Summary :
VLC Player is an open source and extremely compatible media decoder and player (audio + video). It plays almost any media format you can think of. Download VLC Media Player (for PPC) for Mac vlc-0-9-10-powerpc.dmg (15.79 MiB / 16.55 MB). VLC Media Player for Mac 3.0.11.1. Android and OS/2. Multi-threaded decoding for H.264, MPEG-4/Xvid and WebM. Support for 10bits codecs, WMV image and some other codecs.
- Mac users interested in Vlc for os x 10.5.8 generally download: VLC media player 3.0 Free VLC media player is one of the most popular video players on the market.
- IINA, VLC media player, and MPV are probably your best bets out of the 5 options considered. 'Fast' is the primary reason people pick IINA over the competition. This page is powered by a knowledgeable community that helps you make an informed decision.
Sometimes, you may need VLC alternatives because of the annoying 'Rebuilding Font Cache' thing or others. This post lists different VLC alternatives for Windows/Mac. Choose the best VLC alternative 2019 depends on your actual situation.
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Have you ever used VLC media player? This post is going to show you some excellent VLC alternatives for Windows/Linux/Mac. You can find a suitable VLC alternative 2019 to play video and audio files.
VLC is a free, open-source, portable, and cross-platform media player and streaming media server developed by the VideoLAN project. It is able to play incomplete, unfinished or damaged video, but it will drive you crazy sometimes.
For example, here is a true story.
I have been using VLC media player for a while and was pleased with it. Then I get a notice about an update, which I did. Now all I get is green lines over the movie. I have tried everything to solve the problem, installing the backup, uninstall and install, with no success. Everything worked great until this update. Does anybody have a solution to this? It is driving me crazy. Please help. Thank you.
In general, a VLC alternative can solve this problem easily. The below are some common problems you might encounter when using the VLC media player.
4 Reasons Why You Need a VLC Alternative
1. VLC is unable to play broken files.
Generally, VLC media player can play unfinished or damaged video. But, sometimes, it cannot play video file and tells you that the file is damaged. Actually, this file is just being downloaded.
2. VLC doesn't support a few codes and file types.
VLC supports a lot of video and audio codes and formats, but it requires codec settings for a few formats. Make usb bootable mac terminal. For many common people, it is a difficult job.
3. VLC crashes without warning.
Sometimes, VLC media player suddenly crashes when you watch some normal files, try to insert subtitle or make it full screen.
4. VLC media player will damage the speakers!
If you are using VLC media player and keep the volume loud for a long time, your speakers could be damaged. Sadly, some manufacturers like Dell say replacing the speakers will not be covered by the hardware warranty. Therefore, please keep the volume down while using VLC.
Now, it is time to look for VLC alternatives to play your video or audio files. No matter you have come across these problems or not, it is a good idea to prepare a suitable alternative to VLC.
You will find many people are searching for VLC alternatives on the Internet. Here, we list different alternatives to VLC media player for Windows/Mac/Linux. Read on and find out which one suits you best.
Part 1. VLC Alternatives 2019 for Windows
VLC is a free video editing software, you might need to look for a VLC alternative because of the unfriendly UI, 'Rebuilding Font Cache' thing and other problems. Now, try the following alternatives to VLC media player for Windows.
No 1. Windows Movie Maker
There is no doubt that many people have probably heard of Windows Movie Maker, a video editing tool developed by Microsoft. It not only allows you to watch video, but also lets you edit this video simply, for instance, add text to video.
Related article: How to Add Text to Video in Windows Movie Maker (Step-by-Step Guide).
Now, some users might want to know where to get this tool since it was officially discontinued on January 10, 2017. Fortunately, you can get this Microsoft video editing tool by clicking the following button.
Cons
- It supports playing videos as well as pictures.
- It can edit your videos simply.
- It is able to share your videos on YouTube, Facebook, etc.
Related article: How to Use Movie Maker | Step-by-step Guide for Beginners.
Pros
- Microsoft does not support it now.
- It cannot play music alone.
No 2. 5KPlayer
5KPlayer is a mixture of free (MKV) HD video player and music player. This real media player is compatible with Windows as well as Mac OS X. If your VLC crashes suddenly, you can try this alternative.
