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[Wheaten]

I wouldn't go this far as "JRiver just makes other options seem ridiculous". As all depends on what you need from your system/software.
But I've been with JRiver since MC16 and I've tested a lot of others like: (Albumplayer, AssetPNP, ffdshow, MediaMonkey pro, Mezzmo, Plex, Kodi, Serviio, Tversity, Twonky, Wild Media Server, Winamp Pro, Roon)
For me JRiver is one of the few that delivers a full package, without the need to load all kind of vague 3rd party addons and still meets all my requirements.


- Using JRiver only for Audio and with JRiver you have a lot of control to setup/configure it to your needs.
- it runs very stable
- Low impact on the system
- Great remotes both free and paid
- Fast scanning of library
- Great tools to create your playlists
- Excelent audio throughput
- Skinning
- Support forum
- Very flexible with the license policy
- Runs on all major platforms
 

[kr4]

I keep discovering features that I needed, had not come upon myself but which were not so pressing as to motivate me to ask.  Here's an example:
https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,128366.0.html
Cool.

[drproteus]

I started checking it out to sync to a legacy Cowon D2 I had. But I stuck around because It handles a massive library on a mapped network drive well. That would have been enough. But also, super useful tagging utilities. Play doctor is extremely groovy.

EDIT: After spending some more time with the application (and preferring if over my gaming backlog), I wanted to share a few visual examples of why I find it so groovy.

https://peertube.skinet.org/videos/watch/a3e11cc2-c58c-4d5b-9427-09af20fe5bcf

[SenatorRobb-01]

6. All of the Above

[Oz1701]

i have been using JRiver - purely for Audio -  as it was a big jump up from Media Monkey (which i also have a licence for.)

Been using JRiver since, i think version 22, and now on 27.

Chose JRiver because when i tried the trial i heard an instant improvement in sound. Over the years i have grown to really appreciate the versatility and how configurable each version has been.

It is at a good price point and i like that full version upgrades are offered at a discount to existing licence users and that you don't force people to pay a yearly subscription to use the product or limit the number of devices i can use it on (i have it on two laptops).

I never have any qualms about recommending JRiver to friends who want to explore audiophile quality in the digital realm.

JRiver Media Center has a good reputation for support and is always being developed to improve and extend its capabilities.

[RickC555]

I came up in digital audio with music match jukebox back in the old days. I really liked it, but it was bought out and ruined. Winamp was up next, and I had a lot of fun and great years with that program. In fact, I was still preferring it to JRiver - but I've since figured out it was because of my DAC more or less.

I switched to the RME ADI 2 DAC and wa la! It works great with JRiver. I've also used Musicbee and it's ok, but I prefer JRiver. Right now, I'm on JRiver 25. I'm trying to figure out if 27 is a worthwhile upgrade.

[LilyAarseth]

I was a loyal winamp fan since my computer ran windows 98, but after a friend introduced me to JRiver on multiple occasions I was eventually won over a few years ago, never looked back once I learned how powerful this player is.

Features I now cannot live without:

- Remote library from another server computer running JRiver
- Ability to edit the tag data and update the files on the remote computer as seamless as if they were on a local drive, except for album art (feature request maybe?)
- Bit-perfect playback, and DSP showing the audio path in detail
- Built-in automatic Last.fm scrobbling
- A Dev team who responds to users and takes time to help out fixing issues no matter how weird or difficult.
- Audio -> Artists -> All Artists view is amazing, it's familiar to how I used winamp for 15+ years, but just so much more features I never knew I needed before. Making music discovery so much easier.
- Audio - Recent Albums view is also really nice to keep track of and listen through music I've recently added, and fix tags if needed.
- JRemote on Android/iOS. I don't have local music on my mobile devices anymore, because streaming them from my computer running JRiver is so seamless I forget it's not local files.
- Analyzing audio files and Dynamic Range, as well as R128 volume levelling. (Maybe a transcode/resampled file detection for lossless formats could be implemented in the future?)
- Runs on any platform I own, + many more I could run it on in the future if I wanted to.
- Extremely lightweight on Windows, works great even on a 7 year old ultra low power Intel Atom based Windows tablet.
- Customization of almost any part of the library views is incredibly powerful.

These are the ones on top of my head.

[burgesssally787]

I use it mainly at home because it plays everything and has a nice ten foot interface (Theater View). We recently started using it at work together with employee monitoring software because of how good it works. It works so well with various networks and remotely.

