Media Players??

[Tomrdiedrich]

So after reading thread after thread of people having problems with wmp I thought it would be a good idea to start one on Media players.

I personally am a big fan of XBMC, xbox media center. I has been for the xbox fo a while, but now has been written for windows functionality also. The new version 10.1 is totally ready for your HD needs. It can handle videos, movies, music, emulators, programs,pictures, tv shows.... I organizes all of your media automatically and will download fanart(posters) and thumbs of your movies/music you have. It gives it a real fancy professorial look. Deff worth looking into.

Now that I have listed my favorite, what is everyone elses?

 

[whs]

I really do not know what the trouble is that people have with WMP. I use it all the time and have no trouble at all. I also use VLC. I do, however, hardly ever use WMC. Too much trouble to deal with the controls.

 

[Tomrdiedrich]

Well that is the reason I quit using both. I launch xbmc, chose what I want to do. Listen to music, watch a vid, watch a movie. Then a list of color HD images of all my whatevers comes up and I can choose. Very functional an aesthetically appealing. Not to mention I don't have any trouble with it. After initial setup you just use it!

 

[Spatha]

I use a handful of media players which is kinda weird if you ask me. I Listen to music with Winamp, organize music with media monkey, rip music with DBpoweramp, and watch movies with VLC. I also listen to music and do a little managing with the Zune software.

I love DBpoweramp, i've been using it heavily to rip all my some thousand cds to hdd in wav. My big reason for using multiple programs for music is I cant seem to figure out what they want for file naming and folder structuring so I don't have to correct endless album lists.

 

[Tomrdiedrich]

I have heard quite a few people like zune. Does it work real well? I have not used it.

 

[Spatha]

I have heard quite a few people like zune. Does it work real well? I have not used it.

Zune works pretty well, if your someone who wants a polished music media player that isn't just a basic interface its very smooth in its appearance. I enjoy it allot for this. The music tagging works ok as well being able to get info for a specific album and narrowing down your search by tracks eventually tagging each track separately if you like. Its a very good looking media player with the way it is laid out as well. I've watched videos on it and its nice but I don't use it for videos. I've heard the end of the Zune is at hand with windows phone taking over the mobile media craze. But they're saying the Zune software is going to stay. I know a few poeple who use the Zune software and have no Zune, they like its interface.

 

[hybridfan]

I use media player classic for movies and TV shows, and I use Foobar2000 for my large collection of music.

 

[pparks1]

I use Media Monkey, free version.

 

[mickey megabyte]

i'm a rare splayer user for my videos (great handling of subtitles - i'm a bit of a foreign movie fan), plus i can skip backwards and forwards with my extra mouse buttons) - although i don't like all the changes made in the current 3.6 version - i still prefer 3.5.

(in the past, shark007 has criticised splayer as he claims it causes problems when uninstalled - never affected me here though. :huh: - maybe it's not for everybody.)

i use winamp for my music, coz i love the groovy milkdrop visualisations, when i'm in that kind of mood.

 

[SledgeDG]

I use a lot of different progs...depending on what mood I'm in
Media Player Classic-Home Cinema,
VLC
Media Monkey
AIMP 3
and Xion for the awesome skins

 

[Prisoner]

I always use Foobar2k. It plays music; all I need out of it.

 

[indianacarnie]

Guess I'm one of the few who really use wmp for music. Never had any problems per se, I do much prefer wmp 11 to the 12. I'm used to it now though haha.
For movies,videos etc. I use vlc and for images I have used FastStone for years.

 

[Mike Connor]

I use several, I like to try various things.

Standby's are Spider player, VLC, Radio Sure, and I also use Windows Media Centre for satellite TV.

Regards....Mike Connor

 

[Tomrdiedrich]

Looking at all these posts it amazes me that there is not a well rounded Media player. Everyone uses alot of different ones that fit alot of different needs. Why is there not a media player that does it all? Something with an easy UI. Fully customizable to fit all these different needs. If there was such a player I personally would pay some decent money for it. XBMC is pretty good for my needs, but it is not my ideal player. The only way you can make it "perfect" is if you are a programmer.

Does anyone know of a player that is customizable? One that can be setup to meet almost anyones needs? With all the software out there it seems there would be.

Lets do away with the problems of WMP and find this "holy grail" of media players! LOL It sure would be nice. Maybe there is a programmer looking at this that can create such media player?

 

[pparks1]

I don't know, I have used media monkey forever and it's ideal for me. Other people seem to feel that iTunes is the best thing since sliced bread. But I honestly don't care for iTunes at all. I'd rather there not be 1 music player that everybody uses or agrees on. I much prefer alternatives, underdogs and different ways of doing things.

 

[Tomrdiedrich]

Thats the whole point. Have a user friendly UI that can be customized to you. You could then use skins if you will or add ons to get the functionality you need. A pipe dream I guess

 

[pparks1]

But my point is that I am completely happy with Media Monkey. I don't feel that there is anything else that I need. You can skin Media Monkey and put add-ons into the system as well...but I don't care about any of that...so I don't even know how well they work.

 

[mickey megabyte]

everybody had different needs, likes and dislikes.

it's great that there's a lot of alternatives, most of which don't cost any money - so you can try a lot out before you decide on your favourite.

bit like browsers, or most other software (apart from the money part)...

 

[Layback Bear]

I use WMP most of the time and I'm playing around with VLC. I really don't have any problems with WMP but I'm a simple person. It really all depends on what one likes. I do get the feeling that some are trying recreate the wheel.

 

[Vertex]

I use only Windows Media Player 12 cause I'd prefer to minimize installing apps that programs that came bundled Windows 7 can do anyways. I installed Shark Codecs and I have a video converter and with that WMP serves me well till now. I use it for MP3's, videos and online radio. With the appearance of players like VLC, WMP got pushed to the sidelines.

I also use Windows Media Center for playing and sometimes recording live TV and for FM radio.