A few more alternatives include:
- Media Player Classic HC (Home Cinema edition) @ http://mpc-hc.sourceforge.net/
- GOM Player @ http://player.gomlab.com/eng/download/
- KMPlayer @ http://kmplayer.en.softonic.com/
Use these -- don't install crappy codec packs on your computer. Those are so 1999.
Codec packs mess up computers more than anything else, and are wholly unnecessary.
VLC's media conversion is very buggy -- I'd not use it.
Avidemux is much better for that.
Only use VLC when you have something really quirky, like DolbyE audio (very rare).
MPC-HC vs VLC:
I use MPC-HC and VLC daily.
- VLC plays H.264/MP4, Divx/XviD and MPEG-2 best.
- MPC-HC plays FLV files better than VLC does.
- VLC is better at DVDs.
- MPC-HC is better with Blu-ray and HD-DVD.
@Savage: moved this to video tech.