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This open-sourced Windows media player lets you watch videos, play audio and change the programming

This open-sourced Windows media player lets you watch videos, play audio and change the programming

Vote: (1 votes)

Program license: Free

Developer: MPC-HC Team

Version: 1.9.23

Works under: Windows

Vote:

Program license

(1 votes)

Free

Developer

Version

MPC-HC Team

1.9.23

Works under:

Windows

Pros

  • Lightweight and open-source
  • Free software
  • Plays any audio or video formats
  • Compatible with stored files, DVDs, and Blu-ray media
  • Ad and spyware free

Cons

  • No longer being developed
  • Overly simple
  • Unattractive interface

As lightweight media players go, it's hard to beat MPC-HC. Other Windows video playback programs do well when they're asked to load familiar video formats, but they break down when told to play an unfamiliar file type. They simply kick out error messages when instructed to load an anomalous media format. Media Player Classic Home Cinema (MPC-HC) doesn't suffer from such file incompatibility issues. Quite the opposite, the open-source media player can smoothly load and play just about any type of video or audio file, whether it's ancient or new.

Even when a native media player, the one that comes installed with Windows, manages to show an unconventional file format, it balks at the prospect. The movie stutters and hiccups. There are audio sync issues, missing frames, and frustrating crashes. MPC-HC, thanks to its open-source software architecture, can handle all sorts of audio and video formats. Granted, there are software programs that can match this feature, but they can't do so without spitting out a message. The popups ask for permission. They stop the player until a special codec can be downloaded. Again and again, this message appears every single time a codec is required. MPC-HC installs with all codecs, so the toughest media types begin playing as soon as they're loaded, not after a lengthy search of an online database.

As for its all-around capabilities, Media Player Classic Home Cinema is available as either a 32-bit or 64-bit download. However, even if the installer does decide to opt for the 32-bit version, the program should still perform well and remain stable, even on a low-spec computer. Essentially, the media decoding engine embedded inside this program doesn't consume many CPU cycles, so it won't cause any slowdown in Windows, nor will it burn through RAM. Frankly, some media players do eat computer resources, but MPC-HC really does fall into the lightweight power usage category. If it's instructed to play a high-definition movie, the program still won't eat into a computer's processing resources.

Other handy media playback extras include the following: Frame step controls, decrease and increase playback speed, full-screen or windows mode, hard drive file playback, DVD or Blu-ray formats, renderer settings, and more. Despite the sheer number of extra features, MPC-HC somehow installs as a small program, one that doesn't consume hard drive space. Additionally, because it's an open-source media player, the software is customizable. Personalize the toolbar and playback buttons, or head on over to a software customization webpage to download several pleasing toolbar designs. Incidentally, that open-source feature delivers yet another handy advantage. Simply put, media software retailers sometimes add spyware and advertisements. MPC-HC is clean, so clean that it doesn't include any ads or spyware.

Pros

  • Lightweight and open-source
  • Free software
  • Plays any audio or video formats
  • Compatible with stored files, DVDs, and Blu-ray media
  • Ad and spyware free

Cons

  • No longer being developed
  • Overly simple
  • Unattractive interface