What do you guys think are the best freeware media players out there? I am currently using BSPlayer but I would like something that has different icons for each media type...
Thanks.
Thanks.
Best Media Player?
- Thread starter OzzieGT
- Start date
I'm happy with Winamp for audio, Windows Media Player 6.4 for video, and Media Player Classic for Real and Quicktime files.
Schadenfroh
Elite Member
- Mar 8, 2003
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BlueWeasel
Lifer
- Jun 2, 2000
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I use Winamp5 for audio, and Classic Media Player with the K-lite codec pack for everything else.
I don't know if anybody cares (seems to be very windows-centric discussion 
), but for Linux the best media player is mplayer, IMO.
Xine is great because it's set up for you use to easily, Totem should be cool, but the gstreamer framework its going to use is still in heavy developement.
It's got a dozen different ways to do deinterlacing, it supports most codecs in existant that I am aware off.
Its gives verbose details about the type and content of the files that your working with. So you know what your dealing with.
For example: you know quicktime is just a wrapper, that it has many other codecs encased in one codec. For instance you can even do weird things like have mpeg2 video and mp3 audio embedded in quicktime... Each quicktime version is very different from the others.
That sort of thing.
It has a few different ways to deal with audio and video. Depending on your setup it can handle almost a dozen different video outputs. For example you can output the video into a OpenGL window, or use XV extensions to take advantage of your accelerated video hardware. It can output the video to a file, or even create neat thing like a text-based (aa) video output or even a color one (caca), which is a funny thing to watch.
sample screenshot of libcaca in action (not from mplayer, though) (you can get it for windows, too)
So if the color seems off, or you want more control over the output or you need faster output you can pick and choose which setup works the best for your paticular computer.
Pluss it supports Windows codecs, so you can copy the proper *.dll files from windows installers/partition and put it in a certian folder (so the program can find it) and it can use it if it supports it.
I can play most versions of quicktime on it, I can play realvideo (pretty sure) and realaudio(definately), as well as stream mp3's, ogg, and mpeg files thru the internet. Also supports many unusual and esoteric formats.
Plays DVD's (even encrypted ones if you have libdvdcss stuff installed (doesn't come default in some distros sometimes because if legal issues) and CD's and most whatever else you want.
You can feed it http and other protocol links via copy and paste and it can handle them. Lots of times I've read thru javascript and http crap in links and webpages and extracted links that otherwise I would have to have signed up to get.
It's not user friendly with nice menus and such, the best interface for it is text command line, but to me it seems like the ideal tool for a media junky to use.
linky if you care
Oh, and Mplayer is mostly for movies, XMMS is what I use for Audio. I use Totem and Zinf when I want to mess around with playlists, though.
), but for Linux the best media player is mplayer, IMO.Xine is great because it's set up for you use to easily, Totem should be cool, but the gstreamer framework its going to use is still in heavy developement.
It's got a dozen different ways to do deinterlacing, it supports most codecs in existant that I am aware off.
Its gives verbose details about the type and content of the files that your working with. So you know what your dealing with.
For example: you know quicktime is just a wrapper, that it has many other codecs encased in one codec. For instance you can even do weird things like have mpeg2 video and mp3 audio embedded in quicktime... Each quicktime version is very different from the others.
That sort of thing.
It has a few different ways to deal with audio and video. Depending on your setup it can handle almost a dozen different video outputs. For example you can output the video into a OpenGL window, or use XV extensions to take advantage of your accelerated video hardware. It can output the video to a file, or even create neat thing like a text-based (aa) video output or even a color one (caca), which is a funny thing to watch.
sample screenshot of libcaca in action (not from mplayer, though) (you can get it for windows, too)
So if the color seems off, or you want more control over the output or you need faster output you can pick and choose which setup works the best for your paticular computer.
Pluss it supports Windows codecs, so you can copy the proper *.dll files from windows installers/partition and put it in a certian folder (so the program can find it) and it can use it if it supports it.
I can play most versions of quicktime on it, I can play realvideo (pretty sure) and realaudio(definately), as well as stream mp3's, ogg, and mpeg files thru the internet. Also supports many unusual and esoteric formats.
Plays DVD's (even encrypted ones if you have libdvdcss stuff installed (doesn't come default in some distros sometimes because if legal issues) and CD's and most whatever else you want.
You can feed it http and other protocol links via copy and paste and it can handle them. Lots of times I've read thru javascript and http crap in links and webpages and extracted links that otherwise I would have to have signed up to get.
