Media players you should try
in this article I’d like to summarize all media players, which I can personally suggest for viewing videos and of course with OpenSubtitles.org support. Often I get questions about suggesting:
- best media player or media center
- best video player
- video player with subtitles support
I will try to summarize all players I know with OpenSubtitles.org support, fresh complete list should be always located at our trac. So, let’s start with more and more popular media centers.
1. Boxee (Mac OS X, Apple TV, Linux, Windows)
This is my favorite, based on XBMC. Recently was released boxee for Windows for public (just register on main page and proceed to download section). I will not write about all features Boxee got, just go to article about boxee at wikipedia. OpenSubtitles.org support is of course there, still should be more improved though. Currently we are looking for Python coders, who can implement more features into Boxee, anyone?
2. XBMC (XBOX, Mac OS X, Apple TV, Linux, Windows)
I used and I am still using XBMC on my old XBOX. I just love it, currently there are 2 big problems - I like HD movies (XBOX doesn’t have enough CPU power) and there is no native OS support. OpenSubtitles.org support is done via plugin. Read more about XBMC at wikipedia.
3. Moovida (Windows, Linux)
formerly know as Elisa. Personally I don’t use Moovida (no Max OS X support for now). There is plugin - still in development - for OS, you can download it from here. We will try to be in official plugin list.
There are more good media centers, where should be OS support integrated, at least I will list these couple:
- Plex (Mac OS X), discussion
- MediaPortal (Windows)
Let’s continue with media players. Today we can find on “market” a lot of really good ones, so we got a lot of choices:
1. Kantaris Media Player (Windows)
I wrote about this unique player in the last post. This player is more and more popular every day, it is based on VLC player, it got nice OpenSubtitles.org support and there is nice feedback under article 
2. ALLPlayer (Windows)
ALLPlayer is Polish product, but it’s GUI and website is available in more languages. It supports automatic uploading of subtitles, which is really nice idea. It comes with many codecs, so there shouldn’t be a problem with playing any video.
3. Dziobas RAR player (Windows)
it is modified MPlayer, what is really nice it can play movies from RARs. It got really nice OpenSubtitles.org support for downloading subtitles. I think you should try this one.
4. BSPlayer (Windows)
this player should be quite popular. It can play almost everything, include youtube. There is online subtitles support (understand OpenSubtitles.org). Give it a try.
5. Media Player Classic (Windows)
I wrote article about MPC some time ago. It is really old player, but still good one, you must have all codecs installed.
6. SMPlayer (Windows)
another nice player based on MPlayer, it is opensource, but it lacks of RAR support, but definitely worth of try.
There are more players with OS support, like BestPlayer (Windows, Polish), really nice thing is modified FFDShow with OpenSubtitles.org support, so it doesn’t matter which player you use. As we can see, there is no media player on Mac OS X with OS support, what is quite shame, I am not sure about Linux…
If you know of any other media centers or media players with OS support, just let us know. Also contact developers of your favourite player, OS support is for free, with almost no restrictions.Somebody might ask, why I am writing this - OS will lose website users and that means also some small revenue. This is right. But on other side, I develop OS exactly for this - to make available subtitles everywhere, without need to go to website. Of course, if we want use downloading subtitles using players or programs, those subtitles needs to be uploaded first!
Plex is eminently superior in MacOSX than XBMC (on which it’s based). The support for OS is the same as it is for other XBMC clones (which is to say, it’s a bare, half-assed support).
Neither Boxee nor XBMC/Plex have a “true” implementation of OpenSubtitles, which should exist as just another scraper, exactly like the current ones for covers, fanart or video details.
eduo, I have to agree with Plex vs XBMC on Mac. I did not try XBMC script for Plex.
for 2nd part, I have to disagree, Boxee have “true” implementation, you dont need install any plugin, and thats important. I am not talking about “it can not be done better”. It can. And that wahy we are looking for some Python developers to take care of it.
For scraper - I was talking about this with devs some time ago, I am not sure if there can be movies matched by hash in this way.
Scrapers can access the files normally and do non-destructive stuff with them. They currently reader the file’s name and can also read .nfo files if there are any. This is not their limits, just what’s being done with them.
I didn’t mean OS should be supported in a scraper, but in the same way as scrapers currently exist: As a way to collect related data on items.
When you enter an item’s info you have the option of renewing the current metadata and, separately, of downloading a new fanart or cover. There could be an additional button for “Subtitles” that shows results on the moviefile and lets the user pick one.
Also, when you’re scanning your files to update your library scrapers do all sorts of things to collect the appropriate data.