real player vs windows multimedia

[mr friendly guy]

Simple question for those more computer literate than I am, is there any difference between the two.

I usually use windows multimedia as a default to play my files, however recently I have experimented with real player, which has the option of downloading videos on line. Previously I have used a separate downloading program such as Atube catcher.

I also notice that real player when it downloads seems to convert it into a format windows multimedia can't read, but fortunately I have the means to convert it back into a .wmv so windows media player can still read it. Obviously there won't be a need if I make real player my default program for multimedia.

So I am interested to hear the experiences people have with these programs.

[Stargate Nerd]

I don't know if this answers your question, but I don't use either of those programs. Instead I use Gom Player and VLC player which together play pretty much anything.

So you could use real player to save the files and use the other two to play the saved files without having to convert first.


edit: the only difference I know of is that realplayer plays Real's own video types first and foremost while Windows Media player plays basic avi/mpeg/wmv files.

[mr friendly guy]

What about . VOB files. These seem to be what is in my DVDs. Now you might ask why don't I just watch the DVD, but I have been playing around with windows movie maker and the like. Basically so far I have just cut the clip from the DVD and use windows movie maker to take out the opening theme for my favourite shows etc. Later on I plan to edit things to make my own themes (once I get the hang of it).

Unfortunately, some times iit just doesn't allow me to copy the file, or sometimes windows movie maker just can't read the .VOB file. Presumably it must be related to the approprate codec. Methinks would still need to convert it to a format windows movie maker recognises.

Oh, it doesn't matter if you use a different program to play multimedia files. I am interested in other people's experience. The only problem is, I don't want to end up installing multiple programs to do the same thing. That sort of happened on my old computer as other users put things on, and at the end of its life it just slowed down so bad its not funny.

[General Zod]

I stopped using Real Player years ago because it's a horrible piece of shit that nobody should ever have to use to do anything but play .rm files that virtually any other program out there does better. Everything from a clunky interface to its own codec being largely worthless. (Who uses .rm anymore anyway?)

[Mr Bean]

VLC is the light. And Media Player Classic is it's prophet. Any one of the freeware players will come with a good codec for playing everything and everything under the sun. The all in one packages you get for Media Player classic clocking in at around 50 megs will be able to play everything Windows Media Player can, Everything Realplayer can, everything Quicktime can, and everything your DVD software can.

[Stargate Nerd]

At times I feel like I'm the only person outside of Korea, that's aware of the godly GOM player. It's a program that shouldn't be ignored because just like VLC it doesn't require additional codecs and it doesn't have the choppy playback that sometimes plagues VLC player.

Unfortunately, some times iit just doesn't allow me to copy the file, or sometimes windows movie maker just can't read the .VOB file. Presumably it must be related to the approprate codec. Methinks would still need to convert it to a format windows movie maker recognises.
.

I'm not sure. I don't think any halfway capable program would require additional codecs for .VOB files as long as it can read DVDs.

But you really should give VLC and GOM a try. Even if they don't help you with this specific problem, they make watching video files on the PC much easier.

[mr friendly guy]

I stopped using Real Player years ago because it's a horrible piece of shit that nobody should ever have to use to do anything but play .rm files that virtually any other program out there does better. Everything from a clunky interface to its own codec being largely worthless. (Who uses .rm anymore anyway?)

I still have a few files as .rm back in the day. For some reason I haven't deleted it, but generally I don't use that file these days.

VLC is the light. And Media Player Classic is it's prophet. Any one of the freeware players will come with a good codec for playing everything and everything under the sun. The all in one packages you get for Media Player classic clocking in at around 50 megs will be able to play everything Windows Media Player can, Everything Realplayer can, everything Quicktime can, and everything your DVD software can.

So theoretically I can delete all those codecs I downloaded so windows media player can play certain videos I downloaded from Veoh.

[General Zod]

But you really should give VLC and GOM a try. Even if they don't help you with this specific problem, they make watching video files on the PC much easier.

The two foibles I've had with VLC is I find the interface inelegant (the way you open files is rather counter-intuitive), and its own internal codecs don't quite render some things properly. Ever try watching anything with subtitles on VLC? Comes out annoyingly grainy or not properly at all compared to MPC with a proper codec pack.

