Windows Media Format Runtime

Users prefer to stick to their old version of Windows for numerous reasons, some of them got too accustomed to it to replace it, while others simply cannot afford purchasing a new OS flavor. Regardless of the reason that is keeping them with XP, 2000 or 2003, users might occasionally want to benefit from updates and apps meant for newer operating systems.

Suitable for older operating systems

When they want to take advantage of the functions included in Windows Media Player 11 but their operating system does not support actually installing the application, users can try Windows Media Format Runtime.
Once they install this software utility, users can integrate the latest Windows Media Player codecs to their computer, even if they are running an old OS. This way, they can play WMA (Windows Media Audio) and WMV (Windows Media Video) files without any additional apps.

Clean integration into your system

After it analyzes the host computer’s configuration and ensures it is compatible, Windows Media Format Runtime installs without any glitches and provides users with the aforementioned WMA and WMV support.
Another way of obtaining support for these file formats is to install a third-party codec pack that contains much more codecs than only these two. The advantage of relying on Windows Media Format Runtime is that it comes with full integration with the host PC, meaning that it does not break file associations or change user settings.

To sum up

In the end, it is simply a matter of choice: Windows Media Format Runtime might be the right tool for those who only want WMA and WMV supports, whereas those who frequently deal with numerous multimedia players typically prefer a more comprehensive codec suite.