20081215

XBMC vs VLC vs MPC

AC asks "So XBMC is better than VLC?"

Well, maybe, but it's not quite a fair comparison. XBMC I use in its original incarnation, on a softmodded xbox to stream content off my main server. VLC I've used as a desktop video client, but I got increasingly frustrated with it: it would have problems rendering video occasionally: failing to show anything, but stopping and restarting the video would fix it. It also seemed very slow to seek. So I've gone back to my previous desktop solution: MediaPlayerClassic, plus ffdshow and possibly another codec pack or two ("Windows essential codec pack" seems to do the job, and is not obviously full of adware crap).

Well, you did ask.

2 comments:

jez said...

Oooh, that's very similar to my setup -- hardmodded original xbox plus server. Also using mythtv, which is pretty good for doing things like keeping n fresh episodes of some TV show without filling the server up with it.
For any non-xbox clients, just use ssh+mplayer.

The cool thing about it is that xboxes are almost free -- i have a couple lying around just for spares. Eventually I'd like to build something quieter though.

Sony VPCEG3PFXW said...

VLC is the best video player I have found.

Dummy me why I sticked with Win Media player for years.