Choosing an all round Media Player???

Jokah

Hi,

This is more of an annoyance.

I use about 5 different applications to play media files/music files/video files - one for *.mov, one for *.avi, one for MPG etc. etc.

I mean why does Windows media player suck so much. When you open up a file, say a random avi file, it just goes searching for the codec and comes back with nothing.

Media player is great for MP3's and some movies, but sucks when opening the rest of the media formats.

The current programs I use:

Irfanview - I find this excellent but doesnt open up some media files.
Windows Media Player 9.- Ok, but not the best.
Quicktime - Used only for *mov movies
Real Audio - Crap but sometimes I use it.....
DIVX - Used again to open up some files.

My computer is configured this way - when I click on any media file type, one of the above programs will take over and open the file.

What I'd ideally like to have is just one good all rounder that does the job for everything...including live streaming etc....

I see a lot of people talking about Winamp 5 here. Can that help?

Does anyone else have the same trouble?I would appreciate any insight into this matter and thank you in advance for your response.

Lucutus

You need three anyway for different media file formats.

Quicktime, Real Player, Windows Media Player.

I had to get Real Player recently after avoiding it for a year or so, (hate the thing), in order to watch some streaming media from ESA and get a couple of radio stations over the web. RTE use it for their streams too. Muppets.


Must download Winamp 5, I've been hearing good things.

If you do find something that plays everything, let us know.

Eurorunner

Windows Media Player Classic will open up the main three - naturally, wmp files; quicktime files; real media player files...

*Edit - must agree with Lucutus. Real Player is filth - it usually comes wrapped up with ad-ware/lop type stuff..

Mr Grumpy

I use WMA 9. It's a horrible interface but the sound is really good. I tried to move to Media Jukebox 8 but it screwed everything up and it took me a whole week to sort everything out.

Jokah

Thanks for your reply.

I'm testing something called Jet Audio

I read it in a recent PC book from the States. The author recommended the above software for live streams as it was bug/ad free....he recommended the above for live streams cos Real Audio really does suck now....

But please keep your suggestions coming. I will test them all to see which suits. I use so many file formats that having just one, max two programs to do the job would be great.

Thanks.

Cabaal

Quicktime Alternative aka Media Player Classic
will play DVD's, Realplayer, Quicktime as well as divx etc etc (as long as you have all the codecs installed)
Excellent all around player

Jokah

Thanks for this Guys.

Windows Media Player Classic seems to be in the lead here. Any chance you can provide a good link to a download site please.

I downloaded MPC there and the site for the codecs was bogus. Anyone got a good reliable site for Codecs?

I just need to update the codecs and i think things will be alright....

Thanks for your help once again.

joePC

The latest version of winamp is excellent.

Eurorunner

Jokah - you have pm

Cabaal

Originally posted by Jokah
Thanks for this Guys.

Windows Media Player Classic seems to be in the lead here. Any chance you can

Your best bet is www.kazaalite.tk

It has both Kazaa Lite Codec Pack Full and Media Player Classic
more mirrors can be here
http://www.chillingeffects.org/dmca512/notice.cgi?NoticeID=861

Jokah

Eurorunner,

Got your PM thanks.

Cabaal thanks for that also.

I'm playing around with each program now.

Excellent advice...:D

Thanks.

Cabaal

Also worth using is BSPlayer, it comes as part of the Kazaa-Lite codec pack and is also available @ http://www.bsplayer.org/
Its not a all in one player but its good none-the-less

GUI

OMG
www.bsplayer.org

is the perfect allround media player

and use the metaxp skin and sony skin,
looks and works fantastic..

bsplayer has everything you want, playlist support, skinable, very low footprint


and some of the best features are
overlay mode and desktop mode
play directdraw windows on top while u work!

Jokah

Cool thanks for that.

I'm looking at all the players now. Seeing which ones suits best.

Thats great...really great...