[mr friendly guy]

Just playing around with VLC now. I like how it can play different files (why doesn't windows just do that, or is it because it would support its competitors).

The problem is, when you double click, it doesn't automatically take up the screen, you still have to select the window tab that appears. Also I am still trying to figure out how to get that to repeat, for example when I listen to music. It has the option of looping, but I would have to select it at the start and at the end, which seems inflexible to me.

The other thing I don't like is, if I shrink the video (for example if the resolution is not good enough to go to full screen), the whole screen shrinks, not just the video. Maybe its just personal preference, but I like it when windows media has the video screen surrounded by the black background. With VLC if I shrink the video too far, I just end up seeing my computer's wallpaper.

[Darth Wong]

What about . VOB files. These seem to be what is in my DVDs. Now you might ask why don't I just watch the DVD, but I have been playing around with windows movie maker and the like. Basically so far I have just cut the clip from the DVD and use windows movie maker to take out the opening theme for my favourite shows etc. Later on I plan to edit things to make my own themes (once I get the hang of it).

VOB files are just a container for an MPEG-2 video stream and an accompanying audio stream. You can use the old program VOBEdit 0.6 to demux the VOB file into its component audio and video streams if you want. Alternatively, you can try to snag a copy of DVD2AVI.

Unfortunately, some times iit just doesn't allow me to copy the file, or sometimes windows movie maker just can't read the .VOB file. Presumably it must be related to the approprate codec. Methinks would still need to convert it to a format windows movie maker recognises.

.VOB files on DVDs always have the exact same video codec: the MPEG-2 standard. Your editing software may be choking on it because you're taking just one of the .VOB files and not the entire set (the .VOB files are segmented, so a 4GB movie might be split into four 1GB .VOB files). If it's any .VOB file but the first one in the set, it is actually trying to pick up in the middle of a stream and it might be fucked up.

Your best bet is to either take the entire .VOB file set together or split the files into their component streams.

Oh, it doesn't matter if you use a different program to play multimedia files. I am interested in other people's experience. The only problem is, I don't want to end up installing multiple programs to do the same thing. That sort of happened on my old computer as other users put things on, and at the end of its life it just slowed down so bad its not funny.

I found some software from TMPGEnc (now called Pegasys) which does (mostly) lossless editing of MPEG-2 files, but it's not free.

[Stargate Nerd]

The two foibles I've had with VLC is I find the interface inelegant (the way you open files is rather counter-intuitive), and its own internal codecs don't quite render some things properly. Ever try watching anything with subtitles on VLC? Comes out annoyingly grainy or not properly at all compared to MPC with a proper codec pack.

VLC definitely has flaws and subtitles are indeed a weak point. Media Player Classic on the other hand has it's own flaws. Maybe it's just my computer but MPC cannot play .avi files or .mkv containers. So I can't even get to the point where I would load subtitles.

The problem is, when you double click, it doesn't automatically take up the screen, you still have to select the window tab that appears. Also I am still trying to figure out how to get that to repeat, for example when I listen to music. It has the option of looping, but I would have to select it at the start and at the end, which seems inflexible to me.

If you doubleclick inside the window while a video is playing it indeed goes directly to full screen.

As for listening to music on VLC. Just don't. The sound is very "distorted".

[General Zod]

VLC definitely has flaws and subtitles are indeed a weak point. Media Player Classic on the other hand has it's own flaws. Maybe it's just my computer but MPC cannot play .avi files or .mkv containers. So I can't even get to the point where I would load subtitles.

You know that MPC doesn't actually come with its own codecs right? Did you try using a codec pack like CCCP? Frankly I can play .avi, .mp4, .ogm, .mkv and anything else under the sun with MPC, so the problem clearly seems to be at your end.

