Media Player Classic - Home Cinema (MPC-HC) is a free, open-source media player for Windows that provides a lightweight, highly customizable video playback experience. Born from the original Media Player Classic project, MPC-HC continues development with modern codec support and enhanced features.
The player supports most video and audio formats without additional codec packs, including MKV, MP4, AVI, MOV, WMV, FLV, and more. Built-in codecs handle H.264, H.265/HEVC, VP9, and other modern codecs. DVD and Blu-ray playback includes menu navigation support.
MPC-HC leverages hardware acceleration through DXVA for efficient video decoding. EVR Custom Presenter and madVR compatibility enable high-quality video rendering with advanced scaling and color processing. The internal audio renderer handles multi-channel surround sound.
Subtitle support includes external SRT, SSA/ASS, and SUB files with customizable appearance. The player searches for subtitles online and downloads them automatically. Multiple subtitle tracks can be displayed simultaneously for language learning.
The interface provides extensive customization through toolbar configuration, keyboard shortcuts, and mouse gestures. Shader support applies real-time video processing effects. The playlist handles multiple files with sequential playback.
Additional features include frame capture, playback speed control, audio and subtitle delay adjustment, and video aspect ratio correction. USB remote control support enables couch viewing. The portable version runs without installation. Active community development continues adding features and maintaining compatibility.