Stuffit, Windows Media Player

[BitterB]

New to Mac.....less than a week on my new iMac 24.

I've quickly learned that Windows Media Player format dominates the web. I can't even run samples of songs off Amazon, or view certain video content without it. So, I go to Microsoft to download it:

First, I try the "Flip 4 Mac" plugins. It doesn't seem to solve my problem.

Second, I try to download Windows Media for Mac, but the download file is some .sitx format. Does this mean I now have to download Stuffit Expander to load up the Media Player?? Seems so, but I thought I'd check to see if there's an equivalent already loaded in the OS X.

Thanks in advance for your tips.

 

[TheAnswer]

For the .sit files, try The Unarchiver. It's a lot less of a hassle to download than Stuffit Expander. There is no built-in unpacker for .sit files.

The latest Flip4Mac seems to have some issues. It could also be a newer WMP file that can't yet be played by Flip4Mac. Make sure you get Perian also, to help with other media file formats.

 

[mad jew]

Yep, but it won't work 'cause you're using an Intel Mac. The Windows Media Player for Mac app is now completely out of date and Microsoft themselves ask you to use Flip4Mac. Flip4Mac is okay, but it can't play everything as the wise but very hairy and sometimes smelly TheAnswer said. Windows Media Player itself (only on Windows) can play the latest WMV formats but Microsoft won't allow other players to do so. Do you have an example of a site with WMVs that Flip4Mac can't play?

Also, I find VLC to be very good at playing a wide range of different formats.

 

[BitterB]

TheAnswer and mad jew......... thanks for the comments. Seems the Flip 4 Mac does work fine for what I was looking for. I just needed to adjust my preferences for Quicktime. After doing so, I was able to play what I wanted.

I will, however, keep your suggestions in mind as I encounter other formats. Thanks again.......I'm glad to avoid downloading Stuffit for the time being.