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VLC and its Alternatives

Posted: 28 Apr 2007 02:31
by MetalheadGautham
I currently use a combination of media players, each appears to have its own pros and cons. You won't go wrong with any of the below; use your own combos.

FIRSTLY, I DITCHED REAL PLAYER, ITUNES AND QUICKTIME PLAYER ALONG WITH WINAMP, QUINTESSENTIAL PLAYER AND MUSIC MATCH JUKEBOX - THEY SUCK TO THE CORE.

:evil:

Then I moved to open source alternatives(excluding fb2k, super)), and these are my best bets. The VLC I use is the latest release, and the MPLayer I use is the one from MediaCoder or the one with the SMPlayer installer, while my Media Player Classic comes from k-lite codec pak.

Most being Open Source, I only wish someone can combine them all, none is perfect.

The Programs Reviewed here(with links to the website for download)

1. SUPER ©
2. VLC Media Player
3. SMPLayer, MPlayer and MPUI
4. Media Player Classic
5. Songbird
6. foobar2000

1. VLC Media Player


needs no facts. you are here anyway... it plays most of the formats well, and is full of enhancements. If you are the geeky sort, this is for you due to the fact that its opensource, meaning you can show off yo your friends all the modifications you made to your media player.
vlc also uses less ram, lesser than MPUI mostly, but usually not lesser than mplayer.exe. It has several advanced functions to make it rock, its the only one with visualisations and EQ, along with gui transcoding. But its interface is horrible. some mov files http://www.drummerworld.com/Videos/john ... bydick.mov play with two windows, one for video and the main window with the first frame. the wallpaper mode is also a bit twitchy, and so is the EQ. This is not yet 1.0, but it still rocks.

Image

UPDATE: VLC 0.9 uses the QT4 interface, it rocks...

2. MPlayer + SMPlayer + MPUI

Useful in playing files VLC can't handle, due to the presence of a methord to use binary win32 codecs. MPUI is the best gui for MPlayer, don't go with the offitial gmplayer. Use it to play real media, voxware, etc.
uses the least ram of the three, and MPUI rocks. but it lacks some of the functionality of VLC and MPC. I assoiated mp3, acc, wma and ogg, wav and other audio files with the non gui version, and it loads in seconds, and the file info and keyboard functions are all awssome, and it uses terrifically less ram. I use MPUI to play long videos, or a list of files while my comp is already chocked in ram due to any transcoding stuff going on. I also noticed - some flvs play on MPlayer, and others on VLC and the rest (all) on MPC....
Image

UPDATE: use SMPlayer instead. It has lots of advanced functions and is comparable to VLC in features. Now I can say MPUI sucks, but there is still the fact that this tiny ~250 kb program can automatically detect where MPlayer is located, so you can keep it in the desktop always. SMPlayer can be compiled for linux, but binaries are available only for windows. It has a nice GUI with good icons.
Image

3. SUPER(win)

A program for windows to encode files even to animated gifs! SUPER ©
it is actually a frontend to MPlayer, MEncoder, FFMPEG, FFMPEG2theora, producer, etc. it is one of the best software for all your transcoading needs. But it can also be used as a player. It even supports DirectShow for the files its internal codecs can't handle.
Image

4. foobar2000(win)

It is a player for the geeky. It is a do it yourself type player, so you need to download plugins to add some compatabilities, and the gui is prettyboring, you need to customize it yourself, but the level that can be achieved through customization is very high, you can even add support for visualizations. This too is a good tool to be shown off. You can enhance it easily, provided you pass its learning curve. If you work well, you can make it look better than one of those expencive jukeboxes used in parties, radiostations, etc. You can even add visualizations. It is highly advanced, with high quality audio output, and a host of other features. the player in its core is propiatary, but its software developement kit is under BSD liscence, meaning that you can make a big adon for foobar2000 and end up selling it for 100 bucks...(I strongly discourage that). But if you are a no fuss guy, forget foobar2000, its not for you.

the standard GUI
Image

somebody's modified gui
Image

5. Media Player Classic(win)

The Best Direct Show based media player for windows. Period.
with the same old school stripped down look of WMP6.4, and completly portable, this is the only player you need to use in case you installed a codec pack.
Image
MPC can play anything, but it uses more ram than vlc. It is the only one which can play Real media comfortably, with seeking. but it lacks an EQ, and other stuff in VLC. the best thing about this is that it can store data in a ini file, and i can use it along with autorun commands to create gift cds with playlist intact. it is also future prooof with new direct show filters made every month. the best part is that the playlist can be put in the same window along with video and audio, I hate seperate windows for playlist, clip info, audio/controls and video.


