Storing your entire digital media collection in Windows Media Player 11 has many great benefits, but what about options for enjoying your digital media library away from your computer? Great digital media devices offer a great experience when teamed with Windows Media Player 11 and help you to stay connected with your music, video, and pictures no matter where you are. Check out more great devices.
Creating custom CDs
Burning custom CDs is one of the benefits of having a large digital music library. The Burn tab in Windows Media Player 11 has been enhanced to make this experience even better.
When burning a CD, a gas gauge icon, similar to the one that appears when you synchronize a device, provides a visual estimate of the remaining space on a CD. As you drag and drop items into the Burn list, the meter adjusts accordingly. This helps you to manage the work of getting the most music into your custom mix.
If you want to burn a large amount of items than will fit on one disc, the new disc-spanning feature in Windows Media Player 11 queues up the second disc when you reach maximum capacity on the first disc. This provides an intuitive way to burn multiple custom CDs while providing you with the ability to reorder content at the last minute. After the first disc is finished burning, your disc drive opens, and you are prompted to insert the next disc.
In addition to burning audio CDs, you can burn data CDs and data DVDs, providing an easy way to back up your entire music collection. Simply click the arrow below the Burn tab and click Data CD or DVD. For more information, see Burn a CD or DVD.
Simplified device setup
Synchronizing portable devices with Windows Media Player 11 is simple. Windows Media Player 11 now features an easy-to-use wizard that guides you through device synchronizing when you connect a device for the first time. You can simply connect one of the more than 100 Windows Media-enabled devices and Windows Media Player 11 will automatically recognize it and allow you to customize the name of the device. The Player then defaults to the Sync tab with an icon of your device, enabling quick and easy syncing of content. You can either choose to drag content to the Sync list or set up a permanent sync relationship using Auto Sync.
With Auto Sync, content syncing is automated in the background once the device is connected, ensuring that you always have the latest content on your device. Learn more about syncing.
New sync features
Cool new portable device features were added to Windows Media Player 11. The Sync tab includes several enhancements that simplify the portable device experience, including a device capacity meter and the ability to explore the contents of your device using the same Instant Search and visual navigation that you find in the Library view.
A device icon is displayed in the Navigation pane when you connect your device. You can click the device icon, and then browse all of your device's content in the Library pane using album art views, scrolling, and Instant Search.
With just one click, the new Shuffle Sync feature can calculate your device capacity and fill the device with a random sampling that is weighted toward the highest-rated content in your library.
Do you find yourself juggling multiple Player libraries between your home and work computer? The Guest Sync feature offers a great solution for keeping your device current with selections from multiple PCs.
A gauge appears in the Sync pane next to content when device syncing begins, providing a visual estimate of how much room is available on the device. Content download status is also shown in the bottom-left corner.
Going mobile
Portable media devices aren't the only options for enjoying music, video, and pictures on the go. As flash storage capacity increases, the mobile phone has grown in importance as a portable media device. With Windows Media Player 11, you can sync experience with a number of mobile phones, including Windows Mobile-powered devices and other Windows Media-enabled phones.
Share it
The new Media Sharing feature of Windows Media Player 11 lets you enjoy the contents of your Windows Media Player library from anywhere in your home. If you have a home network (wired or wireless), you can use Windows Media Player 11 to stream the contents of your library to other computers or devices in your home. For example, if you have an Xbox 360 or other digital media receiver (DMR), you can use Windows Media Player to stream music, pictures, and videos from your computer to that device. This even works with music and video that you've downloaded from online music stores and services. For more information, see Digital media at home.
