Enabling FLAC playback in Windows Media Player

APM · 8 Mar 2016 at 13:25

Is the easiest way to enable FLAC playback in WMP to install the full K-Lite codec pack?

APM · 8 Mar 2016 at 22:36

Is this a silly question then?

rids57 · 8 Mar 2016 at 22:43

I never did get it to work, so I use MusicBee instead, a far better program that supports FLAC (and ALAC) right out of the gate

marc2003 · 9 Mar 2016 at 02:38

Installing whatever codec to play flac is one thing but you'll also need something to handle browsing by flac tags. You can try this...

http://bmproductions.fixnum.org/index.htm?http://bmproductions.fixnum.org/wmptagplus/

The developer is active on hydrogenaud.io forums if you have any problems.

https://hydrogenaud.io/index.php/topic,75123.0.html

rids57 · 9 Mar 2016 at 04:35

I don't think I will ever move away from MusicBee now, it handles my sizeable FLAC collection with ease, I've configured it exactly how I like it, it does everything I need ( and more), plus it's under continual development - quite amazing for a free program really.

Cookeh · 9 Mar 2016 at 08:36

As above, except with Foobar2k. Never used WMP tbh, its garbage.

APM · 9 Mar 2016 at 09:22

I'm on foobar2000 now though I find organising playlists is a bit tedious,how is music bee for that?

Captain Fizz · 9 Mar 2016 at 09:27

MediaMonkey does the job here.
Supports everything.

Custom converting per device (so tunes go to 256Kbs MP3 on phones etc instead of FLAC)
Burns well. Uses WASAPI.

All good.

APM · 9 Mar 2016 at 14:05

MusicBee looks more like it.

bemaniac · 12 Mar 2016 at 11:42

it just seems to play flacs on windows 10 pro

Marsman · 12 Mar 2016 at 12:00

Windows 10 Pro plays FLAC without any additional codecs, etc?

APM · 12 Mar 2016 at 15:10

Nice to know,I'm still on 7 as I like a little control over what my PC does,probably kidding myself there.

dacads · 12 Mar 2016 at 17:06

APM said:
Nice to know,I'm still on 7 as I like a little control over what my PC does,probably kidding myself there.

hmm well W10 is been forced down our throats atm

rids57 · 12 Mar 2016 at 19:32

Marsman said:
Windows 10 Pro plays FLAC without any additional codecs, etc?

I didn't know that and I use Windows 10

Still, I've been using MusicBee for a few years now and see zero reason to change that.

keasy · 12 Mar 2016 at 23:35

APM said:
Is the easiest way to enable FLAC playback in WMP to install the full K-Lite codec pack?

Yes, AFAIK, or the cccodec etc. they all should integrate into WMP.

I like WMP for FLAC as a reference point when listening to my sounds on PC, it's very flat and gives decent clarity on all levels.

It's not my defacto go to though, I much prefer AIMP3, in my own humble estimation it's better than MusicBee and provides discernible difference when tuning on the graphic, as in, noticeable, actual, difference.

rids57 · 13 Mar 2016 at 00:45

So does MusicBee, I use the built in 15 band EQ

APM · 13 Mar 2016 at 12:00

I tried the Windows 10 upgrade when it was first offered last year but have been using Fedora on that machine since,also been considering trying OpenSuse KDE but haven't got around to it yet.

Getting Win10 upgrade nag screens every day on this machine now,if it wasn't for MS office I think I'd be a full linux user by now.

rids57 · 13 Mar 2016 at 17:35

All that keeps me on Windows 10 is my Steam library - if all of my games worked under Linux I'd switch over like a shot.

APM · 13 Mar 2016 at 20:37

Always VM's

rids57 · 13 Mar 2016 at 20:58

I'm at an age where simple is good and having to resort to virtual machines doesn't qualify as simple.