I lastly discovered a media app that’s higher than VLC

I’ve all the time been a VLC fan as a result of it simply works and handles the whole lot I throw at it. Different media gamers have come and gone, and I continued to make use of VLC as a result of it performs almost each music and video format and has a easy interface that looks like house. VLC was in all probability one of many first apps I put in on any laptop or pill, and I even used it on my smartphone to play offline music through Android Auto. Nevertheless, all good issues should come to an finish, and I’ve now discovered a brand new go-to media participant that surpasses VLC in each approach.

PotPlayer has been round for ages, however does not get a lot consideration. It is a disgrace as a result of it handles extra file codecs in a modern and fashionable package deal that leaves VLC within the mud. It is not nearly appears to be like, and the app is filled with helpful instruments like display screen capturing and audio recording, making it good for content creators.

Xinput contols

Distant management media participant

Xinput management is my favourite PotPlayer characteristic as a result of I can skip tracks or regulate the quantity from my sofa as a substitute of sitting at my laptop computer. It turns my controller right into a wi-fi distant management for navigating my media, including one other dimension of flexibility to the participant. Setup takes a couple of seconds, and after enabling the characteristic within the settings menu, it routinely detects the controller with out requiring any particular calibration software program.

As soon as my controller is linked, I fine-tune the stick and button settings in PotPlayer to make it extra intuitive. I map the proper thumbstick to maneuver the mouse cursor and the left because the course key to maneuver between the menus. I desire utilizing the shoulder buttons for growing and reducing the quantity and the triggers for leaping ahead and again. The probabilities are infinite, and creating customized configurations is a breeze with PotPlayer’s user-friendly dropdown menus.

Trendy interface

VLC retains issues old-fashioned with the Media, Playback, Video, and different menus laid out horizontally throughout the highest left of its interface. This technique is purposeful, however requires me to click on on completely different headings and sub-menus to search out what I am searching for. In distinction, PotPlayer takes issues up a notch by having a single vertical menu that comes with all of the options that VLC retains separate.

This technique makes it simpler and sooner to search out the settings I am searching for whereas I am watching a video. Aside from incorporating all the primary choices right into a single menu, PotPlayer provides quick-access buttons to Facet Ratio, Window Measurement, and different features, so I needn’t dig into menus to search out them. I have to click on on Instruments, then Results and Filters to entry the equalizer in VLC, but it surely’s accessible with a single click on on the Settings icon in PotPlayer. VLCs menu all the time obtained the job achieved for me, however now feels dated after making an attempt Potplayer’s fashionable but easy aesthetic.

Superior subtitle capabilities

Customization and translation

PotPlayer is the higher alternative for those who’re into overseas movies or need to customise your subtitles. Accessing the subtitles menu is so simple as right-clicking on the display screen. It permits me to simply change the font measurement, fashion, and shade. I may also align the subtitles to a selected part of the show or enhance their measurement. VLC additionally provides these options, although you have to navigate by the Instruments and Preferences menus.

It is the superior subtitle options, like Translation that set PotPlayer aside and makes it a worthy consideration. This characteristic makes use of AI instruments, like Google or Bing Translate to transform subtitles from one language to a different, based mostly on my choice. If movies do not have subtitles, PotPlayer can create them by utilizing Whisper AI to transcribe voices into textual content. This characteristic can be useful for creating subtitles for movies I’ve created myself earlier than importing them onto social media platforms.

Display recording

PotPlayer is a implausible alternative for content material creators due to its video seize and recording capabilities. The Video Seize characteristic is right for capturing stills for social media thumbnails, because it lets you extract single or a number of frames from a video as pictures. I can save the captured pictures in well-liked codecs like BMP or JPEG and duplicate them on to the clipboard to export into different apps.

Video recording is simply as easy, and lets me seize snippets of films or different content material to submit on-line later. I can use the in-depth settings to decide on the file’s location, in addition to the file format, measurement, and bitrate. I may also decide the audio codec sort and pattern fee. After recording a video, I may also cut up it at particular time or measurement intervals to keep away from copyright strikes when posting on YouTube. All these options are accessible by the intuitive menu whereas I am watching a video, so I needn’t waste time searching by settings to search out them.

YouTube playback

No advertisements, no downside

One of many causes I attempted PotPlayer was as a result of I used to be having points streaming content material from YouTube through VLC. In PotPlayer, I merely add the URL within the Open menu, and the app can play a single video or playlist. I additionally like to avoid wasting the URLs of movies I typically watch so I can play them in PotPlayer with no need to seek for the hyperlink.

The advantage of taking part in YouTube movies and playlists in PotPlayer is that it does not interrupt my expertise with advertisements. I can regulate the sound settings to my preferences with the equalizer and use the beforehand talked about characteristic to seize audio and video snippets of sure content material.