The K-Lite Codec Pack Basic comes in three separate versions for different tiered users. From the simple basic pack, which includes the most common video and audio codecs and includes subtitle support, the K-Lite Codec Pack Basic version will allow the majority of users to watch and listen to their content with relative ease.

One main difference of K-Lite Codec Pack Basic is that it does not include Media Player Classic Home Cinema. This simple media player is the easiest to use, but not necessary in K-Lite Codec Pack Basic. Windows Media Player is more than enough for the small amount of codecs in this set.

K-Lite Codec Pack Basic’s functionality is also directly connected to the hardware specifications of the system it is running on, so do not expect to be able to easily play high definition content with smooth framerates even though K-Lite Codec Pack Basic is able to render the files.

The most common codecs like DirectShow, MKV decoders, and MP4 decoders are installed in K-Lite Codec Pack Basic so there is not much more needed for every day viewing. Even though K-Lite Codec Pack Basic supports audio, it is meant for video. With the numerous video codecs and encoders creating files that are high quality with smaller file sizes, native Windows support does not exist for all the variations.

The different tested content in K-Lite Codec Pack Basic included MP4, AVI, WMV, and MKV; all at different levels of quality and resolutions. The codec pack had no problem playing any of the files in Windows Media Player. K-Lite Codec Pack Basic also supports different subtitle formats like SRT, SUB, and IDX, but take a little customizing for the subtitles to display properly.

K-Lite Codec Pack Basic is the perfect set of third-party codecs that are not natively supported in Windows.

Download K-Lite Codec Pack Basic 9.9.0 in Softonic

Features

KMPlayer has a small desktop footprint and its minimalist interface makes video playback quick and hassle-free. The player's interface is fully skinable, and there are some nice aesthetic touches, such as the changing of colour on the player with every new track.

There are all sorts of options to help you pimp and customize KMPlayer, such as visualizations, plug-ins and playback options. But the beauty of KMPlayer is that these are turned on at your request rather than being forced upon you at the outset.

Quality

KMPlayer handles both audio and video, and supports a wide range of different formats, meaning that once installed, you should never need to touch another player.

Video playback is particularly impressive thanks to the range of processing tools available that allow you to sharpen, change picture properties, apply filters and even make video captures from within the program.

Conclusion

If you're looking for a customizable, light yet powerful video player, KMPlayer is exactly what you need.

What's new

Supports 3D Formats. (Side-By-Side, Top-and-Bottom) to (Anaglyph, Interlaced)
Supports 10-bit H.264. (Libcodec.dll)
Supports Intel Widi
Added video codec "DV5P"
Add new function album art (Thumnail image extraction from FLAC file)
Thumbnail image display enhancement when playing audio files. (MP3, FLAC, WMA)
Fixed ColorSpace bug
Fixed Intel Codec H.264
Fixed Winamp plugin
Error correction of images infected with malicious codes. (EIP register Corruption Vulnerability. Provided: KISA)
Fixed view as a desktop mode in Windows 7
Fixed improper load of Album Art bug
Correction of screen display error when using EVR(C/A) - if you skip from the WMV file.
Fixed KMP HTTP Reader
AAC codec Parser error correction from MOV file
MKV Skip Problem

Download KMPlayer 3.6.0.87 in Softonic

Features

Version 2 ("Twoflower") brings a new interface, faster decoding, support for more formats and the ability to play HD and BluRay. It still remains however the most stable, flexible and lightweight audio and video player around today. While other media players will play unusual formats after downloading a codec, or simply refuse to play things,

VLC media player handles tons of formats, from MPEG to FLV and RMBV files. Version 2 has seen some important additions too such as support for 10 bit codes plus multi-threaded decoding for H.264, MPEG-4/Xvid and WebM.

Also useful is the fact that you can use VLC media player to preview files you are downloading since it plays incomplete parts of video files. VLC media player is not just for video playback however. It also offers superb integration with video channel streaming services such as Channels.com giving you access to channels such as ESPN, Reuters and National Geographic. Just right-click or CMD-click on the playlist, select Services Discovery and Channels.com.

Channels.com will then appear in your VLC media player playlist. Click on it to reveal the the different categories of channels available. Click on the category you want and a drop down list of all available channels appears in VLC media player. Just click on the channel you want to watch and streaming should begin almost immediately.

Usability

VLC media player also has great hotkey support and if you take the time to learn the shortcuts so it can be controlled without touching your mouse. If you're watching DVDs or video files through it, this is not an issue. For music, it plays more or less any file and features an equalizer and playlist creation. VLC media player isn't as intuitive as iTunes as a media manager, but it's a much more flexible player in terms of file formats. You can even use VLC to convert your files, and on top of all the formats and physical media it will play, many streaming protocols and TV capture cards are supported.

VLC media player makes it easy to add subtitles to your video files too - just add the SRT file to the folder where your video is kept, and it will automatically play with subtitles.

Finally, the interface in VLC media player has been somewhat improved in version 2 although it remains strictly functional. However, you can download skins to completely change VLC media player's appearance. The preferences menu is comprehensive without being overwhelming, and there is extensive documentation online.

Conclusion

VLC Media Player is quite simply the best multimedia application for Windows and Mac. It plays just about anything, hassle free - what more could you need?

