# MP4 player recommendations?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp4-player-recommendations/629427
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [July 26, 2012, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp4-player-recommendations/629427 "2012-07-26T05:36:03Z")
**Posts on this page:** 17
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2012, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp4-player-recommendations/629427/1 "2012-07-26T05:36:03Z")
I’m looking to install a mp4 player on an older Windows XP-based PC. I’d like something that’s free or pretty cheap and is easy to download, install, and use (simple is good).
Any recommendations?
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### Author:  [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2012, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp4-player-recommendations/629427/2 "2012-07-26T05:39:41Z")
[VLC](http://www.videolan.org/vlc/index.html) is free, it will play basically anything you throw at it without needing external codecs, and it can also be installed as a portable app, meaning no need for registry changes.
Edit: portable version can be found [here](http://portableapps.com/apps/music_video/vlc_portable/).
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### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2012, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp4-player-recommendations/629427/3 "2012-07-26T07:32:20Z")
> [@mhendo](#):
>
> [VLC](http://www.videolan.org/vlc/index.html) is free, it will play basically anything you throw at it without needing external codecs, and it can also be installed as a portable app, meaning no need for registry changes.
Actually that was the one I had been thinking about going with.
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2012, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp4-player-recommendations/629427/4 "2012-07-26T07:36:39Z")
VLC is really good. I second the recommendation.
If you want something very lightweight, that plays MP4/Quicktime video, without installing the evil that is Quicktime, there’s Media Player Classic, which comes with the free Quicktime Alternative codec.
> **[Free Download QuickTime Alternative 3.2.2](https://www.free-codecs.com/download/quicktime_alternative.htm)**
>
> Download QuickTime Alternative 3.2.2 : QuickTime Alternative is allowing you to play QuickTime files and to view QuickTime contents embedded in webpages
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### Author:  [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2012, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp4-player-recommendations/629427/5 "2012-07-26T08:23:28Z")
Bonus ProTip to go along with VLC: [You can use VLC to convert and save online videos.](http://www.vikitech.com/950/stream-convert-and-save-youtube-videos-using-vlc-media-player)
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### Author:  [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2012, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp4-player-recommendations/629427/6 "2012-07-26T11:38:37Z")
Moved from General Questions to IMHO.
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### Author:  [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2012, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp4-player-recommendations/629427/7 "2012-07-26T17:01:59Z")
VLC is amazing and I wouldn’t use anything else. No more codec packs!
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2012, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp4-player-recommendations/629427/8 "2012-07-26T18:34:41Z")
> [@Mangetout](#):
>
> If you want something very lightweight, that plays MP4/Quicktime video, without installing the evil that is Quicktime, there’s Media Player Classic, which comes with the free Quicktime Alternative codec.
> [QuickTime Alternative 3.2.2 Download - Free QuickTime Player Replacement](http://www.free-codecs.com/download/quicktime_alternative.htm)
Media Player Classic is what I use.
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### Author:  [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2012, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp4-player-recommendations/629427/9 "2012-07-26T19:19:55Z")
I used MPC for a long time, but VLC is just so darn simple.
This thread title threw me off since the only time I ever see the phrase “MP4 player” normally is referring to cheapo Chinese iPod knockoffs.
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### Author:  [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2012, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp4-player-recommendations/629427/10 "2012-07-26T19:39:05Z")
Quick question about VLC, is it _supposed_ to be keeping my computer from sleeping? It’s the only thing open that I can tell would be keeping my computer awake when it should be sleeping. If it is VLC keeping it awake, I cannot for the life of me find the setting to stop it from doing that. Or I’m blind.
Little help?
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### Author:  [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2012, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp4-player-recommendations/629427/11 "2012-07-26T19:48:28Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#):
>
> Quick question about VLC, is it _supposed_ to be keeping my computer from sleeping? It’s the only thing open that I can tell would be keeping my computer awake when it should be sleeping. If it is VLC keeping it awake, I cannot for the life of me find the setting to stop it from doing that. Or I’m blind.
>
> Little help?
Are you running VLC fullscreen? If so I’m sure either VLC or Windows keeps the computer awake.
Are you running Windows or Mac?
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### Author:  [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2012, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp4-player-recommendations/629427/12 "2012-07-26T19:52:35Z")
Windows 7 with VLC maximized, not full screen.
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### Author:  [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2012, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp4-player-recommendations/629427/13 "2012-07-26T20:07:29Z")
Media Player Classic (MPC) is IMO simpler than VLC. I use a combination of Matroska Pack codecs and CCCP codecs. I’ve used it since 2003 or so in various versions. It just works and is the most basic, perfect player for anything – music, video, even still photos. The last time I tried VLC it had a little taskbar icon by default in XP which is gay, and I never had a reason to try it again. It’s probably fine – lots of people like it.
MPC for me.
MPC for me.
MPC for me.
MPC for me.
MPC for me.
MPC for me.
MPC for me.
MPC for me.
MPC for me.
MPC for me.
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### Author:  [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2012, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp4-player-recommendations/629427/14 "2012-07-26T20:13:46Z")
> [@Mangetout](#):
>
> VLC is really good. I second the recommendation.
>
> If you want something very lightweight, that plays MP4/Quicktime video, without installing the evil that is Quicktime, there’s Media Player Classic, which comes with the free Quicktime Alternative codec.
> [QuickTime Alternative 3.2.2 Download - Free QuickTime Player Replacement](http://www.free-codecs.com/download/quicktime_alternative.htm)
Media Player Classic is actually my own default media player. I often recommend VLC in these threads, though, because many people seem to find it more appealing. I like the simplicity of the MPC interface.
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### Author:  [@Dragwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragwyr)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2012, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp4-player-recommendations/629427/15 "2012-07-27T02:11:03Z")
I’ve used both MPC and VLC. I prefer MPC, but I have no problems with recommending either one.
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### Author:  [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2015, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp4-player-recommendations/629427/17 "2015-10-04T04:51:49Z")
Spam reported.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2015, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp4-player-recommendations/629427/18 "2015-10-04T04:52:03Z")
Reported