Potplayer (Free). User Ratings: 8/10. Operating System: Windows XP SP3 - Windows 8 Potplayer is covered in this top free HEVC player list on account of its advantages. Chief among them is its hardware acceleration tech (Intel QSV & Nvidia CUDA) to largely speed up HEVC video decoding to a large extent, with CPU usage at 18% - 40% for HEVC 1080p/720p playba. PotPlayer can be quite popular among users after the release of HEVC/H.265 4K or 8K videos since it could support this format. However, unfortunately, the HEVC codec has been removed from PotPlayer recently which would directly result in the failure of HEVC playback on your computer. There is another way around the corner. Elmedia Player is the top-rated solution for Mac that supports such wireless technologies as Chromecast, AirPlay and DLNA allowing you to quickly and easily stream media files from your computer to Smart TV or to any other AirPlay, Chromecast, and DLNA-compliant devices.
Since more and more 4K or 4K Blu-ray movies have been released and are poping up around your life, then playing the HEVC files ore H.265 files would be a necessary step for many users. How to play HEVC files on your PC? According to some advanced media player feedbacks, PotPlayer could be able to support HEVC at the early stage. How about now? Can PotPlayer be able to play H.265 files directly? Are there any further steps needed so as to obtain the HEVC playback on the computer? In order to solve all the problems, this article is proper for you.
Part 1: Can PotPlayer Support HEVC/H.265?
HEVC/H.265 is currently the latest video compression coding, the coding efficiency is greatly improved than H264. It can be said that H265 has the best video quality for the same file size; H265 has the smallest volume for the same video quality. However, because the encoding is relatively new, some playback software, HD players, HD boxes, smart TVs, and smartphones do not support this encoding. In comparison, HEVC playback solution can be easily provided if your current media player can support resolutions up to 8192×4320. That means H.265 doubles the data compression ratio compared to H.264. So, how about PotPlayer? Can this player support HEVC format?
However, in the previous years, PotPlayer, as one of the more advanced comprehensive media players, has announced that HEVC can be supported by it. But recently, another statement has showed that PotPlayer has removed HEVC codec from the internal program which would result in the failure of HEVC playback on the player. Due to the higher coding efficiency and more superior video quality, PotPlayer is hard to support this media format. Furthermore, other more mainstream devices may not support HEVC videos either. But as well, the HEVC files could also be supported and played on PotPlayer if the HEVC codec could be applied and installed to the player.
Part 2: Install Codec to Play HEVC on PotPlayer
Since PotPlayer has removed the HEVC codec, now in order to play the HEVC files on PotPlayer successfully, what you need to make up for is to download the install the appropriate HEVC codec accordingly. What you may be confused is what the proper HEVC codec is for PotPlayer.
Here I will strongly recommend you to download and install the codec pack instead of a single HEVC codec for PotPlayer. With the codec pack, which usually contains all kinds of video and audio codec for most mainstream multimedia files, the relevant video format, including H.265 could be easily decoded on PotPlayer. Then, the H.265 playback could be obtained then. If you are not sure about the detailed steps on how to install codec to play HEVC on PotPlayer, you can refer to the following steps.
Step 1. Check whether PotPlayer has the HEVC codec or not. Just as mentioned above, PotPlayer has removed the HEVC codec, so, once you have loaded the H.265 file to the player, a pop up message would show on the screen saying that “If you want to play the new file, you need the HEVC codec”.
Step 2. Download and install HEVC codec, here K-Lite Codec Pack as the alternative. Simply, you can search for K-Lite Codec Pack over the Internet and choose one download link. Usually, the codec pack you can obtain is formatted in the WAR or ZIP format. Once the codec pack has been downloaded, then you follow the steps showing on the screen to complete the installation process.
Step 3. Finish the installation and restart PotPlayer and computer. Click “OK” button to finish the codec pack installation process. In order to activate the codec pack, you had better restart the PotPlayer and computer to make it work effectively.
Part 3: 3 Free HEVC Alternative Players
In general speaking, many mainstream media players don’t support HEVC. However, in this article, I have already sorted out the top 3 free HEVC alternative players for your further references.
