AllPlayer 5.2 Media Player with Extras
I find it quite surprising that I never heard about AllPlayer before, despite the fact that it is one of the most downloaded media players on several popular download sites on the Internet. This may have something to do with the fact that players like VLC or SMPlayer tick all the right boxes, and make the search for additional players more or less redundant.
AllPlayer has just been updated to version 5.2, and I thought it would be a nice idea to take a quick look at the player to see what it has to offer.
When you look around on the developer website you will notice that the player supports all the features that you would expect from a player, and then some that many players do not ship with. It can play nearly every media format, video and audio, out of the box without codec installation. And should you encounter a video or audio file that the player can't play, you can use the LiveUpdate feature to analyze the file and find the appropriate codec for it on the Internet.
Another strength of the player is its subtitle support. You can search for subtitles on your local PC or on the Internet. And if the movie can't be identified by the player, you can tap right into IMDB's vast database to identify it. Many customization options are available for subtitles, from changing how they are displayed on the screen over a subtitles editor to intelligent subtitles where AllPlayer checks the length of the subtitle to adjust the display duration.
Other features worth mentioning in this regard are:
- Can play Rar files without unpacking
- CD and DVD playback support
- Video Converter built-in
- Two monitor support, e.g. computer monitor and TV screen
- Autoplay of multi-part movies or series
- Dolby Surround, SPDIF and 3D audio support
- Playlists
- Avi Doctor to repair damaged avi files
- Automatic shutdown of the PC after a movie ends
Downsides
As far as downsides go, there are two that I would like to mention. The player's resource use is higher than that of VLC or SMPlayer. AllPlayer used roughly double the memory that VLC used when playing avi test movies. The resource use is not critical but I think it is worth mentioning here.
There is also an Elite Mode that requires you to enter a code, but neither the website nor the player explain how you get that code. Is that a commercial version of the player with an advanced set of features?
Closing Words
If you are particularly interested in some of the features of AllPlayer, I suggest you give it a try. Built-in subtitle downloading, codec identifications and downloads, and other features make the player a solid choice. But if you do not really need those extra features, or have other tools for the purpose, then you'd better pick an established media player such as VLC or SMPlayer instead.
Have you heard of AllPlayer before? If so, what is your take on the media player?
take note AllPlayer 5.2 is not ready for download yet. Only the 5.1 version is available in Allplayer website. If anybody knows where to download the 5.2 please let me know. thanks!
Just… info on download page is not updated (downloaded version is 5.2).
@Placio74… thanks for the heads-up!
I don’t like a few “features” of ALLplayer…
– forcibly (without user permission) install a few DirectShow filters and change their settings,
– forcibly (again, without user permission) install extension for Firefox browser and install ALLMediaServer.
This makes (for me), ALLplayer is bloatware.
Marketing gibberish at first looks great, but if you look closely (what and how is used)…
Nope…. uninstalled this crap, and it is terrible. The fact that is consumes way too much resources just for it’s GUI is asinine programming. Not to mention, I have just about every codec needed installed on my system. But yet this clueless piece of garbage refuses to even look at it,. Instead it demands you enter some code for a premium version of the client (as you stated in your post). How do you get that code? Well for $2.990 USD, all you have to do is send an SMS text from your cellphone…. NOPE!
There’s some shady business going on here. You’re better off using VLC, or hell Windows Media Player.
Haven’t heard it before. I’m still using VLC. I think the features mentioned here is not worth to change my player…yet.
this player use CUDA ?
a couple of years before i tried dvd playing on this. they asked for a key. i got rid of it.
later i was misled to download this in opensubs.org, which i aborted.
that site seems to have been taken over by these people.
[ look for ‘click here’ at the top to download subs]
all in all, a crap.
Can anyone elaborate on :
•Two monitor support, e.g. computer monitor and TV screen
I’m just setting up QuickFlix a streaming movie service through my ISP here in Australia.
I have had to lower the resolution on my monitor to make the TV compatable with double monitor settings in Win 7
Just wondering if installing Allplayer would give me more options with resolution settings?
Maybe this helps: http://www.allplayer.org/en/tips/picture-on-tv
I did not have time to check it out though.
Doesn’t support Blu-Ray playback. MPC-HC 64 is better.
It is a polish software, quite popular here in Poland.
If I remember correctly, it was first one to include subtitles download feature straight out of box – it was pretty big deal back then – especially when you consider nonenglish speaking customer base.
Elite version is a premium version with additional features:
http://www.allplayer.org/en/elite?syslang=en
You can buy it via wire transfer, however it is not so great deal for people abroad (one of main Elite features – free VOD – is unavailable outside of Poland), not to mention exchange rate – it is 19,99 PLN and 19,99 USD (1 USD ~ 3,4 PLN at current rate. Euro price is also similar)
Play s every codec out of the box? How about simple Divx 5? KMPlayer has no trouble, ALLplayer prompted for an update. Bugger that, uninstall!
never heard of allplayer, but i have to say it sounds quite nice. too bad i’m happy with vlc.
That’s exactly my thinking. Now if I would have discovered AllPlayer before VLC or SMPlayer, I might be using it today instead.
You fail to mention players like potplayer or the formerly good one kmplayer…
How does it stack vs those extremely lightweight, versatile and feature packed players?
I’m using PotPlayer, it’s pretty awesome, supports madVR and tons of other videophile stuff