What's the best Media Player? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

jorgelito · 08-28-2008, 08:46 PM

Can anyone recommend a good media player? For example: Quicktime, VLC Player, Windows Media Player. I don't really like Quicktime all that much.

Thanks.

Frosstbyte · 08-28-2008, 09:46 PM

Well, what kind of media do you want to play and what do you want it to do? Are you just trying to watch individual movies or clips? Are you trying to organize a big collection? Music or movies or dvds?

jorgelito · 08-29-2008, 08:05 AM

Watch movies.

Baraka_Guru · 08-29-2008, 08:15 AM

I use VLC Player by default. I avoid Windows Media Player like the plague. I don't mind Quicktime, but I only really use it when it's embedded on the Web.

VLC Player is small and easy and plays just about anything.

jorgelito · 08-29-2008, 08:22 AM

Yeah, despite the lack of responses I went with VLC last night. Doesn't seem to be many computer people around here.

LoganSnake · 08-29-2008, 08:26 AM

Winamp for music. VLC for video. I don't use anything else.

Baraka_Guru · 08-29-2008, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jorgelito

Yeah, despite the lack of responses I went with VLC last night. Doesn't seem to be many computer people around here.

Well, you did just fine, then. I hope you continue to enjoy the program.

Plaid13 · 08-29-2008, 08:46 AM

vlc is nice but i prefer windows media player classic just because its so simple once you get all the right codecs its nice. VLC is nice if you dont want to worry about codecs.

jorgelito · 08-29-2008, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baraka_Guru

Well, you did just fine, then. I hope you continue to enjoy the program.

Thanks! I downloaded it for both Mac and PC.

LoganSnake · 08-29-2008, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plaid13

vlc is nice but i prefer windows media player classic just because its so simple once you get all the right codecs its nice. VLC is nice if you dont want to worry about codecs.

I have just about every codec there is. Had to download some for some files to play in VLC, so you still need codecs for it.

Baraka_Guru · 08-29-2008, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jorgelito

Thanks! I downloaded it for both Mac and PC.

Yeah, I have it on both machines as well. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they have an OS X version.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoganSnake

Had to download some for some files to play in VLC, so you still need codecs for it.

I have yet to come across this issue. What file types need codecs in VLC?

LoganSnake · 08-29-2008, 10:45 AM

Well, I don't know anymore because everything works now. Was a while ago.

Plaid13 · 08-30-2008, 04:41 PM

Hum yeah never had to worry about codecs with vlc But i just download klite codec pack and use windows media player classic and everything works anyway.

tiltedbc · 09-05-2008, 11:25 PM

I use VLC for all things video. Winamp for audio.

jorgelito · 09-06-2008, 12:16 AM

Thanks again everyone for your insight and thank you Baraka for your Mac perspective. The WD My Book Essential 500 GB is serving me well at the moment. Only problem is I can't write to it from my Mac.

God of Thunder · 09-06-2008, 05:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoganSnake

Winamp for music. VLC for video. I don't use anything else.

What he said

SecretMethod70 · 07-16-2009, 03:53 AM

I'll echo the VLC for video, Winamp for Audio sentiment. Other apps may be flashier, but VLC just plain works. I haven't downloaded codecs in years.

roachboy · 07-16-2009, 12:53 PM

another vlc endorsement.
i use it for streaming audio as well.

Jetée · 07-16-2009, 01:28 PM

I use realplayer for the most part (and it surprised me to notice that the monolith 'Google', now endorses it as well), if only because I don't usually encounter other audio and video formats that deviate from my mp3/avi/wmv/mp4/mov usuals.

I did, however, recently install VLC player if for whatever case, I cannot play a file, I upload it to the payer and check to see if it runs. VLC is now my patented backup, and Realplayer is my starter; if for whatever reason, the starter fails, I bring out the closer.

tcp · 07-18-2009, 12:02 PM

VLC is easy to use, but the interface is not very nice. SMPlayer (GUI for mplayer) is good too, remembers the playback position on every video, and is based off a open-source all-in-one player (like VLC). Zoom Player is the best IMO if you're willing to pay for it, it will download the essential codecs for you and it has many options to set up everything. I recommend using Haali Video Renderer in lieu of the standard Windows VMR. Another option is to use a codec pack. Some people like K-Lite Codec Pack but i prefer the Combined Community Codec Pack. They both come with media player classic and BSplayer. Its OK to use both an all-in-one media player like VLC or mplayer and a codec pack, however, dont install two different codec packs and if you switch codec packs, use a cleaner before installing the new one.

