Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Winamp VS MPV

Compare Winamp VS MPV and see what are their differences

Winamp logo Winamp

Winamp is a media player that allows users to play multiple-file formats, arrange media in a varied file-management system, and play unique media with AAC encoding.

MPV logo MPV

MPV is an audio and movie player based on MPlayer and mplayer2. A free, open source, and cross-platform media player.
  • Winamp Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-09-29
  • MPV Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-14

Winamp features and specs

  • Customizability
    Winamp offers a high level of skinning and plugin options, allowing users to customize the interface and functionality to their liking.
  • Lightweight
    Winamp is a lightweight media player that does not require much system resources, allowing it to run smoothly on older hardware.
  • Wide Format Support
    Winamp supports a vast range of audio and video formats, making it a versatile media player for various types of media files.
  • Online Services Integration
    Winamp integrates with various online services, including internet radio stations and podcasts, enhancing its utility for streaming content.
  • Active Community
    Winamp has a dedicated community of users who create skins, plugins, and offer support, adding value to the player.

Possible disadvantages of Winamp

  • Aging Interface
    Some users find the interface to be outdated compared to more modern media players, which could be a drawback for those favoring sleeker designs.
  • Limited Updates
    Winamp has had periods of stagnation in development, leading to fewer updates and new features compared to its competitors.
  • Compatibility Issues
    There can be compatibility issues with newer operating systems or hardware, which may require additional troubleshooting.
  • Complexity
    The high degree of customizability can make Winamp somewhat complex to use for newcomers who might find it overwhelming setting up skins and plugins.
  • Privacy Concerns
    Integration with Radionomy Group services has raised privacy concerns among users who are cautious about data collection and third-party services.

MPV features and specs

  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    MPV is available on multiple operating systems including Windows, macOS, and various Linux distributions, making it versatile for users across different platforms.
  • High Customizability
    MPV offers extensive customization options through its configuration files, allowing users to tailor the player to their specific needs and preferences.
  • High-Quality Video Playback
    MPV supports a wide array of video codecs and formats out-of-the-box, providing high-quality playback and smooth performance.
  • Minimalistic Interface
    MPV features a clean and simple interface that focuses on the video content without unnecessary distractions, appealing to users who prefer a minimalist design.
  • Active Open-Source Community
    As an open-source project, MPV is continuously improved by a dedicated community, which contributes regular updates, new features, and bug fixes.

Possible disadvantages of MPV

  • Steep Learning Curve
    New users might find MPV challenging to use initially, especially due to its reliance on command-line configurations and lack of a graphical user interface for settings.
  • Limited Built-In GUI
    MPV lacks a comprehensive built-in graphical user interface, which might be inconvenient for users who prefer GUI-based interaction for functionality like playlist management or detailed settings.
  • Dependency on External Scripts
    Some advanced functionalities require the use of external scripts and add-ons, which can be cumbersome to find, install, and configure.
  • Lack of Integrated Streaming Services
    MPV does not natively support integration with popular streaming services, requiring additional steps or tools for users who want to stream content directly within the player.
  • Occasional Stability Issues
    Being an actively developed open-source project, MPV can sometimes experience stability issues or bugs in new releases, impacting the user experience.

Analysis of MPV

Overall verdict

  • Yes, MPV is considered a good media player for both casual and advanced users who appreciate flexibility and performance.

Why this product is good

  • MPV is a versatile and open-source media player known for its high performance, wide range of supported formats, and minimalistic design. It offers features such as hardware acceleration, high-quality video output, and scripting capabilities, making it popular among power users and developers.

