Switch

Without denying that it is convenient because it comes with the operating system, the truth is the Windows Media Player does not support a lot of file formats. In other words, since it lacks numerous codecs, the player can cause problems for audiophiles or movie aficionados who want to play high-quality files on their system.

Switch is an application that permits you to play all media files that are used by professionals and learn more details about the files' properties, including but not limited to codecs, metadata, audio channels or speaker assignments.

Unlike Windows' default player, the program provides support for numerous file formats, incorporating the ones that are used in professional studios. The application packs various video and audio codecs that enable you to playback high-quality files. You should know that the utility permits you to view and play subtitles along with the media files, regardless of whether you have them a separate file or they are embedded in the video.

Among the media files you can play with this tool, you can count LXF, GXF, AAC, AIFF, MOV, IMF, whereas the codecs it employs for decoding include H.263, DVCPro 100, G.726 and the MPEG audio layers 1, 2 and 3, just to name a few.

The application is simple to use and you can even manage the playback settings via dedicated keyboard shortcuts. Then again, the hotkeys are pre-configured and this can cause some issues to users who are accustomed to their own configurations.

The tool packs several utensils that enable you to learn more about the files you are playing, namely the encoding format, audio channels, bitrate, metadata or the aspect ratio, for example. Depending on your project's prerequisites, you can add a secondary audio file, an option that can come in handy if you want to check the file's synchronization feature.

In case you are looking for a player that enables you to preview frame-accurate videos along with the metadata and properties, then perhaps Switch could come in handy.