Windows Media

See also Windows Media Player

Windows Media is a generic name for the set of proprietary streaming audio and video technologies developed by Microsoft. It includes the Windows Media Video (WMV) and Windows Media Audio (WMA) codecs.

Windows Media Video is not built solely on Microsoft in-house technology. From version 7 (WMV1), Microsoft has used its own non-standard version of MPEG-4 Part 2.

Windows Media is often generated using Microsoft's proprietary Windows Media Video 9 VCM software for Windows.

Microsoft has submitted Version 9 codec to the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), for approval as an international standard. The Trial version of standards were published by SMPTE in September 2005. A reference decoder implementation and test sequences are also available. This codec is used to distribute high definition video on standard DVDs in a format Microsoft has branded as WMV HD, which can be played back on computers or compatible DVD players.

Container

Windows Media files use the ASF container. They generally have the file extension .wmv, .wma, .wm or .asf.

Windows Media codecs can also be used inside AVI files.

Codecs used in WMV files

See next paragraph for more information on codecs in WMV files.

Codecs

WMV3	This is a video codec. The name to use at the command line is WMV3, but you can also use WMV.... This codec can be used inside the Windows Media containers.

WMA2	This is an audio codec. The name to use at the command line is WMA2, but you can also use WMA.... This codec can be used inside the Windows Media containers.

Windows Media often uses special native codecs for Windows Media Video and Windows Media Audio. WMV3 is often called "Windows Media 9".

Fourcc	Codec	Supported by VLC?	Comments
MP43	MPEG-4	Up-to-date
WMV1	Windows Media Video v7	Up-to-date
WMV2	Windows Media Video v8	Up-to-date	Not totally implemented for rare files
WMV3	Windows Media Video 9 (v3)	Up-to-date	Not totally implemented for rare files (VBR)
WVC1, WMVA	Windows Media Video 9 Advanced Profile	Up-to-date	Not totally implemented for rare files (VBR)
WMVP	Windows Media Video 9 Image	Up-to-date	with dmo ONLY
WVP2	Windows Media Video 9.1 Image (v2)	Up-to-date	with dmo ONLY
MSS1	Windows Media Screen v7	Up-to-date	with dmo ONLY
MSS2	Windows Media Video 9 screen codec	Up-to-date	with dmo ONLY

More info on MSDN

Compatability

Protected content

Windows Media files may contain Digital Restrictions Management (DRM) facilities intended to protect copyrights. VLC does not play any DRM'd files.

Windows Media Video 3

WMV3, the Video part of Windows Media 9, is supported in VLC since version 0.8.6. Upgrade to the latest version (3.0.12) to play WMV files.

If you are unable to upgrade, there are still some fixes. If you're using Windows and have Windows Media Player 9/10 installed, VLC should be able to play these files, by using Microsoft's own files. Or, if you're using Linux, see the common problems page for a workarround.

On Windows Media Player (Mac)

Microsoft's Windows Media Player for the Mac does not support all WMV encoded files since it supports only the ASF file container.^{[Please check this]}