Recommended for

  • Users who need a lightweight and efficient media player
  • Advanced users who want extensive customization and scripting options
  • Developers looking for a media player with robust API support
  • Linux users and those who prefer open-source software

Winamp videos

Winamp is back 5.8

More videos:

  • Review - Winamp is BACK- Winamp 5.8 is available for download

MPV videos

Best MPVs: Our top 5

More videos:

  • Review - Mazda5 MPV review - CarBuyer
  • Demo - MPV - A Lightweight Powerful Video Player for Linux
  • Review - What Car? reviews seven-seat MPVs - Vauxhall Zafira Tourer, Seat Alhambra & Citroen Grand C4 Picasso

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Winamp and MPV)
Audio Player
54 54%
46% 46
Media Player
55 55%
45% 45
Music Player
71 71%
29% 29
Video Player
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Winamp and MPV

Winamp Reviews

10 Best Winamp Alternatives for Windows 10
However, Winamp is a little bit outdated, and several excellent music player programs have superseded it. What’s worst is that the developers of Winamp were in no mood to push updates. So, if you are also tired of using Winamp, then it’s time to check out the best Winamp alternatives.
Source: techviral.net
12 best free MPC-HC Alternatives in 2020
Winamp has been one of the longest-running media players. I have been using the Winamp since 2004 without having a single issue. With Winamp, it is really easy to import, create and browse your playlist. You can Winamp as a media browser to switch from one playlist to another, without having to change the screen, which is really convenient.

MPV Reviews

Best VLC Alternative Media Players
MPV is a highly acclaimed alternative to VLC media player that pretty much follows what VLC has started. It is free, open-source, cross-platform, and provides endless customization. It has a huge but still rapidly growing community and better shading and high-quality video rendering.
20 BEST Video Player | Media Players for Windows 10 PC (2021)
MPV is a media player tool. It is a free and open-source application released under GNU (General Public License). This tool supports MPV and MPEG-2 video formats.
Source: www.guru99.com
15 Best Media Players For Mac and Windows (2021 Edition)
MPV is an open source software that comes with streamlined CLI options. It supports video scaling with famous high quality algorithms, frame timing, HDR, interpolation and color management to give you the best experience.
Source: www.rankred.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, MPV seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 230 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Winamp mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Winamp yet. Tracking of Winamp recommendations started around Mar 2021.

MPV mentions (230)

  • How I Built a TUI Without Leaving the Terminal
    The biggest challenge I faced was getting some sort of way to play music. So I picked the easiest route—I directly implemented it with mpv and I channeled logs of mpv (which had timestamps, which I needed) to a log file under the .sparklines folder, and managed it with a socket (a two-way communication endpoint to handle the custom commands). With the power of NodeJS, I made it work out and somehow it turned out a... - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • Lua scripting in mpv video player
    I checked it and the mpv-cut script turned out to be a Lua script that lets you cut a video fragment directly while watching it in the mpv player. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • Qubes OS: A reasonably secure operating system
    Mpv is a free (as in freedom) media player for the command line. It supports a wide variety of media file formats, audio and video codecs, and subtitle types.[0] https://mpv.io/. - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • Firefox slow to load YouTube? Just another front in Google's war on ad blockers
    Https://mpv.io/ has yt-dlp support, if yt-dlp is installed you just need to throw the URL at it and it plays the video (without download). - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Video stops on furst frame, audio continues to play,seek works
    I apologise for not following procedure. I am in the middle of building mpv 0.37 from source. Irrespective of the outcome I will document what I had to do in addition to the instructions on mpv.io and if the problem perststs, where it happens and where not with kernel version, mpv version taken from the screen, and the terminal output. Source: over 1 year ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Winamp and MPV, you can also consider the following products

VLC Media Player - VLC is a free and open source cross-platform multimedia player and framework.

AIMP - AIMP : Free Audio Player : Официальный сайт программы

PotPlayer - Potplayer is a minimalist media player that has an extensive range of configurable options to...

foobar2000 - An advanced freeware audio player for the Windows platform.

MPC-HC - MPC-HC, the free, open source media player for Windows. DownloadsNote. Supported Operating Systems: Windows® XP SP3 .

Clementine - Clementine is a cross-platform free and open source music player and library organizer based on...