I lastly discovered a media app tha...

I’ve at all times been a VLC fan as a result of it simply works and handles all the pieces 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 practically each music and video format and has a easy interface that appears like residence. 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 by way of 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 method.

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 smooth and trendy package deal that leaves VLC within the mud. It is not nearly appears, and the app is filled with helpful instruments like display screen capturing and audio recording, making it excellent 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 alter the amount 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 just a few 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 precise thumbstick to maneuver the mouse cursor and the left because the path key to maneuver between the menus. I choose utilizing the shoulder buttons for growing and lowering the amount and the triggers for leaping ahead and again. The chances are limitless, and creating customized configurations is a breeze with PotPlayer’s user-friendly dropdown menus.

Fashionable interface

VLC retains issues old skool with the Media, Playback, Video, and different menus laid out horizontally throughout the highest left of its interface. This technique is practical, however requires me to click on on completely different headings and sub-menus to seek out what I am in search of. 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 quicker to seek out the settings I am in search of whereas I am watching a video. Other than incorporating all the principle choices right into a single menu, PotPlayer provides quick-access buttons to Side Ratio, Window Measurement, and different capabilities, so I needn’t dig into menus to seek out them. I must click on on Instruments, then Results and Filters to entry the equalizer in VLC, however it’s accessible with a single click on on the Settings icon in PotPlayer. VLCs menu at all times received the job carried out for me, however now feels dated after making an attempt Potplayer’s trendy but easy aesthetic.

Superior subtitle capabilities

Customization and translation

PotPlayer is the higher selection in the event you’re into international movies or wish 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, type, and colour. I may align the subtitles to a selected part of the show or enhance their measurement. VLC additionally presents these options, although you want to navigate by means of 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, primarily based on my choice. If movies do not have subtitles, PotPlayer can create them through the use of Whisper AI to transcribe voices into textual content. This characteristic can also be helpful for creating subtitles for movies I’ve created myself earlier than importing them onto social media platforms.

Display recording

PotPlayer is a unbelievable selection 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 means that you can extract single or a number of frames from a video as photographs. I can save the captured photographs in widespread codecs like BMP or JPEG and replica 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 put up 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 decide the audio codec kind and pattern charge. After recording a video, I may break up it at particular time or measurement intervals to keep away from copyright strikes when posting on YouTube. All these options are accessible by means of the intuitive menu whereas I am watching a video, so I needn’t waste time searching by means of settings to seek out them.

YouTube playback

No advertisements, no drawback

One of many causes I attempted PotPlayer was as a result of I used to be having points streaming content material from YouTube by way of 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 usually watch so I can play them in PotPlayer while not having to seek for the hyperlink.

The good thing about taking part in YouTube movies and playlists in PotPlayer is that it does not interrupt my expertise with advertisements. I can alter 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.