08-28-2008, 08:46 PM	#1 (permalink)
jorgelito All important elusive independent swing voter... Location: People's Republic of KKKalifornia	What's the best Media Player? Can anyone recommend a good media player? For example: Quicktime, VLC Player, Windows Media Player. I don't really like Quicktime all that much. Thanks. __________________ "The race is not always to the swift, nor battle to the strong, but to the one that endures to the end." "Demand more from yourself, more than anyone else could ever ask!" - My recruiter

08-29-2008, 08:05 AM	#3 (permalink)
jorgelito All important elusive independent swing voter... Location: People's Republic of KKKalifornia	Watch movies. __________________ "The race is not always to the swift, nor battle to the strong, but to the one that endures to the end." "Demand more from yourself, more than anyone else could ever ask!" - My recruiter

08-29-2008, 08:15 AM	#4 (permalink)
Baraka_Guru warrior bodhisattva Super Moderator Location: East-central Canada	I use VLC Player by default. I avoid Windows Media Player like the plague. I don't mind Quicktime, but I only really use it when it's embedded on the Web. VLC Player is small and easy and plays just about anything. __________________ Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing? —Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön Humankind cannot bear very much reality. —From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot

08-29-2008, 08:22 AM	#5 (permalink)
jorgelito All important elusive independent swing voter... Location: People's Republic of KKKalifornia	Yeah, despite the lack of responses I went with VLC last night. Doesn't seem to be many computer people around here. __________________ "The race is not always to the swift, nor battle to the strong, but to the one that endures to the end." "Demand more from yourself, more than anyone else could ever ask!" - My recruiter

08-29-2008, 08:26 AM	#6 (permalink)
LoganSnake We work alone Location: Cake Town	Winamp for music. VLC for video. I don't use anything else. __________________ Maturity is knowing you were an idiot in the past. Wisdom is knowing that you'll be an idiot in the future. Common sense is knowing that you should try not to be an idiot now. - J. Jacques

08-28-2008, 09:46 PM	#2 (permalink)
Frosstbyte Winter is Coming Location: The North	Well, what kind of media do you want to play and what do you want it to do? Are you just trying to watch individual movies or clips? Are you trying to organize a big collection? Music or movies or dvds?

08-29-2008, 08:46 AM	#8 (permalink)
Plaid13 I want a Plaid crayon	vlc is nice but i prefer windows media player classic just because its so simple once you get all the right codecs its nice. VLC is nice if you dont want to worry about codecs.

08-29-2008, 10:45 AM	#12 (permalink)
LoganSnake We work alone Location: Cake Town	Well, I don't know anymore because everything works now. Was a while ago. __________________ Maturity is knowing you were an idiot in the past. Wisdom is knowing that you'll be an idiot in the future. Common sense is knowing that you should try not to be an idiot now. - J. Jacques

08-30-2008, 04:41 PM	#13 (permalink)
Plaid13 I want a Plaid crayon	Hum yeah never had to worry about codecs with vlc But i just download klite codec pack and use windows media player classic and everything works anyway.

09-05-2008, 11:25 PM	#14 (permalink)
tiltedbc Crazy Location: BC, Canada	I use VLC for all things video. Winamp for audio.

09-06-2008, 12:16 AM	#15 (permalink)
jorgelito All important elusive independent swing voter... Location: People's Republic of KKKalifornia	Thanks again everyone for your insight and thank you Baraka for your Mac perspective. The WD My Book Essential 500 GB is serving me well at the moment. Only problem is I can't write to it from my Mac. __________________ "The race is not always to the swift, nor battle to the strong, but to the one that endures to the end." "Demand more from yourself, more than anyone else could ever ask!" - My recruiter

07-16-2009, 03:53 AM	#17 (permalink)
SecretMethod70 Human Administrator Location: Chicago	I'll echo the VLC for video, Winamp for Audio sentiment. Other apps may be flashier, but VLC just plain works. I haven't downloaded codecs in years. __________________ Le temps détruit tout "Musicians are the carriers and communicators of spirit in the most immediate sense." - Kurt Elling Last edited by SecretMethod70; 07-20-2009 at 05:48 AM..

07-16-2009, 12:53 PM	#18 (permalink)
roachboy Super Moderator Location: essex ma	another vlc endorsement. i use it for streaming audio as well. __________________ a gramophone its corrugated trumpet silver handle spinning dog. such faithfulness it hear it make you sick. -kamau brathwaite

07-16-2009, 01:28 PM	#19 (permalink)
Jetée The Reforms Location: Rarely, if ever, here or there, but always in transition	I use realplayer for the most part (and it surprised me to notice that the monolith 'Google', now endorses it as well), if only because I don't usually encounter other audio and video formats that deviate from my mp3/avi/wmv/mp4/mov usuals. I did, however, recently install VLC player if for whatever case, I cannot play a file, I upload it to the payer and check to see if it runs. VLC is now my patented backup, and Realplayer is my starter; if for whatever reason, the starter fails, I bring out the closer. __________________ As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world (that is the myth of the Atomic Age) as in being able to remake ourselves. —Mohandas K. Gandhi

07-18-2009, 12:02 PM	#20 (permalink)
tcp Crazy	VLC is easy to use, but the interface is not very nice. SMPlayer (GUI for mplayer) is good too, remembers the playback position on every video, and is based off a open-source all-in-one player (like VLC). Zoom Player is the best IMO if you're willing to pay for it, it will download the essential codecs for you and it has many options to set up everything. I recommend using Haali Video Renderer in lieu of the standard Windows VMR. Another option is to use a codec pack. Some people like K-Lite Codec Pack but i prefer the Combined Community Codec Pack. They both come with media player classic and BSplayer. Its OK to use both an all-in-one media player like VLC or mplayer and a codec pack, however, dont install two different codec packs and if you switch codec packs, use a cleaner before installing the new one.