Every computer or laptop user is faced with which media player to choose best for watching movies and videos. At first glance, it may seem that there is nothing complicated here, but it is not. There are a lot of players at the moment, and each has a certain functionality. Also, do not forget about the ease of use, because the easier it is to control the player, the more you will like it. In today's review, we will look at some of the most popular media players and get acquainted with their capabilities.
GOM Player
To start the review of media players, perhaps, with one of the most popular today - this is GOM Player. The program has been released for a long time. The popularity of the player came at a time when additional codecs were required to play certain video formats. Everything you need was already built into GOM, due to which it could play absolutely any video.
At the moment there are 2 versions of the media player - free and paid with the prefix GOM Plus. The main differences of the paid version are a modified graphical shell, no ads and better optimization for most computers. Also, Plus owners are offered ongoing technical assistance and various promotions in the future. GOM Plus costs 1400 rubles. ($ 25), but at a discount it can be bought for 840 rubles. ($15). Honestly, the free version is enough for everyday use, so you don't have to pay money at all.
Opportunities
Now it's worth getting a little familiar with the capabilities of the player. As already mentioned, GOM Player has all the necessary codecs to play any video. You will also be prompted to download additional codecs during the installation of the program. As for ease of use, everything is in order here. You can rewind the video using the left and right arrows on the keyboard. The up and down arrows are responsible for increasing and decreasing the volume. In addition, you can adjust the sound and the wheel on the mouse. The spacebar is traditionally responsible for pause and playback.
There is support for sub titles. Interestingly, when playing any movie, GOM Player offers to download sub titles and automatically recognizes the name of the movie. Another interesting feature worth noting is the support for remote control. A smartphone will be used as a remote control. Everything is set up quickly and easily. Finally, it is worth noting the ability to adjust the sound using the equalizer, carry out color correction, adjust the size and position of sub titles, and also take screenshots by pressing a special button.
Windows Media Player
The next media player on the list is a classic application found on any computer - Windows Media Player or WMP for short. In fact, not everyone prefers and loves this player, primarily due to the fact that its functionality is somewhat curtailed and it can not play all types of videos. Some formats require separate codecs.
Player functionality
So, the main disadvantage of WMP is that it is inconvenient to use. The media player has very poorly implemented controls. For example, if you start a video and press the spacebar, nothing will happen. In other players, the video would immediately pause, but not here. In order to be able to stop and start playback using the spacebar, you must first click on the corresponding button with the mouse. The same applies to rewinding - first you need to click on the time slider with the mouse and only after that you can use the arrows on the keyboard. The situation is similar with volume control. The result is that it is easier to use the mouse than the keyboard.
Next, with regard to additional settings. Just want to say - there are few of them. If you right-click anywhere in the video, a small context menu will appear with just these settings. Of interest here is only the item "Additional features". Most of the parameters in it do not work, you can only use the "Video Options", where it is proposed to adjust the color scheme.
If we talk about which media player to choose - WMP or GOM, then preference should still be given to the second. It is more convenient to use and much more functional than Windows Media.
Media player classic (MPC)
Another equally popular media player on today's list is Media Player Classic (MPC). Unlike Windows Media Player, MPC has much more functionality and features. The player is distributed free of charge, so anyone can download it on the official website. Don't worry about codecs - the player already has everything you need.
Functionality
Using the MPC is very convenient, although its operation is slightly different from other players. For example, the up and down arrows are responsible for the volume level, left and right allow you to frame-by-frame rewind. In order to rewind a few seconds of the video, you need to press the key combination "Ctrl + left / right arrow". At first glance, it is not very convenient, but in any case it is better than WMP. By the way, you can also adjust the sound using the wheel on the mouse.
Also when pressedthe left mouse button can stop video playback, and if you click it again, you can resume it. On the keyboard, the same manipulations can be carried out using the "space". In addition, MPC allows you to increase and decrease the speed of video playback by pressing special buttons. They are located at the bottom left next to the rest of the controls.
More Media Player Classic allows you to load the sub title file manually or automatically. To do this, you need the sub title file to be in the same folder as the video. As for the settings, there are a lot of them, and it will take time to deal with them all. But you don't have to do this, because everything works very well on standard parameters.