Pros
- It supports a lot of video formats, including MKV, M2TS, MPEG1/2, WMV/ASF, AVI, MOV, RM, OGV, FLV, MP4, H.264, M4V, WEBM.
- It can play 4K UHD videos without any glitches.
- It is able to play 1080p or 1080i high-definition videos under 10% CPU cost.
- It can play MP3 AAC APE FLAC music perfectly to activate your senses.
- It can download online videos from YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, etc.
Cons
This alternative to VLC media player for Windows might be confusing for beginners.
No 3. Windows Media Player
Windows media player is another VLC alternative. It allows you to play video and audio files. Besides, it allows previewing images on personal computers running the Microsoft Windows operating system, as well as on Pocket PC and Windows Mobile-based devices.
Pros
- It provides a less cluttered user interface.
- It offers a better music library.
- It supports network sharing.
- It can access to online music services.
Cons
- It cannot handle 4K, 3D and 360-degree video.
- It doesn't support for VR headsets.
No 4. Photos App
If you are running Windows 10, you have another great VLC alternative 2019 – Photo app. This Windows 10 hidden media player not only can play video but also can play images. Besides, it can help to trim video.
Related Article: How to Cut Video Easily and Quickly (The Definitive Guide).
Pros
- It can play videos quickly.
- It has a simple, touch-friendly interface.
- It also supports browsing photo, and is able to create albums automatically.
- It has cool video editing effects.
Cons
- It cannot tag faces.
- It doesn't support panorama stitching and selective focus.
No 5. KMPlayer
KM player can play video as well as audio in Windows. This alternative to VLC supports almost any format that Windows can play including AVI, ASF, WMV, AVS, FLV, MKV, and many more. With the VLC alternative, you can slow down or increase playback speed, select parts of a video as favorites.
Pros
- It supports many audio and video formats.
- It supports 3D and VR and setting related to that.
- It has extensive subtitle management.
- It can capture audio and video.
Cons
Advertisement (There are no hidden or misleading clauses while installing, but we will be asked whether we want to install Avast Antivirus after installing.)
After learning these different VLC alternatives for Windows, you can take a look of the below wonderful video tool.
No 6. MiniTool Movie Maker
MiniTool Movie Maker, free and simple video tool, lets you review videos, and pictures. Besides, it also lets you create videos and slideshow easily and quickly. For instance, I usually use this simple and free tool to create Facebook Slideshow.
Pros
- It supports a lot of video format including WMV, MP4, AVI, MOV, F4V, MKV, GIF, MP3, and so on.
- It offers wizard-like interfaces. This tool can help you create a movie without requiring professional knowledge and skill.
- It offers movie as well as trailer templates. You are able to easily create cool movies or Hollywood-style movie trailers.
- It allows you to make video with pictures easily and quickly.
- It offers some filters to help you change the color, style, or tone in minutes.
- It offers plenty of useful transition effects to make the presentation, slideshow or movie good looking and impressive.
- It not only can split large video into small parts but also can trim video to remove the unwanted frames from the start or end of a clip. More details can be found in How to Trim Video Easily (Step-by-Step Guide with Pictures).
Cons
It only supports Windows OSs, now.
Part 2. VLC Alternative Mac
Mac users can try the following alternatives when the VLC media player isn't working.
No 1. QuickTime Player
QuickTime player, the best VLC alternative Mac, is the most familiar media players for Mac users. As the default movie player as Mac, QuickTime player is capable of supporting various formats of videos, music, images, and other media files.
- QuickTime player enables you to set playback from 1/2x to 3x the normal speed.
- This alternative to VLC is capable of watching videos from hard drive and internet.
- This VLC alternative Mac allows you to screen recording your Mac, edit movies and extract audio from a video. However, you need to purchase the QuickTime Pro license key to unlock the recording, editing and extracting features.
No 2. MPlayerX Media Player
MPlayerX, a free and open source media player, is another VLC alternative.
- It can handle any media format in the world without extra plug-ins or codec packages as it is armed by FFmpeg and MPlayer.
- It provides you the easiest way to control the playback as it will follow your gestures.