6. Songbird

It is the upcoming rival to iTunes, and guess what? it is based on the VLC plugin and the Firefox engine. Cool!!!!! but too bad its still 0.2.5. just wait for the 1.0 version to get released! It combines a digital jukebox, an all in one media player and a webbrowser in one software. it supports firefox addons too. it even has skins sorry feathers. it can also retrieve videos from webpages. and you dont at all need a player's plugin, if you have THIS baby.
Image

So What would do you think is better to use? one? or two? all?

PS: I Can't wait for songbird 1.0

Posted: 28 Apr 2007 02:35
by Jean-Baptiste Kempf
"But its interface is horrible."

We are redoing it. Any idea on how to make it better ?

About some files not readable (against MPC) is that we use only OpenSource codec and our own codecs not the one from your pack.

Posted: 28 Apr 2007 02:39
by MetalheadGautham
hey this is just a comparison. besides, I heard ffmpeg is being developed still further and fix real and flash stuff.

and I sa you could have that link checked... and include the clip info, playlist and video in ONE WINDOW. like MPC. that will do a lot of good. And what about the helix community? arent they open suource?

Posted: 28 Apr 2007 02:43
by MetalheadGautham
could you enable direct show mode in vlc for windows?

PS: dont concider it much, as I am gonna switch to ubuntu in a couple of monthes, OPEN SOURCE ROCKS

Posted: 28 Apr 2007 02:55
by Jean-Baptiste Kempf
hey this is just a comparison. besides, I heard ffmpeg is being developed still further and fix real and flash stuff.

and I sa you could have that link checked... and include the clip info, playlist and video in ONE WINDOW. like MPC. that will do a lot of good. And what about the helix community? arent they open suource?
In the new version, you can have the video, the playlist, some clipinfo in the same window.

Helix is open source but supported by Real...

Posted: 28 Apr 2007 02:56
by Jean-Baptiste Kempf
could you enable direct show mode in vlc for windows?
Like using DirectShow codec in more ?
I guess it could be doable. But noone in the team is interested and noone in the windows community has done it.

Posted: 28 Apr 2007 03:13
by MetalheadGautham
Helix is open source but supported by Real...
so what? the real workers are not real, but the community, and real cant just withdraw the project, because stuff has already been released to public. developement could comtinue. and you could borrow stuff from xine and mplayer.

Posted: 28 Apr 2007 03:21
by Jean-Baptiste Kempf
Well, Helix is really focused on Real Codecs, which are proprietary. And most developments in Helix are done by Real.

Still, some adaptations could be done. We just lack developers.

Icons And File Type Data

Posted: 28 Apr 2007 03:30
by MetalheadGautham
all files are shown as VLC Media File (xyz).... couldn't you just put the correct name for all files? like ACC Audio, MP3 Audio, Flash Video, MPEG Video, AVI VIdeo, QuickTime Movie, SMIL Multimedia, Real Video, Real Media, AIFF Audio, OGG Vorbis, theora video, etc? and whats up with the icon? cant you get a better icon for vlc? and cant we have seperate relavent icons for all filetypes?

Re: Icons And File Type Data

Posted: 28 Apr 2007 03:33
by Jean-Baptiste Kempf
all files are shown as VLC Media File (xyz).... couldn't you just put the correct name for all files? like ACC Audio, MP3 Audio, Flash Video, MPEG Video, AVI VIdeo, QuickTime Movie, SMIL Multimedia, Real Video, Real Media, AIFF Audio, OGG Vorbis, theora video, etc? and whats up with the icon? cant you get a better icon for vlc? and cant we have seperate relavent icons for all filetypes?
* Names. Well, it is doable. http://trac.videolan.org/vlc/changeset/ ... n32.nsi.in
Partly one.

* We like the cone. But just do different icons, we will be glad to integrate them.

Icons

Posted: 28 Apr 2007 03:40
by MetalheadGautham
I found these icons online and in k - lite codec pack. I put em in a single archieve and uploaded them for you. use em as you want. or just get busy with gimpshop http://www.freewebs.com/gauthamonline/icons.7z

Posted: 28 Apr 2007 03:43
by MetalheadGautham
wait an hour while I use gimpshop to create icons

Posted: 28 Apr 2007 04:07
by Jean-Baptiste Kempf
Those icons with one of our cones would be great.

Posted: 28 Apr 2007 04:11
by MetalheadGautham
dude i dont know flashy stuff, so I am just adding for example MP3 to the cone in the second white bar. it looks simple and sweet, like how it should be, but my problem is that I cant't create non square icons, so can you convert my images to icons?(wait 10 mor mins till I upload them)

Posted: 28 Apr 2007 04:24
by MetalheadGautham
http://www.freewebs.com/gauthamonline/vlcicon.7z phew quite simple, but neat. can anyone convert them to icons?

Posted: 28 Apr 2007 04:27
by MetalheadGautham
I wont be arround till monday.... try to get these http://www.freewebs.com/gauthamonline/vlcicon.7z converted to icons or edit them..... I got the idea from quicktime player.....