No. 1 Leawo Blu-ray Player
Here I will strongly recommend Leawo Blu-ray Player to you. As a 100% free and 6-in-1 media player software, Leawo Blu-ray Player contains all media playback solutions you need for your leisure entertainment, including DVD, Blu-ray, CD, HD (4K), ISO file with HEVC, H.264, AVI, MPEG, WMV, ASF, FLV, MKV/MKA and other popular formats supported. With advanced image and audio processing technology, Leawo Free Blu-ray Player software could provide you quality-lossless image for even 4K video, stereo audio enjoyment, all regions free DVD decryption and user-oriented playback control. Besides, Leawo Blu-ray Player’s practical bonus features including useful power manager, custom skin / language / background, snap screenshots, especially virtual remote controller make it a better choice for all playback choice. Furthermore, within Leawo Blu-ray Player, you could obtain the personalized settings according to your preference and all the settings could be done automatically.
#1 Best 4K Player - Leawo Free Blu-ray Player
Leawo Free Blu-ray Player is not only a zero-cost and region-free Blu-ray player software app, but also a free 4K media player that could perform as free 4K Blu-ray player and free 4K video player to play 4K video without any quality loss.
Pros- Simple and easy to use
- Region-free 4K Blu-ray player
- Supports many audio and video formats
- Advanced video and audio effect
- Totally free 4K media player
No. 2 5KPlayer
5KPlayer is a piece of completely free multi-functional audio and video software that integrates a universal video player, online video download, and AirPlay wireless streaming / wireless projection. It supports Windows and macOS platforms. 5KPlayer is also a very competent universal format video player, it has a rich codec built-in, can play almost all online mainstream video and audio formats, including MP4, MKV, FLV, MOV, WMV, MPEG, DVD, RMVB, M2TS / MP3, APE, FLAC, AAC and other formats of videos and lossless music, can also play 4K or 5K resolution ultra-high-definition video smoothly, basically can meet various audio and video playback needs. What’s worth mentioning, due to the might video codec library, its HEVC x265 player would allow users to play the HEVC files easily, including the HEVC 8bit/10bit/12bit video from other devices, like camera, mobile phones, Canon, JVC cameras and so on. Also, its intuitive interface would take users to a wonder viewing world.
No. 3 MPV Player
MPV is an open source media player based on MPlayer and MPlayer2. It supports various video formats, audio decoding, and special effect subtitles (the ass special effect subtitles for movie animations are no problem). It does not only supports local playback, but also supports network playback. The key point is that MPV has the characteristics of multi-system platform support, command line, customization, GPU decoding, and script support. Playing 4K videos with high definition resolution can also be very smooth. Therefore, if you are looking for a HEVC free media player, MPV can be your excellent choice. Based on the FFmpeg hwaccel APIs, it supports various video accelerations. Also, it is able to decode various formats while playing 4K videos. But this media player is not user-friendly for the beginner users because its shortcut usages are not smooth and hard to remember.
Part 4: Convert HEVC to another Common Format
Well, converting HEVC to another common format would save you more time on playing the HEVC files easily because, most common media players can support MP4, or AVI etc instead of HEVC. Therefore, obtaining an excellent HEVC converting tool would be helpful here. Which video converter can be your best choice? In order to convert HEVC to other media formats with ease and accuracy, Leawo Video Converter is the one you should not miss. Leawo Video Converter is able to rip MTS to various video formats with 100% original quality and 6X faster speed. It could support 180+ video and audio formats conversion with accuracy and no quality loss.
The guide shows you how to convert HEVC to MP4 video files by using Leawo Video Converter. Download and install Leawo Video Converter on your computer beforehand. Note that Leawo Video Converter has Windows version and Mac version, choose the proper version that is compatible with your computer OS. For the details on how to convert HEVC to other formats would be presented below.
Step 1. Download Leawo Video Converter and install it on your computer.
Step 2. Load the HEVC video. You can click on the “Add Video”icon to import the file or just drag the HEVC video directly to the main menu.
Step 3. Select the output format. You can open drop-down box beside the green icon “Convert” to choose “Change” to enter the “Profile” panel where you can set the output video format. Here, you can choose “MP4 Video” (based on your own requirements).
Step 4. Set the output video parameters. You can just open the drop-down box to click “Edit” instead of “Change” in the main menu. It includes “Video Codec”, “Bite Rates”, “Resolution”, “Frame Rate” and “Aspect Ratio”.
