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Do you use VLC or Quicktime to play mp4's?

  • VLC

    Votes: 9 47.4%
  • Quicktime

    Votes: 10 52.6%

  • Total voters
    19

olletsocmit

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 24, 2010
296
2
USA
I use VLC about 90% of the time unless i am playing a mp4 file that auto opens in quicktime. Should i just be using VLC for everything and bag quicktime completely? are there any advantages to using quicktime for mp4's vs VLC?
 
I have VLC app installed and it sat there forever when I use QT a lot including movies created by handbrake so I am thinking about delete VLC someday.
 
I have VLC app installed and it sat there forever when I use QT a lot including movies created by handbrake so I am thinking about delete VLC someday.

Aren't most of the video tv shows and movies you download .avi format? and why are you converting movies in handbreak to mp4 if they are a format that can open in VLC
 
I use Quicktime for MP4s, VLC for everything else.

That is what i have been doing for a while now, but figure why not just have everything open all in one app, VLC. Unless Quicktime plays mp4's better or something.
 
That is what i have been doing for a while now, but figure why not just have everything open all in one app, VLC. Unless Quicktime plays mp4's better or something.

Quicktime is going to be most efficient at playing MP4s. This is important if you're on a laptop. VLC isn't as optimized and will use more energy, though this is probably not that big of a deal for you if you're using a desktop Mac (Mac mini, iMac, Mac Pro).

That, and for me, VLC's interface just seems clunky, and overall isn't as stable. I basically use VLC because I have to. QuickTime used to be more flexible in what it could play, and if that were still the case, I'd be using it a lot more.
 
That is what i have been doing for a while now, but figure why not just have everything open all in one app, VLC. Unless Quicktime plays mp4's better or something.
VLC is a massive inefficient resource hog and drains battery life compared to QuickTime or Movist.

Movist is a paid app from the Mac App Store, but it's very efficient at playing video files and is almost as versatile as VLC in my experience.
 
MPV is usually 25-30% CPU and 100 MB of RAM.

VLC is usually 35-40% CPU and 150 MB of RAM.

QuickTime is usually 8-10% CPU and 25-30 MB of RAM.

So it's more power efficient than VLC, but doesn't compete with QuickTime. I'm not questioning QuickTime's efficiency though, but it truly does suck at playing most things.


I'll have to check that out. Thanks!
Here are the controls for the app: http://mpv.io/manual/master/
 
i had no idea quicktime was that efficiant. I always thought quicktime was a resource hog, looks like i was way wrong! is there any plugins for quicktime to allow it to play avi's
 
is there any plugins for quicktime to allow it to play avi's
No, there isn't. There used to be one called Perian, but they discontinued it two years ago ... which sucks. If you're obsessed with using QuickTime, I would download Handbrake (free) and convert your movies to MP4 format.

https://handbrake.fr
 
No, there isn't. There used to be one called Perian, but they discontinued it two years ago ... which sucks. If you're obsessed with using QuickTime, I would download Handbrake (free) and convert your movies to MP4 format.

https://handbrake.fr

Yea I use it, but only to convert an avi to mp4 to go on my cell for travel. Other than that, i open avi in vlc and mp4 in QuickTime. Wish I could use QT for both now w/o having to convert
 
I use VLC, the latest version has an elegant interface and works well with my macbook trackpad for volume and scrubbing (two finger vertical and horizontal) plus it plays everything including the new H.265 files (mkv) which quicktime would not play it has never refused to play any file no matter how oddball. VLC also has a neat ios remote app and can even play youtube. Plus it has a zillion useful options, for example I can change the default subtitle track -1 for example. And occasionally if the audio and video is out of whack, I can adjust the millisecond timing with a key press F and G keys. Other than that I use quicktime 7 pro if I want to clip something from a movie.
 
there used to be an app called perrin or w/e its called. the logo was a swis army pocket knife. i have no idea why the hell they stopped making it..
 
I use VLC about 90% of the time unless i am playing a mp4 file that auto opens in quicktime. Should i just be using VLC for everything and bag quicktime completely? are there any advantages to using quicktime for mp4's vs VLC?

MPlayerX for everything!

Couldn't get any better!
 
http://www.thesafemac.com/mplayerx-adware-behaving-like-malware/

I used to like MPlayerX also, but I don't recommend it any longer since I learned the dev. is bundling malware with the app.

Thnx for sharing Weaselboy.
I just run through the post and found out that, as long as we take the time to actually read and just install the MPlayerX app, everything should be fine.
Unfortunately, i know most of us don't do that.
It a shame cause, IMO, MPlayerX is THE best free player till now.
 
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