QuickPlay
| Company type | Software |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer software |
| Founded | 2004 |
| Founder | Hewlett-Packard |
| Products | Multimedia playback software |
| Parent | Hewlett-Packard |
QuickPlay was a technology introduced by Hewlett-Packard in 2004 that allowed users to access multimedia content without needing to start the primary operating system. It was integrated into HP Pavilion Entertainment laptop models beginning with the dv1000 and extending to the HDX lineup, and was also incorporated in various HP Compaq notebook computers. Comparable functionalities were subsequently implemented by companies such as Dell, Alienware, and Toshiba. It is important to distinguish QuickPlay from the unrelated QuickPlay initiative hosted on SourceForge.
Developed specifically for HP by CyberLink Corp., the software featured two principal elements in versions up to 2.3, which were bundled with Windows XP laptops. The first element, known as "Direct," provided immediate playback of music CDs, DVDs, and MP3 files at startup through a dedicated hardware button or an infrared remote control. This capability was achieved via software residing on a separate partition running a specialized operating system (Linux for version 1.0 and Windows XP Embedded for version 2.3). The second element was a Windows-based application delivering equivalent multimedia functions, with subsequent releases incorporating additional features such as gaming and karaoke.
Starting with version 3.0, which accompanied Windows Vista, QuickPlay eliminated the "Direct" feature due to issues with compatibility, necessitating that users fully boot into Windows to operate the software, whether accessed externally or from within the OS environment. The QuickPlay product line was eventually phased out and succeeded by HP MediaSmart Software on all HP desktops and notebooks released with Windows 7 beginning in 2009.