Comments on: QuickTime vs. RealPlayer vs. Windows Media Player

By: Adam

Adam — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 11:39:40 +0000

I converted a power point to a .MOV. I noticed when playing the .mov file simultaneously on Quick time and VLC. The VLC player, plays the titles much smoother than quick time, but the colours are ‘richer’ in quick time!! Why?

By: Jillian

Jillian — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 00:41:24 +0000

I have had no problem with QuickTime putting itself in Startup.
You can always go to start. run >type in msconfig. And at the top of the configuration utility click on the “Start” at the top of the page , then scroll down until you find Quicktime and simply take out the check mark. Then click okay. It will not start up. You can also install Win-Patrol and it will take care of it.

By: Mark Sanborn

Mark Sanborn — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 15:27:59 +0000

I would never use Quicktime Realplayer or Windows Media Player. They are all bloated with unnecessary features that slow your computer and startup processes down.

I recommend Media Player Classic. It is a self contained program that is very small and effective.

By: Mark Sanborn

Mark Sanborn — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 15:27:59 +0000

I would never use Quicktime Realplayer or Windows Media Player. They are all bloated with unnecessary features that slow your computer and startup processes down.

I recommend Media Player Classic. It is a self contained program that is very small and effective.

By: thym

thym — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 16:26:30 +0000

highmarcs -
“I initially posted my vid at my site with a link to open up a Quicktime movie. The QuickTime would take at least FIVE minutes to download before it started playing anything, and then, the quality was very degraded, especially the audio, it sounded all garbally and phasey.”
…sounds like operator error. Don’t blame the software if you don’t know how to use it.
I’m obviously mostly a quicktime guy since I’m more mac, and a video editor, but on the windows side I’ve got to cast a vote for VLC. Works great and has tons of features if you’re savvy enough.

By: thym

thym — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 16:26:30 +0000

By: highmarcs

highmarcs — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 09:11:45 +0000

I just assumed that Quicktime was the best since it seems to be the most ubiquitous. I recently tried putting up a seven minute promo video I shot and I was having real problems with Quicktimes quality.

I edited the video in Avid and exported it as a Quicktime.dv. I have found this export setting gives me the best initial export. I then compressed it into a Quicktime.mov within Sorenson Squeeze.

I initially posted my vid at my site with a link to open up a Quicktime movie. The QuickTime would take at least FIVE minutes to download before it started playing anything, and then, the quality was very degraded, especially the audio, it sounded all garbally and phasey.

On a lark, I took that original Quicktime.dv file and compressed it in Sorenson into a Windows Media File and I was shocked by bothe the quality and performance difference. I took down the Quicktime link and replaced it with the .WMV file and my video looks and sounds perfect. The WMV iteration of my video has a sharper picture and no degraded audio. On top of all that…it only takes like 10-15 SECONDS for the .WMV file to load completely and start playing.

After this experience, I’m left with the question. Why the hell is QuickTime so popular out there. If Windows Media Player has better audio and video AND performs a thousand times faster, why is it more common to see links to QuickTime videos?

By: Corrine

Corrine — Mon, 28 May 2007 16:31:36 +0000

“UncleDoug” said it best. Quick Time is indeed “persistent to aggravating” with its insistence on being in StartUp. I wasted no time removing it from my computer. For my simple needs, WMP 11 works just fine for me.

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 28 May 2007 08:17:49 +0000

I use Windows Media Player 9.0 with a few installed codecs such as Xvid and AC3Filter, I used VLC for a long time but I had problems viewing high resolution videos at full speed. I have also used mplayer. QuickTime and RealPlayer don’t interest me at all.

By: Doug Manne

Doug Manne — Sat, 26 May 2007 16:09:15 +0000

I primarily use 2 “Free Media Players.

Primarily Windows Media Player 11, and 2nd jetAudio Basic. The latest current release is v 7.0.2.3010.

Windows Media Player 11 primarily because of aesthetics and playback.

jetAudio Basic does not have as many plug ins as WinAmp but does a lot more in the Free version. The Plus version has several extra feature that I normally would not use. Only complaint is the ad that pops open when starting. Oh for those that have looked at or used jetCast, it is not bundled with this release (jetCast has not been updated for a few years)

In Addition I also have installed Quick and Real Alternative.

The reason for not using the actual Free Quick Time is simple.

I do not think Quick Time NEEDS to run at StartUp and Apple does. I tried to use Start Up Monitor and Start UP Control panel to no avail, (really really persistent to aggravating)

I do not use Real Player because of the original inclusions it had in its install package, and the annoyance of when using Real Player clicking on links to watch, finding that to watch you must upgrade and pay for the Real Pass.
There were TOO many times when I clicked on a link I was told I needed to pay for the Real Pass. My frustration and annoyance is that I did not find out till “after” I clicked on the link.

UncleDoug

By: Kiko

Kiko — Tue, 22 May 2007 22:18:46 +0000

as an animator, Quicktime beats all the others hands down.
You get ultimate control, while the other players can’t even scrub properly, much less skip frame by frame.
I cringe when they provide me with reference footage in WMP or real format, it’s totally useless for me.
my two pesetas

(sorry for my clumsy formatting in the previous post)

By: Kiko

Kiko — Tue, 22 May 2007 22:18:46 +0000

(sorry for my clumsy formatting in the previous post)

By: tg

tg — Tue, 22 May 2007 22:03:10 +0000

Hi.

I’d kept Windows Media Player at version 6.4 because of privacy, phoning home, etc., and didn’t use RealPlayer at all, for similar reasons. Then I heard of QuickTime Alternative and Real Alternative, free downloads that let you play QuickTime and Real videos – and both come with Media Player Classic, which plays most everything and behaves.

Then I found Crystal Player, also freeware, which plays plays most everything – and what it doesn’t play, Media Player Classic does. The great thing about Crystal Player is that you can adjust brightness/contrast/color on the fly (or pause and adjust). So many videos need adjusting, this is a feature that’s hard to live without.

By: Al

Al — Tue, 22 May 2007 14:20:13 +0000

I use Media Player Classic it plays all the formats and is tiny. I like the ability to customise the aspect ratio’s to exactly what best fits. Some of the older TV recordings are in 4:3 but on a widescreen TV you may have to fiddle with remotes to fix the ratio presented but MPC allows one to change the aspect to a sqeeze onn the monitor but present correctly on the TV.

By: Al

Al — Tue, 22 May 2007 14:20:13 +0000