In general, our computer is much more than a work tool, since it can also be used for leisure. Therefore, the presence of a multimedia player capable of playing all kinds of audio and video files cannot be missing. To carry out this work, the most popular tool is VLC Media Player , although there are excellent alternatives that you may not know and which we are going to talk about today.
VLC, the reference to play multimedia content
VLC media player is possibly the most popular media player and framework. Developed by VideoLAN, it is a free, open-source and free application , compatible with a large number of computer operating systems (Windows, Mac OS, Linux) such as mobiles (Android, iOS).
This tool is capable of playing all kinds of audio and video files without the need to install codecs (MPEG-2, MPEG-4, MKV, WebM, WMV, MP3, etc.) and can even play DVD, BluRay or 4K movies. as well as streaming videos. It also has support for subtitles and labels. In addition, it also allows the conversion of audio and video formats, download, take screenshots, and even create a remote control web server.
Its interface is very simple and functional and can be personalized using skins or skins. It also allows creating skins with its own editor, as well as installing extensions.
Although it is the most used player, sometimes some users have had problems with the reproductions, especially with MKV videos. For this reason, today we are going to bring some alternatives to VLC to play all kinds of audio and video files.
Best programs as alternatives to VLC
MPC_HC
The Media Player Classic Home Cinema player has been with us for many years, with the ability to work with all kinds of audio and video files. It is compatible with the most popular formats such as AVI, MPEG, DVD-Video, MP4, MP3, FLAC, among others. It works with all types of computers, even the oldest and does not incorporate any type of advertising or announcements . It also has a custom toolbar with which to change its appearance and adapt it to our tastes.
MPC_HC is a completely free application that we can download from Github , the official page of the development platform.
BSPlayer
This multimedia player is characterized by being light as well as fast , consuming few CPU resources, which is why it is indicated for both older computers and those that are not very powerful, allowing it to be used at the same time with other applications. It supports all kinds of audio and video formats such as WebM, Xvid, AVI, MPG, MP4, MP3, OGG, among others, making it one of the clearest alternatives to VLC. It also allows you to play videos from Y-Tube, as well as customize its interface with the use of skins and create playlists.
If we want to try BSPlayer we can download it for free from its website. Optionally, it has a Pro version, with payment, with which we will obtain some additional features such as the possibility of playing YTube videos in high definition, receiving lifetime updates or having technical support.
Realplayer
It is a tool for playing all kinds of well-known audio and video files. It has additional features such as the possibility of converting videos to different formats such as MKV, AVI, MP4, MP3 and WMV, or to burn both DVDs and audio CDs of our favorite music or podcasts. It also allows us to make adjustments to the video, how to cut or add a title. In addition, in case we share the computer, RealPlayer allows us to protect our privacy , protecting our videos with a PIN to be able to access them.
RealPlayer has a free version that we can download from its official website . Additionally, we can acquire different payment options from 35.99 euros with which to obtain additional functions over the free version, such as the cloud storage service, the possibility of transmitting HD videos and copying files from HD to DVD.
KMPlayer
This multimedia player is a great alternative to VLC as it has all kinds of audio and video codecs, so you don’t need to install them. It is compatible with the most popular formats on the market such as MPEG, MKV, AVI, VOB, among others, and is capable of playing videos in 4K and 8K and even in 3D. It has an attractive interface and is very light, so it hardly consumes computer resources. It has the possibility of reading different subtitles, and a new functionality, called KMP Connect , with which you can share music and video online in the cloud.
KMPlayer is a free audio and video player that we can download from its official website .
MPlayer
This application is characterized by being a multimedia and multiplatform player released under the GPL license, compatible with a large number of popular formats such as MPEG, AVI, MKV, VOB, etc. Unlike other players, it lacks an interface , which makes it easier to control its functions. In addition, it is capable of playing up to 14 different types of subtitle formats, with minimal resource consumption.
MPlayer is a free audio and video player that can be downloaded from the developer’s website .
5KPlayer
This multimedia player is an alternative to VLC thanks to the fact that it is capable of playing content in 4K and 5K , admitting support for all kinds of audio and video formats such as MKV, MP4, AVI, MP3, etc. It also allows you to play DVDs and CDs, as well as listen to the radio . The app supports subtitles and allows you to share content wirelessly using DLNA and Apple‘s AirPlay.
5KPlayer is a free player that we can download from its official website .
Potplayer
It is a fairly complete multimedia software player so it can be a perfectly valid VLC alternative. It supports a wide variety of audio and video formats, supporting OpenCodec to add additional codecs. It allows playing videos in formats such as AVI, MPEG, MTS, ASF, among others, and sound files such as MP3, WAV, FLAC, etc. It also allows us to view all kinds of 3D videos as it has compatibility with various types of glasses.
PotPlayer is a free audio and video player that we can download from its website.
SMPlayer
Another very lightweight media player that comes with a clear alternative to VLC. It has support for most of the most used audio and video formats, as well as for subtitles, playing videos on the Internet. It also allows adjustments such as image playback speed and audio and subtitle synchronization.
SMPlayer is an audio and video player that we can download for free from its website.
GOM Media Player
This multimedia player is a great alternative to the most popular players like VLC, being compatible with a great compatibility of audios and videos, offering us its own codec search engine in case we need it. It also allows playing incomplete or damaged files , as well as customizing its interface with different skins.
If you want to try GOM Media Player, you can download it for free from its official website .
PowerDVD
It is one of the most complete multimedia content players on the market , not for nothing is it a paid program, unlike the rest of the players we have seen so far. With it we can play all kinds of audio, video and even image files, as well as DVD and Blu-Ray. We will also be able to access web content from streaming videos, as well as content in virtual reality or in 360 degrees .
As we have indicated PowerDVD is a paid application, which allows us to download a free trial version . In order to enjoy all its content without restrictions, we must purchase its license, which has a price that starts from 44.99 euros.
Windows 10 Movies and TV
This application developed by Microsoft allows us to enjoy our entire video collection or to rent and buy new movies or series in HD quality for our Windows 10 computer. It also has a search engine to quickly and easily find what we are looking for. Plus, it offers detailed descriptions of our favorite movies and TV shows. It also supports subtitles for most TV shows and movies.
Movies and TV is an application that is available by default with Windows 10, so we will only have to put its name in Cortana’s search engine to be able to run it.
