Best Media player
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SNGX1275
Posts: 10,615 +467
Winamp 5 with the classic (2.x) look, none of the new skin crap.
Its got a small visual footprint, tons of features that are unobtrusive, and plays audio and video files. Video files get their own seperate window with a very small 'window frame' around them so you can drag the video where you want without moving the whole player.
Its got a small visual footprint, tons of features that are unobtrusive, and plays audio and video files. Video files get their own seperate window with a very small 'window frame' around them so you can drag the video where you want without moving the whole player.
Media Player Classic. It's light, no need to install and support all video/audio files. VLC Player is good too.
Depends on what you need to play back. If it's everything then I'd say VLC. If it's just audio then foobar2000. If it's just video then back to VLC. If it's a file format supported by WMP then I'll use WMP11 - unless it has subs.
Video-Lan VLC Media Playerddot said:
or
K-Lite Mega Codec Pack (this has media player classic in it as well as REAL ALTERNATIVE and QUICKTIME ALTERNATIVE and all the possible codecs to play just about any media file)
or
Gom Player
.
i use VLC and K-Lite media player classic for video and winamp for audio. and Real Player for real media files (although real media files play in media player classic or WMP thanks to K-Lite).
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it doesnt bother me to use all 3.
SNGX1275
Posts: 10,615 +467
The problem with VLC is if you fullscreen it there is no (easy) way to get to a different part in the movie. In MPC (I think), WMP, and Winamp you can get a progress bar just by moving the mouse and then click to anywhere you want.
VLC will give you a progress bar at the bottom if you want, but as far as I can tell you can't make it go away, so it is stuck there the whole time.
VLC will give you a progress bar at the bottom if you want, but as far as I can tell you can't make it go away, so it is stuck there the whole time.
GeekieNick101
Posts: 350 +1
Winamp 5.35 is my favorite media player and Winamp also features some free XM radio stations. Although Winamp does crash now and then but it's far better than Windows Media Player.
When it comes to video formats, I swear by VLC and Media Player Classic - both are easy to use, come packed with options to get the best results for your machine, they're free from DRM :grinthumb and anything that doesn't work on one will work on the other.
VLC will usually override any region lockouts on DVD's and MPC also has extensive screen options that help you get the best "look" when watching films. On my Sony Vaio laptop it will fill the 16:9 display. :approve:
Jay
VLC will usually override any region lockouts on DVD's and MPC also has extensive screen options that help you get the best "look" when watching films. On my Sony Vaio laptop it will fill the 16:9 display. :approve:
Jay
poertner_1274
Posts: 3,874 +3
ddot, I'm not sure what you are looking for here.
Multiple people have suggested Winamp and VLC (Which I agree with) as the best all around players. Yet you insist on getting more choices. If those are the ones recommended the most, then I wouldn't think you would look anywhere else.
Just my thoughts.
Multiple people have suggested Winamp and VLC (Which I agree with) as the best all around players. Yet you insist on getting more choices. If those are the ones recommended the most, then I wouldn't think you would look anywhere else.
Just my thoughts.
I use Media Player Classic for 99% of my videos.
https://www.techspot.com/downloads/2260-media-player-classic.html
Unless you want to install loads of codecs, use the latest ffdshow beta. This will play almost any video format you throw at it.
http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=173941
Additionally, install Real Alternative and Quicktime Alternative so that you can play Real Media and QT files. If you have to.
I'd avoid codec packs like k-lite. They just add unnecessary bloat to the amount of software you have, and can thus cause conflicts unless you know what you're doing. Why not just install MPC and ffdshow instead?
I do also have VLC installed
https://www.techspot.com/downloads/3562-vlc-media-player.html
I don't find the interface as user-friendly as MPC, but it will also play just about anything you throw at it, because it actually has the codecs built-in. Additionally, if you have a corrupt or partial file (for instance, a half-downloaded file), then VLC is the best candidate for playing it.
Music is a different matter as I need 18 permanent playlists for each genre of music open and accessible in one click. So I use Foobar2000:
https://www.techspot.com/downloads/2258-foobar.html
All the software above is - of course - free. If it's not free it's not worth buying.
/flame
Of course, if you're more more interested in what looks pretty than in technical ability and stability, you could always go for WMP, Winamp, Real Player or other commercial rubbish.
/flame
/me chuckles
https://www.techspot.com/downloads/2260-media-player-classic.html
Unless you want to install loads of codecs, use the latest ffdshow beta. This will play almost any video format you throw at it.
http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=173941
Additionally, install Real Alternative and Quicktime Alternative so that you can play Real Media and QT files. If you have to.
I'd avoid codec packs like k-lite. They just add unnecessary bloat to the amount of software you have, and can thus cause conflicts unless you know what you're doing. Why not just install MPC and ffdshow instead?
I do also have VLC installed
https://www.techspot.com/downloads/3562-vlc-media-player.html
I don't find the interface as user-friendly as MPC, but it will also play just about anything you throw at it, because it actually has the codecs built-in. Additionally, if you have a corrupt or partial file (for instance, a half-downloaded file), then VLC is the best candidate for playing it.
Music is a different matter as I need 18 permanent playlists for each genre of music open and accessible in one click. So I use Foobar2000:
https://www.techspot.com/downloads/2258-foobar.html
All the software above is - of course - free. If it's not free it's not worth buying.
/flame
Of course, if you're more more interested in what looks pretty than in technical ability and stability, you could always go for WMP, Winamp, Real Player or other commercial rubbish.
/flame
/me chuckles
SNGX1275
Posts: 10,615 +467
I'd agree with you on the WMP or Real Player. But not the Winamp. My install of winamp is purely functional, none of that eye candy bloat bs. Look at my above screenshot, you can't tell me thats focusing on pretty over performance.matt2971 said:
Foobar2000 not only looks HORRIBLE but it's layout is so f'ing bad that you think you are using a program from Windows 3.1
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