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CNET Editors' review
Media Player Classic-Home Cinema (MPC-HC for short) is a true classic among media players. It can play nearly every media file format, both audio and video, and also plays DVD content. With its old-school interface and widespread customizability, it may not be the best choice if you're looking for a click-and-forget player for video and audio files. But those who require more control over their media playback will appreciate the extra options MPC-HC offers. Since this program is lightweight, it's compatible with nearly every Windows edition since 98 (which it still supports). Moving forward in time, MPC-HC is compatible with Windows 8.
MPC-HC's user interface has always emphasized function over form, and it's hard to imagine a more efficient media player layout than this classic design. You can customize most of MPC-HC's parameters from an extensive Options dialog as well as other places throughout the player, but alarming skins aren't on the menu. Lots of performance and behavior options are, though, such as two check boxes for associating MPC-HC with Explorer context menus by files, directory, or both, as well as Internal and External Filters; separate output options for DirectShow, RealMedia, and QuickTime video; and a page full of extra Tweaks like customizable Jump Distance and Windows 7 Taskbar options.
MPC-HC has a Playlist, of course, but it also has a Shader Editor, Renderer Settings, customizable Pan & Scan, and Command Line Switches. The Web-based Help file is actually light on help; there's a development wiki and changelog, but no manual to speak of -- as we noted, MPC-HC may not be the best choice for beginners, and it's helpful to know your codecs from your frame rates when setting things up.
But let's be clear: Media Player Classic-Home Cinema is a top performer with enough genuinely useful settings to suit nearly every user. It lets you play a wide range of videos in their native formats, and it has those unexpected options that can help you get the best out of less-than-perfect media. MPC-HC is totally free and extremely light, so it's a great alternative to some well-known bloatware masquerading as media players.
Media Player Classic - Like WMP, but more classic and useful - Download Video Previews:Publisher's Description
From Media Player Classic:
Media Player Classic is the perfect substitute for Windows Media Player. Aesthetically is identical to version 6.4 and has the same lightness in terms of RAM occupation, but it has much more usefull functions. Features: with 'right' and 'left' keys it's possible to go forward/backward of one single frame; with 'Ctrl + right'/'left' it's possible to skip one pre-definite quantity of frames; with 'Ctrl + up' it's possible to change faster the speed of reproduction; it's possible to visualize with media player QuickTime and RealMedia movies (but that programs must be installed); in full screen modality it's possible to show a scroll bar putting the mouse in the lower portion of the screen; in full screen it's possible to do the re-dimension images and adopt a cinema format or a TV format; it work as a DVD player too; keys are completely customizable; it can show subtitles.
What's new in this version: Version 6.4.9.1 includes library updates, all known security vulnerabilities fixed. New certificates.
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All versions:
3.7 starsout of 395 votes
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Current version:
4.0 starsout of 100 votes
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My rating:
Write review
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"Fantastic stuff."
Version: Media Player Classic 6.4.9.1
Pros
MPC has always been the first thing I ever put on a fresh install of Windows (after the drivers, of course ;)). It has always worked great. I always liked it's Pan & Scan features (great for watching 16:9 video on a 16:10 screen).
Cons
This is quality software.
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"Awesome player."
Version: Media Player Classic 6.4.9.1
Pros
The best I've seen so far and I've tested some (WMP, VLC, Mplayer). MPC is better by far.
Cons
Works great.
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"It's great."
Version: Media Player Classic 6.4.9.1
Pros
This is a spectacular piece of software. It performs very quickly, the interface is simple to use, yet it sports many advanced features for all the tech-savvy computer geeks. Plays videos very smoothly, works with a wide selection of codec packs and is a great replacement for Windows Media Player which has been putting on weight and bloat since version 7.
Cons
There's absolutely nothing to complain about.
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"Very good player."
Version: Media Player Classic 6.4.9.1
Pros
I like the classic interface and how snappy the performance is.
Cons
Works great.
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"Fantastic software."
Version: Media Player Classic 6.4.9.1
Pros
Great player. My personal favorite.
Cons
Works great.
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"The best free media player there is."
Version: Media Player Classic 6.4.9.1
Pros
Lots of features, plays absolutely everything, very light.
Cons
There's nothing not to like about it.
Summary
It's just too good.
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"Brilliant player"
Version: Media Player Classic 6.4.9.1
Pros
Insanely light on resources and very feature-rich at the same time.
Cons
Works just great.
Summary
The best I've ever seen.
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"Great player."
Version: Media Player Classic 6.4.9.1
Pros
Plays pretty much everything, works great and is free.
Cons
Highly recommended.
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"This software is FINE."
Version: Media Player Classic 6.4.9.1
Pros
There are no viruses or spyware in this software. The app installs without a single problem, MS Security Essentials doesn't find anything in it. MPC itself works very well, it's feature rich and is probably one of the best media players available for Windows.
Cons
There's really no reason to complain about it.
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"Do Not Down Load this Product"
Version: Media Player Classic 6.4.9.1
Pros
This is a fake software it has viruses all through!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cnet is allowing tons of software to be uploaded to their
servers and not doing anything about it!
Anybody that has written that its good or ok
works for them your computer will be damaged!!!!!!!Cons
This is a fake software it has viruses all through!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cnet is allowing tons of software to be uploaded to their
servers and are not doing anything about it!
Anybody that has written that this is a good or okay program
works for them your computer will be damaged!!!!!!!Summary
Stay the F--K away from this for your computers safety because
C-Net does not care!!!!!!!!!!
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