VLC is NOT Best Video Player, Here’s Why it Sucks

Popular opinion may not be always right. VLC Media Player is widely used and recommended by everyone on web and even some of your friends too but I do not. They say that VLC can play almost any video format available on the Earth , which is true but there is more to it.

Most media players available can play all popular formats. Even the default Windows media player can do so if there are required codecs available.

User expects more than just playback compatibility and that’s where VLC lacks.

1. Difficult Keyboard Control

Out of the box, hot keys for VLC are very confusing or uncomfortable I will say. I prefer jumping forward by pressing “Right Arrow” which is obvious to many of you. VLC is totally different in this case, you need to press combination of keys.
Though they are customizable but it why it isn’t default?

2. Boring Interface

Old VLC Interface

This is the reason why many users do not prefer Media Player Classic which takes you back to the era of Windows 98. VLC has recently did some work on appearance and brought Skin feature but lacks modernity.

Take a look at GOM Player or Daum PotPlayer‘s interface to know the difference.

3. No external Codec support

VLC has inbuilt codec support and doesn’t support any codec or filters outside their library. If something cannot be decoded by its own codec library, it cannot be played on VLC. That’s a rare possibility but what about performance?

There are some audio streams like AC3 which can be decoded by some codec to give better sound quality than the one inbuilt in VLC. Also, problem can be noticed while seek positioning HD videos. VLC lags or do not properly positions in case of forwarding or moving backward. This is because, though the codec has capability to decode but it is not the best choice.

GOM Player on other side lets you choose codec of your choice. If you do not understand, it finds the one compatible and best for playback on web and downloads it.

This might be the reason GOM installer size is 30% lesser than VLC.

4. Subtitle Editor

Though subtitles are supported, but you cannot edit them in anyway in VLC.

Also, if you like to customize the speed or the size of subtitles, option isn’t available right away. One has to enter Tools and Preferences to do it if you do not remember the Hotkey. In GOM Player however, these options are readily available on right click context menu during video playback.

GOM Subtitle Explorer

5. Remote Control app for Android

I like to watch movies sitting away from Computer screen so definitely need control remotely. VLC has no official remote control application and the ones available aren’t as sophisticated as GOM Remote control for Android.

GOM Remote for Android

Lastly, watch this video which explains why VLC Media Player sucks 😀

Which Media Player should I use?

If you have read the article completely, it is clear that I recommend GOM Player. Go for it, you will feel better.

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Click Here to Leave a Comment Below 37 comments

Vijay Kudal - February 11, 2014

You have any youtube player which can run in small window and dont take too much system resources?

Ajay - February 11, 2014

I’ve tried a few players and usually end up deleting them and going back to VLC. An alternate player I have on the mac is MPlayerX.

Point 1 above totally irritates me as well. Can’t understand why they can’t have the right arrow key just fast forwarding!

Rohit Langde - February 13, 2014

Hi Ajay,
Good to see your comment after a long time 🙂
Obviously it is irritating, human nature tries to relate and obvious thing which comes to mind is that “right means moving forward”.
Give a shot to GOM or Daum PotPlayer. Trust me, there wouldn’t be any turning back.

Ajay - February 13, 2014

Will check them out. BTW, you can edit the Hotkeys for VLC. On the Mac, scrolling back and forth can be done with two fingers, so it makes it a bit easy.

Rohit Langde - February 13, 2014

Yes, I have mentioned that already in article. My question was why not default.
No idea about Mac though.. never used. Thanks for mentioning about it.

Varun - February 11, 2014

you pointed the real negative points of VLC and thanks for this. 🙂
will try out GOM Player for next 30 days.

Akshay Mahurkar - February 12, 2014

I personally prefer KMPlayer…

Rohit Langde - February 13, 2014

Even I used to have it Akshay (some 2 years ago or so) but then its development stopped. Official site used to redirect somewhere and version I got was always in Korean with no option to get English. Since then moved to GOM.

I would suggest trying out Daum PotPlayer which has very similar interface to KMPlayer.

Tushar Thakur - February 12, 2014

I also hate VLC. I love GOM.

Rohit Langde - February 13, 2014

Great minds think alike 😀

marokos - February 12, 2014

GOM player installed on a pendrive play my movie on another system (WINDOWS) without installed codecs?

Rohit Langde - February 13, 2014

Hi Marokos, GOM Player comes with some essential codecs required to playback popular formats but in case, something is missing, it will ask guide you to download one and then play.

Vitor Sequeira - February 12, 2014

Hi Rohit,

I used VLC, but now, the best players IMO are:
– Daum Pot Player and Light Alloy

Rohit Langde - February 13, 2014

Hi Vitor,
Heard about Light Alloy for the first time now, will check it out on your recommendation. Daum PotPlayer is also a good option. In fact, I have already mentioned about it this article.

Siddhant Jain - February 12, 2014

Well VLC media player is the best, you pointed out all the irrelevant negative points. Which have no meaning.
What’s so difficult in using ctrl, shift or alt key in combination with the arrow key??

Obviously, it’s just the matter of perspective of each person. And I love VLC player.
and one more thing, I know a lot about computer, so again you mentioned point, that only those people use VLC, who doesn’t knw how to use computer properly.
Again, everybody has their own perspective and their likings. you cannot say, retarded to those people who use VLC.

Rohit Langde - February 13, 2014

Hi Siddhant, I respect your opinion but I never called people who use VLC retard.
Of course, VLC is versatile as there is hardly any media file which can’t be played there. But, all the points I mentioned are about comfort and ease which enhances media playback experiences.

Keyboard shortcuts for example, using combination isn’t difficult but pressing just one key is bit easier and obvious IMO. Also, there might be a circle of users who want to have Subtitle editor and sophisticated remote control of player which is certainly missing in VLC.

If one’s need and requirements are fulfilled by something, I can’t and simply I won’t force them to switch to another. I just offered a suggestion, an alternative to their existing app.
That’s all.

Siddhant Jain - February 13, 2014

Ok. Thanks for your suggestion. I appreciate it. 🙂

Giri - February 12, 2014

Nice observation !! I prefer Cyberlink poweDVD ….I will try GOM now..

Rohit Langde - February 13, 2014

Hi Giri, PowerDVD comes in premium range of products aiming to offer complete Theater experience and won’t make sense comparing with VLC or GOM.
I would suggest sticking with PowerDVD if you are already using it and do not have any problem with its memory usage and heavy processes.

kucing - February 13, 2014

i would recommend KMPlayer or Real Player Mini…..
it’s really convenient to use it

Nihar - February 14, 2014

Then tell me which one is better??