Favorite media player ?

[El Greco]

I have settled down to using Zoom Player for video content and Foobar2000 for audio. Others I've tried but didn't stick to are VLC (the included codecs are a plus but it's buggy and playlists suck), Media Player Classic (playlists and subtitles suck), and the stuff you can't avoid like Windows Media Player (good for streaming content and that's all), PowerDVD, WinDVD, Winamp etc.

[PogoPedant]

I use MediaPortal (http://www.team-mediaportal.com/) for most videos, as I tend to watch video on the telly rather than on the crummy ol' monitor. VLC for those files MediaPortal doesn't handle.

For music I use WinAmp or MediaPortal depending on context. If I'm just lazing around on the computer I use WinAmp to get music from the tin-speakers, but I use MediaPortal (or occasionally the XBOX360 media center abomination) for playing music for more people. The telly's sound is a lot better than my computer's.

[Blight]

I use Zoom Player, but well... I'm the lead developer ;)

I find most problems encountered with media playback through a PC is due to bad configuration. Due to all the different hardware, software and operating systems installed on the computer, getting a lot of different media formats to all play perfectly is an ongoing challange.

[ClintonHammond]

JetAudio, hands down, the best. I have yet to find a format it won't play.

[Blight]

Clinton:
Have you tried an H.264 encoded video, Vorbis encoded audio with Matroska (.MKV) as the file wrapper?

[El Greco]

I use Zoom Player, but well... I'm the lead developer ;)

Aaah, good thing I said nice words about it then :D

[scribble]

For playing video, I typically use Kaffeine or VLC -- usually VLC. For audio, it's Amarok, absolutely. Amarok is the greatest thing since sliced time. And its integration to last.fm makes it truly an awesome power.

[TobiasTheViking]

mplayer

[wahrheit]

I have settled down to using Zoom Player for video content *snip*

I use Zoom Player, but well... I'm the lead developer ;)

Blight, that's cool. You are the lead developer of the video player El Greco uses. Now, tell us — what videos is he watching on the interwebs? :eusa_shhh:

I use VLC or QuickTime. Mac guy.

[Rrose Selavy]

Media Player Classic with the k lite codec pack.

[DoubtingStephen]

I use whatever is the default for the media as configured on my Macs. So, mostly Quicktime and iTunes.

[El Greco]

Blight, that's cool. You are the lead developer of the video player El Greco uses. Now, tell us — what videos is he watching on the interwebs? :eusa_shhh:

Blight, don't say a word or I'll take you down with me.

[mroek]

I like GOM Player. It is stylish and works quite well.

[FFed]

I use winamp with the DFX addon for pretty much everything. DFX makes a big sound difference.

[ClintonHammond]

"Blight"... I'm not sure.... Does Jetaudio have a problem with that format? If it does, then I'd have to say I probably haven't encountered the issue yet.

So, for me Jetaudio is still way ahead of all the others.

[Blight]

Clinton:
Problems playing various formats in windows are usually due to which components you have installed and how they are linked together to decode video. It can be quite a headache, especially as there's a lot of authoring tools that are not quite 100% in spec and create slightly incompatible files and other wierd glitches.

I guess most people just use the PC to play audio, but these days, you can buy a rather cheap PC, put it next to the TV and have it play in a better quality than most DVD players. Not to mention the flexibility of the interface far outpaces any hardware-only solution.

El Greco:
Your secrets are safe with me :P

[Morwen]

The Core Media Player for most things. Whatever is handy for the few things that TCMP can't, or won't, play. Which means Winamp, TLC, iTunes... it depends.

[ClintonHammond]

I've never had a vid that JetAudio couldn't play....

[Corpse Cruncher]

I'm afraid I use what came with Windows. I'm not that clued up on what else is out there. I have itunes as well. Hopeless that I am.

[El Greco]

Zoom Player was good, but I have switched to The KMPlayer (http://www.kmplayer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=63). That thing is amazing - and it's free.

[Bikewer]

I admit I use Windows media player for most applications. I have had trouble in the past with CD burning, but the current version seems to work OK. It also converts podcasts for my little cheapie MP3 device efficiently.
I occasionally use a little program called Videoinspector which will examine files, tell you if they are complete, tell you if you need a codec, and usually supply a download link for the one you need.

I have Realplayer, mostly because a number of "those" files I download seem to come in RP format. I don't use it otherwise.
I Also have the full commercial version of Nero, (7?) which seemed to have gotten onto my hard drive in some way.... It's OK, but the interface is clunky, and though it seems to do a good job burning CDs, I can't say it's any better than WMP.

I may try some of the ones you guys suggested.

[Soapy Sam]

Computers can play music?

What will they think of next?

[NeilC]

Itunes for audio since all my music is in itunes already for my ipod.

VLC or WMP for videos.

Why do people have to "admit" to using WMP? It's a pretty good app that's free.

[Damien Evans]

I use Windows Media Player. I have no complaints about it.

[The Gnomon]

I use Zoom Player, but well... I'm the lead developer ;)


I hope you're not the one who did the most recent update for the Zoom. The thing was working fine until the upgrade, now it disconnects itself every 2 minutes while uploading via USB. :mad::rolleyes::)

[Monkey Napoleon]

Clinton:
Have you tried an H.264 encoded video, Vorbis encoded audio with Matroska (.MKV) as the file wrapper?

The only people that use that have really really fat pipe or are ok with annihilating their ratio :D

[Monkey Napoleon]

I primarily use WinAmp. It won't play EVERYTHING, but it does play most everything. The thing I like about it is the no-frills, functional, straight forward interface. I'm referring to the classic mode interface.

I have been thinking about looking for something new along these lines, as winamp for like the past 6 or so release versions will hang when I try to queue a file from the "open file" option. I'm not interested in maintaining a playlist, which this glitch forces me to do.