[roger711]

I found JRiver many years ago and was so delighted with the product.  It does everything I want and more.  Yes, there are many free products out there, but none that does so many things well. 

[Trun]

I chose JRiver (MC 27) because it met my needs for good quality audio playback and because of several features that it provides;

DSP (Parametric EQ)
DAC connectivity (after much experimentation & eventually using an IdPi 4)
Remote capability (JRemote & Panel)
Sound Quality

[FredMau]

I wouldn't go this far as "JRiver just makes other options seem ridiculous". As all depends on what you need from your system/software.
But I've been with JRiver since MC16 and I've tested a lot of others like: (Albumplayer, AssetPNP, ffdshow, MediaMonkey pro, Mezzmo, Plex, Kodi, Serviio, Tversity, Twonky, Wild Media Server, Winamp Pro, Roon)
For me JRiver is one of the few that delivers a full package, without the need to load all kind of vague 3rd party addons and still meets all my requirements.


- Using JRiver only for Audio and with JRiver you have a lot of control to setup/configure it to your needs.
- it runs very stable
- Low impact on the system
- Great remotes both free and paid
- Fast scanning of library
- Great tools to create your playlists
- Excelent audio throughput
- Skinning
- Support forum
- Very flexible with the license policy
- Runs on all major platforms

(Sorry of this is a bit longwinded, but I'd like to document the details of "Why" to save anyone else the time that I spent on this. Took me better part of a year, on and off.)

Recent convert as well. User of Windows Media Center but now it's necessary to ditch Win7. Apparently the "Law of Microsoft" is that once a product is perfected it must then be discontinued. I approached this methodically starting when Win7 support ended. I started by reading various articles with titles like "Best HTPC 2020/2021" etc. Four names kept recurring: Kodi, Plex, Media Portal 2, JRiver, usually more-or-less in that order of preference. So I went through them in that order.

What I can't figure out it why JRiver was never #1 on an anyone's list. I've encountered showstopping flaws with the first three, and right now I'm on my 2nd day of trial with JRiver without a single complaint. I will almost certainly end up buying at least 2 licenses. The others...?

First Test: KODI. What astonished me is, for as long as Kodi has been around, how remarkably unintuitive and unpolished it is. I spent about 2 weeks of evenings trying to get it "just so". Way too many rabbit holes to get a function to work only to end up with it (almost) working right (some) of the time. SHOWSTOPPER: When playing a DVD the chapter +/- buttons on my HP Media Center Remote ("|<" and ">|") don't work . Yes, I'm sure I could probably have spent several more evenings digging through pages and pages of documentation and learning all about remapping keys or whatever. But... WHY??? This is a no-brainer on all other products. (And YES, that works in JRiver)

Second Test: Plex. Set up a Plex server. Okay. Found out that to view on the same PC I needed "Plex Viewer" or whatever it's called. Okay.  Until... SHOWSTOPPER: Apparently Plex has told all HTPC users to take a long walk off a short pier; Even though i download the "Theater" version of Viewer, it apparently doesn't work that way; my MC Remote was totally ignored, and there didn't seem to be a way to get it into "10' UI" mode.

Third Test: Media Portal 2 I wanted to like it. UI was a bit minimalist, but I'm okay with that. If they get the basics right, all else is just a "nice to have". But... SHOWSTOPPER: Sound quality on playing the CD's I'd ripped to my library was atrocious. Lots of "stuttering" and clicks and pops on playback, and no other program did this.

Fourth Test: JRiver. So far, so good. BONUS is that the sound quality SEEMS better than even my original WMC.  Cleaner, Crisper, less "compressed". Heck, with WMC I'd even considered buying a dBX unit to help with that, but now I don't think I'll need one.   


My HTPC setup: "classic" audio if a bit meager by today's standards. Stereo rather than "surround" which always seemed a bit distracting to me. HP Elite 800 G3 SFF desktop with "realtek HD Audio"; Yamaha M-35 Stereo Amp, Bose 301 series III speakers, Panasonic Viera plasma TV (Likely to be updated to a Sony Bravia OLED real soon).


 

[formatje1961]

Why???

Well for the music got all my music on pc.  Don't need a stereo if I got it all at my fingertips (or mouse pointer lol).

Good pc soundcard and boxes who need more 

thumbs up for this program!

