Windows Media Player 12通过其在线商店浏览(online store browsing)功能为 iTunes 商店提供了答案。您可以浏览Microsoft自己的Windows Media 指南，直接在(Windows Media Guide)Windows Media Player 12中查看顶级艺术家的免费预告片、音乐视频和单曲。或者，您无需离开Windows Media Player 12即可访问其他(Windows Media Player 12)在线内容(online content)服务，例如 eMusic 和 Audible 。通过此功能，您可以访问动态内容，包括精选艺术家、网络电台(Internet Radio)和电影票房(box office)高峰以及视频和音乐(videos and music)本地保存在您的硬盘上。在本教程中，我们将向您展示如何选择商店、浏览在线商店、下载和流式传输歌曲(download and stream songs)以及浏览Windows Media Guide。
如何选择商店
要在Windows Media Player 12中选择(Windows Media Player 12)在线商店，请单击(online store)导航窗格(Navigation Pane)下方“在线商店”('Online Stores')或“媒体指南”('Media Guide')图标右侧的箭头。选择“浏览所有在线商店”('Browse All Online Stores')。
注意：(Note:)如果您没有看到“媒体指南”('Media Guide')或“在线商店”('Online Stores')图标，请单击文件(File)并确保未选中“离线工作” 。('Work Offline')如果已选中，请取消选中它，然后重新启动Windows Media Player 12。
或者，单击查看(View)并选择“在线商店”以获得与单击('Online Stores')导航窗格(Navigation Pane)下方图标相同的选项。
好的(Okay)，我们现在都在同一个页面上？太棒了(Great)。单击“浏览所有在线商店”('Browse all online stores')后，您应该会看到“选择在线商店”('Choice of Online Stores')屏幕。截至目前，选择相对较少，包括Audible、eMusic 和一些拉丁裔(Latino)商店。微软(Microsoft)可能会在未来增加更多。虽然现在没有必要，但您可以通过单击超链接按媒体类型对商店进行排序。
现在可能也是指出媒体指南(Media Guide)和在线商店本质上只是在Windows Media Player 12中查看的网页的好时机。对于那些对黑客和病毒有偏执的人来说，这确实会带来一个安全问题(security issue)，尽管与在Internet Explorer中浏览一样可能。为了让您放心，Windows Media Player在右上角让您知道您的 Web 位置。您也可以单击它来刷新页面。
当您单击商店时，Windows Media Player 12将仔细检查以确保您要选择它。说是(Yes)。
在我们继续之前，单击“在线商店”('Online Stores')图标右侧的箭头（实际上，现在它应该显示您正在查看的商店的图标）。您可以单击“将当前服务添加到菜单”('Add Current Service to Menu')以节省您自己的一步。
下次单击该箭头时，您会在下拉菜单中看到此在线商店（以及您添加的任何其他商店）。(online store)如果您想摆脱它，只需单击“从菜单中删除当前服务”('Remove Current Service from Menu')。
如何浏览在线商店
现在您已经选择了一家商店，您可以开始浏览他们的在线内容(online content)。就像我们提到的，所有这一切都只是一个美化的网络浏览器(web browser)。因此，当您切换时，您将被带到您选择的服务的网站，尽管它可能会被稍微修饰一下以便在Windows Media Player 12中查看。其中一些服务有免费内容，但大多数都需要您至少注册。
话虽如此，这些网站通常针对在Windows Media Player 12中使用进行了优化，因此您通常可以直接在Windows Media Player 12中播放预览和剪辑。例如，在此屏幕截图中，我登录到我的 eMusic 帐户并直接在Windows Media Player 12中预览专辑。
所有的在线商店(online store)都会有自己的界面和导航方案，所以我们将由他们来向您展示其中的技巧。但请注意，您通过在线商店(online store)进行的任何交易都将由相应的供应商而不是Microsoft处理。尽管您通过Windows Media Player 12访问商店，但您的帐户将与 eMusic 或 Audible 或您选择注册的任何人一起使用。
如何下载内容
除了流媒体内容，您还可以购买可下载的内容。同样(Again)，每项服务都有自己的系统来管理您的购买和下载。但有时，单击可下载文件会弹出默认的Windows 下载(Windows download)对话框。在这里，您可以选择打开(Open)播放而不保存到硬盘。或者，您可以单击保存(Save)以保留文件。
当您单击保存(Save)时，只需将文件保存到您的音乐库(Music Library)或其他受Windows Media Player 12监控的文件夹。如果您忘记了如何设置音乐库(Music Library)文件夹，请返回并阅读Windows Media Player 12 -新增功能和(New and How)工作原理。
Windows 媒体指南 - 如何使用它
Windows Media Guide独立于在线商店(online store)，但工作方式大致相同。同样，您也只是将Windows Media Player 12用作增强的网络浏览器(web browser)来访问WindowsMedia.com。不过，Windows Media Guide包含更多适用于Windows Media Player 12的内容，包括免费电影预告片、精选艺术家和Internet 广播(Internet Radio)。电影预告片和免费音乐视频(music videos)与在其他在线商店中的工作方式相同——只需单击即可在Windows Media Player 12中立即查看。例如，点击这个罗宾汉广告(Robin Hood advertisement)将在“正在播放”模式下立即播放(Now Playing)预告片。
视频播放完毕后，您可以返回播放器库(Player Library)以返回媒体指南。
如何收听网络广播
Windows Media Player 12中的Internet Radio 功能(Internet Radio feature)尤其适用。您可以按流派(genre and click)浏览广播电台，然后单击收听(Listen)立即开始流式传输。您也可以单击“访问(Visit)”进入车站网站。这将在您的默认浏览器(default browser)中打开该网站。
