Vista & Media player - Firefox 2.0.2 RC1

alligoodw · Post by **alligoodw** » February 14th, 2007, 7:56 am

I did a clean install of Vista Basic on my laptop. I downloaded Firefox 2.0.2 RC1 and installed it. Everything work well but I'm not able to establish a plugin for the Windows Media Player as installed with Vista. Old plugins and methods don't work seeing the file names found in Media Player folder aren't the same. My question is this: How do you get Firefox 2.0.2 RC1 to recognize Vista's Window Media Player, seeing that it doesn't do it automatically?

xpgeek · Post by **xpgeek** » February 14th, 2007, 8:04 am

Had same problem on Vista Ultimate.

You need to copy three files (npwmsdrm.dll, npdrmv2.dll and npdsplay.dll) to the "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\plugins" directory.

This link has the files to download and more info
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Windows_Media_Player

Works fine for me now.

Uncle Spellbinder · February 14th, 2007, 10:32 am

@ xpgeek

Followed the directions from the link you provided and it worked like a chart here on Vista Home Premium. Thanks!

alligoodw · Post by **alligoodw** » February 14th, 2007, 12:00 pm

Uncle Spellbinder wrote:@ xpgeek

Followed the directions from the link you provided and it worked like a chart here on Vista Home Premium. Thanks!

I did as prescribed and it works flawlessly. However, I do have some concerns with the method provided for installing this plugin. I understand folders, files, paste and copy, but there are a lot of folks out there that haven't a clue. This method of installation is prehistoric and would surely discourage any new folks interested in this fine product. I would entertain the idea that a more structured, direct and easy approach be designed.

Robert S. · Post by **Robert S.** » February 14th, 2007, 1:00 pm

<a href="https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=342323">Bug 342323</a> [Core] - windows media player plugin isn't provided with windows vista [Win]

Regretfully, MS stopped shipping the plugin with Vista which is why it doesn't work out of the box.

rtmjr50 · Post by **rtmjr50** » February 15th, 2007, 2:56 pm

Robert S. wrote:<a href="https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=342323">Bug 342323</a> [Core] - windows media player plugin isn't provided with windows vista [Win]

Regretfully, MS stopped shipping the plugin with Vista which is why it doesn't work out of the box.

My2cents .......
Maybe someone who knows what he/she is talking about should do a Knowledge Base article about Vista, explaining the problem and possible solutions. Also all these articles need to be updated.

--> KB: Video or audio doesn't play - http://kb.mozillazine.org/Video_or_audio_doesn%27t_play
--> KB: WMP - http://kb.mozillazine.org/Windows_Media_Player
--> Full Step-By-Step Guide: Embedded Windows Media in Firefox
http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?t=206213
--> Quicktime/Real/Windows Media Player/Adobe Issues (Windows)
http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?t=206216

Vista is "the new thing" and not having updated help is really bad.

Oh, the other thing is that the release doc should clearly explain that this is not a Firefox issue but Vista and them send the user to this Vista KB article for possible workarounds.

Richard

Robert S. · Post by **Robert S.** » February 15th, 2007, 3:21 pm

I think the need for this is already understood.

Old w3stfa11 · Post by **Old w3stfa11** » February 15th, 2007, 3:48 pm

What can Mozilla do in a case like this, especially when MS is not helping? Downloading some dll files and pasting in the Firefox folder is unfortunately not an ideal solution. Is Mozilla planning on doing something? I feel for those Firefox users on Vista.

Robert S. · Post by **Robert S.** » February 15th, 2007, 4:27 pm

Options being worked / considered... trying to get MS to provide a plugin package that we can point to via the plugin finder service... writing a WMP plugin... finding another windows media solution (preferably opensource), creating a plugin package, and pointing the plugin finder service to it.

rtmjr50 · Post by **rtmjr50** » February 15th, 2007, 6:39 pm

Robert S. wrote:Options being worked / considered... trying to get MS to provide a plugin package that we can point to via the plugin finder service... writing a WMP plugin... finding another windows media solution (preferably opensource), creating a plugin package, and pointing the plugin finder service to it.

Great, what happens in the 6 months to 2 years while folks wait? Do you really believe that M$ did not do this on purpose? All of the possible solutions will take time, what the Firefox team needs to do is come with a detail step by step solution, that works with what is available, How long would a simple install package take? ... download this, install -> files installed -> readme file to explain what you can or can not do with this solution.

I can not believe that it would take more than a day or two to create a simple exe to download the existing .dll files, move them to the correct location and hack the window register to add what ever window needed to be able to use these existing .dll files. Add a couple weeks to test and setup whatever to allow the Mozilla servers to work correctly.

If nothing else ... Add this to the release notes. Firefox 2 can not work with Vista due to the M$ decision to not support the non-IE plugin in WMP11 that Firefox needs in order to play video in WMP.
Possible workarounds are:
(1) manually download and install these files.
(2) download and install this file to do this for you
(3) install a extension like IEview or IETab to open the site in IE7.

Not having a official solution for Vista, is going to kill off Firefox.

Maybe you can pass this on to the right folks that are on the inside and get a fix out in 30 days instead of 2 years when FF4 is released (assuming by then, any one cares)

later, Richard

Robert S. · Post by **Robert S.** » February 15th, 2007, 7:02 pm

Most of what you say falls under my previous reply of "I think the need for this is already understood.

"

Mozilla is not legally allowed to redistribute the files.

I personally believe it was more of an oversight on MS's behalf but what ever the case bitching about whether they did this intentionally does no one any good.

and yes, the right people at Mozilla are already involved and nothing you have stated hasn't already been discussed already.

RyanVM · Post by **RyanVM** » February 15th, 2007, 9:56 pm

rtmjr50 wrote:Not having a official solution for Vista, is going to kill off Firefox.

Can I have some of whatever you're smoking? Pretty please?

Uncle Spellbinder · February 15th, 2007, 10:44 pm

RyanVM wrote:
rtmjr50 wrote:Not having a official solution for Vista, is going to kill off Firefox.
Can I have some of whatever you're smoking? Pretty please?

Me too. I've not been that high in years.

tqft · Post by **tqft** » February 16th, 2007, 1:04 am

Has anyone tried the Media Player Connectivity addon as a workaround?

No Vista (or Windows) here to try it

tacotuesday9991 · Post by **tacotuesday9991** » March 13th, 2007, 9:34 pm

At first windows media player would not work in firefox (on vista) at all. After reading this forum, i downloaded the plugins and now it works. the only problem is, specifically on NBA.com (other then that i haven't had this problem) the controls are missing. the only thing i see (and can control) is the time seek bar. i don't have the play, pause... buttons. i can right click and use the controls from there. also, if i go into full screen, then i have all the controls visible and it works perfectly fine. here is a screenshot so you can see exactly what i mean. http://img469.imageshack.us/img469/2627/dwadeac3.jpg
I've tried redownloading the plugins, I've removed the vlc plugin, and none of this seems to help. if anyone can help me with this issue i would greatly appreciate it.

Vista & Media player - Firefox 2.0.2 RC1

Vista & Media player - Firefox 2.0.2 RC1

missing controls with windows media player on vista.