Q: What are some common video playback programs?
A: Video files can be saved in a number of different formats. Some are universal and can be played by many programs, while others are proprietary formats than can only be played using a specific program. Below is a list of programs that should help you find the player you need.
Windows
| Company | Program | Extensions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALTools | ALShow | n/a | Includes several codecs for playing different video formats; supports captions and subtitles; can capture images, video, and audio clips. |
| Apple | QuickTime Player | .MOV, .QT | Multimedia player developed by Apple; plays QuickTime movies and many other formats; supports H.264 and various other codecs. |
| Corel | WinDVD | n/a | Blu-ray and DVD player software that supports multiple HD file formats; uses GPU acceleration to upscale standard DVD video. |
| CyberLink | PowerDVD | n/a | Popular video playback program that supports MPEG-2 HD, MPEG-4 AVC, WMV-HD, DVD-Video, Mini-DVD, and DivX Pro formats. |
| DivX | DivX Player | .DIVX | Plays videos encoded with the DivX codec, a high-quality, high-compression video format; supports 1920x1080 HD video and other resolutions. |
| Gabest | Media Player Classic | n/a | Compact free media player with an interface similar to Windows Media Player 6; based on the DirectShow architecture and supports a wide range of video formats; also known as "MPC." |
| GRETECH | GOM Player | n/a | Media player that supports multiple audio and video formats and includes several common codecs; supports subtitles, video adjustments, and screen captures; can also play broken AVI files. |
| Microsoft | Windows Media Player | .WMA, .WMV, .ASF | Audio and video player developed by Microsoft; bundled with the Windows operating system; plays Windows Media files and several other formats, including AVI files. |
| Microsoft | Zune Software | n/a | Media player designed to work with the Microsoft Zune device and has a similar user interface; can play music and video files and allows users to download media from Zune Marketplace. |
| Mirillis | Splash Lite | n/a | Windows video player optimized for high-definition (HD) video; includes an advanced picture post-processing engine that provides smooth motion and vivid colors. |
| MPlayer Project | MPlayer | n/a | Open source media player; supports a large number of formats; can save streaming media to a file. |
| Online Media Technologies | AVS Media Player | n/a | Media player that plays audio and video files and displays images as a slideshow; supports dozens of media file formats; supports up to 7.1 surround sound. |
| Participatory Culture Foundation | Miro | n/a | Miro is a free open-source audio and video player designed for fullscreen HD video playback; supports several different file formats and can play television shows from online sources. |
| RAD Game Tools | The RAD Video Tools | .BIK | Supports the Bink Video Codec, commonly used by video games; The RAD Video Tools includes both the Bink and Smacker compressors. |
| RealNetworks | Real Player | .RA, .RM, .RAM | Plays local and streaming Real Media audio and video files; also supports other basic video formats. |
| VideoLAN | VLC Media Player | n/a | Compact cross-platform media player; supports several formats including MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, and DivX; can also play DVDs, VCDs, and streaming multimedia files. |
Macintosh
| Company | Program | Extensions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple | QuickTime Player | .MOV, .QT | Multimedia player developed by Apple; bundled with the Mac OS X operating system; plays QuickTime movies and many other formats; supports H.264 and various other codecs. |
| DivX | DivX Player | .DIVX | Plays videos encoded with the DivX codec, a high-quality, high-compression video format; supports 1920x1080 HD video and other resolutions. |
| Eltima | Elmedia Player | .SWF, .FLV, .XAP | Video player for Mac OS X that includes advanced options and controls; includes full-screen mode, frame capture, and the ability to save Flash movies. |
| Microsoft | Windows Media Player | .WMA, .WMV, .ASF | Audio and video player developed by Microsoft; plays Windows Media files and several other formats, including AVI files. |
| MPlayer Project | MPlayer | n/a | Open source media player; supports a large number of formats; can save streaming media to a file. |
| Participatory Culture Foundation | Miro | n/a | Miro is a free open-source audio and video player designed for fullscreen HD video playback; it supports several different file formats and can play television shows from online sources. |
| RAD Game Tools | The Bink Video Player | .BIK | Plays Bink files, which are typically used in video games; available in both PowerPC and Intel versions. |
| RealNetworks | Real Player | .RA, .RM, .RAM | Plays local and streaming Real Media audio and video files; also supports other basic video formats. |
| VideoLAN | VLC Media Player | n/a | Compact cross-platform media player; supports several formats including MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, and DivX; can also play DVDs, VCDs, and streaming multimedia files. |
Linux
| Company | Program | Extensions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bangarang | Bangarang | n/a | Media player for the KDE powered desktop; plays multiple audio and video formats and shares media information, such as ratings, tags, and usage stats with other KDE applications. |
| Kaffeine | Kaffeine - KDE Media Player | n/a | Media player for the K Desktop Environment (KDE); supports DVD and VCD playback as well as Digital TV streams; also plays multiple audio formats. |
| MPlayer Project | MPlayer | n/a | Open source media player that supports a large number of video formats; can save streaming media to a file. |
| Participatory Culture Foundation | Miro | n/a | Miro is a free open-source audio and video player designed for fullscreen HD video playback; it supports several different file formats and can play television shows from online sources. |
| RAD Game Tools | Bink Video command line Player | .BIK | Plays Bink video files, which are commonly used in video games; can also play compiled Bink EXE files. |
| RealNetworks | Real Player | .RA, .RM, .RAM | Plays local and streaming Real Media audio and video files; also supports several other standard video formats. |
| VideoLAN | VLC Media Player | n/a | Compact multi-platform media player that supports dozens of different audio and video formats; can also play DVDs and VCDs. |
Know of another video player that should be listed here? Suggest an addition.
Updated: October 22, 2011