[Kal9000]

Other than JRiver being a stellar media center, including everything that has already been mentioned in the posts above...
Believe it or not, the fact that Soundspectrum's visualizations 'G-Force' and 'Aeon' work flawlessly with the Music part of the program, was decisive in my buying it.

[macdonjh]

I'm just a baby user, but my favorite features are:
Move, Rename & Copy
Smartlists

This forum is a good asset, too.  I've gotten a lot of help here.  I hope I can give some help back, too.

[Lunatique]

I started way back in the aughts with JRiver Media Jukebox, and then at some point, when VST hosting became a feature in Media Center, I upgraded. Prior to using Jukebox, I had used many other well-known and obscure music librarians, and Jukebox was just the most feature-rich and responsive. I even sang its virtues in this blog post back from 2008: https://www.ethereality.info/ethereality_website/about_me/wordpress/?p=109

Having used JRiver products for so many years, I would say the main reasons I use Media Center are:

1) VST hosting. I use room correction plugins like Ik Multimedia's ARC System 3, as well as various HRTF headphone crossfeed plugins, professional EQ plugins, etc., and the VST hosting ability is by far the biggest reason. Very, very few other music librarians have this feature, and if they do, they are missing other features important to me.

2) Fast response even with a massive music collection (about 1 terabyte).

3) Smartists. This has saved me a ton of time in customizing playlists based on the exact parameters of my choosing.

4) Tons of features and customizations, but this is also a double-edged sword, as it requires a level of technical savvy.

[tkolsto]

I was always interested in Music. And started using mp3 early, because only in this way I could get to know a lot of different types of music. But it was mostly popular music.
So I then purchased Bel Canto DAC 1.5 and S300 back in 2012 at Oslo HifiCenter, which highly recommened JRiver as the best digital player which provided bitperfect audio output. Since then I have purchased JRiver on a regular basis. Now in my older days I use it more for Movie watching, and it really it the best allround player that I know about. It delivers excellent quality audio and video experience. I am so glad that I  found it early on.

And also the forum is excellent and tolerant with newbies and very helpful in a useful way, learning something. The last 10 month I have learned how to use JRiver more in depth (video/movieplay). Really glad I did it instead of just accepting the flaws of oled technology. JRiver was very helpful here. Vlc is not even near JRiver when it comes to interface and features.

[isaccasi1234]

Because it is the most versatile Audio/Video Player for Windows.
Started to purchase MC 25 & have gone from there.
Very good Streaming Features(DI.FM & Radio tunes).
Very active Expert Community.
Own also a subscription to Audirvana Studio(Qobuz+Tidal)but nothing comes close to the possibilities of MC 28, It simply is the best & not to mention the cheapest.

[isaccasi1234]

Hi, I choose MC because it is IMHO the best Audio/video player out the, much more configurable than its competitors(Roon & Audirvana) & the audio quality is as good as Audirvana Studio which I also have a current subscription on.
MC is by far the best player for audio, I don't use it for video(I use VLC & PotPlayer).
I have a relatively big library: about 168.000 FLAC Hi-Res & 16 Bit+ALAC Files at 16 bit(CD Quality).
I have a 4TB+1TB External HDD Drives containing my collection, I have no MP3 Files or AAC.
When I want to Stream I use Apple Music(ITunes)+Qobuz Studio+Tidal Hi-Fi Plus+DI.FM & who have not a Spotify account.
Thankyou to the Developers at MC for the absolute best player & for swift updates which I always enjoy.

[doylet8456]

I decided to give JRiver a trial run in late October 2021. I acquired my second OLED TV, a 55" LG C1. Already having the best 4K UltraHD BluRay player in the Oppo UDP-203 hooked up to my 65" Panasonic GZ1000, I needed something that would drive my newly built HTPC for ISO/BDMV playback of my 4K/BluRay collection.

The trial went as planned, where I was able to confirm an almost replication of video quality compared to the UDP-203.
I setup the HTPC with an i5-6500, 16GB DDR4 2666MHz and GTX 1050ti. Kodi is configured to use MC28 as an external player. The setup is phenomenal and I often find myself browsing the library and clicking play to see the screen go blank, then onto the film via MC28.

The only thing missing is Dolby Vision playback. Yet I am happy to have this HTPC with optimal video playback, knowing DV support will likely never come to Windows. Great job JRiver / MC team.

