RSSWindows Media Player Plug-in for Firefox Now a Reality
by Scott M. Fulton, III
If it seems cooler to you today in places where it's normally fairly warm, or even burning hot, there may be deeper forces at work than mere global warming changes in the atmosphere. The department of Microsoft's development team delegated to interoperability and open standards have released what might have seemed the least likely product ever to emerge from Redmond: an officially sanctioned Windows Media Player plug-in for Mozilla Firefox.
"When the [Open Source Software Lab] was created at Microsoft people thought it to be another Microsoft marketing ploy," writes OSSL developer Hank Janssen on his team's blog today, in a post entitled, "We're Writing Firefox Plug-ins?." "Well I can tell you that that is certainly not the case here at OSSL."
But with the plug-in installed, that's changed; and now, Windows XP SP2 and Vista users who have Windows Media Player 11 can now be assured they can see videos from Microsoft's and other's sites whose video display abilities relies on their accessibility to Microsoft's rights management on the client side. Sites that didn't have this problem in Firefox - such as CBSNews.com - continue to work well.
CORRECTION - As one of our readers, PC_Tool, correctly pointed out, Firefox plug-ins and Firefox extensions are somewhat different. Those expecting the WMP 11 plug-in to behave like an extension might be surprised. Rather than download an .XPI file and have it show up in the Extensions list, where it would advise the user to stop and restart Firefox to activate, Microsoft's WMP 11 plug-in advises users to download an .EXE file, then quit Firefox altogether, run the installer, then restart the browser. (You'd think a long-time Firefox user would be able to keep the difference straight in his head. Consider myself thoroughly bonked on the head.)
To uninstall this plug-in, the user must select "Add or Remove Programs" from the Windows Control Panel, under "Windows Media Player Firefox Plugin." We noted that the plug-in didn't disturb any of the existing content handler settings. For instance, on our test system, MP4 files which were set to play with QuickTime were left as-is, while settings for Windows Media formats such as .WM, .WMA, .WAX, and .WMV were added.
What the installation instructions do not say (and they should) is that version 11 is required, and that WMP 10 will not work with this plug-in. We found this out the hard way. If you only have WMP 10 installed, accessing a video from a site will lead to a blank screen. No video plays, but to its credit, the plug-in doesn't crash the browser or the system. Instead, Firefox' status bar reads "Done," as if it's finished trying to make things work when they clearly can't.
 | A video from MSNBC.com playing perfectly well inside the WMP 11 Plug-in for Firefox. Users of Firefox have often had trouble using sites that stream in Windows-based formats, or that try to make contact with WMP features on the client. |
Upgrading to WMP 11 solved this problem immediately, although some users have advised against such an upgrade on account of the addition of extra rights management measures, such as recognition of broadcast flags embedded in captured video streams.
"Is Microsoft competing with Linux and OSS" Janssen writes. "You bet they are. Just like every other company is competing against other companies/people/products that create similar products. Is Microsoft working to better interface with some of the Linux and OSS products? You bet they are too! We are frequently working on those things as well."
35 Comments
i have firefox 2.0.0.3 and Windows media player 11. but then i am not able to play our company's streaming video in firefox. but, I am able to play MSNBC videos in firefox. help me.
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What I have found ...
WinXP SP2 (32-bit), WMP 10
Vista RC2 (32-bit), WMP 11
Works with SeaMonkey & Firefox.
SeaMonkey version 1.0.x & up.
Firefox 1.5.x & up.
Does not work with Mozilla Suite 1.7.x nor Firefox 1.0.x.
If JavaScript is disabled (or blocked, with NoScript), some sites generate WMP Plugin errors (& can cause FF to quit) when accessed. Some sites simply do not work if JavaScript is enabled.
This site will error: http://gorillamask.net/fgfbomb.shtml
This site will not play: http://www.amazon.com/gp...pop-up/B00005ASIL001002/
With this Plug-in installed, both sites work without error when JavaScript is disabled.
Appears that this Plug-in supersedes the older plugin, npdsplay.dll. AFAICanTell, you do not need to specifically disable npdsplay.dll. Though you can do so by setting the preference item, plugin.scan.WindowsMediaPlayer to a large number, like 99.
Further Vista does not come with the required DLL's. You could simply copy them from an XP box, but this Plug-in provides the same functionality.
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Note that WMP uses IE's proxy information, and will *not* use the Firefox proxy. You'll need to make sure, if you're going through a proxy server, that 1.) You have permission to view streaming video, and 2.) Your IE proxy is set properly.
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where is the file?
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First paragraph. Last sentence.
It's a link to the plug-in via BetaNews/FileForum.
The file was unavailable for a while. The links
should be working now.
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anyone know if this will help on yahoo music?
i can never get it to play the videos. it always gives me an error
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anyone know if this will help on yahoo music?
i can never get it to play the videos. it always gives me an error
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What's funny is I just installed it. I have Firefox 2.0.0.3 installed and it doesn't work after it's installed.
Great Job.
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Do you have WMP 11 installed? I know I won't be installing it so alas, it'll never work for me. I guess I'll stick with Linux and the MPlayer plugin instead which works fine for me!
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From the MS homepage for the plug-in:
There is a known issue if you are using Firefox version 2.0.0.3 on Windows Vista with the installer failing with error code -203. To work around this simply restart Firefox (you will get a notification that Windows Vista will be changing the Firefox compatibility settings) and then install again - the second time should succeed.
