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VLC - Is it worth it still?

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Josh:
OK, here is my inquiry to the DoCo void.

VLC is a great little media player that can play most formats out of the box without the need for codec packs. However, for systems where codecs can be loaded, is it better to go with a different player and use one of the codec packs like K-Lite?

I used to be a die-hard winamp fan (video and audio), but moved to VLC after I was burned by codec issues back in the early 2000s.

What do you think? Is VLC still as valuable as it once was? I know that when I have tried to set it to "use system codecs when available", the setting never gets saved. This occurs on fresh installs, fresh OS installs, and in a virtualized environment. Hence, my question as to whether or not it would just be better to install a single codec pack and be done with it.

Oh DoCo mastermind, I call to you!

Renegade:
I've really not had many codec problems in the last however-many years. I use 2 video players: ALShow and VLC. 99.9% of the time I use ALShow. However, there are rare cases when I use VLC.

(Disclosure: I used to work for ESTsoft, the maker of ALShow.)

But I find ALShow is MUCH easier to use than VLC. It also has codec detection, and if the proper codec isn't already installed, which is rare for ALShow in my experience, then it automatically prompts you to download the right codec, which eliminates farting around trying to figure out what codec/pack you need.

barney:
Oh DoCo mastermind, I call to you!
-Josh (August 20, 2012, 09:44 PM)
--- End quote ---

Don't think I qualify for that particular designation, but this sounds like a question of practicality/applicability/if it ain't broke.  If VLC still does what you want it to do, keep it.  If it doesn't, then hopefully the audio folk here can point out the least painful alternative.

Josh:
Oh DoCo mastermind, I call to you!
-Josh (August 20, 2012, 09:44 PM)
--- End quote ---

Don't think I qualify for that particular designation, but this sounds like a question of practicality/applicability/if it ain't broke.  If VLC still does what you want it to do, keep it.  If it doesn't, then hopefully the audio folk here can point out the least painful alternative.
-barney (August 20, 2012, 10:25 PM)
--- End quote ---

I should have said "DoCo hive mind", but hey, live and learn...

Anyways, I have been burned, fairly recently and on several occasions, in instances where the "Use system codecs" option did not work or was not retained after being set. This resulted in issues where VLC would display a directx video window or would simply present with playback problems (pixilation, choppiness, etc) when using the built-in codecs.

This is my reason for considering a change in operationg procedures.

panzer:
I use Pot Player.

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