Windows Media Player versus VLC Player versus Real Player

We often encounter a question which is the best media player software? Well, choosing a media player entirely depends on what you want from the player. Whether you are looking for a media player that holds maximum codecs, or a player that players that performs optimally on different platforms or the one that is ace on Windows platform.  After a frisk through a number of players we got across three big names in the world of media player software - Windows Media Player, VLC player and Real player. We provide you an overview of these three players along with their highs and lows.

Let’s have an overview of each of the media player software

Windows Media Player

Most of you are used to this media software that is the default player for Windows. Now that you have the Windows Media Player 12, there are cool ways to store and play your music, videos, pictures and recorded TV. WMP is more transparent and easily customizable. You can easily sync it to a portable device for enjoying on the go or even share with the devices around all from one place. Other key features of Windows Media Player include easy ripping of music from CD’s, futuristic online radio, and watch live streaming media.

Real Player

It is a closed source cross platform media player developed by RealNetworks. It has undergone a drastic change over the years. Real Player offers great control over your media for almost everything from downloading music to burning CDs.
Features of RealPlayer SP vesion for WIndows includes audio CD burning capabilities, DVR-style playback buffering, multimedia search, Internet radio, a jukebox-style file library, an embedded web browser (using Microsoft Internet Explorer). It also offers the ability to convert and transfer media to a wide range of devices such as iPod and Zune, smartphones such as iPhone and BlackBerry, as well as portable gaming devices like Sony PSP, and console gaming systems such as Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii. In version 11 RealPlayer SP has gained Flash VIdeo support, DVD, SVCD, VCD burning and video recording DRM is supported.

VLC Player

VLC player is a free open source cross platform multimedia player supporting an extensive range of audio and video format from files, physical media(DVDs, VCD, Audio-CD), TV capture cards and several network streaming protocols. VLC has the ability to play the video content of incomplete, unfinished, or damaged video downloads before the files have been fully. It’s a highly portable multimedia player the offers various audio and video formats, as well as DVDs, VCDs, and various streaming protocols. What’s exceptional, VLC can be used as server to stream in unicast or multicast in IPv4 or IPv6 on a high-bandwidth network.

Platforms supported

Windows Media Player

Other platforms supported by WMP include Mac OS, Mac OS X, Palm-size PC, Handheld PC, Windows Mobile and Solaris.

Real Player

RealPlayer has separate versions for Mac OS X, Linux/Unix, Symbian and Palm.

VLC Player

Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, BeOS, Syllable, BSD, MorphOS, Solaris and Sharp Zaurus

User Interface

VLC Player

Clearly VLC doesn’t pose an attractive GUI. If you have minimized the window you cannot pause or control it without restoring it again. Moreover, it lacks the mini-bar functionality like Windows Media Player. It is still far from looks of Windows Media Player and Real Player.

Windows Media Player

Features an enticing GUI with great customization options. It offers a cool mini window while you are working and you can control it without opening the main window.

Real Player

With an uncluttered and polished interface Real Player is intuitive and user friendly. It’s video sharing feature the allows you to post videos to Facebook and Twitter is really impressive.

Video formats supported

VLC Player over takes its counterparts
VLC player 1.0

MPEG-1
MPEG-2
MPEG-4 ASP (MPEG-4 Part 2)
MPEG-4 AVC (H.264) (MPEG-4 Part 10)
WMV
RealVideo
Theora
Flash
Dirac
Snow

Real Player 11

MPEG-1
MPEG-2
MPEG-4 ASP (MPEG-4 Part 2)
MPEG-4 AVC (H.264) (MPEG-4 Part 10)
WMV
RealVideo
Theora
Flash

Windows Media Player 11
MPEG-1
MPEG-2

WMV

AVI

WMF

Audio format support

Here again VLC Player leads the troop
VLC Player

MP3
WMA
RealAudio
Vorbis
Musepack
AAC
AC3
APE
FLAC
ALAC
SHN
WV

Real Player

MP3
WMA
RealAudio
Vorbis
AAC

Windows Media Player

.mp2
.mp3
.cda
.wav
.aiff
.wma
MIDI

Container format supported

VLC Player

AVI
ASF
QuickTime (MOV)
Ogg
OGM
Matroska
MP4
NUT
FLV

Real Player

AVI
ASF
QuickTime (MOV)
Ogg
OGM
MP4

Windows Media Player

AVI
ASF
ASF
MKV

Conclusion

Unlike other players VLC has the advantage that it is codec independant, but it suffers from serious bugs. Windows Media PLayer run smooth on Windows but the codec problems remain.  In case you have various file formats to run VLC is always a choice over real player or WMP.