic advertising solutions for your
Web page, including adding streaming media, creating a custom-interface streaming media Player, and creating a streaming
media banner.
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Caching and proxying content with Windows Media Services
Describes how to use Windows Media Services to configure your Windows Media server as either an origin server or as a cache/proxy server to conserve bandwidth, decrease network-imposed latency, and offset the load on the origin server on your network.
Checking Server Performance with Windows Media
Load Simulator
Describes how to use Microsoft Windows Media Load Simulator for testing a new Windows Media server system
and monitoring performance after the server goes online.
Delivering IPTV with the Windows Media Platform
Describes how the Windows Media platform can be used to deliver television over a broadband IP network.
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Fast Streaming
Describes the Fast Streaming features in Windows Media Services that improve the quality of streaming media content for the user.
Getting Started with Windows Media Services
9 Series
Describes the ways in which streaming media servers differ from Web servers, and introduces Windows
Media Services 9 Series, the latest, streaming-media server technology from Microsoft.
Intelligent Streaming
Describes how intelligent streaming works and shows you how to create content that takes advantage of
this feature.
Logging Model for Windows Media Services
Provides a technical overview of logging in Windows Media Services. The information in this article supplements the information covered in Windows Media Services
Help and the Windows Media Services Software Development Kit (SDK).
Optimizing Windows Media Services
This article describes performance tests that were recently conducted in a controlled lab environment and includes tuning recommendations that will help you to achieve optimal performance from your Windows Media server.
Sourcing Content from Remote Storage
Describes remote storage solutions that you can use for the content hosted on a server running Windows
Media Services.
Streaming from a Web Server
Describes how to stream audio and video content by using either a Windows Media server or a Web server.
Update the Windows Media Server Platform
Explains how to migrate your Windows Media Services configuration settings and digital media content on a Windows Media server computer that you decide to update to a new version of the Windows Server operating system, including Windows Server 2008.
Upgrading Your Web Site to the Windows
Media 9 Series Platform
Explains the advantages of upgrading your Web site to the Windows Media 9 Series platform, which includes
components to help you encode, host, and play back digital media content.
Using URL Modifiers
Describes how to use URL modifiers to control how players and distribution servers receive a stream and how to increase the reliability of a live stream by using URL modifiers in the path to the primary encoder.
Windows Media Services Deployment Guide
This guide describes the practical application and deployment of Windows Media Services in the enterprise for digital media experiences and applications. This guide is intended to help IT professionals take a Windows Media server solution from planning through implementation in a production environment.
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Enterprise Deployments
Learn how you can use Windows Media technologies to stream audio and video content across your intranet. These articles
describe everything from deploying streaming media servers to delivering rich-media presentations using Microsoft Producer
for PowerPoint.
Creating a Successful Executive Broadcast using Windows Media 9 Series
Describes how to deliver an executive broadcast using Microsoft Windows Media 9 Series. This paper provides
step-by-step details on how to plan, set up, configure, and deliver an executive broadcast inside a corporate environment.
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