In many people's impression, DOS is a single-tasking text-mode operating system, so how could it possibly have any, or any decent, multimedia capabilities? Actually, that is not so. For example, Windows 3.x and Windows 9x are nothing more than large protected-mode applications built on top of DOS, so why can they also play wonderful multimedia files? Therefore, multimedia is by no means the “patent” of operating systems like WIN. It is entirely possible to implement multimedia functions under DOS, and with the development of the times, the release of new development tools and programming libraries, multimedia under DOS has become easier and easier to implement, and its functions have become stronger and stronger as well. Everyone can see this in “The Development of DOS in Recent Years.”
Note: if you want to use a sound card to play sound under DOS, you must first set up the sound card properly. For the specific method, please see “Using and Configuring Hardware Devices under DOS” in this section.
Of course, the DOS operating system itself does not come with multimedia commands, and requires dedicated multimedia software, just as we need dedicated game software to play games. There is a lot of multimedia software for DOS. Older ones include SEA and others, but in recent years, with the development of multimedia technology, multimedia software under DOS has clearly increased as well, such as QuickView Pro, Cubic Player (OpenCP), MPXPlay, DSS, and so on. You can download them from “Media Software” under “DOS Software Classified Downloads.” These programs can generally play files in formats such as WAV and MP3, and some support even more formats. For example, Cubic Player not only supports many formats, including WAV, MP3, MID, RMI, ASF, MOD, S3M, IT, ASF, 669, CD audio, etc., but also has a very good interface. Note that most MP3 file players are best used on computers of 586 and above for the best effect. When playing MP3 on a 486 or lower computer, sound dropouts may occur, while formats such as WAV do not have this problem.
Some people used DOSAmp before to play MP3 files, and because they felt its playback quality was not good, they concluded that MP3 playback under DOS was all bad. Actually, that is incorrect. DOSAmp is in fact the oldest MP3 player under DOS, and both its functions and results are the worst. Its interface is not the worst, but only average, and it has long since been淘汰了. Although I often listen to MP3 songs under DOS, I very much dislike using DOSAmp, and instead use other MP3 players under DOS whose playback effect is very good. Everyone can find them in “Media Software.”
Among all this software, I recommend QuickView Pro. It is a very powerful multimedia program with support for a great many formats, including various music formats (such as WAV, MP3, etc.), various graphics formats (such as BMP, GIF, JPG, PCX, etc.), and many multimedia formats as well (such as AVI, MPG, MOV, FLC/FLI, VCD, etc.). It has been developing continuously; for example, its latest version 2.51 was just released at the end of February this year. Its specific usage can be seen in the article “DOS Multimedia Player—Using QuickView” in the “DOS Articles” section. Of course, I also recommend some other MP3 players. MPXPLAY, for example, is also quite good, with a considerable number of functions. It can handle media playback, conversion, and so on. Its interface is also very good, and it supports mouse operation, making it very convenient and practical. It, too, has been continuously developing and updating, and its latest version was only just released not long ago.
In addition, full-screen MIDI players such as MegaMid and MidPlay are also very good, with not only nice interfaces but also powerful functions. They can all display subtitles in MIDI music (if there are any), and they are also very easy to operate. As for various other multimedia formats, they can also be played under DOS, such as VideoCD (VCD). Besides the above QuickView Pro, Mpegone and others can all do this as well, with very good results. Of course, it is best to play them on a 586 or above computer; the newer the machine, the better the effect. As for playback of formats such as RealAudio, that can be found in the “Frequently Asked Questions in Using DOS (FAQ)” section.
In short, multimedia under DOS is very powerful. If you are interested, you can also develop some multimedia software for DOS for the “DOS Development” section, so as to keep up with the development of DOS software abroad, help the many DOS users and enthusiasts, and also promote the development of domestic free software. There are truly many benefits.
Note: if you want to use a sound card to play sound under DOS, you must first set up the sound card properly. For the specific method, please see “Using and Configuring Hardware Devices under DOS” in this section.
Of course, the DOS operating system itself does not come with multimedia commands, and requires dedicated multimedia software, just as we need dedicated game software to play games. There is a lot of multimedia software for DOS. Older ones include SEA and others, but in recent years, with the development of multimedia technology, multimedia software under DOS has clearly increased as well, such as QuickView Pro, Cubic Player (OpenCP), MPXPlay, DSS, and so on. You can download them from “Media Software” under “DOS Software Classified Downloads.” These programs can generally play files in formats such as WAV and MP3, and some support even more formats. For example, Cubic Player not only supports many formats, including WAV, MP3, MID, RMI, ASF, MOD, S3M, IT, ASF, 669, CD audio, etc., but also has a very good interface. Note that most MP3 file players are best used on computers of 586 and above for the best effect. When playing MP3 on a 486 or lower computer, sound dropouts may occur, while formats such as WAV do not have this problem.
Some people used DOSAmp before to play MP3 files, and because they felt its playback quality was not good, they concluded that MP3 playback under DOS was all bad. Actually, that is incorrect. DOSAmp is in fact the oldest MP3 player under DOS, and both its functions and results are the worst. Its interface is not the worst, but only average, and it has long since been淘汰了. Although I often listen to MP3 songs under DOS, I very much dislike using DOSAmp, and instead use other MP3 players under DOS whose playback effect is very good. Everyone can find them in “Media Software.”
Among all this software, I recommend QuickView Pro. It is a very powerful multimedia program with support for a great many formats, including various music formats (such as WAV, MP3, etc.), various graphics formats (such as BMP, GIF, JPG, PCX, etc.), and many multimedia formats as well (such as AVI, MPG, MOV, FLC/FLI, VCD, etc.). It has been developing continuously; for example, its latest version 2.51 was just released at the end of February this year. Its specific usage can be seen in the article “DOS Multimedia Player—Using QuickView” in the “DOS Articles” section. Of course, I also recommend some other MP3 players. MPXPLAY, for example, is also quite good, with a considerable number of functions. It can handle media playback, conversion, and so on. Its interface is also very good, and it supports mouse operation, making it very convenient and practical. It, too, has been continuously developing and updating, and its latest version was only just released not long ago.
In addition, full-screen MIDI players such as MegaMid and MidPlay are also very good, with not only nice interfaces but also powerful functions. They can all display subtitles in MIDI music (if there are any), and they are also very easy to operate. As for various other multimedia formats, they can also be played under DOS, such as VideoCD (VCD). Besides the above QuickView Pro, Mpegone and others can all do this as well, with very good results. Of course, it is best to play them on a 586 or above computer; the newer the machine, the better the effect. As for playback of formats such as RealAudio, that can be found in the “Frequently Asked Questions in Using DOS (FAQ)” section.
In short, multimedia under DOS is very powerful. If you are interested, you can also develop some multimedia software for DOS for the “DOS Development” section, so as to keep up with the development of DOS software abroad, help the many DOS users and enthusiasts, and also promote the development of domestic free software. There are truly many benefits.
Wengier - 新DOS时代
欢迎大家来到我的“新DOS时代”网站，里面有各类DOS软件和资料，地址：
http://wendos.mycool.net/
E-Mail & MSN: wengierwu AT hotmail.com （最近比较忙，有事请联系DOSroot和雨露，谢谢！）
欢迎大家来到我的“新DOS时代”网站，里面有各类DOS软件和资料，地址：
http://wendos.mycool.net/
E-Mail & MSN: wengierwu AT hotmail.com （最近比较忙，有事请联系DOSroot和雨露，谢谢！）