- It can automatically and seamlessly detect and convert the encoding method of the subtitle file.
No 3. Movist
Movist, a free, simple yet powerful player for Mac, supports QuickTime, FFmpeg as well as subtitles.
- It is easy to use.
- It owns a beautiful and convenient user interface.
- It is available to adjust aspect ratios and configure keyboard shortcuts.
Unfortunately, this VLC alternative Mac doesn't support Apple remote.
Part 3. VLC Alternative Linux
Let's start with a true example from my best friend.
I've used VLC in Linux for years. But lately, it's been choking and dying for no discernible reasons and attempts to troubleshoot have failed. Are there any other comparable alternatives for media players out there at the moment?
Now, my friend can try the following VLC alternative Linux.
No 1. Bomi Player
The best VLC alternative Linux, Bomi player (known as CM Player), works well on Linux and provides GUI features.
- This easy-to-use VLC alternative Linux provides some powerful features which you will find in the context menu.
- It supports audio file and subtitle at all.
- It allows browsing your old playlist because it generally saves all your playback record.
No 2. SMPlayer
SMPlayer supports for all the default formats as like as other media players.
- This VLC alternative Linux allows you to play YouTube video directly from this player because of its built-in codec.
- This VLC alternative 2019 loads the subtitle of a movie from the internet. And, it saves your all settings when you play video.
- This alternative to VLC is fully resume supported video player.
Vlc Media Player For Mac
Your Choice
The above video editing tools are good alternatives to VLC media player. You can choose a suitable one to play your videos.
Which VLC alternatives do you like to choose? Let us know by leaving comments.
Should you have any other good suggestions about VLC alternatives, please share them with us. Thanks in advance!
VLC Alternatives FAQ
- PotPlayer
- KMPlayer
- Media Player Classic – Home Cinema
- ACG Player
- GOM Media Player
- DivX Player
- Kodi
- Plex
- 5KPlayer
- MediaMonkey
- VLC Player
- PotPlayer
- Media Player Classic – Home Cinema
Can VLC play Blu-ray disc? Why is VLC not working to play Blu-ray? Those questions are commonly asked by people who want to play Blu-ray on VLC media player. Actually, VLC doesn't offer direct support for Blu-ray disc, but the 2.0 and later version of VLC support Blu-ray media playback with some extra operations. So, it is possible to get VLC to play Blu-ray disc on computer. To help you know the whole process, we will show you how to use VLC to play Blu-ray movie step by step.
Tips: The setup might be troublesome and tricky to play Blu-ray on VLC. If you have followed the instructions correctly and it is not working, or you don't want to use such a cumbersome method, feel free to try VideoSolo Blu-ray Player. It is simple and powerful to play Blu-ray disc on Mac and Windows without setting anything.
CONTENTS
- 1. How to Use VLC to Play Blu-ray on Windows 10/8/7
- 2. Can VLC Play Blu-ray Movie on Mac? - Yes
- 3. Errors You May Encounter When Playing Blu-ray in VLC
- 4. Best Way to Play Blu-ray on Computer with VLC Alternative
How to Use VLC to Play Blu-ray on Windows 10/8/7
Step 1. To play Blu-ray with VLC on Windows, you'd better upgrade to VLC 3.0 first if you are still using the old version. Please note that you will need to download the VLC Windows 64bit version if it is a 64bit Windows computer.
Tips: It would be better to keep the default installation path while installing VLC. Otherwise, you can't completely follow the steps below.
Step 2. Go to https://vlc-bluray.whoknowsmy.name/ to download the keys database and AACS dynamic library. Please notice that you should download the 32bit file for VLC 32bit, and 64bit file for VLC 64bit.
After downloaded, two files - the keys database file (KEYDB.cfg) and the AACS dynamic library file (libaacs.dll) should already exist on your Windows computer.
Step 3. Go to 'C:ProgramData', create a new folder in it and name it 'aacs'. After that, place your downloaded 'KEYDB.cfg' file into it.
Step 4. Go to 'C:Program FilesVideoLANVLC', then drop your downloaded 'libaacs.dll' file into it. If running 32bit VLC, you will need to find your VLC directory in 'C:Program Files (x86)'.