Give her a go and let us know. :)
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Interesting timing. Now that IE7 is out and is actually a very good browser, I have been using it more and more. I am still a huge FF fan and am testing FF3 (a.k.a. Minefield) but I find myself using IE7 and FF 50/50. I wish this plugin had shipped before IE7 when I used FF 100%.
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dang, so no linux support
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K.
Scott, even though you specify it is a plug-in several times, you seem to think it should act and install like an extension.
Installation isn't difficult, though it's different than what a Firefox user would normally expect for a plug-in. Rather than download an .XPI file and have it show up in the Plug-ins list,
Plug-ins!=extensions.
Extensions=.XPI
Plug-ins=.EXE
Installing Flash doesn't put it in the Extensions window either. It is a plug-in, just as the one above is, not an extension, like AdBlock
They don't install the same way and they don't interact with the browser in the same way.
Please keep that in mind next time. You don't want to confuse your readers, aye? :p
I'm sure once they get it in the database at Firefox HQ, it will probably install automagically like Flash.
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And you are, of course, so right about this. Note my correction above. And note this diagram of my head:
};*)
...which, when turned the correct angle (with the chin on top) reveals the deep cleft in my head, which remains from having jammed it with my letter opener in disgust.
-SF "Trying Out Now for the Role of the House Elf in 'Harry Potter VI'" 3
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reveals the deep cleft in my head, which remains from having jammed it with my letter opener in disgust.[/i]
...well, at least you didn't damage anything vital. :p
[i]-SF "Trying Out Now for the Role of the House Elf in 'Harry Potter VI'" 3
Good luck with that. If all else fails, you might want to go for the part of the antagonist in Rocky 12. Should be a cakewalk...might need to be proficient with a walker though.
*evil grin*
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Too few people have installed WMP 11 bloatware or something?
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Personally, I like wmp11 better then wmp10, its interface is a lot cleaner, organization is a lot better, the search for media function seems to perform better.
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Agreed. WMP11 is a major upgrade for media players. I like it better than WinAmp, WMP10, and itunes.
It's not a "critical" update, so it won't happen automatically for XP users.
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Boy, they sure do want us using WMP11. Wonder why?
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Because they own it. Something wrong with wanting people to use your product? It is sort of the goal of businesses to push their products you know?
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maybe, and this could be a longshot here, but it could be due to its the latest update for it why would they go back and support old software, no one else does.
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Because they want to put more restrictions on everyone.
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Exactly what restrictions would WMP 11 place on anyone?
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https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/446
https://addons.mozilla.o...n-US/firefox/addon/3006
microsoft's new plug-in isnt as much a news story as it is redundancy.
or inferior.
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"on account of the addition of extra rights management measures"
The expansion of their beloved DRM infection.
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You missed the point entirely.
Let me rephrase:
How does supporting protected content limit you in any way whatsoever unless *you* choose to buy protected content?
They aren't forcing anything on you. It will play anything it played as of WMP10, and then some.
It contains *no* DRM, only support for more DRM protected content.
Since when does support for more content=more restrictions?
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Neither of those extensions do what this plug-in does. WMV files on sites can now be played in the same manner as they can be in IE, that is, *in* the page. Not downloaded. Not loaded into an application window. Played *on* the page. As it was intended to be by the page designer.
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I guess it's just my dislike of the whole idea of DRM or I guess I should say the potential abuse of such a technology. It's not that I have a problem with paying for the content.
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if you setup firefox properly, the only thing this plugin really does (as far as i can tell) is let you view video on MSNBC.
...regardless of what it does, i think ill pass. until i see a mozilla-written ActiveX plugin for windizupdate, im not trusting microsoft to do anything with firefox.
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if you setup the plug-in[/b]properly, the only thing this plugin really does (as far as i can tell) is let you view [b]WMV video on any site in which it is embedded.
...fixed that for ya. ;)
I admit it's not a major functionality change unless you happen to browse a lot of sites with WMV streams. *shrug* For some folks it will be a godsend, for others it will be....Meh.
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Then you really shouldn't have a problem with players that can actually *play* the content, right?
If you bought it, you want to listen to it, right? (just a guess)
Yeah, DRM sucks. The fact the inductry feels they need to use it to curb piracy (though labels like EMI are coming around) sucks.
But if you buy 'em, you gotta be able to play them. :)
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Well yea, I bought a few DRM'd tracks, but have converted them to a non protected format. Until the industry feels they can do away with DRM I have sworn away from using Itunes, Napster and the like. Until DRM is abolished it's cds only for me. Like I said it's not like I don't want to pay and it's not like I'm some kind of pirate. I used to be, back in the days of Napster 1.x but I realized the error in my ways and have since been completely legit.
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A lot of people in that boat. Hope it's not getting too crowded. ;)
So long as there are alternatives to DRM (purchasing the CD, buying EMI, or purchasing outside the US) a lot of folks will continue to fill that boat until no-one's buying the DRM crap.
That's the system working. The market decides what it can bear, and it's slowly (like, playing a 45 @ 30 RPM) deciding DRM is a Bad Thing™.
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ok then im confused. the point i was trying to convey is that until i went on MSNBC yesterday, ive never had playback problems with WMV files.
...because from reading the article, the plugin only fixes playback on the small number of websites that explicitly depend on the WMP console to play videos.
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It's possible the other sites you got streaming video from were flash. There are quite a few sites out there that use WMV, which depends on the WMP console.
The net's a big place. ;)
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