Jul 08 2019 08:31 AM - edited Aug 16 2019 11:24 AM
Already available in Chrome Version 77.0.3847.0 (Official Build) canary (64-bit), although it crashes every time i use the media buttons but i'm sure it's only temporary and will be stable soon. however it seems really useful and would make a great addition to the Microsoft Edge.
I'm on Edge Canary latest ver.
UPDATE: ADDED IN MICROSOFT EDGE Version 78.0.249.0 (Official build) canary (64-bit)
Jul 17 2019 02:47 PM
Hi @HotCakeX, I'm not positive, but I think that the Global Media Controls in Chrome is a Chrome only feature. If you feel that there is a real need for more control of your media in the browser, please let us know that. We would love to better understand the problem that you are trying to solve, the workarounds that you are currently using and what the ideal state would be for you.
Thanks - Elliot
Jul 17 2019 10:25 PM
@Elliot Kirk Hello, that feature can be most useful in a couple of situations, for example when you have a lot of opened tabs and one of them has a video playing in it, with the global media controls you won't need to search each tabs one by one to find that specific tab, you just click on that button and it lists all the medias being played.
another useful case can be when again you have more than 1 tab opened and one of them suddenly starts playing some audio or video in the background due to some intrusive ads, with that button you can handle it pretty quickly.
lastly, it comes very handy when you have only 1 open tab but you are scrolling through a web page that has infinite scrolling and somewhere at the top or middle of the page you play a video and then you keep on scrolling. without media controllers you will have to go back all the way up again to pause/play/next that video which will be hard since you will lose your progress through the page you were scrolling down and you will have to start all over again.
these are few useful cases that I experienced myself. i should also mentioned that right now that button in Chrome is stable. i don't think it matter that much that media controllers is a chrome only feature since Edge team is a lot capable and could implement such feature if they decided to.
Thanks :)
Jul 19 2019 11:28 AM - edited Jul 20 2019 03:25 AM
@HotCakeX I am not sure what OS you are using, but on Windows 10, Microsoft Edge (Chromium) gives a better option of media control which integrates with the Volume HUD:
It also allows you to control playback using media buttons on your keyboard regardless of whatever window is currently focused.
Although this feature was present in some earlier version of Chromium too, but they later disabled it. So, when any media is being played, you'd see only the Volume HUD in Chrome Canary when you use media keys. It's not the case with Microsoft Edge (Chromium). They (Chromium devs) recently replaced that feature with a play icon on the toolbar, which can be enabled by enabling the "Global Media Controls" flag, as you described. But, I guess, that works only when Chrome's window is on focus and not controllable with the media buttons on the keyboard. (Couldn't test it thoroughly as it is very unstable as of yet.)
Jul 19 2019 01:41 PM - edited Jul 19 2019 01:47 PM
@Deleted
1. I use Windows 10 pro latest stable and insider fast ring
2. whatever Edge canary is using, Chrome canary is using as well so don't think Edge has any advantages there.
3. i think you need to read my previous comment again to understand the need for global media controls button. you don't think Google developers just made a useless button, do you? lol
4. global media controls button manages more than 1 media while the Windows 10's built in manager only works with 1 media at a time.
Jul 19 2019 01:57 PM - edited Jul 19 2019 02:50 PM
2. whatever Edge canary is using, Chrome canary is using as well so don't think Edge has any advantages there.
Not really. Earlier (Until a few days ago), they had the same approach. You should read my reply again.
3. i think you need to read my previous comment again to understand the need for global media controls button. you don't think Google developers just made a useless key, do you? lol
I don't think you read my reply. Nowhere did I deny that we don't need a global media control button. I mentioned that Microsoft Edge uses an implementation which Google has now removed from their codebase in favour of a newer global media control option. It doesn't integrate with Windows' Media Control HUD.
4. global media controls button manages more than 1 media while the Windows 10's built in manager only works with 1 media at a time.
About that, as I checked, it controls playback of only the current tab. So, it is no different than the existing Windows' Volume HUD control.
Jul 19 2019 02:48 PM
Jul 19 2019 02:48 PM
@Deleted one question about the hud, you know a shortcut to force it to appear (without change the volume)
Jul 19 2019 02:54 PM
Jul 19 2019 02:54 PM
Jul 19 2019 03:01 PM
Jul 19 2019 03:01 PM
Jul 19 2019 03:04 PM
Jul 19 2019 03:04 PM
Jul 21 2019 01:52 PM - edited Jul 21 2019 01:55 PM
@Deleted
Google Chrome canary Version 77.0.3859.0 (Official Build) canary (64-bit)
both the global media key and the Windows 10 integrated media controls are working, seamlessly.
so as i said Google hasn't removed anything, they also added something new which allows controlling more than 1 playback.
you know what's funny? the fact that the next/previous buttons in the Google's controls work on YouTube videos and other places but the Windows 10's built in thingy doesn't work, these buttons are just grey.
Jul 23 2019 07:43 AM
@HotCakeX wrote:@Deleted
Google Chrome canary Version 77.0.3859.0 (Official Build) canary (64-bit)
both the global media key and the Windows 10 integrated media controls are working, seamlessly.
so as i said Google hasn't removed anything, they also added something new which allows controlling more than 1 playback.
you know what's funny? the fact that the next/previous buttons in the Google's controls work on YouTube videos and other places but the Windows 10's built in thingy doesn't work, these buttons are just grey.
@HotCakeX I apologise for my mistake. You were actually right — Google hasn't removed the integration with Windows' Volume HUD in Chrome Canary. But, for some reasons the day I commented on global media control, it wasn't working as intended to, and neither was Windows' Volume HUD integration working (It hadn't been working for a while in Chrome Canary though). But, since Chrome Canary version 77.0.3861.0, everything works smoothly.
And, sure it does sound like a good idea, but I am afraid it is a Chrome-only feature. I hope they don't restrict Edge team to create their own alternative.