Media playback in Mac OS X

Hello,

What is the easiest way to play MKV video files on a Mac? Can this be done without using VLC media player?

Also, what is the easiest way to play FLAC, WV, OGG audio on a Mac?

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Perian and Flip4Mac are the two QT plugins I use and they pretty much play everything.

Perian - The swiss-army knife of QuickTime® components
Windows Media player for Mac - Flip4Mac WMV Overview - Telestream

PLEX will do all and more, and is by far my favorite.
Yes, it's a little resource heavy, but it needs to be to cope with MKV.
It's free, and not used by enough people IMO.
Works nicely with the Apple remote too, and has an app to go with it.

Plex - A Complete Media Solution

schweb said:

Perian and Flip4Mac are the two QT plugins I use and they pretty much play everything.

Perian - The swiss-army knife of QuickTime® components
Windows Media player for Mac - Flip4Mac WMV Overview - Telestream

Click to expand...

I have them installed on my Mac but they can't play mkv files. They can play everything else.

chomper said:

I have them installed on my Mac but they can't play mkv files. They can play everything else.

Click to expand...

Give this a read. MKV format, How to play MKV files on Mac?

So ignoring Plex then? Sheesh.

chomper said:

I have them installed on my Mac but they can't play mkv files. They can play everything else.

Click to expand...

I realize that much, but you did ask for how to play all those other files as well.

Just curious as to why you wont install vlc? it will play your mkv files no problem

This may be a stupid query (Mac noob, still haven't gotten my Mac yet), but reading this seems to imply to me that there are stand-alone Mac players that play video without using iTunes?

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against iTunes, it makes managing my iPod easy as snot, but I don't want to play my vidoes through it.

May I also assume that, if I have a stand-alone player that my Mac will remember this and if I download a video, it will "always play with" this player?

Phacade said:

This may be a stupid query (Mac noob, still haven't gotten my Mac yet), but reading this seems to imply to me that there are stand-alone Mac players that play video without using iTunes?

Click to expand...

There's Quicktime built in already that's standalone or you can download VLC.

You know what? It seems like every bad Mac phobia or horror story that kept me from switching YEARS AGO is turning out to be bunk. I simply cannot wait to get my Mac! Thank you so much.

Anyway, is there a way to play FLAC, WV, OGG audio files other than playing it in VLC? Some tweak/workaround for iTunes?

chomper said:

Anyway, is there a way to play FLAC, WV, OGG audio files other than playing it in VLC? Some tweak/workaround for iTunes?

Click to expand...

What's wrong with VLC?

chomper said:

Anyway, is there a way to play FLAC, WV, OGG audio files other than playing it in VLC? Some tweak/workaround for iTunes?

Click to expand...

Yes, PLEX. *slaps head in disbelief*

Or if you are ignoring the video aspect, Cog, which is light on usage and free too.
Honestly sometimes I don't know why I bother......

Kevriano said:

Yes, PLEX. *slaps head in disbelief*

Or if you are ignoring the video aspect, Cog, which is light on usage and free too.
Honestly sometimes I don't know why I bother......

Click to expand...

OK, I'll give PLEX a try. I hated VLC in Windows and don't want to bring it to my Mac.

chomper said:

OK, I'll give PLEX a try. I hated VLC in Windows and don't want to bring it to my Mac.

Click to expand...

VLC is pretty nice on the Mac actually.

IMHO Plex is WAAAAAY overkill for simple video playback. It's an entire media system and probably too much if you're just looking to play a video here or there on your Mac.

Kevriano said:

PLEX will do all and more, and is by far my favorite.
Yes, it's a little resource heavy, but it needs to be to cope with MKV.
It's free, and not used by enough people IMO.
Works nicely with the Apple remote too, and has an app to go with it.

Plex - A Complete Media Solution

Click to expand...

I like the look of PLEX, Thanks for that Kev. They still want $4 for the iOS side of it though lol Looks nice as a media centre.

And the reason you bother is bc you care ;P

chomper said:

OK, I'll give PLEX a try. I hated VLC in Windows and don't want to bring it to my Mac.

Click to expand...

VLC for Mac is very nice. It doent have the bling that Windows has (skins and such) but if i remember correctly VLC was first written for Mac ?? Or was that HandBrake ?? lol confusing myself here. But all in all VLC is a great App

Cheers

schweb said:

VLC is pretty nice on the Mac actually.

IMHO Plex is WAAAAAY overkill for simple video playback. It's an entire media system and probably too much if you're just looking to play a video here or there on your Mac.

Click to expand...

Well, I've just come to this conclusion after trying Plex myself. Guess I'll have to learn to like and use VLC for the occasional video that QT + Perian + Flip4Mac can't play.

Any idea where can I find the list of video formats Macs can play "out of the box"?

Quicktime video/audio support out of the box
Media formats supported by QuickTime Player in Mac OS X v10.6
But Perian and Flip for Mac add all the missing stuff. Pretty much gets installed with every Mac I own/support.

I would like to know what you don't like about VLC? It is an awesome media player that is installed on all my computers because it will play just about anything. It is even installed on my iOS devices.

yeah, what's wrong with VLC? I use it all the time, no problems at all.