Media Player Classic-Home Cinema (MPC-HC for short) is a true classic among media players. It can play nearly every media file format, both audio and video, and also plays DVD content. With its old-school interface and widespread customizability, it may not be the best choice if you're looking for a click-and-forget player for video and audio files. But those who require more control over their media playback will appreciate the extra options MPC-HC offers. Since this program is lightweight, it's compatible with nearly every Windows edition since 98 (which it still supports). Moving forward in time, MPC-HC is compatible with Windows 8.
MPC-HC's user interface has always emphasized function over form, and it's hard to imagine a more efficient media player layout than this classic design. You can customize most of MPC-HC's parameters from an extensive Options dialog as well as other places throughout the player, but alarming skins aren't on the menu. Lots of performance and behavior options are, though, such as two check boxes for associating MPC-HC with Explorer context menus by files, directory, or both, as well as Internal and External Filters; separate output options for DirectShow, RealMedia, and QuickTime video; and a page full of extra Tweaks like customizable Jump Distance and Windows 7 Taskbar options.
MPC-HC has a Playlist, of course, but it also has a Shader Editor, Renderer Settings, customizable Pan & Scan, and Command Line Switches. The Web-based Help file is actually light on help; there's a development wiki and changelog, but no manual to speak of -- as we noted, MPC-HC may not be the best choice for beginners, and it's helpful to know your codecs from your frame rates when setting things up.
But let's be clear: Media Player Classic-Home Cinema is a top performer with enough genuinely useful settings to suit nearly every user. It lets you play a wide range of videos in their native formats, and it has those unexpected options that can help you get the best out of less-than-perfect media. MPC-HC is totally free and extremely light, so it's a great alternative to some well-known bloatware masquerading as media players.
Media Player Classic - Like WMP, but more classic and useful - :
Publisher's Description
From Media Player Classic:
Media Player Classic is the perfect substitute for Windowsedia Player. Aesthetically is identical to version 6.4 and has the same lightness in terms of RAM occupation, but it has much more usefull functions. Features: with 'right' and 'left' keys it's possible to go forward/backward of one single frame; with 'Ctrl + right'/'left' it's possible to skip one pre-definite quantity of frames; with 'Ctrl + up' it's possible to change faster the speed of reproduction; it's possible to visualize with media player QuickTime and RealMedia movies (but that programs must be installed); in full screen modality it's possible to show a scroll bar putting the mouse in the lower portion of the screen; in full screen it's possible to do the re-dimension images and adopt a cinema format or a TV format; it work as a DVD player too; keys are completely customizable; it can show subtitles.
What's new in this version: Version 6.4.9.1 includes library updates, all known security vulnerabilities fixed.
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All User Reviews
"MALWARE INSIDE"
January 7, 2013 | By d3v1lf1sh
Version: Media Player Classic 6.4.9.1
Pros
NONE; contains malware.
Cons
This download contains the malware Trojan.ADH.2 so HELL NO I'm not installing it.
Summary
DO NOT USE
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1.0 stars
"Spyware and Adware"
January 6, 2013 | By dutch_1974
Version: Media Player Classic 6.4.9.1
Pros
None that I found, but I didn't run the software.
Cons
In order to complete the install you have to install adware. When you remove the adware, it tries to secretly install different adware and spyware.
Firewall and antivirus both blocked the installation file and I should have let them do their jobs.
Considering the nature of the installation process I decided it was best not to risk running the software and cleaned it off my system.
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5.0 stars
"Classic as the name !!"
January 2, 2013 | By Alfredlox
Version: Media Player Classic 6.4.9.1
Pros
I keep trying new media players and this one definitely has my thumbs up - as an advanced user the options were great and the customizations were truly wonderful. I am really enjoying using this as an alternate to the others I have.
