Any decent alternatives to VLC?

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mrtheshaggy

[H]ard|Gawd
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Jun 28, 2003
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Anyone use a VLC alternative they like and care to recommend?

Would like to try something else. VLC is great, but more recently has been giving me fits.
 
If you don't mind doing a bit of elbow grease, this is what I currently use to watch anime:
(Install ONLY the 32-bit build for the following that's highlighted.)

Installation and setup:

Install LAV Filters 32-bit ONLY.
2012-09-24_09-09-31.png


Step 1 - When you get to this screen in installing LAV filters, uncheck the following or leave them checked if you plan on using the splitter to decode these files:
  • Matroska/WebM (Let Haali Media Splitter handle MKV files.)
  • MP4/MOV
  • Bluray
  • FLV
  • Windows television (wtv)
  • WMV / ASF / DVR-MS
  • DTS Audio
  • AC3 Audio

Step 2 - Configure the VIdeo filters as shown here. (This is my preferable settings. Configure it how you want. Just make sure NV12 under 8-bit is unchecked for 4:2:0.)
2012-09-24_09-14-29.png


Under Hardware decoder, select whichever is best for your system:
If Nvidia video card - NVIDIA CUVID
If Intel integrated with QuickSync - Intel QuickSync
If ATI/AMD video card - DXVA2 (native)

Install Haali Media Splitter.

Install MadVR.
Step 1 - Open it and drag the files to a folder under Program Files (x86) (i.e. - C:\Program Files (x86)\madVR) or any folder you like.
Step 2 - In that folder, look for "install.bat" and right-click "Run as Administrator".
It should say filters were successfully registered.

Install xy-vsfilter. (This is for subtitle rendering.)

Install AC3Filter

MPC HC:

Install.
Step 1 - Go to View -> Options...

Step 2 - Go the Internal Filters section first and UNCHECK everything. (That ALS should be unchecked but uncheck it anyway.)
2012-09-24_09-06-26.png


Step 3 - Now, move to Output and it should like this:
2012-09-24_09-27-18.png


Select madVR as your default renderer.

Step 4 - Now, go to External Filters.

2012-09-24_09-35-09.png


Click on "Add filter..." and add the following:
  • LAV Audio Decoder. Set to Prefer.
  • LAV Video Decoder. Set to Prefer.
  • DirectVOBSub (auto-loading). Set to Prefer.
  • AC3Filter. Set to Prefer.
Step 5 - Personal preference but if you have a second monitor or an HDTV as a second monitor like me, this comes in handy:

2012-09-24_09-42-24.png


--------------------------------------------------------------

After this, you're all done. Other options you can personally tweak or choose yourself.

This is the best setup I've had so far and can play 10-bit (Hi10P) encoded video.
 
I install GOM and MPC-HC, then set GOM as default for everything except mp3 (winamp with MMD3)
 
I use Splash Pro for video. I also have Shark's codec pack for WMP installed and FFdshow, but Splash Pro has won me over.

Splash Pro does a very good job with GPU acceleation and sharpening filter.
 
I use MPC-HC (the latest from xvidvideo.ru)

What's the purpose of all the LAV filters and MadVR? On Win7, I install Haali and MPC-HC, and I've never had a problem playing back anything.
 
GushpinBob said:
May I ask why?
Click to expand...

Because a majority of the filters in his redundant list aren't available in 64-bit flavors, so naturally you have to go for the lest common denominator: 32-bit.

As drdeutsch said, unless you have a special need, something like MPC-HC (without any additional software) will support 90% of the content you will throw at it.

drdeutsch said:
What's the purpose of all the LAV filters and MadVR? On Win7, I install Haali and MPC-HC, and I've never had a problem playing back anything.
Click to expand...

User preference for the most part. For the few cases where it isn't user preference, it comes down to which feature is supported by which set of software. For example, Haali Media Splitter is one of the few that supports ordered chapters, yet because development has become stagnant it doesn't support the inter-leaved AC3 tracks in TrueHD (or something to that effect).
 
Windows media center 7 + matroska filter + ac3 filter.

Let's me watch all my bluray rips 100% trouble free
 
Reasons for my "overlapping" files from the list above:
madVR - GPU-assisted video rendering (getting video to screen in the best quality possible)

chroma%20upscampling%20comparison%201.png

Source: http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1271416#post1271416

LAV video decoder - 8-bit AND 10-bit (Hi10P) video decoding and multithreaded for multiple video formats. 8-bit video decoding can be accelerated via DXVA2 for me since I have an AMD video card. 10-bit video decoding cannot be accelerated at this time because of its complexity, so it's very heavily reliant on the CPU, hence the multithreading.

LAV audio decoder - FLAC, MP3, and AAC audio in anime video files.

AC3 filter - Digital audio filter for anime video files using AC3 or DTS.

Haali Media Splitter - Ordered chapters.

xy-vsfilter - Subtitle rendering and proper subtitle placement and overlays.

MPC HC - The video player connecting all that.

As said above, 32-bit because many, if not all, 64-bit filters and codecs are not stable or do not work properly, and many filters and codecs only work in 32-bit players.​
 
I used to not care for VLC, either, but then I got tired of all the new codecs coming out and it works so much better.
 
GOM Player will play broken video files that MPC-HC, VLC and other players will choke on. However, you'll have to pay attention while installing to avoid installing junkware, in a manner which makes me think GOM is a skeevy kind of company.

Daum Potplayer will also play broken video files, but it doesn't do something MPC-HC does. I'm not sure what you call it, but when you move the little box that shows the movie's progress, MPC-HC will start playing at any point but Potplayer will only start playing at predetermined points.
 
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I would say GOM player for anything VLC player cant do. What type of files you dealing with ?
 
drdeutsch said:
I use MPC-HC (the latest from xvidvideo.ru)
Click to expand...

This is all you need. I have other players on my system, but MPC-HC handles everything quite nicely and it has the most functional interface of any of the players as well. And it it is updated twice/month all year long. I don't update it that often, but if you do ever encounter a bug, you can likely get it fixed faster than any other player out there.

As far as loading it up with tons of extra filtering, that is just largely pointless, to have some minor change that you would only notice in screen shot. A waste of time for normal people.

MPC-HC is the perfect VLC replacement. It is standalone with everything you need self contained.
 
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