Add-On Packs Bring MP3 Creation, DVD Playback To Win XP InterVideo, CyberLink Provide What Windows Media Player Lacks Eric Grevstad
Mon 10/22/01 -- Microsoft will talk your ear off about the wonderful capabilities of Windows XP's enhanced Media Player, but you have to pore through the fine print to discover that the new operating system can't save audio CD tracks as MP3 files (just Microsoft WMA format files), and that Windows Media Player's touted DVD playback doesn't work if your system don't have a DVD decoder installed. Fortunately, a pair of third-party providers are ready to pump up WMP's wimpy profile, each charging 20 bucks for the service.
CyberLink Corp. offers what it calls PowerPacks -- MP3 PowerEncoder for $10, PowerDVD SE for $15, or both for $20. The former lets users rip their favorite CD tunes into high-quality MP3 format using Windows Media Player XP at encoding rates from 64Kbps to 256Kbps. The latter features Dolby Digital audio (high-fidelity, two-channel Dolby Surround output) and the same MPEG-2 software decoder as CyberLink's full-featured PowerDVD product.
InterVideo Inc. calls its Windows Media Player add-ons XPacks. The MP3 XPack ($10) offers CD ripping at bit rates ranging from 96Kbps to 320Kbps, while the DVD XPack ($15) uses InterVideo's WinDVD core technology with Dolby-certified audio decoding for DVD playback within Windows XP's Media Player. A bundle of both utilities is $20.
English versions of both companies' add-ons are available for download now, with 10 more languages coming later this year for InterVideo's and 12 more for CyberLink's products. Special links inside Windows Media Player take you to both firms' Web sites for download and purchase.
