View source for Media Player Classic

{{Short description|Media player for Microsoft Windows}}
{{Infobox software
| name = Media Player Classic
| logo = File:Media Player Classic logo.png
| logo size = 64px
| screenshot = MediaPlayerClassic64.png
| collapsible = 
| author = Gabest
| developer = MPC Community Forum
| released = {{start date and age|2003|05|30}}
| discontinued = yes
| latest release version = '''Original:''' 6.4.9.0<ref>{{cite web |url=https://sourceforge.net/projects/guliverkli/files/Media%20Player%20Classic/ |title=Original MPC builds |access-date=2021-07-04}}</ref>
| latest release date = {{Start date and age|2006|03|20}}
| latest preview version = '''Fork by clsid - Last release:'''<br />6.4.9.1 Revision 107<ref>{{cite web |url=https://sourceforge.net/projects/guliverkli2/files/Media%20Player%20Classic/6.4.9.1/ |title=MPC 6.4.9.1 builds |access-date=2021-07-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.xvidvideo.ru/logi-izmeneniy/log-izmeneniy-media-player-classic.html |title=MPC 6.4.9.1 changelog |access-date=2021-07-04}}</ref>
| latest preview date = {{Start date and age|2010|02|14}}
| repo = '''Original:'''<br />https://sourceforge.net/projects/guliverkli/<br />'''Fork by clsid:'''<br />https://github.com/clsid2/mpc-hc
| size = '''Orig. 6.4.9.0:''' 2.2 [[Megabyte|MB]] ([[Zip (file format)|Zip]])<br />'''Fork 6.4.9.1:''' 2.1 MB ([[Zip (file format)|Zip]])
| language = English, Russian, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Czech, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Ukrainian
| language count = 11
| language footnote = <ref>{{cite web |url=https://sourceforge.net/projects/guliverkli/files/Media%20Player%20Classic%20%28transl.%29/ |title=Original MPC translations |access-date=2021-07-04}}</ref>
| programming language = [[C++]]
| operating_system = [[Windows]], [[ReactOS]]
| license = [[GNU General Public License|GPL-2.0-or-later]]
| website = {{URL|1=https://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=157628#post157628|2=Original MPC on Doom9}}<br />{{URL|1=https://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1030661#post1030661|2=MPC 6.4.9.1 on Doom9}}<br />{{URL|1=https://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=175209|2=MPC 2.0.0 on Doom9}}
}}

'''Media Player Classic''' ('''MPC''') and its derivatives are a family of [[free and open-source software|free and open-source]] [[media player (application software)|media player]]s for 32-bit and 64-bit versions of the [[Microsoft Windows]] operating system. Focusing on compactness and customizability, Media Player Classic mimics the simplistic look and feel of [[Windows Media Player]] 6.4, but provide most options and features available in modern media players. The original MPC stopped development in 2006 after which it was [[Fork (software development)|forked]] into two new projects: '''Media Player Classic - Home Cinema''' ('''MPC-HC''') and '''Media Player Classic - Black Edition''' ('''MPC-BE'''), which are now principally maintained by the community at the [[Doom9]] forum.

The active fork ''Media Player Classic - Home Cinema'' (MPC-HC) is maintaned by "clsid2" (same developer known as [http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=128616 clsid] responsible for [https://sourceforge.net/projects/guliverkli2/ MPC 6.4.9.1]), and ''Media Player Classic - Black Edition'' (MPC-BE) by "aleksoid". Variations of the original MPC and its forks are standard media players in the [[K-Lite Codec Pack]] and the [[Combined Community Codec Pack]].

==Development==

The original Media Player Classic was created and maintained by a programmer named "Gabest"<ref name="sourceforge/gabest">{{cite web |title=gabest / Profile |url=https://sourceforge.net/u/gabest/profile/ |website=sourceforge.net |access-date=7 December 2024}}</ref> who also created [[PCSX2]] graphics [[Plug-in (computing)|plugin]] GSDX. It was developed as a closed-source application, but later [[Software relicensing|relicensed]] as [[free software]] under the terms of the [[GNU General Public License|GPL-2.0-or-later]] license. MPC is hosted under the <code>guliverkli</code> project at [[SourceForge]] platform. The project itself is something of an [[umbrella organization]] for works by Gabest.

''Media Player Classic'' development stalled in May 2006. Gabest, the main developer of the original version, stated in March 2007 that development of ''Media Player Classic'' is not dead but that he was unable to work on it.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://sourceforge.net/projects/guliverkli/forums/forum/281014/topic/1690818 |title=SourceForge's discussion about project status |access-date=2011-04-06}}</ref> MPC 6.4.9.0, released March 20, 2006, is the final official version.

