[RESOLVED] Can I use WMPlayer control in my application (legally)?

[zahadumy]

I use WMPlayer control in a small application to handle some media files (it works great). I don't know if I can use this in an application if I'm going to put it on the internet (free). I'm not going to ask for money for it. And where should I get information about these issues in the future? Thank you.

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I attached a picture, if you don't know what control I am talking about

[mpdeglau]

I'm assuming that you are using the Media Player SDK to get this? If so, yes you can. They should have some sort of license agreement text file in the install directory (you also had to say yes to it to install). I couldn't find it on the MS site though.

[zahadumy]

I'm assuming that you are using the Media Player SDK to get this? If so, yes you can. They should have some sort of license agreement text file in the install directory (you also had to say yes to it to install). I couldn't find it on the MS site though.

Now that you told me, I remember I clicked "yes" on some license agreement, but at that moment I was just interested how it looks like and if it works, and I can't manage to find that text file again.
I don't know what Media Player SDK is, but I can tell you how I added that control on the form. Project -> Add reference -> choose the COM tab -> select Windows Media Player (path = C:\Windows\system32\wmp.dll) -> OK.
Am I using WMP SDK? Thank you.

[mpdeglau]

Yes you are using the SDK. And yes you can use the control.

[zahadumy]

Just for my curiosity, if you want to sell a product including this, are you allowed to do this? Because initially I wanted to write my own player for mp3, avi and a few other basic formats, but I found this and didn't even try... Thanks again... I can't rate you though... I have to "spread some reputation"

[mpdeglau]

Yeah you can sell your products using the wmp sdk. It will have essentially the same license as the .Net Framework. If you reference the wmp dll in your app, that requires the user to have wmp installed on their computer, just like if you use the .Net Framework, the user needs the .Net Framework installed.

[zahadumy]

Yeah you can sell your products using the wmp sdk. It will have essentially the same license as the .Net Framework. If you reference the wmp dll in your app, that requires the user to have wmp installed on their computer, just like if you use the .Net Framework, the user needs the .Net Framework installed.

Hmmm... interesesting. So if I have a license for .Net Framework I can use al the controls and stuff without paying for them... Thank you.

[mpdeglau]

Yeah...It you want to use notepad to write your vb.net program. Have fun! All you have to do is change the extension of the text file to the vb extension. There is a comandline compiler that gets installed when you download the .Net SDK. You aren't paying for the .Net Framework SDK. You're paying for the program that makes it easier to write in that language (assuming you are using something above the Express Editions).

[zahadumy]

Yeah...It you want to use notepad to write your vb.net program. Have fun! All you have to do is change the extension of the text file to the vb extension. There is a comandline compiler that gets installed when you download the .Net SDK. You aren't paying for the .Net Framework SDK. You're paying for the program that makes it easier to write in that language (assuming you are using something above the Express Editions).

This is really one thing I didn't know... So after all .Net Framework is free? And if I would use Notepad I wouldn't have to pay fot the license? Anyway, I think there is not a single man on Earth who is doing this. Or if it is, he's definitely crazy...

[sevenhalo]

On the same note, what about making a player that can play various 3rd party file types? Say for instance, you wanted to make a player that could read RealPlayer's .RA files. I know it's perfectly legal to play .wav and .mp3, but am curious if these "specialized" files are considered infringement.

Sorry to hijack. The question seemed relevent, and I thought adding on to one resolved question might be cleaner than making a new thread.

[mpdeglau]

I would guess, but I don't have the license agreement and I'm not a lawyer so I would understand it anyways, but if you could write some sort of plug in that could play the files I don't see why not. I think there are 2 issues to this though. First does wmp allow you to create a plugin to play a different file type. I would assume they really would care, that just means there is one more format that people can play using their media player. The other issue is are you allowed to write an app for their file format, or do you have to use their player. For example does Real allow you to make a program that will play their format, and if they do do you have to pay, or do they require you to use their app.

So if I were to guess (emphasis on guess) as long as you weren't reverse enginearing wmp to get it to work, it wouldn't be breaking the MS license, but you would also have to find the licenses for the file formats as well.

[sevenhalo]

WMP can't play .ra (last I checked, they won't play any RealAudio file).

That's kind of where the question derived from. Since it's RealPlayer's algorithms and formats, but the music it "equates to" is technically property of the client... How does that work legally?

[mpdeglau]

If really player allows you to write pluggins so that their format will work with another player, then you would have to write a plugin (actually I think it's technically called a codec) that wmp would use so that it could play ra files. So from the wmp side it should be legal, so you would have to find out if real allows you to write plugins that use there file formats.

But it may not be possible anyways. I just don't know. Never tried it.

[zahadumy]

But... does it matter what kind of media files do I play using WMP? And how would they know if my application "happens" to play .ra? I use it to play whatever it will play and won't bother to write plug-ins because it's just not the case, but if I would have written one to play .ra, would someone bother to check for this? Just wondering...

PS: I'm not a lawyer either, and don't know much about these things...

[sevenhalo]

if I would have written one to play .ra, would someone bother to check for this?

If your app got popular enough people stopped using RealPlayer all together, I think they might investigate.

The question I had really does pertain to reverse engineering the file's format. Since the music isn't property of RealPlayer, would reverse engineering their formats (keep in mind I'm not talking about ripping the player apart) be illegal?

[zahadumy]

If your app got popular enough people stopped using RealPlayer all together, I think they might investigate.

You do have a point, I didn't think about this

The question I had really does pertain to reverse engineering the file's format. Since the music isn't property of RealPlayer, would reverse engineering their formats (keep in mind I'm not talking about ripping the player apart) be illegal?

I got your question, but really don't know... As you said, music is not their property, but that music format is their property, so I think these are laws issues and we're just programmers... If someone would want to do this, probably will be recommended to ask some lawyers or RealPlayer or whatever...