Step 5. Now, you can easily launch VLC and use it to play Blu-ray disc on Windows for free. Just need to click on 'Media' > 'Open Disc' > 'Blu-ray'.
Can VLC Play Blu-ray Movie on Mac? – Yes
VLC is one of the free Mac Blu-ray players. In this part, the way to play Blu-ray movies with VLC on Mac will be described in detail as below steps. It is similar to that of on Windows computer.
Step 1. Download the latest version of VLC for Mac OS X from Videolan.org.
Step 2. Go to: https://vlc-bluray.whoknowsmy.name/ and get two necessary files.
1. KEYS Database
Mac OS: put 'KEYDB.cfg' in ~/Library/Preferences/aacs/ (create it if it does not exist).
2. AACS Dynamic Library
Mac OS: right-click on VLC, choose 'Show Package Contents' and put the 'libaacs.dylib' file in 'Contents/MacOS/lib/' (create it if it does not exist).
Step 3. Run VLC and insert your Blu-ray disc into the Blu-ray drive, and open it with VLC, then your encrypted Blu-ray movie will start playing in VLC.
Errors You May Encounter When Playing Blu-ray in VLC
Even you have successfully installed VLC 3.0 or above and follow all the steps above, you likely still encounter errors like:
• This blu-ray disc needs a library for bd+ decoding, and your system does not have it.
• This blu-ray disc needs a library for aacs decoding, and your system does not have it.
• No valid processing key found in AACS config file.
• Missing AACS configuration file!
• Your input can't be opened.
• VLC keep Blu-ray loading but nothing presents.
This is because not all the commercial Blu-ray discs are supported by VLC media player so that you might encounter the problem from time to time. VLC can only deal with discs which its library has the corresponding AACS keys, yet the AACS and BD+ DRM libraries and keys won't ship with the Blu-ray discs, as their publishers seem to take everyone as a pirate, even you already spend money just for personnel movie enjoyment.
So, the problem that 'VLC won't Play Blu-ray' is difficult to fix. But, in this case, a more powerful Blu-ray player software comes as an alternative to play Blu-ray on Windows and Mac computer.
Best Way to Play Blu-ray on Computer with VLC Alternative
If you thought that using VLC to play Blu-ray disc is too complex to handle and you don't want to face the problem when VLC won't Blu-ray, then you will love VideoSolo Blu-ray Player.
As one of the best Blu-ray player software, VideoSolo Blu-ray Player can play encrypted Blu-ray disc, Blu-ray folder, also the Blu-ray ISO image without downloading any extra file. It is much easier to play Blu-ray compare to VLC. It supports playback advanced audios like Dolby, DTS, AAC, TrueHD, DTS-HD, etc. For better user experience, it provides detailed navigation and full playback control and allows users to choose their favorite Blu-ray subtitles, audio tracks, and scenes during playback on Windows and Mac computer.
What's more, the Windows version can serve you as a DVD player and common video player. That is to say, all your BD discs, DVD discs and digital media files can be loaded with VideoSolo Blu-ray Player.
This software is easy-to-use. You can just insert the Blu-ray disc and then open the program to play it. Follow the 3 steps below to play Blu-ray with the easiest way.
Step 1. Install VideoSolo Blu-ray Player
Vlc Download Mac Os
Click the 'Download' button above to get the free trial version of VideoSolo Blu-ray Player on your Windows or Mac computer.
Step 2. Insert a Blu-ray Disc into the Program
Connect an external Blu-ray drive to your computer and then insert a Blu-ray disc to the drive. Then, click 'Open Disc' to load the Blu-ray disc to the program.
Note: You need to be connected to the Internet so that the software can decode the copy-protection used on the commercial Blu-ray disc.
Step 3. Successfully Play Blu-ray Movie
After loading, you can see the cover of your Blu-ray movie. Here you can choose the title, chapter, audio track, or subtitle track. Or you can directly click on 'Play Movie' to start playing the Blu-ray main movie.
Now, no matter you choose VLC media player or VideoSolo Blu-ray Player, there is one thing can be confirmed. Right, you are able to watch almost all your Blu-ray movies without difficulty on Window and Mac.