在右侧，Windows Media Player 12将跟踪您最近收听的电台。
您还将看到一个选项，可让您在低速和高速流速度之间进行选择。您当前的选择将以粗体显示。我们怀疑您不需要此功能，因为 A)这些天有人(ANYONE)拨号吗？B) 默认情况下，Windows Media Player 12在启动流时会自动检测您的速度。我在我的有线宽带连接(cable broadband connection)上打开了它，并没有注意到有什么不同。
注意：(Note:)如果出于某种原因您想要禁用自动检测连接速度(connection speed)，请单击工具(Tools)并选择选项(Options)。在“性能(Performance)”选项卡中，单击“选择连接速度”('Choose connection speed') ，然后在下拉菜单中选择一个速度。如果您愿意，也可以更改缓冲区。如果您的连接速度非常慢，会产生断断续续的声音，这会很方便。将缓冲区设置得更高将暂停播放，直到加载了一定数量的内容以减少断断续续。我们建议您坚持使用默认设置，除非您遇到严重的性能问题。完成后单击应用(Apply)，然后单击确定(OK)。
如何搜索Windows 媒体指南(Windows Media Guide)
在右上角，您会看到一个搜索框(search box)。您可以通过输入艺术家、歌曲或专辑名称(song or album name)或其他关键术语从此处搜索Windows Media Guide 。在此示例中，我搜索了Cat Stevens。您将获得两组结果：顶部的结果将在 Windows Media Player 12 中的Windows Media (Windows Media Player 12)Guide(Windows Media Guide)中打开。位于首屏下方的其余结果来自网络（例如YouTube 和 DailyMotion(YouTube and DailyMotion) ） ，如果单击，它们将在您的默认浏览器中打开。(default browser)
结论
通过Windows Media Player 12，您可以浏览Windows Media Guide和其他在线商店。从这里，您可以立即下载歌曲、播放流媒体内容和收听网络电台(Internet Radio)。尽管界面与通过Internet Explorer(Internet Explorer)查看这些站点的界面基本相同，但在线商店和Windows Media Guide页面已经过优化，可以与Windows Media Player 12很好地配合使用。总体效果是一种浏览体验，它比 iTunes 更加自由形式和身临其境，但缺乏通过Microsoft提供的用于付费内容的集中帐户。话虽如此，如果您已经拥有 Audible 或 eMusic 帐户，那么Windows Media Player 12让您可以将您的媒体库与您购买的内容无缝集成。总而言之，Windows Media Player 12提供了一种轻松便捷的方式来探索和购买新音乐。
Shop Online & Use the Windows Media Guide with Windows Media Player 12
Windows Media Player 12 has an answer to the iTunеs store via its online store browsing capabilities. Υou can browse Micrоsoft's own Windows Media Guide to check out free trailers, music videos and singles from top artists directly in Windows Media Player 12. Or you can visit other online content services, such as eMusic and Audiblе without ever leaνing Windows Media Player 12. Thiѕ capabilіty gives you aсcess to dynamic content, including featured artistѕ, Internet Radio and ѕneak peakѕ of box office movies аlongsіde the videos and mυѕic saved locally on your hard drive. In this tutorial, we'll show you how to choose a store, browse online storеs, download and strеam songs and navigatе the Windows Media Guіde.
How to Choose a Store
To choose an online store in Windows Media Player 12, click the arrow to the right of the 'Online Stores' or 'Media Guide' icon just below the Navigation Pane. Choose 'Browse All Online Stores'.
Note: If you do not see the 'Media Guide' or 'Online Stores' icon, click File and make sure that 'Work Offline' is unchecked. If it is selected, uncheck it and then restart Windows Media Player 12.
Alternately, click View and choose 'Online Stores' for the same options as if you were to click the icon below the Navigation Pane.
Okay, we all on the same page now? Great. After clicking on 'Browse all online stores' you should be looking at the 'Choice of Online Stores' screen. As of now, the pickings are relatively slim, consisting of Audible, eMusic and some Latino stores. Microsoft will likely add more down the road. Though it's unnecessary for now, you can sort the stores by media type by clicking the hyperlinks.
