Being able to store audio and video in digital format on a PC, play them back easily, and even transfer them via the Internet or removable media is great for consumers of audio and video content. But it can be way less than great for creators of audio and video content: These computer capabilities pose a severe threat to their livelihoods by compromising their copyrighted works and robbing them of sales.

2.  Click the Settings button. Windows Media Player displays the Media Sharing – Default Settings dialog box .

3.  Specify which media and ratings to share:

Share Media As    In this text box, type the name you want to give your shared media. Windows suggests your username.

Media Types In this area, select the Music check box, the Pictures check box, or the Video check box to indicate which items you want to share.

Star Ratings In this area, select the All Ratings option button if you want to share all your media. If you want to share only media you’ve given a certain star rating, select the Only option button, and then select the rating in the drop-down list: Rated 1 Star or Higher, Rated 2 Stars or Higher, Rated 3 Stars or Higher, Rated 4 Stars or Higher, or Rated 5 Stars. Select the Include Unrated Files check box if you want to include files to which you haven’t yet assigned a rating.

Parental Ratings In this area, select the All Ratings option button if you want to share files no matter what rating they have, or select the Only option button, and then select the check boxes in the list box to specify which files to share.

4.  If you want to apply these sharing settings to all computers and devices that join the network, select the Allow New Devices and Computers Automatically check box. Normally, you’ll want to apply different ratings to different devices and computers to prevent any user from getting an earful or eyeful of unsuitable content.

5.  Click the OK button. Windows Media Player closes the Media Sharing – Default Settings dialog box, returning you to the Media Sharing dialog box.

6.  In the main list box, select the computer that you want to affect, or select the Other Users of this PC item if you want to affect the other users of your computer.

7.  Click the Allow button if you want to let the computer or users share your media, or click the Deny button if you don’t want to let them.

8.  If you need to change your computer’s Sharing and Discovery settings, click the Networking button, and then work in the resulting Network and Sharing Center window. For example, you might want to change your Media Sharing settings. Close the Network and Sharing Center window to return to the Media Sharing dialog box.

9.  Click the OK button, and then authenticate yourself to User Account Control. Windows applies the sharing settings you chose, and the computers or users to whom you assigned the permission can access the shared parts of your media library.

Configuring Windows Media Player

Windows Media Player offers many configuration options on the 10 or 11 pages of its Options dialog box the DVD page appears only if your computer has a DVD drive. The following sections discuss the most important options. To start configuring Windows Media Player, choose Tools Options. Windows Media Player displays the Options dialog box.

Player Page Options

Almost all of the options on the Player page  are worth knowing about.

Automatic Updates Group Box

Choose how often Windows Media Player should check for updates. If you have an always-on Internet connection, select the Once a Day option button or the Once a Week option button; if not, the Once a Month option button is probably a better choice. Select the Leave the Download Codecs Automatically check box if you want Windows Media Player to download and install any new codecs coder/decoder software it needs to play back audio streams or files. Clear this check box if you prefer to have Windows Media Player prompt you before it installs new codecs. You can check for updates manually at any point by choosing Help Check for Updates.

Player Settings Group Box

The Player Settings group box contains the following check boxes:

Keep the Player on Top of Other Windows    Select this check box if you want to keep Windows Media Player on top of all other running windows. This setting is useful if you use Compact mode or Skin mode.

Allow Screen Saver during Playback    Select this check box if you want the screen saver to be able to start while Windows Media Player is playing music. Whether this is a good idea depends on how you use your computer.

Add Music Files to Library When Played    Select this check box if you want to add to your music library any music file that you play that isn’t already in the library. For example, you might start a song playing by double-clicking it in an Explorer window. If you select this check box, you can also select the Include Files from Removable Media and Network Shares check box which is cleared by default if you want to add music files from removable disks and network drives.

Connect to the Internet Overrides Other Commands    Select this check box if you want Windows Media Player to be able to connect to the Internet even if you’ve told other programs to work offline.

Start the Mini Player for File Names That Contain This Text    Select this check box if you want Windows Media Player to run in Mini mode when you receive a file that has a particular name. The default name, voiceatt.wav, is used for voicemail messages.

Enable Picture Support for Devices    Select this check box which is cleared by default if you want Windows Media Player to synchronize JPG pictures with a portable device that supports them.