Step 5. Start converting. Click the big green icon “Convert” on the main interface to start converting the HEVC file to MP4. Before it starts, you need to confirm the “Save to” route. Then just click “Convert” to start. Finally, you just need to wait and the conversion process will be completed in several minutes.
Part 5: Conclusion
PotPlayer can be quite popular among users after the release of HEVC/H.265 4K or 8K videos since it could support this format. However, unfortunately, the HEVC codec has been removed from PotPlayer recently which would directly result in the failure of HEVC playback on your computer. There is another way around the corner. Instead of playing HEVC files directly on PotPlayer, you would add the required HEVC codec to the player for further playback with ease. What’s more, if you would adopt other free media players simply to play the HEVC files, Leawo Blu-ray Player can be the one you can have your faith in. If you prefer to apply the HEVC to other more devices, then converting HEVC to other formats with Leawo Video Converter would be more practical to you.
VLC is a media player software and streaming media server developed by VideoLAN, a non-profit organization and project. Known for its “free and open source cross-platform multimedia player” as well as its capability to play almost any multimedia file, VLC is beloved by many. The program can run on virtually all platforms, including Windows, Mac OSX, Linux, Android, iOS, and more.
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Why Do People Love VLC?
Many free programs come with a catch: spyware, ads, user activity tracking, and whatnot. VLC possesses no such gimmicks, giving its users the peace of mind that they will not suffer any consequences from relying on an unpaid service. More than anything, VLC’s user-friendly interface allows even the least tech-savvy people to use the program without much confusion. VLC comes with the capabilities to play most codecs without any need to download extra packs, which may be an impossible task for those unfamiliar with computers, and the menu, video player controls, and audio controls are all also relatively simple.
Best Alternative Media Players
If you cannot use VLC for whatever reason, or simply dislike VLC’s operations, here are some VLC alternatives that you may prefer.
Potplayer
Potplayer is a relatively new multimedia software player. Developed by Kakao, a South Korean tech company, the player has rapidly gained popularity amongst Microsoft users. Potplayer is lightweight and easy on your computer despite possessing several streaming settings, as well as support for multiple types of files. Its clean, polished interface has been praised by many lovers of its aesthetics.
VLC vs Potplayer
Potplayer and VLC each have their upsides and downsides. Whilst VLC can work on virtually any platform, as of now, Potplayer is limited to Windows. This means Mac users, Android users, and so on will not be able to access this software player, eliminating it from their choices altogether. However, support for more platforms is in the works for Potplayer; it is only a matter of time before this issue is resolved.
When it comes to audio streaming, Potplayer does a much better job than VLC. While both software players possess a multitude of video streaming capabilities, only Potplayer has extensive support for various audio files. If you plan to use your media player for music, you may find that Potplayer is the better choice for you.
If system space is a large issue for you, Potplayer may be a good VLC alternative, as Potplayer is a whopping 13.5 megabytes smaller than VLC. The program does not need much space on your computer to operate, making it a wonderful option for those who struggle with their computer’s storage limitations.
MPC
Media Player Classic, or MPC for short, is another alternative to VLC. Like VLC, MPC promises that their free software will never be muddled with spyware or adware. MPC’s lightweight, multifaceted video player can even be used as a DVB player. Due to the simplicity of the software, it can be run even on computers that go decades back.
VLC vs MPC
Like Potplayer, MPC also only provides support for Microsoft devices. Individuals who use Apple, Android, and so on, will not be able to consider MPC as an option.
MPC’s menus are well organized, keeping everything in the right place for both full screen and small screen modes, while VLC’s are not as simplistic. The search function of VLC’s interface can also be quite difficult to navigate through, so for these reasons, people may prefer MPC’s interface design.
Streaming support varies per platform. It seems like VLC’s DVD and CD streaming runs smoother than MPC’s, especially when switching through tracks and scenes. However, MPC’s player is much more adaptable to subtitles. Whilst VLC’s player may struggle to produce coherent captioning, sometimes making the user drag the subtitles to the top of the screen before appearing clearly, MPC shows readable captions in all circumstances. MPC also trumps VLC when processing a corrupt file. VLC tends to freeze up or loop up entirely, forcing the user to shut down their program or computer in a violent manner to escape the problem. MPC’s window can be shut normally even when it runs into a broken file.
