MPC - Media Player Classic

Great Features of MPC

Plays files of any format if your system has corresponding DirectShow decoder.
Works as full functional DVD player without any additional filters!
Support new variants of MPEG2: PS/TS/PVA.
Works correctly with all OGM and MKV functions.
Allows you optionally scale, move and rotate image.
Support of programmable pixel shaders effects!
Online subtitles base support.
Built-in web-server with the ability of remote player control.
Very convenient way of fullscreen control.
Very small CPU and RAM load, which allows you to use MPC on old computers.
Small size compared to other media players, program is one executable file.
If you have Macromedia Flash ActiveX plug-in, you can watch swf movies and even use rewind in them!
If you have RealPlayer9 or RealOnePlayer installed, MPC can play Real Media!
If you have QuickTime installed, it plays QuickTime files!
Al versions prior to 6.4.7.5 could play Smacker/Bink files with some libraries.
It has integrated audiostreams switcher.
The most powerful subtitles engine.
If you have a TV-tuner or VIVO videocard, MPC allows you to watch or even capture video!
Plays AudioCD (on Win2k/XP)
You can save decoded stream (E.G. MPEG2 from protected DVDs).
Allows you to connect additional soundstream in any supported format for dubbing. (E.G. if you have film in original language which you don't know and you have a translated stream, you can connect it)
Favorites with ability to save film position.
Supports playlists in MPCPL (MPC's own playlist format), M3U, PLS and ASX formats.
You can connect DirectShow plug-ins without installing them into your system!
You can use subtitles with any supported video format.
Supports WinLirc and uICE control systems.
Greatly configurable hotkeys.
Configuration can be saved both in registry or ini file.
Opens incomplete AVIs.
Can play films using a resolution which differs from the default system's one.
Has many internal filters: MPEG Video, MPEG Audio, VCD, XCD, FLIC, DVD, SHOUTCast and others.
Supports command line parameters.

Except of usual functions, Media Player Classic has great amount of unique features which will be described here.

DVD playback mode

Media Player Classic can be a fully functional DVD player. Beginning from 6.4.6.0 version it has internal MPEG2 decoder, from 6.4.6.3 - MPEG Layer-1,2,3, from 6.4.7.4 - supports AC3/LPCM decoding, 6.4.7.8 - DTS, and from 6.4.8.0 version it decodes AAC. So if you want to watch DVD, you need only Media Player Classic. It can use sound output through S/PDIF. Supports all DVD navigation functions.

Integrated MPEG-splitter

Beginning from 6.4.7.9 version, MPC has new internal MPEG-splitter. It can read program/transport/elementary streams, extract MPEG1/MPEG2 video, AC3/DTS/MPEG/LPCM audio, CVD/SCVD/DVD subtitles. Streams can be switched using filters menu (Play/Filters/...). Also works with new variants of MPEG2: PS/TS/PVA.

Integrated OGG-splitter

Beginning from 6.4.7.0 version Media Player Classic has its own OGG-splitter, which has much better integration with program, ability to use CoreVorbis libraries and exact positioning.
Nevertheless, you need special libraries to play OGG Vorbis sound.

Render your video using Direct3D

To my mind, it's the most interesting feature of this really unique player. Beginning from 6.4.6.6 version, if you have videocard with Direct3D support, Media Player Classic can draw video as a texture on a surface and render it in 3D, it's similar to the technology which is used in 3D games. As a result, DirectX bug which causes an incorrect scaling is solved, quality of image is greatly increased when scaling. It works only in VMR7 (renderless) or VMR9 (renderless) modes.

Since 6.4.8.3 3D-rendering was greatly enhanced with new features: now there is pixel shaders support. This gave ability to implement image rotation at will, different filtration modes while scaling (bilinear, bicubic) and some interesting effects. You can use built-in effects or create your own.

But to be sure that you'll have all this enhanced functionality, your videocard need hardware support of pixel shaders (v2.0 or higher recommended)

Flash animations playback

Macromedia Flash animations is extremely popular now. There's a great amount of animations in this format. But it has the only player made by Macromedia which doesn't support jumping through the file. Maybe it was made intentionally by the producer. And sometimes you have to wait while different advertisments in the file end in order to see really useful content.

But you don't have to wait with Media Player Classic! Beginning from 6.4.3.0 version MPC can play swf files if you have Macromedia Flash ActiveX plug-in installed. You can download it here or from official Macromedia site). You don't loose any functionality of Flash movie, but now you can jump to any part of file!

