What is your favorite media player?

[GrowingSlowly]

I was curious as to what everyone uses for playing their different forms of media. I'm sure that this can be a useful thread because there are so many media player out there. I know I haven't tried them all. Right now I am just using WMP that came with XP. I considered Realplayer, but it loads so many entries into the registry that I have resisted so far. Is there any player that works on everything? WMP, RPL, MP3, MPEG, MPEG2, AVI, WAV, DVD, DVIX, Etc, Etc,. Also, what are the obscure formats that few have ever heard of and what plays them. I am asking this because I would like to find the most useful ones for myself. Oh, why don't we stick with the free players only. I'm to cheap to shell out $$$ for something that has a free alternative for. Sorry, but that's just me.

:D

[CausticNylon]

heh, i dunno, ive been content with WMP on my XP box, either that or winamp... either one does exactly what i want them to do.

[killer_teddy]

I like irfan view and I use Windows media player for music and anything irfan refuses to play.

[herosrest]

Zoom player is the mutts nuts.
Light years ahead, a work of devotion.

http://www.inmatrix.com/files/zoomplayer_download.shtml

[crossedup]

Been a winamp man for years myself, not version 3 though. Rip my cd's using a plugin.

The only videos i ever watch are the one my wife pluncks on my desktop over the network and WMP gets them.

My mobo came with a program for audio, Realtek audiorack. Seems decent.

My DVD player came with PowerDVD, thats what i use for them.

I know, pretty boring. :D

[BuildItYourself]

Windows Media Player 9 Series. No, not Windows Media Player 9, Windows Media Player 9 Series. It's brand New, download it here (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/9series/player.aspx). It's For Windows 9x, Me, 2000, and, very obviously, XP. Just choose your Version. Here's a pic:

[RayH]

Video: Power DVD or Irfanview!

[fishybawb]

Originally posted by BuildItYourself
Windows Media Player 9 Series. No, not Windows Media Player 9, Windows Media Player 9 Series. It's brand New, download it here (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/9series/player.aspx). It's For Windows 9x, Me, 2000, and, very obviously, XP. Just choose your Version. Here's a pic:

I've been using 9 Series since February, so I wouldn't exactly call it brand new. It is however very good, if a little bloated.

[Magua]

I don't use a whole lot of video files, and WMP works fine for me. I hate real player, it always installes a boat load of stuff you dont want, and is a real pain to get rid of. Ive always used winamp for my music, works great for everything I need.

[Bigjakkstaffa]

Power DVD, DivX Playa, Winamp 2.9

Thats me sorted for everything

--Jakk:t

[mpacey]

Originally posted by GrowingSlowly
I was curious as to what everyone uses for playing their different forms of media.
:D

I have tried about 10 different media players, and I have finally settled with WMP 7.01 for ME and WMP 8.0 for XP.

I am leery of WMP 9.0.

[Paco103]

Originally posted by mpacey
. . . . I am leery of WMP 9.0.

I'm not doing WMP9. Have any of you actually read the license agreement with that thing? In a nutshell, it's not just media. MS now has the power to control what media is played, as well as what software can be run on your machine. I'm not a fan of that idea.

I use Winamp 5 Beta 2 now. I used Winamp 2.9 before that. Winamp 3 sucks (major system hog), but WA5 is lightweight, more like WA2, but has all the features and free-form skin stuff like WA3. Perfect blend :)

[Ol'Tunzafun]

Originally posted by herosrest
Zoom player is the mutts nuts.
Light years ahead, a work of devotion.

http://www.inmatrix.com/files/zoomplayer_download.shtml

Do you use the Standard version?

[GrowingSlowly]

Thanks guys. I will check out some of the media players that you have suggested. Think I will avoid realplayer. WMP and Winamp seem to be the most popular. Zoom also sounds interesting.

Thanks

[macampbell]

No one mentioned good ol musicmatch jukebox, it handles all my music files, rip and burn CDs, don't think it can be beaten.

[urdvurk]

Yeah that goes for me too. Musicmatch jukebox came with my cd writer and it does all I want it to do (with music anyway).

Recently installed and tried iTunes as well cause I'm an Apple fan. Works great, except I noticed it starts an iPod service (I don't have one) and a QuickTime service, more than 10MB together, unless you stop it. On the other hand, it imported my mm music database automatically, without my having to interfere and without interfering with anything on my hard disk.

I wouldn't use Windows Media Player. Microsoft may have got it right, more or less, with w2k and XP, but that doesn't mean we should trust them for anything else. Especially when there are things like DRM and separate EULAs involved.

Well that's my two cents anyway.

[BuildItYourself]

Oh yeah, I forgot, iTunes. I love it, now if they would implement SRS WOW effects, I would switch completely.

[sm8000]

I use Winamp 2.81 for audio, Windows Media Player 6.4 for video, and Media Player Classic for Real and Quicktime files.

[csamuels]

picked up a copy of what is called window media player classic, i attached a s/s. It came as a single file, dunno if it uses the existing wmp files installed by 2k. I installed K-lite codec pack for my movie viewing pleasure. Sometimes I'll try to use the BSplayer that came with the pack for files that won't play in wmpc.

Winamp for music & comedy recordings. I put a cool skin on it that makes it sorta look like a car stereo.

[mcjay]

media player classic 6.4.6.5 for all video
winamp 2.95 with music
and powerdvd for, you know.. power