[JimH]

The only thing missing is Dolby Vision playback. Yet I am happy to have this HTPC with optimal video playback, knowing DV support will likely never come to Windows. Great job JRiver / MC team.

Dolby Vision is now available in MC29 JRVR. 

Thanks for your comment.

[doylet8456]

Dolby Vision is now available in MC29 JRVR. 

Thanks for your comment.

I hope FEL DV implementation comes soon for disc (iso/bdmv) playback. I'm really impressed with everyone at JRiver. I brought a bug to their attention, and it was addressed within a week or less! Thank you

[isaccasi1234]

Hi, because it is pure & simple the best player out there.
I use it for audio only.

[romus]

TV Broke down, and spending more time watching Netflix on Laptop. My wife says we need to upgrade old CD player. Family not watching TV together, everyone using their own media. What to do?
   What are these media players streaming music services? I see. Check the different ones from google search, and compare. monthly payment, no. monthly payment, no. Monthly payment, no. I realize JRiver does music and video, and it's pay once (at least for version). Okay, try it out.
  Initially a bit confusing, so not sure. But I liked how it categorized everything. Set it up to my digital interface. Pity no Netflix internal, but I get why.
   Then, whenever I explored deeper, I kept finding good stuff (burn our cd collection, Cloudplay music, DSP studio). Now I pay.
   Keep exploring, set up virtual driver, set up VST plugins, realizing I really like this. Discover support forum and realize the community are all focused on getting real quality audio and video. I am in the right place, I realize.
   Discovering on the net that JRiver is the best at audio and video both, as long as you can handle the clunky interface. I love it.

So it was the 50/50 audio video player, the pay once, that when you get into it, it does not disappoint, but delights.

[JimH]

Thanks to user antenna for posting the following:

"To gain competitive advantage you have to do what no one else is doing or do whatever it is they're doing so much better than they are, that you're doing what no one else is doing anyway.  The herd only provides the illusion of well-being."

Here's the complete thread:  https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,133201.msg922819.html#msg922819

[MickB]

I have used many audio players throughout many decades in different OS's.  In today's technological world, when higher resolution music, DACs and upsampling have contributed to a new enjoyment/dimension when listening to music -its now a unique experience. JRiver Media Center has evolved into that special niche of the demanding listener; it has maintained its ground.  Just view a few youtube videos from the top content creators/reviewers in audio products (DACs, Headphones, IEMs etc...) and see what audio player they are using.  They all use JRiver! In fact many viewers constantly ask the reviewers on this same point.  Believe me, if these reviewers are using JRiver it's not just simply because of a whim.  They only use and demand the best!  To have the flexibility that JRiver offers in conjunction with other audio hardware is a sheer luxury -to listen to music as the artist intended or to hear how well known recordings have such a limited sound is just incredible.  For me, a player that can easily cater for my 24bit collection is a keeper.  It is the Swiss army knife in digital reproduction.  It is vital when used in a chain of audio products.

Also, I recently needed help in adjusting JRiver's GUI because of my poor eyesight.  My problem was solved not in days, weeks or months, but in just a couple of hours.   When there are people who help you to this degree, you just have to acknowledge that they are great in what they do. 

This why I use JRiver MC.

[Fred H]

My first stop on the way to JRiver was a streaming box with an attached hard drive. This worked well for me using an open source interface. However, I was away for a week and my wife couldn't use it -- being less computer-savvy and easily frustrated by them.

The next stop was Sonos, using a Wyred 4 Sound Connect. As this software was designed for consumers, my wife found it usable (and I found the sound acceptable). However, after a few years I started reading about JRiver and liked what I read. So I installed it on my PC, where I do most of my listening; I liked its sound and found it easy to use. As I used it I kept finding features that I liked. So I thought about replacing the Sonos Connect and bought an IdPi.

I hooked up the IdPi in parallel with the Sonos and began to use it. Anytime I encountered a technical difficulty I received help (thank you, Bob), and found both the tone of the forums pleasant and a lot of useful information that helped me over usability hitches just by reading others' experiences.

The next trouble spot I see on my horizon is the end of TiVo. We've gotten accustomed to having local copies of things that we want to watch (we're both wary of relying on streaming) and like being able to view a schedule to give us ideas. So I plan to begin reading about MC's video portion, hoping that it's being developed in directions that will work for us. And that the needed services and hardware suppliers are finding enough support to still exist when we're finally ready to switch.