== Forks ==

=== Media Player Classic 6.4.9.1 ===

In August 2007, an unofficially patched and updated build became available from [[Doom9]] member "clsid", hosted under the <code>guliverkli2</code> project at [[SourceForge]] platform. Known as ''Media Player Classic 6.4.9.1'', it was meant for fixing bugs and updating outdated libraries, but its development has been inactive since 2011. MPC 6.4.9.1 Revision 107, released February 14, 2010, is the final release version.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=128616 |title=Doom9's topic on ''Media Player Classic'' patched build |access-date=2007-11-11}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://sourceforge.net/projects/guliverkli2/ |title=Patched MPC 6.4.9.1 |date=2011-04-10 |work=[[SourceForge]] project Guliverkli2 |access-date=2013-01-23}}</ref> The community at the Doom9 forum has since further continued the project with MPC-HC.

=== {{anchor|MPC-HC}} MPC Home Cinema ===
{{Infobox software
| name = Media Player Classic - Home Cinema
| screenshot = Media Player Classic - Home Cinema v.2.5.3.png
| caption = Media Player Classic - Home Cinema version 2.5.3 on [[Windows 10]]
| collapsible = 
| developer = MPC-HC Community Forum
| released = {{start date and age|2007|09}}
| discontinued = no
| latest release version = 2.5.5
| latest release date = {{Start date and age|2025|10|31}}
| latest preview version = 2.5.4.25
| latest preview date = {{Start date and age|2025|10|22}}
| repo = '''Original:'''<br />https://github.com/mpc-hc/mpc-hc<br />'''Fork by clsid2:'''<br />https://github.com/clsid2/mpc-hc/
| size = '''Fork x64:''' 21.9 [[Megabyte|MB]] ([[.exe|Exe]])<br />'''Fork x86:''' 20.3 MB ([[.exe|Exe]])
| language = Arabic, Armenian, Basque, Belarusian, Bengali, Bosnian, Catalan, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, English (British), Finnish, French, Galician, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Lithuanian, Malay, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak, Slovenian, Swedish, Spanish, Tatar, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese
| language count = 42
| language footnote = <ref name="about">{{cite web |url=https://mpc-hc.org/about/ |title=About MPC-HC |work=MPC-HC project |access-date=2016-02-21}}</ref>
| license = [[GNU General Public License|GPL-3.0-or-later]]
| website = {{URL|http://mpc-hc.org/|MPC-HC official website}} (inactive) <br /> {{URL|1=https://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1831201#post1831201|2=MPC-HC on Doom9}} (active fork by clsid)
}}

A fork, called Media Player Classic - Home Cinema (MPC-HC), adds new features, as well as fixes bugs and updates libraries.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=123537 |title=Doom9's topic on ''Media Player Classic - Home Cinema'' |access-date=2007-11-11}}</ref> It also updated the license to [[GNU General Public License|GPL-3.0-or-later]].

MPC-HC updates the original player and adds many useful functionalities including the option to remove [[Screen tearing|tearing]], additional video decoders (in particular H.264, VC-1 and MPEG-2 with [[DirectX Video Acceleration]] support), [[Enhanced Video Renderer]] support, and multiple bug fixes. There is also a 64 bit-version of ''Media Player Classic - Home Cinema'' for the various Windows x64 platforms. MPC-HC requires at least Windows XP Service Pack 3.

As of version 1.4.2499.0, MPC-HC implemented [[color management]] support, an uncommon feature that nearly all video players on Microsoft Windows lack.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://voxelium.wordpress.com/2010/09/20/icc-color-management-in-media-player-classic-home-cinema/ |title=ICC color management in Media Player Classic - Home Cinema |access-date=2014-02-09 |author=Attila Tamás Áfra |date=2010-09-20 |type=blog}}</ref> Windows 8 support was introduced in version 1.6.5.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://trac.mpc-hc.org/wiki/Changelog/1.6.5 |title=Changelog v1.6.5 |date=2012-12-16 |work=MPC-HC wiki |access-date=2013-01-21}}</ref> Beginning with version 1.6.6 the stable releases are signed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mpc-hc.org/2013/02/25/binaries-are-signed/ |title=Binaries are signed |access-date=2014-02-09 |author=XhmikosR |date=2013-02-25 |work=MPC-HC.org}}</ref>

