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[Prognathous]

1. On how many machines can Media Center 25 be installed and can it be used concurrently on more than one? I have 3 machines, but typically (not always) only watch on one.

2. Does MC25 support playback of the following content: 3D movies, 360 GearVR videos and pictures, BD with menus. Does it support Atmos sound?

3. What are the main advantages MC25 offer over competitors like Power DVD 19 Ultra?

BTW, my main reason to look for a commercial player is that I find I'm spending too much time fixing issues in applications like PotPlayer. I want to spend my time watching movies, not configure software and overcome issues with updates.

Thanks!

[Awesome Donkey]

I can answer the first one...

You can install MC, within reason, on your machines. 3 machines should be just fine, and yes, you can use the concurrently. If they're all Windows, the Windows license will suffice. If your machines are Windows, a Mac and maybe a Linux box, a master license would be needed to use on all three OSes.

Somebody else will have to answer the rest, but I do have to point out if you plan to watch DVD/BD discs you'll have to have something like AnyDVD running in the background removing the copy protection in real-time, as MC can't play copy protected DVD/BD discs without it.

[tij]

3D is supported via MadVR which is baked in MC (your hardware must support this though ... at least TV)  ... no idea about VR as never used one ... but if MadVR supports it, then it should work in MC

BD menus is supported ... but personally never tried it as I just rip main titles and throw away the rest

Atmos (and DTSX) only works if bitstreaming to receiver that can decode it ... ie MC does not/cannot decode it and output it in PCM

For me personally ... madVR is the advantage over PowerDVD ... plus can play DSD (aka Super Audio CD)  and do HDCD

Advantage of PowerDVD is it can decode encrypted discs (most commercial disc are encrypted) ... MC needs third party tools to play encrypted discs (like anyDVD)

PowerDVD legal decryption of discs carries penalty though ... it will lock your disc drive to one region (can change few times but then it’s locked)  ... so it won’t play imported discs

Also ... MC while very powerful in terms of organizing and tagging your media has a fairly steep learning curve ... which is mitigated by people on this forum

You can download and try out MC for free for 30 days ... then decide if you like it

IMHO if you watch disc once and done with it - PowerDVD or just BD player is probably better ... if you rip your movies to HDD for easy access, then it's hard to find something that beats MC, especially if your collection of movies is large

[rec head]

I can add to Awesome Donkey but don't have all the answers either.

3D - yes at least from MKV3D no idea if it does straight from disc. MadVR is required to do it and you will have to do some setup. It's pretty easy if your gear setup isn't complicated. But AFAIK it requires an Nvidia GPU and an older driver.

Atmos - yes with bitstream enabled. It is a simple checkbox.

[tij]

I can add to Awesome Donkey but don't have all the answers either.

3D - yes at least from MKV3D no idea if it does straight from disc. MadVR is required to do it and you will have to do some setup. It's pretty easy if your gear setup isn't complicated. But AFAIK it requires an Nvidia GPU and an older driver.

Atmos - yes with bitstream enabled. It is a simple checkbox.

Well if PC does not support 3D but TV supports SBS ... then can output 3D in SBS ... if you have 4K OLED ... SBS can be output at 4K and you won’t be loosing any resolution

[tij]

Well if PC does not support 3D but TV supports SBS ... then can output 3D in SBS ... if you have 4K OLED ... SBS can be output at 4K and you won’t be loosing any resolution

Oops ... not SBS but Over/Under ... SBS will screw up MC overlaid controls making it garbage (with O/U those menus are still usable ... albeit only one eye will see ... but still usable)

[Moe]

Unfortunately, MC does not support 3D VR playback at this time.

[tij]

Unfortunately, MC does not support 3D VR playback at this time.

Ha! ... I consider VR to be gimmick ... and expect it to die faster than 3D

Ppl say 3D died because of glasses ... with VR headset it’s even worst ... can not even see where your popcorn is lol

And with scary movies ... your partner don’t even know where you are in order to hold on to you at scariest moments ... where is fun in that lol

[Moe]

I think a lot of VR movies are the kind that you watch while you are alone and also the kind you wouldn't need if you have a partner that needs to hold on to you, if you get my drift.

[tij]

Well did some digging on VR and MadVR ... and as long as MadVR output Over/Under can use third party tool to output 3D to VR set

https://www.tchapin.com/how-to-watch-3d-blu-ray-movies-on-the-htc-vive-or-oculus-rift-without-having-to-re-encode-the-movie/

[rec head]

Ha! ... I consider VR to be gimmick ... and expect it to die faster than 3D

VR has uses way beyond movies and what 3D could do. I think it will be sticking around. The glasses will get better and smaller. I also can't wait for the day I can ditch my TV and we can just use glasses that give the equivalent of a HUGE screen for my 2D movies.

[tij]

Imo ... hard to dublicate huge screen with VR ... feeling is not the same ... probably why headphones won’t replace huge speakers ... feeling not the same even though theoretically headphones are better (no wall reflection ... no room correction)

Sure it has uses ... first person simulators ... think current plane and car simulated still provide better realism than VR could ever provide

[Prognathous]

Thanks for all the replies.

I've been trying to evaluate MC25 and I like many things about it, but can't get it to pass-through audio to my receiver. Movies with Dolby Atmos soundtracks play in stereo, and if I change Bitstreaming to HDMI I get an error when I try to play the movie. I guess that's why the software recommends to keep this option as none, but then why would multi-channel audio be played correctly?

Is MC25 supposed to play video files with AC3/DTS/Atmos out of the box (i.e. without error and with AV receivers getting the correct stream)?

[Awesome Donkey]

Try setting bitstreaming to Custom, then in the dialog that pops up try checking the boxes you need from there.

[Hendrik]

Bitstreaming generally works fine. Make sure you have the proper output device in MC selected - WASAPI typically works well for bitstreaming.

[Prognathous]

Thanks, I'll try these suggestions when I get back home.

In addition, is there anyway to reset all settings to default? I think I may have made some changes that negatively impact playback, but I don't recall everything I tried trying to get multi-channel audio to work. Any way to start with a "clean slate"?

[tij]

Uninstall ...  with both boxes tick .... reinstall

https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=101391.0

PS. Though it would be great (especially for new ppl) to have buttons that restores default setting ... even better ... button that can backup setting (not library) and ability to load those settings ... kinda like madvr (though madvr is more command prompt thingy)