Windows XP: Audio and video

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One of XP's chief selling points is its new audio and video features. Incidentally, most of these features are part of the included Windows Media Player 8, which should also be available separately as a free download.

As with previous versions of WMP, you can play audio CDs; rip them to your hard drive in WMA format; incorporate title and track information using the All Music Guide database (this version even tries to come up with the album art for you); and organize songs into playlists. But version 8.0 also includes several new and enhanced features.

In addition to audio, WMP8 supports video playback. If you already have a DVD decoder installed--XP doesn't include one--you can play DVD movies in full-screen mode with controls that fade into the background, or watch streaming videos over the Internet.

If you have a CD-R/RW drive, you can make your own mixes using the new Audio CD Burner. Or you can transfer music to a portable player; XP supports more than 60 portable players and other digital audio devices, according to Microsoft. Finally, XP includes 13 different "skins" to choose from to customize the look of WMP.

WMP still tries to steer you toward its audio and video formats. It has an "open architecture" that will let you add an MP3 encoder from Cyberlink, InterVideo, and Ravisent Technologies. Each add-in is expected to cost less than $10. And WMP doesn't support some major streaming audio and video formats such as Real. Nevertheless, it is a full-feature digital audio jukebox program that should provide stiff competition to favorites such as MusicMatch Jukebox.

XP also includes a slightly enhanced version of the Movie Maker digital video editing program that made its debut in Windows Me. It's no challenge to (or substitute for) the vast majority of video-editing applications out there; it's designed mostly just to give people a starting experience with video editing.