Media Player Classic is capable of VCD, SVCD, and DVD playback without installation of additional software or codecs. MPC has built-in codecs for MPEG-2 video with support for subtitles and codecs for LPCM, MP2, 3GP, AC3, and DTS audio.

MPC also contains an improved MPEG splitter that supports playback of VCDs and SVCDs using its VCD/SVCD/XCD Reader.

On October 30, 2005, Gabest added *.mp4 and MPEG-4 Timed Text support. An AAC decoding filter had once been present in MPC. MPC-HC is also one of the first to support Dolby Atmos audio natively.

DirectShow

Media Player Classic is primarily based on the DirectShow architecture and therefore automatically uses installed DirectShow decoding filters. For instance, after the open source DirectShow decoding filter ffdshow has been installed, fast and high quality decoding and postprocessing of the MPEG-4 ASP, H.264, and Flash Video formats is available in MPC. MPC-HC can play videos in these formats directly without ffdshow.

MPC provides DXVA support for newer Intel, NVIDIA and ATI video cards when using an H.264 or VC-1 codec. This provides hardware-acceleration for playback.

In addition to DirectShow, MPC can also use the QuickTime, RealPlayer, and SHOUTcast codecs and filters (if installed on the computer) to play their native files. MPC can use an INI file in its application folder.

Matroska and Ogg containers

Media Player Classic supports native playback of OGM and Matroska container formats. In 2006 OGM audio playback was limited by a lack of support for the CoreVorbis DirectShow filter, which mainly affected files.

TV tuners

MPC supports playback and recording of television if a supported TV tuner is installed.

You can download the 6.4.9.1 version of Media Player Classic (MPC) here.