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12-20-2015, 04:51 PM
http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/54pyrXK1C0dhEUYxd9opXA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3NfbGVnbztmaT1maWxsO2g9ODY7cT03NTt3PT EzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/homerun/digital_trends_973/0fdfa23762076ecb8874cc49bbcec924 (http://news.yahoo.com/itunes-isn-t-enough-7-201541623.html)Audio and video formats are a dime a dozen (and then some). However, despite the sheer amount of available formats currently littering the Web and your computer, finding a quality media player to launch that digital-copy of- Mad Max you just picked up is not always easy, especially if you’re looking for easy-to-use software that touts rich features instead of an expensive price tag.-An all-in-one media hub, whether it provides merely the bare essentials or all the bells and whistles, is a necessary staple in today’s digital world of files and folders. Related: Want Hollywood results on a budget? Here’s the best free video editing apps Fortunately, there are several free media players that stand out, whether you need to play a variety of formats, tag and sort your libraries, or simply listen to your favorite MP3s without submitting yourself to the Apple-industrial-complex.-Here are our top picks for the best free media players for PC and Mac so you can spend less time hunting down the right program and more time, well, playing media. VLC Media Player (Windows, Mac OS X, Linux) VLC has held the media player crown for years, even before graduating from its beta phase in 2009. The free, open-source software is capable of playing just about any media format you can imagine, including Internet radio and other various streaming protocols. Although the default interface is plain and sleek, stuffed with various playback icons wrapped in a gun-gray design, the software also features an assortment of customization options for quickly swapping viewing modes and tweaking the toolbar with additional controls. The playback quality is top-notch regardless of viewing mode — as are the intuitive video effects for interactive zooming, video capturing, blurring, and mirroring images, among others – but you’ll have to look elsewhere if you’re looking to play HD Blu-ray discs since the program is currently incompatible with them (except for-a complicated workaround). Related : Chromecast update adds VLC streaming The navigation and organization options aren’t the most intuitive aspect of the program either, but they are relatively straightforward and require little effort once you familiarize yourself with the software. VLC Media Player will also let you bookmark and save playlist files, storing all your local media, podcast subscriptions, and assorted Internet radio stations for later consumption. Aside from just streaming and playing content, the media player even gives users options for broadcasting their own streams, providing full IP6 support that can channel both local media files and live inputs from connected devices such as webcams. VLC Media Player is the way to go when looking for a program offering robust file compatibility, versatile playback, and frequent stability updates. The robust community of active users and programmers, known collectively as the VideoLAN Organization, is an added plus, along with the diverse network for extensions and available skins for Windows. Kodi (Windows, Mac OS X, Linux) Originating as XBMC (Xbox Media Center) — a homebrewed media player for Xbox consoles-—-Kodi is designed to be an all-in-one platform that allows you to view pictures, watch videos, and play music. In addition to physical media such as Blu-rays and DVDs, Kodi supports all of the common file formats in use today, both for music (MP3, FLAC, WAV, etc.) and video (MP4, MKV, AVI, etc.). Adding media to Kodi’s library is straightforward; simply add a folder to the appropriate section and the software-will automatically detect all media of that type in the folder, as well as monitor-said-folder for future additions. Kodi’s interface is pleasing to look at and easy to navigate, too, and videos generally open quickly and look good. Related : Alienware uses Kodi for new Hivemind UI Kodi is much more than a simple media player, though, especially given the sheer amount of options it contains for-customizing the user experience. Users can customize the appearance of the menus and visualizers, and support for add-ons is built into the player, allowing users to download custom-made skins, fonts, and sounds. Moreover, there are optional add-ons that-allow users to stream media from sources such as YouTube and Netflix, as well as Live TV. Kodi’s active community produces a constant stream of add-ons, and the depth of available customization means you can tailor-the software-to any user’s needs and wants. The only real downside? It uses more memory than than other media players on our roundup. Plex (Windows, Mac OS X, Android, iOS) Media consumption in the year 2015 can be a very involved process. Not only are there dozens of services to juggle — i.e. Netflix, iTunes, Hulu Plus —-but many consumers have more than one device within their arsenal. Jumping back and forth between tablets, TVs, laptops, and every other piece of hardware can be a pain. Plex aims to streamline consumption, bringing together all of your services and devices under a single, unified-platform. Users can add folders and files they want to their Plex library, after which they can stream them to any device capable of running Plex. For example, a movie saved on a hard drive can be watched through Plex’s browser app, or streamed to the Plex app on a tablet. Related : How to start using Plex on your PC These days, most people do not simply use their own stock of movies and music, either. Streaming services have become one of the dominant ways of consuming media, and Plex recognizes this, incorporating apps for services like Netflix and Spotify into its framework. With the browser app, videos generally take a couple seconds to load, however, buffering allows them to play uninterrupted and the video quality is excellent. Audio files also open quickly, with no noticeable problems. Derived from the same XBMC software as Kodi, Plex can play all of the common formats that the aforementioned programs can. A sparse, easily navigated interface makes Plex perfect for those who want all their media in one convenient place. Next: Three Windows-only free media players foobar2000 (Windows) Some people want a comprehensive media player, while others may simply want