Nonetheless, the VideoLAN unique to VLC may make this program far more worth it than MPC. With a simple Youtube URL copied and pasted into VLC’s Open Streaming Dialogue Box, you will be able to watch videos from the internet on the program. MPC cannot handle such advanced mechanisms on its platform.
Windows Media Player
The default video player for Microsoft users, Windows Media Player is not everyone’s first choice. The program has not seen a major update since 2009, which discourages many from utilizing the software. The security scandal it had several years back, in which attackers utilized the software to hack into the user’s personal files, also discouraged people from using the program. This breach was successfully stopped in 2009, so people can rest assured now. Moreover, the program does a decent job of running most video and audio files.
VLC vs Windows Media Player
Surprisingly, Windows Media Player can also be used on Mac OS 7 and X, as well as Solaris. If you are a Mac user dissatisfied with Apple’s default video streaming program (Quicktime), you can give the Windows default player a whirl.
Windows Media Player is somewhat problematic because it only offers support for AVI and MPEG-4 video files. Unlike VLC where virtually all video streaming codecs are already installed, one would have to manually install each extra codec they need into Windows Media Player. This tedious and potentially perplexing task may discourage one from using Windows Media Player.
MX Player
MX Player is a video player application for Android devices. There is also a Chrome application, giving users streaming support on their browsers as well. With features such as hardware acceleration and multi-core decoding, MX Player promises smooth playback on all supported video formats. Though MX Player’s developer, J2 Interactive, is based in Korea, the application’s largest userbase stems from India, where a whopping 350 million people use the app.
VLC vs MX Player
MX Player is on a whole different platform than VLC. While VLC is a simple media player, MX Player is like a video player and streaming service combined. The application offers original programs that subscribers can watch.
MX Player is one of the only video players offered for Android. Unfortunately, the unpaid version of MX Player may irritate many users as it is riddled with advertisements. Simply navigating from one page to another, closing and reopening the app, adjusting the settings, and so on, may trigger a series of ad breaks. These pesky ads get in the way, potentially turning a peaceful viewing session into a frustrating, stressful experience. VLC’s ad-free program is far more superior in this sense.
Whilst VLC player struggles to produce clear, coherent subtitles at times, MX Player has stellar subtitle support. If you enjoy watching foreign films, or simply need subtitles for your viewing experience, you may find MX Player better than VLC.
MPV Player
MPV Player is a new video player software, released to the public a mere six years ago, and the program is still being developed actively to this day. MPV player offers support for Mac, Windows, and Android. Like VLC, MPV is a free and open-source software. Powerful scripting capabilities, high-quality video output, hardware decoding, and simplistic interface are all examples of the unique qualities MPV Player possesses.
VLC vs MPV
MPV is the only program on this list to offer support for an extensive number of platforms, as VLC does. Windows, Mac, Android, Linux, even BSD users can utilize this powerful tool.
For those who prefer clean, minimalistic interfaces, MPV may be better than VLC. Whilst VLC shows several options on its video player and settings, MPV’s player only possesses very basic controls. This may benefit those who get confused or overwhelmed by an abundant amount of options in their technological devices.
MPV’s bar scrubbing is supposedly smoother than VLC’s. Additionally, its subtitle and MKV chapter support are much better than VLC’s. Though the program is relatively new and still in its developmental stages, it will not disappoint.
Best VLC Alternative For Windows
Potplayer may be the most popular alternative to VLC for Windows users. Its clean interface and powerful software capabilities make it a fan favorite, gaining new users every day. It may be worth giving this video player software a spin if you are dissatisfied with VLC: it’s free, after all. There’s nothing to lose.
Best VLC Alternative For Mac
MPV is most likely the best alternative to VLC for Mac users. The software practically mirrors VLC; it is essentially the simpler, more user-friendly and subtitle friendly version of VLC. Though MPV is still being developed, it is already quite satisfactory as it is, and it can only get better from now.
Potplayer Mac Softonic
Best VLC Alternative For Android
Macos Video Player
Depending on your needs, MX Player or MPV are the best alternatives to VLC for Android users. If ads are something you do not want to see in your video streaming experience and you are not willing to pay for ad removal, MX Player is out of the question for you. As explained above, MPV has advantages over VLC and is unlikely to disappoint.