Category: Windows Media Player for Windows XP and later

This policy setting allows you to set and lock Windows Media Player in skin mode using a specified skin. If you enable this policy setting the Player displays only in skin mode using the skin specified in the Skin box on the Setting tab. You must use the complete file name for the skin (for example skin_name. wmz) and the skin must be installed in the %programfiles% -> Windows Media Player -> Skins Folder on a user’s computer. If the skin is not installed on a user’s computer or if the Skin box is blank the Player opens by using the Corporate skin. The only way to specify the Corporate skin is to leave the Skin box blank. A user has access only to the Player features that are available with the specified skin. Users cannot switch the Player to full mode and cannot choose a different skin. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting users can display the Player in full or skin mode and have access to all available features of the Player.

This policy setting allows you to specify the HTTP proxy settings for Windows Media Player. If you enable this policy setting select one of the following proxy types:- Autodetect: the proxy settings are automatically detected. – Custom: unique proxy settings are used. – Use browser proxy settings: browser’s proxy settings are used. If the Custom proxy type is selected the rest of the options on the Setting tab must be specified because no default settings are used for the proxy. The options are ignored if Autodetect or Browser is selected. The Configure button on the Network tab in the Player is not available for the HTTP protocol and the proxy cannot be configured. If the “Hide network tab” policy setting is also enabled the entire Network tab is hidden. This policy is ignored if the “Streaming media protocols” policy setting is enabled and HTTP is not selected. If you disable this policy setting the HTTP proxy server cannot be used and the user cannot configure the HTTP proxy. If you do not configure this policy setting users can configure the HTTP proxy settings.

This policy setting allows you to hide the Network tab. If you enable this policy setting the Network tab in Windows Media Player is hidden. The default network settings are used unless the user has previously defined network settings for the Player. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting the Network tab appears and users can use it to configure network settings.

This policy setting allows you to specify whether network buffering uses the default or a specified number of seconds. If you enable this policy setting select one of the following options to specify the number of seconds streaming media is buffered before it is played. – Custom: the number of seconds up to 60 that streaming media is buffered. – Default: default network buffering is used and the number of seconds that is specified is ignored. The “Use default buffering” and “Buffer” options on the Performance tab in the Player are not available. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting users can change the buffering options on the Performance tab.

This policy setting allows you to specify that Windows Media Player can attempt to use selected protocols when receiving streaming media from a server running Windows Media Services. If you enable this policy setting the protocols that are selected on the Network tab of the Player are used to receive a stream initiated through an MMS or RTSP URL from a Windows Media server. If the RSTP/UDP check box is selected a user can specify UDP ports in the Use ports check box. If the user does not specify UDP ports the Player uses default ports when using the UDP protocol. This policy setting also specifies that multicast streams can be received if the “Allow the Player to receive multicast streams” check box on the Network tab is selected. If you enable this policy setting the administrator must also specify the protocols that are available to users on the Network tab. If the administrator does not specify any protocols the Player cannot access an MMS or RTSP URL from a Windows Media server. If the “Hide network tab” policy setting is enabled the entire Network tab is hidden. If you do not configure this policy setting users can select the protocols to use on the Network tab. If you disable this policy setting the Protocols for MMS URLs and Multicast streams areas of the Network tab are not available and the Player cannot receive an MMS or RTSP stream from a Windows Media server.

This policy setting allows you to prevent Windows Media Player from downloading codecs. If you enable this policy setting the Player is prevented from automatically downloading codecs to your computer. In addition the Download codecs automatically check box on the Player tab in the Player is not available. If you disable this policy setting codecs are automatically downloaded and the Download codecs automatically check box is not available. If you do not configure this policy setting users can change the setting for the Download codecs automatically check box.