a quick and easy way to listen to music and podcasts. For the latter group, foobar2000 is a simple, customizable player with a few nice features. The first thing users may notice about foobar2000 is its minimalist design. Information is organized into sparse boxes based on essential categories (album list, album art, playlist, metadata, visualizations) and it’s possible to rearrange the layout and change the color scheme. Related : The 8 best media streaming abilities- By default, foobar2000 supports most of the popular audio formats, including MP3, WAV, and FLAC. If you are meticulous about organizing your music, the software-even gives you numerous ways to tag and arrange files. In terms of performance, it-runs quickly and uses very little memory, making it a good choice for lower-end machines. Moreover, you can download additional components designed to extend the player’s functionality, expanding the variety of formats it can play as well as adding more visual options and tagging tools. One of foobar’s most unique features is the ability to convert audio files from one format to another. If you have FLAC files for home listening, and device-that doesn’t support that format, for instance, you can use the software-to create copies of those files in the necessary format. For listeners with extensive music libraries, foobar2000 offers a streamlined experience that supports plenty of-utility without unwanted flair. Media Player Classic Home Cinema (Windows) Media Player Classic is just what the name implies: a classic media player, yet with modern functionality that cannot be ignored. The free, barebones application works with old-school operating systems going back to Windows XP, yet it’s still compatible with DVDs and a vast multitude of file formats once you download the proper codecs. Related : Windows Media Center is dead, here’s what to use instead It is isn’t jam-packed with features and options — something that gives the program its comparably light footprint — but it does provide enough functionality if you’re looking for a program to go to for simple audio and video playback with no strings attached. Options to remove tearing and adjust video scaling are present, as is playback and TV recording if a compatible tuner is installed, and the software even offers remote control support for select Android devices if you can figure out the complicated pairing process. The customizable keyboard shortcuts and a few other features grant users even more control within the application, but Media Player Classic Home Cinema is pretty minimalist in its approach and often gives you the runaround when you’re looking for help.-It’s a great open-source media player either way, but that’s all it does. Nothing more, nothing less. GOM Media Player (Windows) GOM Media Player, developed by Korea’s Gretech Corporation, is one of the best and most utilized freemium software programs to ever hit the Web. Featuring an attractive UI and laundry list industrious utilities, the fully-featured media player tackles most audio and video formats with relative ease, handling everything from AAC to FLV and offering a codec finder service that will locate and supply additional information on those not automatically supported by default. The software comes equipped with all the standard features, from high-quality video playback and hot keys to AV capturing tools and advance codec functionality, in addition to other tools for adding EQ effects, and controlling playback via iOS and Android devices over Wi-Fi. It even features options for adjusting the audio mode, subtitle size, and loaded playback presets. Related : Here’s how to prepare for HEVC, the next great video codec- The media player has three viewing modes (Normal, High-Quality, and TV Output), all of which cater to your machine’s capabilities and your desired viewing mode. Although the slick interface cannot be customized as much as other programs on our roundup, you can still toggle various settings and choose from a good deal of custom skins to suit your style. The software is even adept at playing damaged, incomplete, locked, or partially downloaded files, giving it an astounding edge over some of its open-source competitors. GOM Media Player is a solid all-in-one media hub that is attractive, feature-rich, and laden with customization options for both the newbie as well as the more advanced user. It can seem buggy from time to time, particularly when operating the software over Wi-FI, but the software’s reliability and sheer functionality are only getting better with each passing build. Next Page: Wrapping things up with DivX DivX (Windows/Mac OS X) There is a reason Digital Trends has been following DivX’s progress for more than a decade. The software isn’t merely a laborious media converter, but a fully-formed, universal media player awash with user-friendly controls and a feature set well beyond the scope of programs such as Windows Media Player Home Cinema.-Although-it’s stable and produces excellent playback when watching video or listening audio, its tool set is by no means overwhelming. The nearly all-encompassing software is quick and refined, designed with the interface to beat on our roundup, while touting impressive compatibility capable of handling most formats you throw at it — whether it be the software’s native DIVX format or more-accessible options like MP4 and AVI. Moreover, owners of new TVs will be delighted to learn that DivX supports 4K video. The player offers quick options for selecting a viewing size and burning media to discs, with additional options on hand for streaming videos, music,-and photos to DLNA-compatible home devices. Video filters and audio adjustments are limited, but the software does boast-three processing modes and multiple sound enhancements for adjusting fidelity, ambient volume, and several other common audio facets found in most media players. Likewise, DivX is accompanied by a basic set of keyboard commands for navigating the interface and quickly performing various playback actions. A few of the codecs, such as MPEG, are only available in the premium version, but the free incarnation of the software should suffice for most users given the wealth-of codecs it does support and its straightforward, reassuring functionality. There is one notable problem with the free version of DivX. It has-ads, and while they are generally-unobtrusive, some users may find them annoying. Updated on December 17, 2015, by Will Nicol:- Removed KMPlayer and added Plex, Kodi, and foobar2000.
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