Mediac

The Internet and various specialized services which evolved alongside it managed to help migrate most activities to online platforms, and this even includes entertainment. Sure enough, this doesn’t make offline media players obsolete, with an abundance of third-party alternatives at your disposal, just like Mediac in case you’re looking for something new.

Before the application can be of any use, you need to be sure that the computer you use it on is fitted with .NET Framework, even though modern iterations of Windows come with it in the default set of features. Setup takes little time, and you’re able to quickly check out the set of features.

All the application has to offer is provided in a custom window frame, which doesn’t really help make a first impression. More than that, the preview area and set of controls are pretty familiar, being heavily based on the ones found in classic media programs, such as Windows Media Player.

Unfortunately, dropping files over the main window has no effect, and the built-in browse dialog only lets you select one file at a time, which easily becomes frustrating when creating large playlists. On the other hand, you’re able to load both video and audio files found under quite the variety of formats.

Even so, the application feels rough around the edges. Elements in the playlist are shown by path, and it’s close to impossible to read the file name because the main window or at least the playlist can’t be resized. Playback controls are only handled through the main window buttons, with no support for hotkey commands.

To conclude, Mediac is only at the beginning of a long road towards being a proper multimedia player. The visual design leaves much to be desired, with a cluttered and confusing playlist, while the set of playback controls is only handled from the main window. Files need to be added one at a time, and you’re most likely better off with your current multimedia player.