[RayG]

Very prosaic reason for me.

I was controlling itunes on a Mac Mini with an app on an Android tablet. Then the Android version was updated to one that wouldn't play with Macs (don't remember the details).

So I got JRiver MC.

Later I swapped out my iPod for a different DAP, so stopped converting everything to ALAC. As a result, it's too much trouble to go back.

[esotericxa]

Now coming up to V 30, I have been using this since V22. It is the real swiss army knife of media centers for me.
It has now reached a stage of capability that as far as I can tell, every thing I want to do works perfectly.  If I need something, I can usually find it built in within minutes.

I particularly like to be able to use it for Television and then switch to movie mode without changing product.

I find it fantastic for compiling music for events as well as playing same at the event.
For me, nothing I am aware of comes close.

Congratulation guys. Awesome scope and capability. nailed.

[MusicGuy]

Thanks for the question,
I've been a user before 64 Byte window was released, believe release 3 of JR MC.
At that time Window, Apple, etc only supported a maximum of 64k files, plus took days to load very a small amount of music into their library. Also, MC's abilities in managing library meta data is the best I've ever found.
Being a Database IT Professional, I loved the method JR built.
I have upgraded to each new release and now am waiting for the release of Release 30.
Love the instantaneously search capabilities, allowing me to find and play what I'm looking for. 

Thanks, love your product, MusicGuy

[Bannion]

So help me out.  Why did you choose JRiver?

6. As a Frenchman would say: C'est Magnifique!!

[tuneman]

I have been using JRiver since MC17 and would not want to be without it.
Use it for video a little but main reason is the great audio performance.
I love the ability to manage my music library, renaming, re-tagging and changing artwork when desired.
Ripping CD's and burning CD's occasionally as well is easy with great options and choices.
Stellar sound quality from FLAC, AIFF and WAV files keeps me using it daily.
Enjoy the DSP options although I don't implement a lot of the features often with the exception of upsampling .
Like the streaming options, especially Radio Paradise with it's great sound quality and amazing library. Having the ability to save Radio Paradise tracks to my library just another plus since so many of their tracks are not always readily available for purchase.

[Long]

Simply the best.

[antenna]

OK, my second reply on this thread....

A couple of things...

1) the quality of the reproduction of my media is most excellent.

2) the quality of the reproduction of my media is most excellent. (dare I say, unsurpassed?)

3) the Master license ability.  I like to play with the software I purchase, and the Master license allows me to play.  It does not get in the way.  Indeed, it seems to almost say, "go, play, have fun."

4) the people behind Media Center seem to really care.  It does not seem to be a job for them, it seems to be a goal, an aspiration.  As a person who has managed Software Engineers in my career, I do not say that lightly.  I can tell the difference.  Media Center's developers love what they do.

5) let me repeat @2 again.... 

Thank-you.

(OK, that was 5 things, not a couple.  Forgive me if I gush here.  It is a rare occasion when I do that.  So that's maybe #6?    )

 

[jmz]

I have large collection of CDs in FLAC format. Was using Kodi installed on Intel NUC mini computers for years.

Older NUC models were equipped with optical audio output which was great for me as I was able connect this to my amplifier and use it internal DAC.

Modern Intel NUC computers don't have this optical digital output anymore. But then I discovered USB DAC ;-)

Finally was able to change my NUC to recent model and connect it to classic audio using USB DAC.

It was great progress... but I was still missing the right software... then I discovered JRiver and my UPGRADE was completed!!!

So, my road to JRiver take me many years... some wrong turns and dead ends.

But since I developed the final shape of the audio hardware and connected it with JRiver Media Center... I don't need anything else.

[jammalammer]

I only use it for managing my music library (after giving up on iTunes), but it works amazingly well. A few kudos:

- It has never lost or messed with my music in any way without me explicitly telling it to

- Every time I think "I wish it could do XYZ..." I find out that it already does what I need

- It's very simple to use, even with so many options. I can manage my music collection much more efficiently than I ever could with iTunes.

- Love the tabbed interface and the ability to have different views of the same content in each tab.

Armand

[Highlander10]

The reason i choose JRiver is only based on one thing.
Sound quality!
I have tried everything i could find and JRiver sound best with my gear.
Well i cant say JRiver is the most user freindly or best looking.
But when i play music to my stereo i can forgive the short comings and enjoy music that sounds realy good.

