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Here are our picks for essential video playback software:
Windows Media Player might be sufficient for Aunt Mabel, but real power users hardly ever touch the app. If you're serious about watching videos, nothing touches the VLC (VideoLAN Client) media player. This lightweight and versatile app will play just about any file format there is, whether it's an audio or video file. But that's not all it does. VLC will reveal which codec(s) a media file is using, it comes with basic converting capabilities, and you can even use it to set videos as your desktop wallpaper.
Free, www.videolan.org/vlc/
While not as versatile as VLC, Media Player Classic meshes modern video playback features into a lean app that works well with a variety of file formats, so long as you have the proper codecs. It also plays nicely with FFDShow.
Free, http://mpc-hc.sourceforge.net
For anyone who downloads a bunch of Flash videos, this is a must-have application. Flash Video Downloader works with a number of sites, and its interface couldn't be easier. Simply plug in the URL or add multiple URL to the queue and you're in business. It will even check the URL beforehand to make sure it's a compatible link. Then it's just a matter of deciding whether to save the video as a Flash file, or let the program convert it into a different format. Groovy!
Free, www.flashvideodownloader.org/fvd-suite/
We happen to like QuickTime, but not everyone is a fan. Users commonly complain that the software is bloated, and then there are those who just refuse to touch anything related to Apple. If that sounds like you, you're in luck. QT Lite will allow you to play QuickTime files without the hassle of installing Apple's QuickTime Player, and it also supports embedded content.
Free, www.codecguide.com/qt_lite.htm
Similar in concept to QT Lite, Real Alternative provides all the benefits of the Real Player without the bloated software. It supports all varieties of RealMedia content, and also includes a plugin for IE, Opera, Netscape, and Mozilla.
Free, www.free-codecs.com/download/real_Alternative.htm
Next, using and tweaking FFDShow!
Comments are closed on this article
jimenoni
April 24, 2011 at 7:38am
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Mike1977
March 22, 2010 at 9:58am
Might be useful to someone but theres a good bunch of information on video files at http://dotwhat.net/
aibabe
January 05, 2010 at 2:01am
I have issue for opening high resolution video on Aegisub.
I installed the latest version of Aegisub (2.1.7) on my Windows 7 powered laptop. I use 1280x800 resolution.
Aegisub keeps failing on opening any video with 1280x720 resolution. Any video with resolution smaller than that is fine though. Is this a known issue of Aegisub or is it my laptop that has problem?
gunslnger
December 30, 2009 at 12:34am
MKV files are godawful annoying, don't promote them. They take a lot more processing power to decode and they aren't very popular anyways. Let it die.
da_samman
December 16, 2009 at 2:23pm
Did anyone catch the slight irony at the end of page 3? They mention "Russian" Roulette, then give the abbreviation of the Codec pack they recommended, CCCP (the old Soviet Union). Or is this a sign of me being REALLY bored? :)
Sincerely yours, from Fort Lewis, WA
SGT Samuel E. McClard II
Life's a journey, enjoy the ride!!
jjdeleon10
December 16, 2009 at 11:19am
i have a few .mkv files that skip when i try to play them, i have used both GOM and VLC media player. Skips on both programs. Is there a minimum hardware requirement? any help would be great, thanks
totallybizzymofos
December 16, 2009 at 10:41am
Just download the k-Lite Codec Packet (mega) and you won't have to worry about anything!
rseding91
December 16, 2009 at 8:57am
I like vista-codecs and 7-codecs by shark007.
I've never had a video I can't play and i've never had a probelm with any videos with those codec packs.
allantang
December 16, 2009 at 9:28am
I also like the work tha shark007 uses. Been using his stuff for a long time now
damiananderson
December 16, 2009 at 7:56am
the kmplayer and splayer should also be on this list the kmplayer for those who want it all without installing a codecs pack and have options to tweak everything imaginable and splayer for its simplicity ease of use and it downloads subtitles automaticaly and they both are beautiful
dgourd
December 16, 2009 at 6:39am
You should add .mkv files. I prefer them because they show up a lot in torrents. Also in my own experience, they preserve 1080p High quality while being 1/4 of the size of my .avi files.
I have transcoded many videos and the mkv version is always about 1/3 to 1/4 the size of the avi files.
Deanjo
December 16, 2009 at 7:32am
MKV is not a codec so using it does not determine the size of final file. MKV is a container. Your seeing decreased size more then likely because of being able to use a lower bitrate with the h264 codec to achieve equivelent quality output.
dgourd
December 16, 2009 at 10:24am
I never said it was a codec, but thanks for the details on how it decreases the size. Ill keep an eye on the bitrate next time I transcode something.
StahnAileron
December 15, 2009 at 10:00pm
I wouldn't really call CCCP a real codec pack. It mostly relies on FFDShow for all video playback. Only other things it installs is support for soft-subtitles and an MKV splitter. (It was designed for watching fansubbed anime, if I recall.)
Also, the FFDShow version it includes is a tweaked version of FFDShow try-outs. (Along with the option to install a slightly tweaked version of Media Player Classic optimized to work with the tweaked FFDShow codec.)
Oh, and it's very user friendly. (The option to re-register the codec and associated files has saved me a number of headaches. The options for the pack itself are pretty simple and straight foward.)
The devs of the CCCP more or less made it "install and play". Not much mucking with it at all, unless you have specific needs. I've been using it since 2006.
m1k3_flrs
December 15, 2009 at 9:56pm
Great article and really good software downloads. and about the Quicktime Lite section..... Yes I refuse to touch anything from apple. Well not exactly.. but i wouldn't install any apple software in my PC.
Calibretto
December 15, 2009 at 9:54pm
"It's pretty easy to convert an MK4 file into an MPEG-4 video file"
I think you mean MKV?
roninnder
December 15, 2009 at 7:16pm
You seem to be using handbrake v.93 which is quite different from v.94 which is the only currently available version at your link.
Paul_Lilly
December 16, 2009 at 6:44am
Actually, I did use the latest version (0.9.4), which is what's depicted.
-Paul Lilly
