Rip music: frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some common questions about ripping CDs in Windows Media Player. What is ripping? What happens if I decide to copy protect music that I rip? Where do I find the files that I ripped? Can I rename or move files that I have already ripped? Can I listen to music while ripping?

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Change settings for ripping music
You can use Windows Media Player to rip (or copy) tracks from your audio CDs onto your computer. After you rip the tracks, they become files on your computer. There are a number of settings that you can customize to make ripping work better for you.

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Managing your music
An easy way to keep track of music on your computer is to use the Music library. By default, the Music library shows all the music located in the My Music folder, but you can include other folders in your Music library, too.

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Getting started with Windows Media Player
Windows Media Player provides an intuitive, easy-to-use interface to play digital media files, organize your digital media collection, burn CDs of your favorite music, rip music from CDs, sync digital media files to a portable device, and shop for digital media content from online stores.

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Playing music in Windows Media Center: frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some common questions about playing music and other audio files in Windows Media Center. How do I make my music appear in Media Center? Why doesn't album information (such as cover art) display? Why isn't there sound? Why doesn't a music file play? How do I play an audio CD or DVD in Media Center? Is there a graphic equalizer in Media Center so I can fine-tune the way my music sounds?

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Change the default music or video player
After installing a new music or video player, you might find that your music and videos open in the new program instead of your old, favorite program. If so, you can change the settings in Windows so that your music and videos open again in your favorite player. Watch this video to learn how to change the default music or video player.

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Listen to music in Windows Media Center
Most people think of watching and recording TV when they think of Windows Media Center, but did you know that Media Center is also a great way to listen to music? You can use Windows Media Center to play your favorite songs, create playlists for parties, and even watch a slide show of your pictures while the music plays.

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Master your devices with Device Stage
You don't have to be a gadget geek to know that it can be hard to get a mobile phone, music player, or other device to work smoothly with your computer. How do you sync contacts and appointments to your mobile phone? How do you get music onto your portable music player? Where do you find the manual for your device, software updates, and help? The list can go on and on, depending on the device. Enter Device Stage. This new feature in Windows 7 solves these problems by gathering everything you can do with your device into a single window, making tasks easier to find and complete.

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Creating slide shows with music in Windows Media Center
Every party needs a little background music to set the mood, but have you ever considered background photos? With Windows Media Center, you can have both. You can use Media Center to play slide shows of your favorite photos-along with background music-on your computer. This is especially cool if you're computer is connected to a TV. A Media Center slide show can completely change the dynamic of your living room for parties and get-togethers.

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Listen to iPod music via Windows 7 system Speakers
It will be a great idea to play your iPod songs and music via speakers connected to the system. Windows 7 provides you with this facility. You just need to use a simple trick.

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Watch visualizations while playing your music
In Windows Media Player's Now Playing mode, you can watch different visualizations-splashes of color and geometric shapes-whose patterns move with the music that you are playing. Visualizations are grouped into collections that are based on specific themes, such as Ambience or Bars. The Player includes a number of visualizations, but you can also download more visualizations from the Internet.

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Burn a CD or DVD in Windows Media Player: frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some common questions about burning CDs or DVDs in Windows Media Player. What types of CDs or DVDs can I burn? What is a data disc? Is that the same as an MP3 disc? Can I burn the contents of one disc, such as a music CD, a data CD, or a data DVD, directly to another disc using the Player? How do I burn music to a portable music player device? How can I burn movies to a DVD? How do I add or remove gaps between songs on the audio CDs that I burn?

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Sync music, pictures, contacts, and calendars with a mobile device
There are two primary ways to sync a mobile phone, portable music player, or other mobile device with your computer. You can install the sync software that many manufacturers include with their devices, or you can use the new Device Stage feature in this version of Windows if your device supports this feature.

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Find items in the Windows Media Player Library
You can use Windows Media Player to quickly find and play your music, video, and picture files. You can also find where media files are stored in your computer's media libraries or jump to music in the same album.

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Getting started with media streaming
Like many people, you probably have a lot of music, video, and picture files in your Windows Media Player Library. There might be times, however, when you want to enjoy your songs, videos, or pictures when you're not sitting at the computer. For example, you might want to listen to your music from another computer in your kitchen or view your pictures on a digital picture frame in your living room. Media streaming, called media sharing in earlier versions of Windows Media Player, makes these experiences possible.

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Connect a microphone, music player, or other audio device to your computer
You can connect a microphone, portable music player, or other audio device to your computer by using one of the jacks on the front, back, or side of your computer. These jacks directly connect to your computer's sound card or sound processor.

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Add items to the Windows Media Player Library
You can use the Windows Media Player Library to organize your entire digital media collection on your computer, including music, video, and pictures. After you add files to your Player Library, you can play the files, burn mix CDs, create playlists, sync the files to portable music and video players, and stream the files to other devices on your home network. There are several methods you can use to add files to your Player Library:

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Add or edit media information in Windows Media Player
You might have items in your Windows Media Player Library that have missing or incorrect media information, such as song titles, track numbers, artist names, album titles, or genres. Incorrect information might have been added when you ripped the tracks from the CD or because you used another program to rip your CDs. Whatever the reason, the Player relies on media information to organize the items in your Player Library, so it's beneficial for all items in your Player Library to have accurate and complete media information.

