Quicktime Alternative

ReDuX · 24th January 2005

I'm sure many Windows users begrudge letting a program take over their PC, like I do.
So some genius created this alternative to real player (old codecs) and quicktime.
Cunningly named Quicktime Alternative. It uses a very basic GUI much like the old media player. It too, cunningly named Media Player Classic.
It is available on its own at:
http://www.free-codecs.com/download/...lternative.htm

Or as part of a complete package of media codecs and a few repair/diagnostic tools in the form of the K-Lite Mega Codec Pack at:
http://www.free-codecs.com/download/...Codec_Pack.htm

Personally I love this thing as it plays anything and everything out-of-the-box as it were.

Give it a shot, its well worth it.

If you still have problems with video streams or audio streams not playing, I would reccomend getting CrystalPlayer as its one of very few with its own media kernel built in (i.e. it doesnt use windows codecs or splitters/demuxers)
Available from: http://www.crystalplayer.com/

ALL of the above are either entirely free or come in free versions.

Andrew · 24th January 2005

TBH, its not hard to develop a codec, or use reverse processes to see how one ticks (which is how real figured out how to build .wma streaming compatability into their products). The problem is licensing and legality, so I wouldnt be suprised if this program dissapears (just like how Real stopped building compatability into their products when microsoft went mental).

ReDuX · 24th January 2005

I would'nt say not hard, but then I dont have a degree in pure math or anything, so I find the math concepts involved mind-boggling.
The new H.264 codec (MPEG4 part 10) for example, an improvement on the previous H.263. Doubling the quality of such a compression standard blows my mind, every damn time they do it!

There's sure some big brains out there. Huge infact.

Andrew · 24th January 2005

Unless your doing a hardware codec (inwhich case you need to take into account decoding frequency values accross the wire), there is very little maths involved (well there is, but its not complex).

If you want, I can provide the source code to you the codec that decodes CD Audio, I wrote for the AGCC Media engine, so you can see what makes it tick.

ReDuX · 26th January 2005

Andrew, Thanks so much for the offer and under normal circumstances I would probably take you up on your offer, but at the moment I have an aweful lot on my plate.

Again, very kind of you to offer, thankyou