[Mr Bean]

Indeed
K-Lite won't steer you wrong
Code Pack w/player

• Player :
- Media Player Classic [version 6.4.9.1 rev. 98]
- Media Player Classic Home Cinema [version 1.2.1005.0]
• FFDShow :
- ffdshow [revision 2732]
- ffdshow VFW interface
- extra plugins
• DirectShow video filters :
- XviD [version 1.2.0 build 2008-01-10]
- DivX [version 6.8.5]
- On2 VP6 [version 6.4.2.0]
- On2 VP7 [version 7.0.10.0]
- MPEG-2 (Cyberlink) [version 8.1.0.1608]
- MPEG-2 (Gabest) [version 1.0.0.4]
- MPEG-1 (MainConcept) [version 1.0.0.78]
• DirectShow audio decoding filters:
- AC3/DTS/LPCM/MP1/MP2 (AC3Filter) [version 1.51a]
- Vorbis (CoreVorbis) [version 1.1.0.79]
- AAC (MONOGRAM) [version 0.9.5.0]
• DirectShow audio parsers:
- MusePack (MONOGRAM) [version 0.9.1.2 | 0.3.1.2]
- WavPack (CoreWavPack) [version 1.1.1]
- FLAC (madFLAC) [version 1.8]
- Monkey's Audio (DCoder) [version 1.0]
- OptimFROG (RadLight) [version 1.0.0.1]
- DC-Bass Source [version 1.2.0]
- AC3/DTS Source (AC3File) [version 0.5b]
- AMR (MONOGRAM) [version 1.0.1.0]
• DirectShow source filters:
- AVI splitter (Gabest) [version 1.0.0.9]
- AVI splitter (Haali Media Splitter) [version 1.8.122.18]
- MP4 splitter (Haali Media Splitter) [version 1.8.122.18]
- MP4 splitter (Gabest) [version 1.0.0.4]
- Matroska splitter (Haali Media Splitter) [version 1.8.122.18]
- Matroska splitter (Gabest) [version 1.0.3.0]
- Ogg splitter (Haali Media Splitter) [version 1.8.122.18]
- Ogg splitter (Gabest) [version 1.0.0.1]
- MPEG PS/TS splitter (Gabest) [version 1.2.997.0]
- MPEG PS/TS splitter (Haali Media Splitter) [version 1.8.122.18]
- FLV splitter (Gabest) [version 1.0.0.5]
- CDXA Reader (Gabest) [version 1.0.0.2]
• DirectShow subtitle filter:
- DirectVobSub (a.k.a. VSFilter) [version 2.39.5.1]
- DirectVobSub (a.k.a. VSFilter) [version 2.33]
• Other filters:
- Haali Video Renderer [version 1.9.42.1]
• VFW video codecs:
- XviD [version 1.2.0 build 2008-01-10]
- DivX [version 6.8.5]
- x264 [revision 1114]
- On2 VP6 [version 6.4.2.0]
- On2 VP7 [version 7.0.10.0]
- Intel Indeo 4 [version 4.51.16.2]
- Intel Indeo 5 [version 5.2562.15.54]
- Intel I.263 [version 2.55.1.16]
- huffyuv [version 2.1.1 CCE Patch 0.2.5]
- YV12 (Helix) [version 1.2]
• ACM audio codecs:
- MP3 (Fraunhofer) [version 3.4.0.0]
- MP3 (LAME) [version 3.98.2]
- AC3ACM [version 1.4]
- Vorbis [version 0.0.3.6]
- DivX Audio [version 4.2.0.0]
• Tools:
- Codec Tweak Tool [version 2.2.9]
- GSpot Codec Information Appliance [version 2.70a]
- MediaInfo Lite [version 0.7.11]
- VobSubStrip [version 0.11]
- GraphStudio [0.2.9.0]
- Haali Muxer
- FourCC Changer
- Bitrate Calculator

Install Standard or Install Full(And don't mess with any settings you don't understand) and you'll be fine. Full is quite daunting if you go into the options folder because you get to do everything from down-converting mid-stream to setting which of five or six audio-codecs you want to use.

[Stark]

Realistically, how much do non-pirates need packs like that? Outside of rip crew xyz using OMG TEH BEST CODEZZZZ for their niche animu nonsense, most legal shit is mp4, wmx or mp2 containers. Who even DOWNLOADS shit in indeo 5? It's a dead codec from a decade ago whose sole reason for living is to play Thief cutscenes!

