Tuesday, October 16th 2018

Party Like It's 1998: Winamp to See New 2019 Release With Modern Features

I myself never used Winamp - I was a Windows Media Player kind of guy back then, yeah - but I'm well aware of its cult status among users of that times' PC's. The app's latest official version was released back in 2013, but a new version (release 5.8) will hit the scene soon - at first, with bug fixes and removal of Pro features for a more cohesive package.

Radionomy, the company that purchased Winamp back in 2014, has announced via its CEO, Alexandre Saboundjian, that "There will be a completely new version next year, with the legacy of Winamp but a more complete listening experience." This means eventual added support for modern features that have become quintessential to our consumption of audio media, such as playlists, podcasts, streaming radio stations, and others. The new release is pegged for a 2019 launch, though details are scarce in the fields for now.
Source: TechCrunch
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68 Comments on Party Like It's 1998: Winamp to See New 2019 Release With Modern Features

#26
Fx
windwhirlI'll give it a try when they release it. But it's unlikely that I will part with Foobar2000.
Wow, I had completely forgotten about Winamp. I tried it out, but ended up sticking with WMP myself.

I'm currently running MediaMonkey and cant remember why I switched from Foobar, but they are both solid.
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#27
djisas
Been using winamp ever since, im on 5.666, it it works, why change?
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#29
dozenfury
Agree on the comment about streaming being the main hope for it. I totally get the use case for using it for lossless, but for me $10 or less a month for Spotify or similar to have essentially every song ever made at my fingers in a basic player is hard to pass up even if not lossless quality (and there's Tidal but it has it's own issues). I have to assume this is an attempt to get WinAmp back on people's minds in the hope of an eventual acquisition by one of the music streaming services, but it seems about 10+ years late to happen if it was going to. WinAmp should have sold in about 2005.

I do think there might be some room in new players to incorporate a bit of the functionality from WinAmp that is missing today. The equalizer I don't necessarily need and can do that in my audio software, but some of the other audio plugins and global radio station streams are missed. I also miss some good visualizers that most current streaming players lack.
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#30
lexluthermiester
dozenfuryAgree on the comment about streaming being the main hope for it. I totally get the use case for using it for lossless, but for me $10 or less a month for Spotify or similar to have essentially every song ever made at my fingers in a basic player is hard to pass up even if not lossless quality (and there's Tidal but it has it's own issues). I have to assume this is an attempt to get WinAmp back on people's minds in the hope of an eventual acquisition by one of the music streaming services, but it seems about 10+ years late to happen if it was going to. WinAmp should have sold in about 2005.

I do think there might be some room in new players to incorporate a bit of the functionality from WinAmp that is missing today. The equalizer I don't necessarily need and can do that in my audio software, but some of the other audio plugins and global radio station streams are missed. I also miss some good visualizers that most current streaming players lack.
Gotta disagree. I have no use for a streaming player/service type app. Not sure anyone else who has used, currently uses or would use a future version of Winamp would either. What I'd want is an up to date player that improves on existing functionality.
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#31
GoldenX
Best news of the year so far.
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#32
Steevo
Whipping the llamas ass and the dancing sheep too?
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#33
GAR
AIMP is miles better, and for video Pot Player and VLC
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#34
Voluman
stanleyipkissI still use Winamp today. Version 2.81 is actually the best one -- no resource usage (low anyway) and no tacked on unnecessary features (like video). Trust me, I've studied this a lot -- get 2.81 and enjoy.
Well, yes, but it doesnt support 5.1 by default (after some minimal mod, yes) if i am remember correctly, just from version 5.1 above.
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#36
c0d3x5
WIN AMP..... WIN AMP!!! REALLY KICKS THE LLAMAS ASS!!! oh i missed you...
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#37
Blueberries
Winamp? Foobar2000?

The nostalgia in this thread is insane.
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#38
eidairaman1
The Exiled Airman
I used winamp till it felt like malware.

I was looking for alternatives and used WMP with codecs
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#39
Prima.Vera
For the little kids in here, Winamp was and still is all about the plugins. Especially the ones for Sound-Out. Even now I'm using OpenAL output for beautiful surround sound of the MP3 stereo files. The Hardware EAX output one for the Creative cards it's also very good.
Visualizations are also the best.
Sorry but no other players out there can give this functionality.
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#40
AnarchoPrimitiv
When I first started using Winamp, I was still using ICQ...anyone remember ICQ?
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#41
Prima.Vera
AnarchoPrimitivWhen I first started using Winamp, I was still using ICQ...anyone remember ICQ?
Used it first on Windows 3.11 for Workgroups, together with AOL :laugh::laugh:
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#42
GoldenX
BlueberriesWinamp? Foobar2000?

The nostalgia in this thread is insane.
Now listen here young lad, I was there, 3000 system updates ago...
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#43
Paganstomp
Remembers back in the day when computers didn't have a sound card...
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#44
eidairaman1
The Exiled Airman
PaganstompRemembers back in the day when computers didn't have a sound card...
What where they just beeped at ya?

XT era?

I know my baby AT had sound.
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#45
GoldenX
Some AT had ac'97, but not all of them, I remember selling a couple of PCI Sound Blasters because of that.
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#46
eidairaman1
The Exiled Airman
GoldenXSome AT had ac'97, but not all of them, I remember selling a couple of PCI Sound Blasters because of that.
Now that I think about it, mine might of had a SB card in it, probably ISA or a header that was in ISA/pci bracket.

Heres 2 pics of my first mobo.

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#47
GoldenX
Ah, when they had both PSU options.
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#48
eidairaman1
The Exiled Airman
GoldenXAh, when they had both PSU options.
1998 when I had it. Became an Enthusiast a year after learning how to use one. My AT case had the AT PSU
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#49
GoldenX
eidairaman11998 when I had it. Became an Enthusiast a year after learning how to use one. My AT case had the AT PSU
I remember thinking that the "auto" shutdown of AT was futuristic.
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#50
eidairaman1
The Exiled Airman
GoldenXI remember thinking that the "auto" shutdown of AT was futuristic.
When I saw an ATX system i was in awe lol, it could Hibernate etc. Oh the simple features we take for granted now were awesome then.

Notice no AGP lol
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