Look Beyond iTunes For Your Media Playing Needs

Besides sending emails, people use their personal computers for everything from burning CDs to watching the latest movie. If you have a Windows-based PC, chances are that you rely on Real Player for your media needs. Perhaps you’ve ventured outside of the stock player if you’ve got an Apple device. For Apple addicts, iTunes is the media mogul of choice. If you’re running on a broadband connection, there’s no reason to not turn your computer into a multimedia station. Here are five great players that can turn your PC into a media powerhouse:

1. DivX Plus Player

DivX is quickly becoming the media player of choice for those in the know. Not only can DivX play your videos right on your computer, but you can play DivX videos on your mobile devices, gaming systems and television. DivX for the computer can play a multitude of files, including AVI, MKV, MOV, MP4 and DivX itself. The software also lets you transfer your files to any other DivX certified device. Beyond playing your videos, the player also allows users to store their media via a video library manager. From the library, users can organize their videos, create playlists and manage downloads. To bulk up your library, you can use easy online youtube mp3 converters.

2. Winamp

Winamp is changing the way computer users manage their media. The player allows users to listen to music, podcasts and internet radio on their desktops, laptops and devices. Winamp boasts the widest range of customization options, letting users change skins, add extensions and subscribe to services. Like DivX Plus, users can store their media content in a library, create playlists and even burn CDs. The software is designed for PC owners who like to tinker and tweak, providing over 6,000 add-ons designed by their extensive development community.

3. BS Player

This software is rated as having one of the lowest levels of requirement for RAM and CPU. Thanks to its low background usage, you can easily listen to music or your favorite movie in the background as you complete other tasks. Like with other media players, BS Player can manage your content, help you create playlists and provide access to an extensive library. Over 70 million people worldwide have downloaded the software and it has been translated into over 90 languages. BS Player is quickly becoming a stiff competitor in the world of multimedia playback.

4. GOM Media Player

When it comes to media players, GOM consistently receives excellent ratings from users and industry giants like CNET. The software supports various formats, including DAT, DivX, WMV, ASF, MOV and MPEG. Codecs including AC3, MP4, OGG and FLV1 are also supported. Reviewers point to GOM’s customizable settings as a reason for their high ratings. Users can adjust the saturation, hue and brightness of their videos with the GOM player. There are also zoom and pan capabilities included in the software.

5. Zoom Player

Zoom Player markets itself to everyone, from novices to experts alike. The basic version of Zoom Player has a graphic equalizer installed, a playlist editor and the same features that come standard on other players. It’s the professional version that really makes the software shine. With added safety features, a web remote, a powerful playlist manager and extended command interface, Zoom Player Professional delivers everything a user could want in a media player and more. As a bonus, the software features a codec detector, changeable skins and DRM protected media playback. With Zoom, the choice is yours: a bare-bones media player or a powerful media juggernaut.

If you have a personal computer, there’s no reason to not turn it into the media player of your dreams. If RealPlayer and iTunes aren’t delivering the goods, it’s time to think outside of the box. The media players listed above will meet your needs and then some. Take advantage of free downloads and play around with them all to find the one that’s best suited for your needs; you’ll undoubtedly find the player that you’ve been dreaming of.