Apart from stable releases as published, nightly builds are also publicly available.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://nightly.mpc-hc.org/ |title=Media Player Classic - Home Cinema |publisher=MPC-HC Nightly |date=2016-02-21 |access-date=2016-02-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Media_Player_Classic_Home_Cinema.htm |title=Media Player Classic - Home Cinema |publisher=free-codecs.com |date=2013-03-29 |access-date=2013-04-01}}</ref>  MPC-HC is also distributed in the [[PortableApps.com|PortableApps format]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://portableapps.com/news/2013-01-24--mpc-hc-portable-1.65-released |title=MPC-HC Portable 1.6.5 Released |date=2013-01-24 |publisher=[[PortableApps.com|PortableApps]] |access-date=2013-02-11}}</ref> MPC-HC 1.7.1 adds support for [[HEVC|H.265/HEVC]] codec. MPC-HC 1.7.8 released in 2015 was built with the [[MediaInfo|MediaInfoLib]] 0.7.71.<!-- add yet another release notes reference if needed -->

MPC-HC 1.7.13  is the final version of the program that was officially discontinued as of July 16, 2017 due to a shortage of active developers with C/C++ experience.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://mpc-hc.org/2017/07/16/1.7.13-released-and-farewell/ |title=v1.7.13 is released and farewell |date=2017-07-16 |publisher=mpc-hc.org |access-date=2017-11-04}}</ref> Its source code on GitHub was last updated on August 27, 2017, a month and a half after the official final version.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://github.com/mpc-hc/mpc-hc/commits |title=Commits · mpc-hc/mpc-hc · GitHub |date=2017-08-27 |publisher=[[GitHub]] |access-date=2017-11-04}}</ref> It requires CPUs with [[SSE2]] support and no longer runs on Intel [[Pentium III]] or AMD [[Athlon XP]].

==== MPC-HC fork by clsid2 ====
Updated builds of MPC-HC, a fork from the same developer (known as clsid2 on [[GitHub]]/[[SourceForge]]) responsible for MPC 6.4.9.1, started appearing in January 2018. This fork contains updated internal [[codec]]s (LAV Filters<ref name="free-codecs/lav_filters">{{cite web |title=Download LAV Filters 0.79.2-20 |url=https://www.free-codecs.com/download/lav_filters.htm |website=www.free-codecs.com |access-date=7 December 2024}}</ref>), [[AV1]] support, [[youtube-dl]] integration, a new dark theme, video preview on seekbar, support for MPC Video Renderer, A-B Repeat, subtitle performance improvements;<ref name=":0">{{cite web |url=https://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=175209 |title=clsid builds thread on Doom9 |access-date=2018-05-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.videohelp.com/software/Media-Player-Classic-Home-Cinema |title=Newvers |access-date=2018-04-09}}</ref> support for Windows XP was dropped in these builds.<ref name=":0" /> Binary releases are available,<ref name="mpchc-new">{{cite web |url=https://github.com/clsid2/mpc-hc/releases/ |website=Github |access-date=2025-02-26|title=Releases · clsid2/MPC-hc}}</ref> as well as source code.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://github.com/clsid2/mpc-hc |title=clsid2/mpc-hc |website=[[GitHub]] |date=7 July 2021}}</ref>

{{clear}}

=== {{anchor|MPC-BE}} MPC Black Edition ===

<!-- This Anchor tag serves to provide a permanent target for incoming section links. Please do not move it out of the section heading, even though it disrupts edit summary generation (you can manually fix the edit summary before saving your changes). Please do not modify it, even if you modify the section title. See [[Template:Anchor]] for details. (This text: [[Template:Anchor comment]]) -->
{{Infobox software
| name = Media Player Classic - Black Edition
| logo = 
| screenshot = Media Player Classic - Black Edition v1.87.png
| caption = A screenshot of MPC-BE v.1.8.7, on [[Windows 10]].
| collapsible = 
| developer = Alexander Vodiannikov
| released = {{start date and age|2012|09|12}}
| discontinued = 
| latest release version = 1.8.7<ref>{{cite web |url=https://sourceforge.net/projects/mpcbe/files/MPC-BE/Release%20builds/1.8.7/ |title=Release Builds |publisher=[[SourceForge]] project MPC-BE |access-date=2025-10-02}}</ref>
| latest release date = {{Start date and age|2025|09|17}}
| latest preview version = 1.5.6.5943<ref name="Nightly Builds" />
| latest preview date = {{Start date and age|2021|01|10}}
| repo = https://sourceforge.net/projects/mpcbe/<br />https://github.com/Aleksoid1978/MPC-BE
| size = '''x86:''' 16.6 [[Megabyte|MB]] ([[Zip (file format)|Zip]])<br />'''x86-64:''' 18.1 MB ([[Zip (file format)|Zip]])
| language = Russian, Basque, Belarusian, Catalan, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Czech, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Romanian, Slovak, Swedish, Spanish, Turkish, Ukrainian
| language count = 25
| language footnote = 
| license = [[GNU General Public License|GPL-3.0-or-later]]
| website = {{URL|mpcbe.sourceforge.io}}
}}