As for which media player to choose for your computer from the so far presented, the best option would be GOM and MPC. Windows Media is inferior to both in almost everything. Well, let's move on to the next program.
PotPlayer
If we are already talking about which media player to choose for a PC or laptop, so that it is easy to manage and at the same time functional, then you should definitely look towards PotPlayer. Previously, the same program was called Daum PotPlayer, but over time, the developers removed the first part and left only the second. This player is distributed free of charge, it does not have additional types of licenses, which means that the functionality will be the same for everyone. PotPlayer already has all the necessary codecs, so there is nothing more to look for on the Internet to download andyou do not need to install on your computer.
Program features
PotPlayer looks a bit like GOM in terms of its appearance, arrangement of some elements and buttons. The player has a very convenient control using the keys on the keyboard. The arrows are responsible for rewinding and controlling the volume level, and the "space" - for the start of playback and pause. As for the mouse, you can also use the wheel to adjust the volume, and double-clicking the left button mimics the function of the spacebar.
The menu that appears when you click on the corresponding button in the upper left corner is a bit like a classic media player, only there are much fewer items here. However, everything you need is there: control, playback, sub title settings, video, audio, etc. The same menu can also be opened by pressing the right mouse button.
Of the interesting features, it is worth noting the extensive possibilities of the "Frame Recording" and "Video Recording" menus. The first allows you to take screenshots from a video, storyboard, save each frame as a separate image, merge several screenshots into one, and much, much more. The second menu allows you to record video, i.e. you can record and save some interesting moment in the film.
And, of course, we can't help but mention the button in the form of a gear, which is located at the bottom right. When you click on it, a small control panel appears, which is very similar to the one in GOM Player. The set of functions here is about the same, only video settings andsub titles are somewhat longer.
PotPlayer is a great option for everyone. Simple and cute design, good functionality, ease of use - what else do you need?
Light Alloy
If none of the above players suit you for some reason and the search for an answer to the question "which media player to choose" continues, then perhaps you should pay attention to Light Alloy. This player is very well known to computer users on the Windows XP operating system. Since in those days there was not much choice in the players, LA saved very well. It allowed you to play any of the videos that existed then, and without delays and brakes. Perhaps this was due to its own video engine and a pack of codecs that were installed with the player.
At the moment, the latest version of the media player for Windows 7, 8 and 10 has been created. XP and Vista are not supported. You can download the player from the official website for free.
Functionality
Since Light Alloy was developed by a Russian developer, the media player interface is in Russian. The controls here are very similar to what Media Player Classic has. You can pause playback by pressing the space bar and clicking the left mouse button. The arrows, as always, play the role of adjusting the sound and rewinding. This player has an interesting feature - if you right-click on the window in which the video is playing, then all controls, frame andeven the time line will disappear. Only one image will remain.
You can access the player settings using the gear button or by right-clicking on the control panel. Actually, the second method is more convenient and faster. There are no interesting settings for video in LA, everything is the same as in the previous versions - adjusting brightness, contrast and saturation.
There is a separate button for downloading sub titles. Clicking the left mouse button turns sub titles on and off, and clicking the right mouse button allows you to select the desired file. There is also a separate button for screenshots. It allows you to take either single shots or storyboard.
Overall, Light Alloy is a very nice player that is easy and enjoyable to use. If we talk about which media player for Windows 7, 8 and 10 to choose from those already presented, then you should pay attention to MPC, PotPlayer and, probably, Light Alloy. Everything is clear with WMP - the player is very inconvenient in all respects, but as for GOM, this player is good, but the built-in advertising in the free version spoils the impression a bit.
In closing
It's time to sum up today's review and answer the most important question: which media player is better? It is impossible to say for sure, because each of the presented has its pros and cons. Some may like the look and feel of PotPlayer, while others may prefer Light Alloy or MPC. For someone it will be important to have a lotsettings, and someone, on the contrary, will choose the necessary minimum. Everyone has different requirements, so everyone should choose the best player on their own.
