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Technical Articles
The technical articles available here cover a range of topics including encoding, playback, digital cinema, and securing
content with digital rights management.
This symbol next to an article lets you know that our technical experts are regularly verifying the content accuracy to
ensure that you have the latest information about Windows Media products and technologies.
Use the following categories to help you locate the article that meets your needs.
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.
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.
Best Practices for Using the Windows Media Screen Codec
Updated: March 2007
Applies to: Microsoft® Windows Media Encoder 9 Series, Microsoft Producer for Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2003, Microsoft Windows Media Screen codec
Describes the benefits of using the Windows Media Screen codec to capture screen content, highlights
some common usage scenarios, and offers best-practice recommendations for enhancing the appearance and behavior of the screen
content that you capture.
Creating 7.1 Audio
Describes how to create Windows Media-based audio or video files that are optimized for surround sound.
Determining the Shape of Pixels and Frames
Explains how to work with pixel and frame shapes to optimize quality when converting digital video from
video sources that use nonsquare pixels, such as a digital video camera. This article describes aspect ratios and resolutions,
tells the basics of how video frames are constructed, and discusses how to set up Windows Media Encoder 9 Series to use
nonsquare pixels.
Dynamic Range Control in Windows Media 9
Series
Provides detailed information about how dynamic range control, a new feature in Windows Media 9 Series,
is implemented, and explains how you can change the dynamic range of encoded content.
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.
Optimizing Low Bit Rate Audio
Describes how to take advantage of audio that was encoded at low bit rates to deliver AM radio-quality
music and voice-only streams over slow or unreliable networks.
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.
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.
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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.
Media and Entertainment Content
Distribution on the Web
Updated: April 2007
Applies to: Windows Media technologies, Silverlight
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.
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.
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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.
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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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(213 KB 
1 min @ 28.8 Kbps)
Caching and proxying content with Windows Media Services
Created: September 2007
Applies to: Microsoft Windows Media Services 9 Series or later
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.
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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(166 KB
1 min @ 28.8 Kbps)
Deploying Windows Media Technologies at KING FM
Describes how the KING FM radio station, one of the largest Internet broadcasters in the country, used
Windows Media technologies to stream content and bring in advertising revenue as well as enhance their users' experiences.
Fast Streaming
Updated: September 2007
Applies to: Microsoft Windows Media Player 9 Series or later, Microsoft Windows Media Services 9 Series or later
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
Updated: April 2007
Applies to: Microsoft Windows Media Services 9 Series or later
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.
Improving the Download Experience
Offers recommendations to help Web sites provide a more consistent experience for users to find, purchase,
and download Windows Media-based content.
Intelligent Streaming
Describes how intelligent streaming works and shows you how to create content that takes advantage of
this feature.
KING FM: An Overview
Explains how KING FM began offering its content in Windows Media Format in response to customer demands.
The first radio station to stream classical music over the Internet, KING FM has successfully streamed its programming for nearly 10 years.
Logging Model for Windows Media Services
Updated: September 2007
Applies to: Microsoft Windows Media Services 9 Series or later
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.
Reducing Start-up Latency with
Windows Media 9 Series
Provides details about how Internet sites with short preview clips, such as music and movie clips, can
improve their user experience by reducing the amount of time it takes to begin playing the clips in Windows Media Player
9 Series.
Update the Windows Media Server Platform
Updated: April 2007
Applies to: Microsoft Windows Media Services 4.1 or later
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.
Using enhanced trick mode
Created: September 2007
Applies to: Microsoft Windows Media Services 9 Series or later, Microsoft Windows Media Player 9 Series or later, Windows CE version 5.0 or later
Describes how to improve trick mode functionality for the video portion of your encoded files to stabilize your network bandwidth availability and reduce potential server performance bottlenecks, all while delivering a seamless experience to your clients.
Using URL Modifiers
Created: September 2007
Applies to: Microsoft Windows Media Player 9 Series or later, Microsoft Windows Media Services 9 Series or later
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
Updated: April 2007
Applies to: Microsoft Windows Media Encoder 9 Series, Microsoft Windows Media Services 9 Series, Microsoft Windows Media Player 9 Series or later, Microsoft Windows Media Digital Rights Management 10
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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(240 KB
1 min @ 28.8 Kbps)
Deployment of Windows Media Player in the Enterprise
Addresses the concepts and steps involved in deploying Microsoft Windows Media Player 9 Series and Windows Media Player 10 in the enterprise.
Deployments include customizing the user interface (UI), using Group Policy settings and skins to control use of the Player,
as well as deploying only certain components instead of the full Player.
Download white paper
(245 KB
1 min @ 28.8 Kbps)
Enterprise Digital Media Solution Guide
This three-part guide describes enterprise solutions for e-learning and broadcast communications, and
the technology considerations for e-learning and broadcast communications applications in the enterprise.
Part One: E-Learning
This paper describes scenarios and benefits for deploying digital media technology for e-learning. It
identifies what to consider when deploying a digital media solution comprised of products and technologies from Microsoft
and Hewlett-Packard. It also provides the infrastructure requirements for e-learning solutions and is intended for business
and technical decision-makers.
Download white paper
(1 MB
5 min @ 28.8 Kbps)
Part Two: Broadcast Communications
This paper describes scenarios and benefits for deploying digital media technology for broadcast communications.
It identifies what to consider when deploying a digital media solution comprised of products and technologies from Microsoft
and Hewlett-Packard. It also provides the infrastructure requirements for broadcast communications and is intended for business
and technical decision-makers.
Download white paper
(1 MB
5 min @ 28.8 Kbps)
Part Three: Infrastructure
This paper describes the technical architecture and design considerations for implementing an enterprise
digital media solution that supports content creation, content distribution and management, playback, security, and networking.
Three common enterprise scenarios are reviewed to help you understand what considerations are necessary when deploying a
digital media solution comprised of products and technologies from Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard. This paper is written
for persons who have experience designing IT solutions.
Download white paper
(2.7 MB
13 min @ 28.8 Kbps)
Executive Broadcast Solution White Paper
Intended for experienced IT managers who are considering implementing an executive broadcast solution,
this document from Approach, Inc. provides a complete
end-to-end, step-by-step procedure using Microsoft Window Media Services.
Download white paper
(956 KB
5 min @ 28.8 Kbps)
Producers Guide to Live Webcasting
A must-read for anyone involved in producing a live event, this document covers requirements and procedures
for planning a successful Webcast, encoding for both video and audio on site, hardware and connectivity recommendations,
distributing to the Internet, and much more.
Download white paper
(970 KB
6 min @ 28.8 Kbps)
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Wireless
Learn about the Windows Media solutions for audio and video on mobile devices, such as cellular telephones.
Delivering and Playing Windows Media Content on Mobile Devices
Describes key scenarios for delivering downloadable and streaming Windows Media audio and video content
to mobile devices. This white paper identifies the Windows Media components that are necessary to implement these scenarios,
and discusses some of the content production and delivery considerations for mobile service providers.
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(333 KB
45 sec @ 28.8 Kbps)
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