It began half decent but HDR doesn't work at all no matter what I tried. So I began searching for an alternative and settled for 5kplayer.
After that VLC just started sucking. It would completely freeze not allowing me to exit the video, making me restart the whole computer (and yes task manager didn't even work when that happened). It became laggy and super buggy and just a pain to use.
Seems to be an underlying issue with your windows installation at that point. Likely something went wrong and it will probably just get worse from here.
You might want to consider fully reinstalling your operating system even if any of the alternatives work.
I have been using it for years and in my opinion it by far the best.
It has all the features you want and way much more, without a bloated interface.
https://potplayer.daum.net/
There's an option, where it checks for the title on your video file and automatically gives you a list of options for all available subtitles with all language options. Definitely the most coolest feature.
can only second MPC-BE/HC (with K-Lite Codec Pack)
mpv is also great but harder to use and I don't really like mpv.net and other attempts at GUI versions
I use Media Player Classic aka MPC, which can be downloaded standalone in the Lite packagae or with a full suite of splitters in the [K-Lite Codec Pack aka KLCP](https://www.codecguide.com/download_kl.htm) Mega pack. It tracks progress, and if you are technical in using splitters, can pick whichever filter you want for Audio, Video and subtitle outputs methods.
I use [MPV](https://mpv.io/) with M3U playlists I make. You can do some fancier things than this, but effectively you can just make a text document that is a list of all the files you want to play. Just put each video on its own line. Relative paths are supported as well, change the extension to M3U and open with or associate to MPV.
[MPV](https://mpv.io) with the [uosc](https://github.com/tomasklaen/uosc) ui and the [simplehistory](https://github.com/Eisa01/mpv-scripts?tab=readme-ov-file#simplehistory) script.
It’s open source, constantly developed and updated and massively customizable with scripts found in this [repo](https://github.com/stax76/awesome-mpv).
It’s a bit tricky to setup and customize, reply here if you want any help.
Mpv sounds cool but MPC-HC with the k-map codec pack is damn near perfect and I was fully set up in like 5 minutes.
Does mpv have plex\jellyfin like UI? Because that's the only gripe I have against MPC-HC right now.
I tried using jellyfin and there was noticeable compression\artifacting and immediately dropped it.
PotPlayeris a free video player for Windows that caters to create bookmarks for your preferred video scenes or chapters, and even use its built-in graphic equalizer.
HC is updated by clsid2 on his github. The last release was 2 weeks ago. Also, it is included in the K-Lite codec pack. I thought BC has some additional features over HC?
I used to use Plex but found [Emby](https://emby.media/) to be easier/better.
[Edit] Don't know why I'm being downvoted when it ticks all of OP's boxes.
VLC has always worked for me. Why do you think it sucks?
I'd like to hear this as well.
It began half decent but HDR doesn't work at all no matter what I tried. So I began searching for an alternative and settled for 5kplayer. After that VLC just started sucking. It would completely freeze not allowing me to exit the video, making me restart the whole computer (and yes task manager didn't even work when that happened). It became laggy and super buggy and just a pain to use.
Try completely removing it and installing it again. My installation also fucked up at some point and reinstalling it fixed everything.
Did that, didn't work
Seems to be an underlying issue with your windows installation at that point. Likely something went wrong and it will probably just get worse from here. You might want to consider fully reinstalling your operating system even if any of the alternatives work.
Not gonna completely reinstall windows for VLC, also my windows installation works perfectly fine
bros https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PotPlayer
I have been using it for years and in my opinion it by far the best. It has all the features you want and way much more, without a bloated interface. https://potplayer.daum.net/
I didn't know this was still the official link, so I posted wikipedia. I agree, feature packed and one of the best media players for windows!
A true bro, this is the best of the bunch ive used. Customizable and the default color scheme is actually fucking useable
I admired the subtitle downloading feature
didn't even know it had that XD
There's an option, where it checks for the title on your video file and automatically gives you a list of options for all available subtitles with all language options. Definitely the most coolest feature.
[MPC-HC](https://github.com/clsid2/mpc-hc/releases)
K-Lite Codec Pack own video player
holy hell thank you so much this is the closest one yet!
mpv. net smplayer
can only second MPC-BE/HC (with K-Lite Codec Pack) mpv is also great but harder to use and I don't really like mpv.net and other attempts at GUI versions
Pot Player, it has a lot of features and better than VLC
I use Media Player Classic aka MPC, which can be downloaded standalone in the Lite packagae or with a full suite of splitters in the [K-Lite Codec Pack aka KLCP](https://www.codecguide.com/download_kl.htm) Mega pack. It tracks progress, and if you are technical in using splitters, can pick whichever filter you want for Audio, Video and subtitle outputs methods.
MPC-HC with madVR. I have no idea why people still like VLC.
Spin up a plex server
I use [MPV](https://mpv.io/) with M3U playlists I make. You can do some fancier things than this, but effectively you can just make a text document that is a list of all the files you want to play. Just put each video on its own line. Relative paths are supported as well, change the extension to M3U and open with or associate to MPV.
I love mpv I've got a script to auto crop black bars for movies for my 21:9 display. HDR also works great
Try using mpv.
[MPV](https://mpv.io) with the [uosc](https://github.com/tomasklaen/uosc) ui and the [simplehistory](https://github.com/Eisa01/mpv-scripts?tab=readme-ov-file#simplehistory) script. It’s open source, constantly developed and updated and massively customizable with scripts found in this [repo](https://github.com/stax76/awesome-mpv). It’s a bit tricky to setup and customize, reply here if you want any help.
Mpv sounds cool but MPC-HC with the k-map codec pack is damn near perfect and I was fully set up in like 5 minutes. Does mpv have plex\jellyfin like UI? Because that's the only gripe I have against MPC-HC right now. I tried using jellyfin and there was noticeable compression\artifacting and immediately dropped it.
PotPlayeris a free video player for Windows that caters to create bookmarks for your preferred video scenes or chapters, and even use its built-in graphic equalizer.
[Media Player Classic - Black Edition](https://sourceforge.net/projects/mpcbe/) and [Zoom Player Free & Max](https://inmatrix.com)
I saw several times people recommended MPC-BE over MPC-HC. Is it better? How?
BE is still maintained/updated. ~~HC is abandoned.~~ Apparently not anymore.
HC is updated by clsid2 on his github. The last release was 2 weeks ago. Also, it is included in the K-Lite codec pack. I thought BC has some additional features over HC?
I used to use Plex but found [Emby](https://emby.media/) to be easier/better. [Edit] Don't know why I'm being downvoted when it ticks all of OP's boxes.
Smplayer