[General Zod]

Realistically, how much do non-pirates need packs like that? Outside of rip crew xyz using OMG TEH BEST CODEZZZZ for their niche animu nonsense, most legal shit is mp4, wmx or mp2 containers. Who even DOWNLOADS shit in indeo 5? It's a dead codec from a decade ago whose sole reason for living is to play Thief cutscenes!

Amusingly I think CCCP actually contains less shit than K-Lite does. Their own stated goal isn't to play every possible codec in existence, just anything that's commonly used.

* Containers:
o AVI - including multiple audio streams and softsubs
o MKV
o MP4 - including partial MOV support
o FLV (Flash Video container)
o TS (MPEG Transport Stream)
o 3GP
o OGM & Ogg
* Video codecs:
o MPEG-1 - comes with Windows
o MPEG-2 - including DVD playback
o MPEG-4 ASP
+ Xvid
+ DivX (all versions)
+ Generic/Others (3ivx, lavc, etc.)
o MPEG-4 AVC - better known as H.264
o WMV & VC-1 - mostly comes with Windows, see below
o VP6F (Flash Video)
o Theora
o H.263+
* Audio codecs:
o MP3, MP2 and MP1
o AC3
o DTS
o AAC
o Vorbis
o FLAC - no .flac splitter included, only works when in MKV
o TTA
o WavPack
o AMR
o LPCM - on some DVDs, more common on HD-DVD & BluRay
o IMA ADPCM
* Subtitle formats
o SRT
o VOBSUB
o SSA/ASS

[Mr Bean]

Realistically, how much do non-pirates need packs like that? Outside of rip crew xyz using OMG TEH BEST CODEZZZZ for their niche animu nonsense, most legal shit is mp4, wmx or mp2 containers. Who even DOWNLOADS shit in indeo 5? It's a dead codec from a decade ago whose sole reason for living is to play Thief cutscenes!

Most of these codecs weigh in at less that a megabyte apiece.
And for your information my old PC Gamer trailer for Thief 2 also came in Indeo 5 and you know I watch that shit all the time.

I did say complete didn't I? Can't get much more complete then every damn codec in existence. There's few things it won't pick up and be able to play no matter how new or old it is.

[Stark]

Oh yah, they certainly have a place (and it'd be pretty fucking annoying if they didn't exist because some codecs would be essentially impossible to find), but they're not in any way remotely necessary. I cheat and use VLC anyway.

[Netko]

VLC would be the coolest thing around if not for their horrendous interface. It just sucks. So CCCP and MPC it is for me.

MS is supposedly finally seeing the light with Windows 7 and will ship it with decent codec support (and by that I mean not just wmv and ancient codecs which seems to be the current situation) and DVD playback capability built-in. Of course, WMP will still be a horrible bloated POS, but at least there should be a much lesser need for codec packs, as opposed to simply players if they do it right.

[Stargate Nerd]

You know that MPC doesn't actually come with its own codecs right? Did you try using a codec pack like CCCP? Frankly I can play .avi, .mp4, .ogm, .mkv and anything else under the sun with MPC, so the problem clearly seems to be at your end.

I didn't know that. MPC came with the K-Lite codec pack that I installed a few years ago.

Indeed
K-Lite won't steer you wrong

It steered me wrong.

[Pu-239]

I just use SMPlayer http://smplayer.sourceforge.net/ on both Linux and Windows. An actually usable MPlayer frontend. Basically works similar to VLC w/o the crappy subtitle rendering.

[phongn]

K-Lite is overbloated and overburdened; these days ffdshow-tryout will play most anything under the sun anyways.

[Rogue 9]

(Who uses .rm anymore anyway?)

The United Nations, apparently.

[PainRack]

lol. shouldn't the question now be, what download video programmes are useful? Since Mr Friendly Guy and I use realplayer for one purpose only:D Downloading vids

[Phantasee]

Real Player sucks, has always sucked, and the options are now so varied that you don't have to find out if it will continue to suck in the future. If you want to keep online flash videos, use http://keepvid.com

[PainRack]

Real Player sucks, has always sucked, and the options are now so varied that you don't have to find out if it will continue to suck in the future. If you want to keep online flash videos, use http://keepvid.com

Well, its simply "easier" to download them without going to another website.............