Media Player News and Articles

MPC-HC 2.8.2 adds ReplayGain support and playback improvements

MPC-HC is a lightweight and highly customizable Windows media player, with strong codec support through its bundled LAV Filters and excellent compatibility with advanced renderers. Version 2.8.2 adds ReplayGain volume normalization, smoother seeking and file launching. For more recommended playback and streaming apps, check out our Essentials Software guide.

By Ivan Franco, September 17, 2026, 5:15 PM

Download of the Week Software

MPC-HC is old-school software in the best possible way

Media Player Classic - Home Cinema is fast, lightweight, and plays virtually anything without unnecessary extras. Its classic interface stays out of the way, while advanced users can fine-tune playback with custom filters, shaders, and renderers such as madVR. MPC-HC is also one of our Essential Apps.

By Ivan Franco, August 18, 2026, 6:18 PM

Software Tech Culture

A Windows Defender bug is making VLC take 30 seconds to open an MP3 file

Windows' antivirus software is mistakenly quarantining VLC's plugin cache

By Alfonso Maruccia, August 15, 2026, 9:03 AM 24 comments

Download of the Week Software

VirtualDJ combines powerful mixing tools and real-time stems without the cost

VirtualDJ is free for home use, giving aspiring DJs access to pro-grade mixing tools without requiring dedicated hardware. The software supports real-time stem separation, audio, video, and karaoke mixing, effects, loops, and recording.

By Ivan Franco, August 3, 2026, 2:10 PM

Security Software

SmartTube has been compromised, Android TV users need to switch to the new build now

Popular app was flagged after its developer's computer was hit with malware

By Alfonso Maruccia, December 3, 2025, 12:52 PM 9 comments

Download of the Week Software

Media Player Classic BE is a modern take on a classic player

MPC-BE (Black Edition) is a free, open-source media player for Windows. It builds on the legacy of the original Media Player Classic and MPC-HC. It combines lightweight performance= with a refreshed interface, built-in codecs, active development, and hardware acceleration support.

By Ivan Franco, September 22, 2025, 1:04 PM

Download of the Week Software

Dopamine audio player debuts new v3 preview version

Dopamine is an elegant audio player designed to make organizing and listening to music as simple as possible. The team has just released a new preview of version 3 for Windows, macOS, and Linux. New features include a mini player, gapless playback, and more.

By Erik Orejuela, May 7, 2025, 11:02 AM

Software Tech Culture

Winamp source code released, but with significant restrictions

You can read the code, but you cannot fork it

By Alfonso Maruccia, September 26, 2024, 10:41 AM

Download of the Week Security

VLC player fixes vulnerability that could allow remote code execution

VLC 3.0.21 has addressed a critical vulnerability that could allow malicious attackers to execute arbitrary code remotely. Users are strongly advised to update to this version.

By Ivan Franco, June 13, 2024, 4:27 PM

Electronics Tech Culture

Hobbyist revives the beloved Winamp player into a polished physical marvel

The big picture: Teenagers and young adults of the late 1990s will remember Winamp as the de facto music player on their Windows PCs. If tinkering with electronics and fabrication is your jam, give Linamp a look. It brings Winamp to the physical plane, allowing you to touch this piece of history. It is a testament to one's passion and creativity, taking something old and giving it a new lease on life.

Full story By Stan Goldyn, June 9, 2024, 10:43 AM 19 comments

Software Download of the Week

Open-source media player MPC-HC gets UI overhaul, adds HDR support

MPC-HC now allows you to stream videos directly from YouTube and other websites. Notable improvements include light/dark UI modes, and HDR video playback using the MPC Video Renderer or madVR.

By Ivan Franco, March 11, 2024, 6:38 PM

Software Download of the Week

Free audio player foobar2000 launches version 2.1

foobar2000 2.1 brings several improvements and bug fixes, dark mode refinements, and a new Internet radio search functionality.

By Ivan Franco, December 18, 2023, 11:22 AM

Software Download of the Week

Plex's music player, Plexamp is now free to download

Plexamp was a subscriber-only perk, but Plex has now released a free version offering unlimited streaming of your music library, gapless playback, and support for CarPlay and Android Auto.

By Ivan Franco, July 18, 2023, 6:06 PM

Industry The Web

Amazon wants to buy Indian streaming service MX Player

Companies are still talking, the acquisition is not a sure thing

By Alfonso Maruccia, May 11, 2023, 12:16 PM

Download of the Week Software

Foobar2000 hits version 2.0 with major improvements

foobar2000 introduces v2.0 with dark mode support, redesigned UI elements, support for more audio formats, and other improvements.

By Ivan Franco, April 26, 2023, 3:36 PM

Software

Nvidia's RTX Video Super Resolution now works in VLC to upscale offline videos

Upscaling for your personal video library

By Shawn Knight, April 12, 2023, 12:14 PM 12 comments

Electronics

New Android 12-powered Sony Walkmans: cool looks and high prices

Retro tech with a very modern update

By Rob Thubron, January 16, 2023, 5:18 AM 35 comments

Software Download of the Week

Winamp 5.9.1 uses less memory brings more optimizations

Newly relaunched Winamp has hit version 5.9.1 with several improvements such as memory footprint reduction, faster load time, increased buffer size for podcast downloads, and more.

By Ivan Franco, December 22, 2022, 4:05 PM

Software

VLC media player adds support for new formats, improves streaming support, and more

Why it matters: VLC is universally regarded as one of the best (if not the best) media players available today. A new version released a couple of days ago brings further improvements for the program's compatibility, stability, security and format support.

Full story By Alfonso Maruccia, December 1, 2022, 1:48 PM 7 comments

Software Download of the Week

Winamp 5.9 final is available for download

Winamp is back after a four-year hiatus. Version 5.9 improves Windows 11 support, adds https and high resolution playback among many other underlying changes.

By Ivan Franco, September 12, 2022, 10:37 AM

Software Download of the Week

Winamp launches new version after four years

After four years of slumber, Winamp launches a new version 5.9 RC1 Build 9999 with Windows 11 support, improved playback of audio streams as well as VP8 support.

By Ivan Franco, July 28, 2022, 7:51 PM

Software Download of the Week

PotPlayer is a feature-packed media player with a built-in video recorder

PotPlayer plays virtually any media format and optimizes its output for your specific device. It also includes a recorder you can use to save any video playback or streaming content.

By Ivan Franco, July 15, 2022, 1:05 PM

Microsoft Software

Microsoft is working on an all-new Media Player for Windows 11

Windows Media Player is now just called Media Player, will replace the Groove Music app

By Humza Aamir, November 17, 2021, 8:02 AM 20 comments

Download of the Week Software

Media Player Classic BE is like the old Windows Media player, but with more features

Media Player Classic Black Edition is a free and lightweight Windows player based on the MPC and MPC-HC projects, with additional codecs and features.

By Ivan Franco, November 8, 2021, 5:40 PM

What Ever Happened to Winamp?

FEATURE By Shawn Knight, October 28, 2021, 10:34 AM TechSpot Tech Culture

#TBT Launched in 1997, Winamp is a media player that supports a wide array of audio formats and was an iconic application in the heyday of MP3 music. Winamp was nearly ubiquitous, used by millions in the early 2000s.