Chrome and Safari browsers and how they handle WM files

Can anyone please tell me why both Chrome and Safari browsers (on Windows platform) do not automatically use the Windows Media Player to play Windows Media files (.asf and .wmv). Instead they play in the browser and you have to use the back arrow button to go back to the page that has the hyperlink to these files....And in the case of Safari -- it is very slow to return to that page whne you click the back arrow button.

Is there anyway to correct this?

Thanks

Reply 1 : Chrome and Safari browsers and how they handle WM files

to play all file types.

Reply 2 : Chrome and Safari browsers and how they handle WM files

What does your answer mean?

Reply 3 : Chrome and Safari browsers and how they handle WM files

Click Tools, Options, File types. Select all. Close WMP. Close all Browsers. Reopen.

Reply 4 : Chrome and Safari browsers and how they handle WM files

Checked all those and they were already selected and to be safe I also upgraded to the latest ver of WMP (11) -- still plays in the browers (with WMP controls) and not in a separate WMP...I checked both browsers and saw no where to change this...you can right click on the hyperlink -- but the only option is to play in a new browser window...

Here is the tyoical html code I used:

<a href="video/blinc_examples.wmv">Click here</a>

Thanks for any help on this, very much appreciated.
K

Reply 5 : Chrome and Safari browsers and how they handle WM files

I tried this code and in Chrome and Safari it will open in a new browser window (but still nto the player itself)

<a href="video/blinc_examples.wmv" <nclick="window.open (this.href, ''); return false" title="Click to see lighting examples">Click to see lighting examples</a>

But Safari for windows is very slow to close when running a windows media file...(which is only 3MB)...

Reply 6 : Chrome and Safari browsers and how they handle WM files

That is the 'correct' behavior. Windows Media Player uses a plugin that enables in-browser playing of supported media files. The alternative is forcing the user to download the file and then open (play) it manually. (Ex: click the link; download manager opens; wait for download to complete; double-click to open in default media player) If you're creating a website, you have to expect the experience to be different depending on the users' operating system, browser, and plugin settings. In short, provide the first link (no JS) and let the user's browser handle it as the user's browser is configured.

John

Reply 7 : Chrome and Safari browsers and how they handle WM files

Thanks for the information -- very much appreciated