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Create or change an auto playlist in Windows Media Player
An auto playlist in Windows Media Player is a type of playlist that automatically changes according to criteria you've specified. It also updates itself each time you open it. For example, if there is a certain artist you like to listen to, you can create an auto playlist that will automatically add new music by that artist when it appears in the Player Library. You can use auto playlists to play different combinations of music in your Player Library, burn grouped items to a CD, or sync to a portable device. You can create your own auto playlists, as well as regular playlists, in the Player Library. Watch this video to learn how to create or change an auto playlist in Windows Media Player (1:45).

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Tips for fixing common sound problems
Here are solutions to some common sound problems on your computer. These solutions can also help if you don't hear any sound from your speakers, portable music player, or other external audio device connected to your computer. I can't hear sound from my computer. Sound from my speakers is crackling or distorted. I have a sound card in my computer, but Windows doesn't recognize it. I found a new driver for my sound card, but I'm not sure how to install it. I'm having trouble installing my sound card and wonder if it's compatible with Windows 7. I'm having trouble getting a portable music player, microphone, or other audio device to work with my computer. I've tried all the solutions here and still can't get my sound to work properly.

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Burning a CD
This video shows you how to burn a music CD, a data disc, or a live file system disc.

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Burn a CD
Find answers to all your burning questions. Watch this video to learn how to burn a CD of your music, pictures, videos, and more.

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Send a file in e-mail
You can share documents, music, pictures, or videos by attaching the files to an e-mail message.

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Create a new library
You can use libraries to view and arrange files from different locations. There are four default libraries (Documents, Music, Pictures, and Videos), but you can also create new libraries for other collections.

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How to Create a Homegroup
HomeGroup makes it easy to share pictures, music, documents, videos, and printers with other people on your home network. This will show you how to create a homegroup in Windows 7.

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Device Management
In Windows 7, working with printers, cameras, phones, music players and other devices has never been easier thanks to two new features: Device Stage and the Devices and Printers folder.

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Play To
Play To, new in Windows 7, makes it easy to play music and video on other networked PCs, TVs, or stereos around the house. Just right-click the tracks you want to enjoy, or add them to your Windows Media Player 12 playlist, and select Play To-now you're a DJ.

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Introducing libraries, a new cure for file clutter
Get organized! Tired of playing hide-and-seek with your PC? If you've ever wasted time hunting for a misplaced picture, song, or spreadsheet, take heart: Windows 7 makes your stuff easier to find and organize. Learn: How libraries work, Where's my music?, Libraries + HomeGroup.

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Burn a CD or DVD in Windows Media Player
You can use Windows Media Player to copy music, pictures, and videos on your computer to a blank CD or DVD. This process is called burning.

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HomeGroup
HomeGroup takes the headache out of sharing files and printers on a home network. Connect two or more PCs running Windows 7, and HomeGroup makes it easy to automatically start sharing your music, picture, video, and document libraries with other people in your home.

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Windows Search
In Windows 7, you can find more things in more places-and do it faster. Start typing into the Start menu search box-and you'll instantly see a list of relevant documents, pictures, music, and e-mail on your PC. Results are now grouped by category and contain highlighted keywords and text snippets to make them easier to scan.

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Create a homegroup
HomeGroup makes it easy to share pictures, music, documents, videos, and printers with other people on your home network. When you set up a computer with this version of Windows, a homegroup is created automatically. But you can also create a homegroup by following these steps: Watch this video to learn how to create a homegroup.

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Working with files and folders
A file is an item that contains information-for example, text or images or music. When opened, a file can look very much like a text document or a picture that you might find on someone's desk or in a filing cabinet. On your computer, files are represented with icons; this makes it easy to recognize a type of file by looking at its icon.

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HomeGroup
HomeGroup makes it easy to share your libraries and printers on a home network. You can share pictures, music, videos, documents, and printers with other people in your homegroup. The homegroup is protected with a password, and you'll always be able to choose what you share with the group.

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HomeGroup: frequently asked questions
HomeGroup makes it easy to share your libraries and printers on a home network. You can share pictures, music, videos, documents, and printers with other people in your homegroup. The homegroup is protected with a password, and you'll always be able to choose what you share with the group.

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Set up a device to sync in Windows Media Player
You can use Windows Media Player to copy music, videos, and pictures from your Player Library to a portable device, such as a compatible MP3 player. This process is called syncing.

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How to Join or Add a Computer to a Windows 7 Homegroup
HomeGroup makes it easy to share pictures, music, documents , videos, and printers with other people on your home network. This will show you how to join or add a computer to a Windows 7 homegroup.

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File sharing essentials
Windows 7 makes it easier than ever to share documents, music, photos, and other files with people at home or at the office. If you're new to file sharing, this article will help you understand why it's useful and-broadly-how it works in Windows 7. Introducing homegroups: easy sharing at home; Sharing with everybody, somebody or nobody; The purpose of permissions; What have I shared?; Public folder sharing.

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What is a homegroup?
A homegroup makes it easier to share files and printers on a home network. You can share pictures, music, videos, documents, and printers with other people in your homegroup. Other people can't change the files that you share, unless you give them permission to do so.

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Windows Media Player 12
Designed by media lovers, for media lovers. Windows Media Player 12 plays more music and video than ever-including Flip Video and unprotected songs from your iTunes library!

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