Now might also be a good time to point out that the Media Guide and the online stores are essentially just webpages being viewed within Windows Media Player 12. For those of you paranoid about hackers and viruses, this does introduce a security issue, though no more than browsing in Internet Explorer might. To put you at ease, Windows Media Player lets you know your web location in the top-right. You can click this to refresh the page as well.
When you click on a store, Windows Media Player 12 will double check to make sure you want to select it. Say Yes.
Before we move on, click the arrow to the right of the 'Online Stores' icon (actually, now it should be displaying the icon of the store you're viewing). You can click 'Add Current Service to Menu' to save yourself a step later.
Next time you click that arrow, you'll see this online store (and any others you've added) included in the drop-down menu. If you want to get rid of it, simply click 'Remove Current Service from Menu'.
How to Browse Online Stores
Now that you've selected a store, you can start browsing their online content. Like we mentioned, all of this is just a glorified web browser. So, when you switch, you will simply be taken to the website of the service you chose, though it may be spruced up a bit for viewing in Windows Media Player 12. Some of these services have free content but most will require you to at least register.
With that being said, these sites are typically optimized for use in Windows Media Player 12, so you can usually play previews and clips right in Windows Media Player 12. For example, in this screenshot, I'm logged into my eMusic account and previewing an album directly in Windows Media Player 12.
All the online stores will have their own interfaces and navigation schemes, so we'll leave it up to them to show you the ropes. But just so you know, any transactions you make through the online store will be handled by the respective vendor and not Microsoft. Your account will be with eMusic or Audible or whoever you choose to sign up for, in spite of the fact that you are accessing the store through Windows Media Player 12.
How to Download Content
In addition to streaming content, you can also purchase downloadable content. Again, each service has their own system for managing your purchases and downloads. But occasionally, clicking a downloadable file will pull up the default Windows download dialog. Here, you can choose Open to play without saving to your hard disk. Or, you can click Save to keep the file.
When you click Save, simply save the file to your Music Library or another folder that's being monitored by Windows Media Player 12. If you forgot how to setup your Music Library folders, go back and read Windows Media Player 12 - What's New and How It Works.
Windows Media Guide - How to Use it
The Windows Media Guide is separate from the online store but works in largely the same way. Here as well, you're just using Windows Media Player 12 as a souped-up web browser to visit WindowsMedia.com. The Windows Media Guide has more Windows Media Player 12-friendly content, however, including free movie trailers, featured artists and Internet Radio. The movie trailers and free music videos work the same as they do on the other online stores--simply click to view them instantly in Windows Media Player 12. For example, clicking on this Robin Hood advertisement will play the trailer instantly in Now Playing mode.
When the video is done playing, you can return to the Player Library to go back to the Media Guide.
How to Listen to Internet Radio
The Internet Radio feature in Windows Media Player 12 is particularly apt. You can browse radio stations by genre and click Listen to begin streaming instantly. You can also click Visit to be taken to the station's website. This will open the website in your default browser.
On the right, Windows Media Player 12 will keep track of your recently listened stations.
You'll also see an option that lets you choose between low and high stream speeds. Your current choice will be bolded. We suspect you won't need this feature because A) does ANYONE have dial-up these days? and B) Windows Media Player 12 auto-detects your speed by default when it initiates the stream. I switched it on my cable broadband connection and didn't notice a difference.
Note: If for some reason you want to disable auto-detect of your connection speed, click Tools and choose Options. From the Performance tab, click 'Choose connection speed' and choose a speed on the drop-down menu. You can also change the buffer, if you'd like. This is handy if you have a very slow connection that produces choppy sound. Setting the buffer higher will pause the playback until a certain amount of content has been loaded to reduce choppiness. We recommend sticking with the default settings unless you're having serious performance issues. Click Apply and then OK once you're all set.
How to Search the Windows Media Guide
In the top-right corner, you'll notice a search box. You can search the Windows Media Guide from here by typing in an artist, song or album name or some other key term. In this example, I've run a search for Cat Stevens. You'll get two sets of results: those at the top will open in Windows Media Guide within Windows Media Player 12. The remaining results located below the fold are from around the web (such as YouTube and DailyMotion) and will open in your default browser, if clicked.
Conclusion
Through Windows Media Player 12, you can browse through the Windows Media Guide and other online stores. From here, you can instantly download songs, play streaming content and listen to Internet Radio. Although the interface is largely the same as viewing these sites through Internet Explorer, the online stores and Windows Media Guide pages have been optimized to play well with Windows Media Player 12. The overall effect is a browsing experience that is a little more free form and immersive than iTunes but lacks a centralized account through Microsoft for paid content. With that being said, if you already have an Audible or eMusic account, then Windows Media Player 12 lets you seamlessly integrate your library with your purchased content. All in all, Windows Media Player 12 offers an easy and convenient way to explore and purchase new music.