What's new

Rework and fixes of the Mac OS X interface

Fix Pulseaudio initial synchronization

Fix MKV, SWF, AIFF and subtitles demuxer crashes

Translations updates and new Welsh translation

DVB-S delivery system detection

Fix audio and video track selection through libVLC

Fix system sleep issue on Mac OS X 10.5

Download VLC media player 2.0.6 in Softonic

With Windows Essentials Codec Pack you get a complete collection of all the codecs you need to play most video and audio files you find on the Internet – up to 99% of them, according to the developer.

Windows Essentials Codec Pack includes filters and codecs for many formats, though only one of them per format to reduce the risk of conflicts and errors. The pack also includes codec configuration tools and a copy of Media Player Classic.

The pack is very easy to install. Simply launch the executable file and follow the instructions. During the installation process Windows Essentials Codec Pack will let you select which codecs you want to install and which you don't need. Also, as the pack includes a special update utility, you'll always have the latest version on your PC.

Windows Essentials Codec Pack includes all the codecs you need to play most audio and video files on your system. The pack includes a media player and is updated automatically.

Download Windows Essentials Codec Pack 4.4 in Softonic

While most people listen to streaming music or video now, there are occasions when you do not have a data connection and locally stored files are your only option. PotPlayer is an excellent media player that can handle a large variety of media file types.

Playback quality will depend on the hardware the program is installed on, but in tests, PotPlayer had no problem playing a 1.6 GB MOV file, 865 MB MKV, or a 1.4 GB AVI. Smaller files should play back without any issues as well. You can toggle file information and see an in-depth breakdown of file information including CPU usage.

There is subtitle support in PotPlayer for .ass and .srt files and will natively play subtitles if they are located in the same folder as the video file. The amount of options in PotPlayer are great. You can optimize PotPlayer to get the best performance, but the default settings work fine for the majority of videos.

PotPlayer can also play audio files. It includes default visualizations or you can download more online. The program provides a lot of information about the audio file like bitrate, file type, and the number of channels. Like other media players, there are also audio presets for the equalizer and they all work pretty well. It it is not a substitute for a good stereo, but does have an effect on the audio.

The program is by Daum, a Korean company, but the program is presented entirely in English during and after installation. One annoyance is that PotPlayer does not show in the taskbar, only in the notification area, so to use the program, you either have to have it running in an open section on your screen or find it in notifications.

PotPlayer is a good alternative to first party media players. The stable build has a large variety of supported formats and the quality of playback is excellent for both video and audio.

Download PotPlayer 1.5.35238 in Softonic

When I want to watch videos on my PC I always look for a light-weight, simple-to-use player. Media Player Classic Homecinema then, is just the kind of app I like.

This simple yet full featured video player is based on the original Media Player Classic, a great open source Windows multimedia player. Shortly after the developer of this original project stopped working on it, another group of developers started coding a new player with extended functionality, though trying at the same time to keep the essence of the original program.

As a result of this, Media Player Classic Homecinema keeps exactly the same appearance as its predecessor, which makes it really easy to use – even if you have never used Media Player Classic before. It also maintains the same great features the original player offered, that is, ability to play DVD, support for subtitles and more. Oh, and best of all, it doesn't require installation.

Besides the original features, Media Player Classic Homecinema also lets you enjoy new interesting functionality such as additional video codecs (particularly H.264 and VC-1), better integration with Windows Vista (including a special 64-bit version), several bug and vulnerability fixes and option to remove tearing from your video files, though sadly I didn't figure out how to use this last feature.

If you're a Media Player Classic user, you're going to love this revamped version of your favorite player. And if you're not, it's about time you start using this great program.

Download Media Player Classic Homecinema 1.6.6.6957r2 in Softonic

In all honesty, Winamp Media Player 11 Skin isn't revolutionary. It gives Winamp a gentle blue tone, and changes the buttons so that they do indeed resemble Microsoft's default player a little more closely. Unfortunately, however, that's where the similarities end.

Let's face it, no one uses Winamp for its looks. That said, Winamp Media Player 11 Skin is hardly a change, and although the blue color is pleasant, it would take a lot of convincing to persuade anyone that Winamp Media Player 11 Skin will turn Winamp's looks into even a distant relative of Windows Media Player.

Winamp Media Player 11 Skin turns the media player a nice shade of blue, but not much else!

Download Winamp Media Player 11 Skin 1.0 in Softonic

The interface in Media Player Classic seems to be inspired in the oldest versions of Windows Media Player. But besides that, Media Player Classic doesn’t have anything in common with Microsoft’s player. It’s a powerful media tool that can play almost any format you can think of, and also has a surprisingly vast array of features.

Among other things, Media Player Classic can play DVD movies, supports subtitles, has real-time pan and scan, captures video frames, and supports video files with multiple audio tracks.
All of this in a clean, simple interface with no distracting elements that lets you focus on the important thing: the video playing at that moment.

Media Player Classic may not be your cup of tea if you prefer more complex players with all the bells and whistles. But if all you need is an easy, highly functional media player, this is the program you’re looking for.

Media Player Classic is a simple yet powerful media player with support for many formats and other interesting advanced features.

Download Media Player Classic 6.4.9.1 revision 107 (2K/XP) in Softonic