It's not user friendly with nice menus and such, the best interface for it is text command line, but to me it seems like the ideal tool for a media junky to use.
linky if you care
Oh, and Mplayer is mostly for movies, XMMS is what I use for Audio. I use Totem and Zinf when I want to mess around with playlists, though.
For music, Winamp under Win32 and XMMS under *NIX.
For movies, VideoLAN VLC, handles just about any format, including Quicktime movies, DVD's, (S)VCD's, etc.
For movies, VideoLAN VLC, handles just about any format, including Quicktime movies, DVD's, (S)VCD's, etc.
Winamp for sound
BSPlayer for videos (fastest player in existance, IMO)
If I come across a quicktime or realplayer file, I use AVS Video Converter to change the file into an Xvid encoded AVI file.
BSPlayer for videos (fastest player in existance, IMO)
If I come across a quicktime or realplayer file, I use AVS Video Converter to change the file into an Xvid encoded AVI file.
WinAmp 5 for audio, Windows Media Player 9 for video. I also use the DivX player for playing files that WMP9 won't play (mostly broken or bad encodes, and .001 files)
QuickTime and Real only get used when I absolutely have to.
QuickTime and Real only get used when I absolutely have to.
So I'm not wasting my CPU power for stone age style software rendering. Run Fraps when you play videos and you'll see what I mean. Fraps shows a frame rate in BSPlayer and Windows Media Player indicating that there is hardware acceleration. Fraps will not show a frame rate in Winamp or Media Player Classic.
To play episode 13 of Chappelle's Show in Media Player Classic, my Athlon 3200+ is under 45% load. To play the same episode in BSPlayer, the CPU is only under 16% load.
That's just gross inefficiency and there's no reason for it.
konakona
Diamond Member
- May 6, 2004
- 6,285
- 1
- 0
and why is that? care to elaborate?
only thing it is missing from winamp is oh-so-great visualization plugins. dunno, i dont usally stare at skins when i listen to music... if you didnt like the interface, i am suspecting you havnt tried the columns_UI. just to think i been trying to manage all those songs without something like that winamp....
WMP classic has a varying cpu utilization depending which rendering mode you run it at. which one did you use? which one does BSPlayer use? does it have built-in smi support? i am asking cuz i might wanna try it, thx
How come no-ones mentioned Zoomplayer? I admit that I mainly watch videos (avi's) thru the old TV-out but as yet nothing even comes close, (closest yet TCMP) and its simple interface (ie 'LOGICAL') is icing on the cake......oh and did I mention the 'power under the hood'...unsurpassed. (thats a full stop...period).
A close second is VLC...not so good on TV-out, but if theres a player that can play anything (movie wise)this is it.....BRILLIANT..,.and self contained. Just set it up P R O P E R L Y.
As for QT and REAL .......*yawn* these lame ducks belong in the Ark. Whoes got any QT or REAL movies then? Anyone......anyone care?????????
WMP? (hahhhahahahhhahahahahhahahhahaahahahhahahahahahahhahahhhhahhahhahahahhahahahahhahahahahahhahahahhaahhahahahhahahahahahahhaahh) your 'aving a laff??? What-a-load-o-bollox. OOOoooooohhh pretty *visualizations* .........FALLS OF CHAIR LAFFING.
And for audio players .....pass (havent got a clue)....so c'mon whats a good audio player (tried all WinAmp's and SORRY I NEED A MAGNIFYING GLASS.
A close second is VLC...not so good on TV-out, but if theres a player that can play anything (movie wise)this is it.....BRILLIANT..,.and self contained. Just set it up P R O P E R L Y.
As for QT and REAL .......*yawn* these lame ducks belong in the Ark. Whoes got any QT or REAL movies then? Anyone......anyone care?????????
WMP? (hahhhahahahhhahahahahhahahhahaahahahhahahahahahahhahahhhhahhahhahahahhahahahahhahahahahahhahahahhaahhahahahhahahahahahahhaahh) your 'aving a laff??? What-a-load-o-bollox. OOOoooooohhh pretty *visualizations* .........FALLS OF CHAIR LAFFING.
And for audio players .....pass (havent got a clue)....so c'mon whats a good audio player (tried all WinAmp's and SORRY I NEED A MAGNIFYING GLASS.
Vanilla,
I have Media Player Classic set to System Default in options. That probably means Direct Draw.
Which render mode is best?
I don't know what BSPlayer uses. I just know it's fast.
I have Media Player Classic set to System Default in options. That probably means Direct Draw.
Which render mode is best?
I don't know what BSPlayer uses. I just know it's fast
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