Video

Posted: 30 Apr 2007 18:42
by asdufisn
Sorry to VLC developers but I highly prefer MPLAYER over VLC. Why ?

- MPLAYER works on slow CPU's also (slowly), while VLC "plays" a big black
box or garbage only :-(
- MPLAYER works in DOS also (what a rudeness against Mr. B.G. and his Vi$$ta to use DOS :shock: ) (still experimental), VLC doesn't :-(
- MPLAYER seems (marginally only) better compatible with some (buggy ?) movies

It's a bit sad that the "open source" VLC project targets mostly to horribly CPU, memory and energy hoggy, closed-source, highly DRM-infected, making user an ultra-fool idiot, etc. "featured" Vi$$ta rather than DOS :oops:

Re: Video

Posted: 30 Apr 2007 19:13
by Jean-Baptiste Kempf
- MPLAYER works on slow CPU's also (slowly), while VLC "plays" a big black
box or garbage only :-(
hmm... that is wrong. The stats and the benchmark are telling the opposing, especially with MPEG-2 and MPEG-4. On the many tests that were available, VLC was the lowest one. COmment like http://www.overclock.net/faqs/127705-in ... ht-me.html ( VLC Pros: Free -Great Power Uses Less CPUare ) can be find in many places on the web.

For H.264, this is true, VLC is slower than Proprietary codecs.
- MPLAYER works in DOS also (what a rudeness against Mr. B.G. and his Vi$$ta to use DOS :shock: ) (still experimental), VLC doesn't :-(
VLC media player works for years in DOS... And is quite stable... Oh, and VLC can run as a service too, so without GUI... Sorry to contradict you.
- MPLAYER seems (marginally only) better compatible with some (buggy ?) movies
http://sam.zoy.org/blog/2007-01-16-expo ... rabilities

Seams to contradict you.
It's a bit sad that the "open source" VLC project targets mostly to horribly CPU, memory and energy hoggy, closed-source, highly DRM-infected, making user an ultra-fool idiot, etc. "featured" Vi$$ta rather than DOS :oops:
I call that FUD for the previous reasons.

Posted: 30 Apr 2007 19:29
by CloudStalker
I'd have to agree with j-b. I've been using Windows media player :roll: for a long time now and after switching to VLC I've notice a large difference in performance/quality. It uses a little less memory but it definitely has the least amount of CPU usage of all the media players I've used thus far (Window media player, Creative media source, PowerDVD, Nero Showtime, Media player Classic, TrueCast player, QuickTime).

I've run a couple of tests myself and these are my findings. :D

Soooo...VLC's better!!! :D No offense. 8)

Posted: 30 Apr 2007 19:48
by daveshrop
VLC is definetely Number 1 for me with
foobar 2000 a very close second but for audio only

Posted: 30 Apr 2007 19:59
by Jean-Baptiste Kempf
I did not wanted to launch fanboyism for VLC, but some FUD is boring.

Posted: 30 Apr 2007 21:52
by CloudStalker
I did not wanted to launch fanboyism for VLC, but some FUD is boring.
VLC forever!!! :D What's FUD? :P No seriously. :?

Excuse this post, well rested I guess. :oops:

Posted: 30 Apr 2007 22:00
by Jean-Baptiste Kempf
I did not wanted to launch fanboyism for VLC, but some FUD is boring.
VLC forever!!! :D What's FUD? :P No seriously. :?
FUD: Fear, Uncertain, Doubt
"Fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD) is a sales or marketing strategy of disseminating negative (and vague) information on a competitor's product. The term originated to describe disinformation tactics in the computer hardware industry and has since been used more broadly. FUD is a manifestation of the appeal to fear."

Posted: 30 Apr 2007 22:02
by DJ
I did not wanted to launch fanboyism for VLC, but some FUD is boring.
Also what is a fanboyism? Is this like other isms? I always considered fans for girls as fan dancing is just not for boys! :oops:

Posted: 30 Apr 2007 22:31
by CloudStalker
FUD: Fear, Uncertain, Doubt
"Fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD) is a sales or marketing strategy of disseminating negative (and vague) information on a competitor's product. The term originated to describe disinformation tactics in the computer hardware industry and has since been used more broadly. FUD is a manifestation of the appeal to fear."
Thanks! oh, and I see you've been using the ieSpell. :lol: [joking]
j-b wrote:
I did not wanted to launch fanboyism for VLC, but some FUD is boring.



Also what is a fanboyism? Is this like other isms? I always considered fans for girls as fan dancing is just not for boys!
Someone who's a fan solely of one product, service, ect. Like there are fanboys of Sony Playstation that hate the other two competing platforms (Nintendo and Microsoft), or even here, where some people love Mac OS-X but hate Windows and Linux, at least this is my whole understanding of fanboyism. :)