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What's the top media player? Opinions differ, but if you mean one that's open-source freeware, plays more files than the others, can be totally customized and configured to suit, and is not only updated frequently but also regularly offers new features and options created by a huge community of programmers and users, the answer is VLC Media Player.
Our default media player for years, VLC has managed to stay ahead of the competition in features and performance, if not always looks, though that's easy enough to fix if you want to. VLC and its source code are maintained by the all-volunteer VideoLAN Organization.
VLC is quick and easy to install. You can make VLC your default media player for various (or all) file types, but if you just want to try VLC without giving up your current player, you can skip the file associations. We clicked the familiar orange-and-white traffic cone icon to open VLC's famously plain interface, which is also a model of efficient layout design (and completely customizable, in any case: clicking the skinned player option in VideoLAN's Start Menu folder opens VLC in a sleek new view).
Effects? VLC has 'em: Audio, Video, and Synchronization effects, including a graphic equalizer with many presets; totally customizable dynamic range compression; an audio spatializer tool; AtmoLight video effects; interactive zoom; logos and overlays; and even special effects like blur, wave, water, and mirror effects. VLC's minimized interface hides the player's controls until you need them, and a raft of hot keys make it easy to toggle between views and to quickly access any of VLC's features. Playback quality is as good as it gets. We've used VLC to play MP3s, WAVs, CDs, DVDs, Flash video, and other formats. As for support, few programs of any sort can match VLC's Help files and wikis, and its dedicated community of users, forums and other online resources.
From myriad file types to playlists to codecs and video capture, if it's useful to have in a media player, VLC has probably got it or soon will. VLC plays everything: if there's a media file it can't play but should, just ask!
VLC Media Player:Publisher's Description
From VideoLAN Project:
VLC (initially VideoLAN Client) is a highly portable multimedia player for various audio and video formats, including MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DivX, MP3, and OGG, as well as for DVDs, VCDs, and various streaming protocols. It also can be used as a server for unicast or multicast streams in IPv4 or IPv6 on a high-bandwidth network.
What's new in this version: Version 1.0 introduces more responsive controls, frame-by-frame playback, on-the-fly recording for all media, and support for a wider range of codecs, decoders, encoders, and demuxers. Version 1.0.1 is a bug-fixing release.
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All versions:
4.3 starsout of 3,429 votes
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Current version:
4.3 starsout of 127 votes
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My rating:
Write review
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"Best Media Player"
Version: VLC Media Player 1.0.1
Pros
Easy to use, clear replay.
Cons
None that I can find
Summary
Get it - it plays almost everything!
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"very best for windows or linux, both of which i use"
Version: VLC Media Player 1.0.1
Pros
playz anything n everything
Cons
UI should hav been better
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"Its worth a catch!!!! Love it"
Version: VLC Media Player 1.0.1
Pros
It plays almost all types of audio and video files. Windows Media Player hardly works well. It doesnt play much types of files.
Cons
I love it. Some minor bugs but very nice
Summary
Try it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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"A fantastic player with all features required"
Version: VLC Media Player 1.0.1
Pros
A very compact multi format player that plays many many formats
Cons
A compact, multi format player that plays almost all media formats
Summary
Surely it is worth downloading a great service by VLC Team, thanks and best wishes to them
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"good program"
Version: VLC Media Player 1.0.1
Pros
bra upplösning mot lite datorkapacitet
Cons
a like it, always operating
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"Simply great"
Version: VLC Media Player 1.0.1
Pros
Plays all video files no problems yet to encounter any that VLC Player cannot play
Cons
Best use default skin many of the fancy eyecandy skins that you can download don't work are buggy and can cause the program to crash some not even compatible with VLC Player.
Summary
Best free alternative to Windows Media Player and it's restrictive use of playing different video formats
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"Need Remove Bugs Check where is the conflict."
Version: VLC Media Player 1.0.1
Pros
Excellent program.
Cons
There is some conflict in the selection of installation items.
Summary
Conflict in the items selected during installation. The program will not run if items selected do not agree. I am using Window Vista.
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"Great video player. Alot of thinks u can do with it"
Version: VLC Media Player 1.0.1
Pros
set a video as a background.....it plays on your desktop as a wallpaper
Cons
nothing much
Summary
.
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"No problems with pop=ups or virus's"
Version: VLC Media Player 1.0.1
Pros
Easy to work with, fast down load
Cons
none that I have found yet
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"Best player available, and I've tried them all."
Version: VLC Media Player 1.0.1
Pros
It does just about everything you could want it to do. Allows for adjustment of the picture, frame by frame advancement, snapping pictures and recording video.
Cons
When playing a series of videos from the playlist, it pops back to its default size every time it opens a new one. No big deal, but you asked for a Con.
Summary
VLC is awesome. They recently sent me an upgrade which allows for recording parts of a DVD. I get a kick out of creating files of my favorite scenes. It creates them in mpg format, but with all of the free conversion software out there, they can be easily converted to flv or anything else.
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