Media Player Classic - Black Edition (MPC-BE) is a fork of MPC and MPC-HC. It moved away from MPC's aim to mimic the look and feel of Windows Media Player with updated player controls and provides additional features on top of MPC-HC such as a video preview [[tooltip]] when [[mouseover|hovering]] the mouse cursor over the seek bar, as known from video platforms such as [[YouTube]] and [[Dailymotion]], though many of these features, including the video preview on seekbar, were added to MPC-HC at a later date.<ref name="doom9mpcbe">{{cite web |url=https://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=165890 |title=Media Player Classic - BE Win32/x64 |publisher=[[Doom9]] |access-date=2017-11-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130307050317/http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=165890 |archive-date=2013-03-07 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=It's movie time! Grab the popcorn and Media Player Classic-BE |url=https://betanews.com/2013/01/01/its-movie-time-grab-the-popcorn-and-media-player-classic-be/ |website=BetaNews |access-date=11 April 2021 |date=1 January 2013}}</ref>

MPC-BE, however, doesn't include LAV filters by default, making it less efficient than MPC-HC for decoding. This is most noticeable with higher resolution files, newer codecs, or on lower end hardware.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.5kplayer.com/video-music-player/media-player-classic-download-free.htm |title=Which Media Player Classic to Download? |access-date=2020-09-29}}</ref>

Player development began in February 2011. Developers used a modification of MPC-HC made by a programmer nicknamed "bobdynlan". The first version (1.0.1.0) was released on September 12, 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://sourceforge.net/projects/mpcbe/files/MPC-BE/MPC-BE%20x64/MPC-BE%20x64%201.0.1.0/ |title=MPC-BE x64 1.0.1.0 |publisher=[[SourceForge]] project MPC-BE |access-date=2016-02-02}}</ref>

Starting with version 1.5.0, released in December 2016, MPC-BE no longer supports [[Windows XP]].<ref name="XP@mpc-be.org">{{cite web |url=https://mpc-be.org/forum/viewtopic.php?id=76 |title=Поддержка Windows XP}}</ref> Support for Windows Vista ended at version 1.6.7, released May 2023.<ref>[https://sourceforge.net/projects/mpcbe/files/MPC-BE/Release builds/ MPC-BE - Browse /MPC-BE/Release builds at SourceForge.net]</ref><ref name="SSE2@doom9mpcbe">{{cite web |url=https://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=165890 |title=Media Player Classic - BE Win32/x64}}</ref> MPC-BE version 1.5.1 and newer require [[SSE2]] supporting CPU and no longer run on Intel [[Pentium III]] or AMD [[Athlon XP]].<ref name="SSE2@doom9mpcbe"/>

[[daily build|Nightly builds]] are also available.<ref name="Nightly Builds">{{cite web |url=https://sourceforge.net/projects/mpcbe/files/MPC-BE/Nightly%20Builds%20%28from%20svn%20trunk%29/ |title=Nightly Builds |publisher=[[SourceForge]] project MPC-BE |access-date=2020-09-15}}</ref><ref name="doom9mpcbe" />

{{SourceForge|mpcbe|MPC-BE}}  links to  {{GitHub|Aleksoid1978/MPC-BE}}.<ref name="sourceforge/mpcbe/support">{{cite web |title=Support |url=https://sourceforge.net/projects/mpcbe/support |website=MPC-BE |publisher=SourceForge.net |access-date=7 December 2024}}</ref>

{{clear}}

== Media formats and features ==
:''In this section '''Media Player Classic''' and '''MPC''' refer to both the original MPC and its forks, unless otherwise specified.''