Smacker/Bink playback

In versions 6.4.6.6 to 6.4.7.5 Media Player Classic could play Smacker (*.smk) and Bink (*.bik) files. These formats made by Rad Tools, are usually used for different movies in games. Both formats provide quite high compression rate and image clearness, but Smacker works only with 256 colours palette, while Bink is a full-colour format. You can download free for personal use instruments to encode videos in this format on this site. But there was only one very primitive native player for this format, which had no rewind, fast forward options, it couldn't scale images.

Unfortunately, Gabest had to remove support of this format from player, but you still can find old versions on the net :) To play such files you need MPC 6.4.7.5 and smackw32.dll, binkw32.dll libraries which are often available with most games. Media Player Classic can play these files even if they're self-playing *.exe files.

Real Media playback

From the very first release Media Player Classic can play Real Media files. Certainly your system needs special codec installed. There's special distributive called Real Alternative which contains all needed files. What do you need it for? You may say that you already have good enough default player... But Media Player Classic can use subtitles, it's quick, powerful, doesn't send anything to Real Networks site.

If you experience any problems with Real Alternative, you can install RealOne Player and Media Player Classic will use only codecs.

Quick Time playback

Beginning from 6.4.3.0 version, Media Player Classic can play Quick Time files. It also need codecs, so you need to install Quick Time Player or, the best variant, QuickTime Alternative. And you receive even much more advantages while using MPC for playing Quick Time than in case of Real Media. Standard Quick Time player is huge, slow, uncomfortable (maybe Mac users have another thoughts about it), scales image fullscreen worser than MPC.

"Live" source playback

Media Player Classic can work with different input and capture devices, e.g. TV-tuners and VIVO videocards. You only need correctly installed WDM driver for particular device. So you can not only watch the input stream but capture both video and sound in AVI or OGM. It also can compress it with any installed encoder "on flight". Sometimes you need to capture audio and video separately, if you have sound and video synchronizing problems in other programs.

Connect DirectShow filters directly...

Without installing them into your system! Since version 6.4.5.0 you can do this in MPC, it detects CLSID and types automatically. It's very convenient for using player on CD: end-user doesn't need to install all filters and codecs into his system - just run configured MPC.

You can also add filters of system registered types into a chain.

Playback of incomplete AVI-files

As you all know, we just can't believe anything we see on a... If you excuse me, I must be on my work... So all AVI-files contain index at the end of file and you can't open file without it in a usual way (it needs to be regenerated). Since 6.4.5.0 MPC can open such files and sometimes you can jump to any place of this file. It's very convenient if you want to preview incomplete file which you are still downloading from the net.

Since 6.4.7.3 version internal AVI-splitter was completely rewritten. Now it performs quick reindexation of file, usually it takes several seconds (~30sec on a 700Mb Mpeg4 film). But then you have ability to rewind or fast forward from any position in a film, as in any normal AVI.

Configuration saving

Media Player Classic allows you to save configuration both in registry and ini file. Using ini files is very comfortable if you burn MPC together with film on CD - all configuration will be imported from ini.

Integrated audiostreams switcher

Media Player Classic has internal audiostreams switcher, this is very comfortable when you have file with multiple audiostreams (e.g. in different languages). It also supports downsampling from 48000 to 44100 Hz for audiocard which don't support 48000 Hz, supports audio delay if you have problems with audio/video synchronizing and can remap multichannel sound.

Image size correction

Media Player Classic allows you to change image size with keeping original proportions or without, its position. It's very convenient if you have low-quality MPEG-4 rip of anamorphic DVD which has improper proportions. These defects can be easily solved with the help of MPC.

Subtitles engine

Media Player Classic has very powerful subtitles engine which is based on VobSub). Subtitles look very clear, smooth and can be used with any video which is supported by MPC.

Save decoded stream!

Since 6.4.4.0 you can save decoded stream, which came through all filters. This allows you to save decoded MPEG2 while playing protected DVDs.

Supports WinLirc and uICE control

These are control systems which allow you to manipulate your computer with the help of remote controls of any home audio/video devices. You need a simple device for this, you even can do it with your own hands. If it's interesting for you, visit WinLirc and uICE sites.

View films in different resolution!

As you all know, the best video quality can be obtained while playing without scaling. For a film with a width of 640 pixels the best resolution will be 640⌡480. Media Player Classic can switch resolution when you go in fullscreen mode.

This is true for CRT-monitors but in case of LCD-monitors it's better to let player to scale image to the normal screen resolution, because MPC has better scaling interpolation quality than LCD monitors.