Media Player Classic – Home Cinema: An Overview
Media Player Classic – Home Cinema (MPC-HC) serves as a robust and open-source media player designed for Windows users. Evolving from the original Guliverkli project, which is no longer actively maintained, MPC-HC integrates numerous enhancements and bug fixes. This player prioritizes performance over aesthetics, ensuring compatibility with nearly all media formats, thereby making it a versatile choice for viewing both video and audio content.
Enhanced Viewing Experience with DXVA Technology
Utilizing DXVA technology, MPC-HC significantly offloads decoding operations to modern graphics cards, which not only improves performance but also enhances the overall viewing experience. Additionally, it accommodates both physical and software DVDs, offering features such as menu navigation, chapter selection, and subtitle support.
Exploring Key Features
Despite its capabilities, some users may still be unaware of the impressive features embedded in MPC-HC over the years. Below is a comprehensive rundown of its standout functionalities:
1. Dark Interface Theme
- Access via: Menu > View > Dark Theme.
- Customization options for seekbar height and toolbar button sizes can be found in: Options > Advanced.
2. Video Preview on the Seekbar
- Enable through: Options > Tweaks > Show preview on seek bar.
3. Adjustable Playback Speed
- Navigate to: Menu > Play > Playback rate to modify playback speed.
- Playback rate controls can be customized for finer adjustments, such as setting a step rate of 10% from: Options > Playback > Speed step.
- Optimal results for playback speed adjustments are achieved when using the internal audio renderer, which includes automatic pitch correction available at: Options > Playback > Output > Audio Renderer.
4. Resume Playback Functionality
- History tracking can be accessed under: Options > Player > History, allowing you to pick up from where you left off.
- Quick seeking through videos is possible with Ctrl + Mouse Scrollwheel.
- Navigational shortcuts to the next/previous file in a folder can be executed using PageUp/PageDown.
- Options to automate actions post playback are configurable at: Options > Playback > After Playback.
- A-B repeat feature allows users to loop specific video segments by using [ and ] to set start and stop markers.
5. Video Manipulation Options
- Video adjustments, including rotation, flipping, mirroring, stretching, and zooming, can be done through: Menu > View > Pan&Scan.
- Alternatively, there are hotkey options for these actions.
6. Customizable Controls
- Keyboard hotkeys and mouse actions can be customized under: Options > Player > Keys.
7. Direct Streaming and Downloading Capabilities
MPC-HC allows users to stream videos directly from YouTube and several other video platforms. To utilize this feature:
- Place
yt-dlp.exeoryoutube-dl.exeinto the MPC-HC installation folder. - Open URLs via: Menu > File > Open File/URL.
- Downloading videos is straightforward through: Menu > File > Save a copy.
- Find YDL configuration options at: Options > Advanced, with the possibility to specify the.exe location outside the MPC-HC folder.
8. HDR Video Playback
- Playing HDR content necessitates the use of either madVR or the MPC Video Renderer, which can be selected from: Options > Playback > Output.
9. Subtitle Features
- Automatic or manual subtitle search and download capabilities are accessible under: Options > Subtitles > Misc.
The recent updates to MPC-HC have not only introduced features but have also included numerous bug fixes and performance improvements, enhancing its stability and codec support, including CUE sheets and WebVTT subtitles.
Release Notes for MPC-HC 2.5.3.10
Updates
- Updated LAV Filters to version 0.80-7-g5810a.
- Updated MPC Video Renderer to version 0.9.14.2454.
Fixes
- Minor fixes and enhancements have been implemented.
Download Links:
- MPC-HC 2.5.3.10 (x64)
- Standalone (x64) | ~20.0 MB (Open Source)
- MPC-HC 2.5.3.10 (x86)
- Standalone (x86)
For more information, visit the MPC-HC Home Page.
Leave a Reply