Media Player Classic is capable of [[VCD]], [[SVCD]], and [[DVD]] playback without installation of additional software or [[codec]]s. MPC has built-in codecs for [[MPEG-2]] video with support for subtitles and codecs for [[LPCM]], [[MPEG-1 Audio Layer II|MP2]], [[3GP]], [[Dolby AC-3|AC3]], and [[DTS Coherent Acoustics|DTS]] audio; along with native playback of the [[Matroska]] [[Digital container format|container format]]. MPC also contains an improved [[MPEG]] splitter that supports playback of VCDs and SVCDs using its VCD/SVCD/XCD Reader. On October 30, 2005, Gabest added [[MPEG-4 Part 14|MP4]] and [[MPEG-4 Part 17|MPEG-4 Timed Text]] support.<ref>[https://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=101835 Doom9 - Media Player Classic supports Matroska v2, *.mp4, *.mov, and MPEG-4 Timed Text]</ref> [[Adobe Flash]] movies (SWF) can be played and frames jumped to.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rizwan |first1=Amaan |title=How to Open SWF files? Best SWF Players for Windows/macOS |url=https://www.techworm.net/2020/02/swf-files-best-swf-players-windows-macos.html |website=TechWorm |access-date=12 November 2021 |date=2 February 2020}}</ref>

Supported media formats within the latest builds of MPC-HC and MPC-BE have been considerably expanded compared to the original MPC, as these builds are bundled with iterations of [[libavcodec]] and libavformat. MPC-HC version 1.7.0 and newer utilize LAV filters,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://mpc-hc.org/2013/09/29/1.7.0-released/ |title=v1.7.0 is released |work=mpc-hc.org |date=2013-09-29 |access-date=2020-10-01}}</ref> while MPC-BE uses [[FFmpeg]] directly.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.videohelp.com/software/MPC-BE/version-history |title=Complete Version history / Release notes / Changelog for MPC-BE |work=videohelp.com |access-date=2020-10-01}}</ref> Consequently, they support all formats from those libraries. MPC-HC is also one of the first [[media player software|media players]] to support [[Dolby Atmos]] audio natively.

MPC can use an [[INI file]] in its application folder,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.portablefreeware.com/?id=42 |title=Media Player Classic v6.4.9.1 |work=The Portable Freeware Collection |date=2012-08-20 |access-date=2013-01-23}}</ref> making it a [[portable application]].

=== DirectShow ===
Media Player Classic is primarily based on the [[DirectShow]] architecture and therefore automatically uses installed DirectShow decoding filters. For instance, after the open source DirectShow decoding filter [[ffdshow]] has been installed, fast and high quality decoding and postprocessing of the [[MPEG-4 Part 2|MPEG-4 ASP]], [[H.264]], and [[Flash Video]] formats is available in the original MPC. [[#MPC-HC|MPC-HC]] and [[#MPC-BE|MPC-BE]], however, can play videos in these formats directly without [[ffdshow]].

MPC-HC and MPC-BE also provide [[DXVA]] support for compatible [[Intel]], [[Nvidia]], and [[ATI (brand)|ATI]]/[[AMD]] video cards when using a compatible [[codec]]. This provides hardware-acceleration for playback.

In addition to DirectShow, MPC can also use the [[QuickTime]], [[RealPlayer]], and [[SHOUTcast]] codecs and filters (if installed on the computer) to play their native files.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/installing-media-player-classic-step-step-guide.htm |title=Installing Media Player Classic - A step by step guide |work=Gizmos Freeware Reviews |date=2012-06-15 |access-date=2013-01-23}}</ref> Though some of these files may play without the external codecs or filters installed. Alternatively, [[QuickTime Alternative]] and [[Real Alternative]] can be used in place of their player installations for expanded support of their respective file formats.

=== TV tuners ===
MPC supports playback and recording of [[television]] if a supported [[TV tuner]] is installed.

== See also ==
{{Portal|FOSS}}
* [[Comparison of video player software]]
* [[DirectVobSub]]
* [[WASAPI]]
* [[VLC media player]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}

'''MPC-HC'''
* Official website: {{URL|https://mpc-hc.org/|Media Player Classic - Home Cinema}}
* {{GitHub|mpc-hc|MPC-HC}}
* [https://github.com/clsid2/mpc-hc/releases/latest Latest releases on GitHub]
* {{Openhub|mpc-hc|MPC-HC}}

'''MPC-BE'''
* {{SourceForge|mpcbe|MPC-BE}}
* {{GitHub|Aleksoid1978/MPC-BE}}

'''guliverkli'''
* Original MPC project {{SourceForge|guliverkli|guliverkli}}
* Forked MPC (v6.4.9.1) project {{SourceForge|guliverkli2|guliverkli2}}

{{Media players}}

[[Category:2003 software]]
[[Category:Free media players]]
[[Category:Free software programmed in C++]]
[[Category:Free video software]]
[[Category:Software that uses FFmpeg]]
[[Category:Windows media players]]