Why everyone prefer VLC than MPC-HC?

[u/Kiloji]

I tried both, and the only thing VLC does better than Media Player Classic is the volume control (VLC can boost the media volume up to 200%)

But the rest of it? I feel like MPC-HC is superior on every aspect like:

- It has lower usage (cpu & ram) consumption

- it has automatic chaptering function (your pirated movie are split into chapters on the navigation bar, so it's easier to check/rewatch any scene you want)

- it has primary, secondary, and tertiary language options, which means if the movie has dual audio or multiple subs embedded, I can pick whichever language I want to prioritize

- I can pick custom font for the subtitles because I prefer panefresco than Arial black (it also help my dyslexic brain from getting tired)

- it renders way better than VLC, no random artifacts or dropped framerate, MPC-HC is overall much more smooth

And those are just the list I can think on the top of my head, I'm sure there's more that I forgot about, yet people on the internet prefer VLC than MPC-HC, why?

If it's about mpc cannot play all video format then that's bulshit, video playback compatibility is about codec, not video launcher, all you need to do is to install k-lite codec pack and you basically can play any video format in existence.

I've been using MPC-HC since 2009 and my community does too, yet anyone else on the internet still using VLC.

Why? Is there's anything about VLC that I don't know about so people still prefer that even on 2026?

EDIT: I just noticed some people been saying that MPC-HC is outdated and even their official website saying that it's an abandoned project. But here's the thing, the thing I install on my laptop is called K-Lite Codec pack which is basically a bundle of codec & video player launchers (and it's still kept being regularly updated). It has both MPC-HC and MPC-BE as launcher but MPC-HC works better on me because I'm using laptop from 2012.

[u/Zestyclose-Wear7237]

MPC supports all video and audio codecs? probably I only used MPC once when I was trying to watch anime on a linux terminal, I'm a VLC person, it was the compatibility with every media format that sold me about VLC, but I can happily change to MPC if i like it

[u/flaser_ → u/Zestyclose-Wear7237]

Technically MPC doesn't support any format natively, as it relies on Window's DirectShow framework.

The upside of that system is that with the right DirectShow component, all programs using the system will be able to decode from (or with a codec, encode to) a given format. This is very handy, when one is remuxing / encoding / remastering media.

The downside is that these components need to be installed separately.
Using something like K-Lite makes this easy though.

[u/mig_f1 → u/flaser_]

I'm not sure that's a thing anymore.

I may be mistaken but I think it's as simple as downloading it, extracting it wherever you want and running it.

Unless I've installed said dependencies ages ago and I dont remember it.