[whoareyou]

Not exactly "Why did I choose JRiver", but more of a "Why Use JRiver".

In addition to the great features, there is the issue of support for the product, and the JRiver Developers / team do a great job of supporting their users.  Yes, application features are great, but the level of support is astounding and a rarity in the software industry.

[Graham849]

I chose it fifteen years too late 

Grew up from Windows 286, beta tester for win98 to win 10. Old school database king of dBASE ,rbase and clipper. Visicalc suoercalc before excel.So know a bit about displaying data. J River rocks! And Wiki, YouTube and Amazon hardwired

Used Apple music until Win 7, then loved Windows Media Centre.

Got interested in DLNA for local streaming but ended up very frustrated circa 2012.

Stuck with Windows Media Player and didn't look elsewhere , then starting seeing good reviews for JRiver as I started investigating DACs.

WOW! The lights went on, but arrrgh the learning curve. So so wish I had started with it back in the day. It's a rabbit burrow experience trawling through all the posts dealing with so many issues over so many years. I guess if I used excel for the very first time today I would struggle.

Interestingly have recently  setup a client with Home Media Server that has no help files but connects his PC and Onkyo 100% of the time. He was fed up with WMP.

Me I appreciate using my tablet, phone and laptop to playback via DAC, Wiimini and Bluetooth and hardwired speakers. So glad I found JRiver before Roon. 

Finally I would comment that JRiver is allowing me to finally organise a digital music collection that dates back to 1992. Yes I have some very old MP3s in my collection.

Anyway enough about software, back to listening to music

[retiredteacherguy]

I’m new to MC…. really new, as in January of ‘23, version 30. A couple of years ago I got serious about getting away from streaming everything and rebuilding my music library. I found Serviio and was using that to bring the files to my Denon network media player.

Serviio is fine for what it is, but I really wanted more flexibility (especially when sitting in my theater), and I wanted something I could use on the desktop to organize, make lists, tag etc.

And that brought me to Media Center. I’m not gonna lie… it’s a hell of a learning curve, and that’s coming from someone with some coding experience. But it’s worth it. And I have the time, being retired now.

I’ve ready *many* old posts on this board. I see a lot of dedication from employees, volunteers, and users, and features that go beyond anything any user should expect, especially at this price point. I love having the ability to customize my own Track Info and Skins. The communication with my Denon is outstanding, as is the ability to use Core Audio so easily. JRemote is great while sitting in the theater or on the road.

Reading through the history both here and on the wiki has been fascinating. Keep it up for as long as you can, Jim, you’re a hero as far as I’m concerned.

[francis231]

Because the guy from Roon is a total idiot, I have a $1000 dac, told me not compatible.

Installs JRiver instead, everything works.

I think Roon is possibly your biggest competition, they charge an arm and a leg and their stuff don't work.

[Zipster]

This...

...DSD playback

This...

...Sound quality!

This...

...It's very simple to use

This...

...Radio Paradise

This...

...the real swiss army knife of media centers

But mainly this...

...the level of support is astounding

[Chris Solo]

Primarily because it offered a drag and drop playlist feature that lets me create truly seamless killer movie nights (custom bumpers, trailers, shorts, feature, etc). Everything else it offers is just is the cherry on top. 

[eve]

Explained elsewhere probably but JRiver on Windows is objectively, the *best* current player for high fidelity video presentation that doesn't sacrifice audio features or fidelity. Objectively, it will best *any* hardware player on the market for non DV content (though thankfully, JRVR handles DV to HDR or SDR) due to the utilization of MadVR. For someone whose been ingesting their Blu Rays, UHD BDs and DVDs for well over a decade, it's a match made in heaven.

There are shortcomings, there are certain things that make the integration of JRiver a little difficult (it needs a way to announce its 'state') but nothing else comes close to touching it for critical reproduction of video content.

JRiver, the right hardware, and the right configuration can 'replace' the functionality of extremely expensive PrePros with ultimately more control over the audio path and the ability to constantly evolve processing rather than stagnate with the fixed feature set of hardware. Other than a Trinnov, JRiver is superior, and a Trinnov still has it's own downsides / limitations.

There's guys (and I guess me?) who are utilizing JRiver with very nice multichannel D/A and experiencing utterly excellent results for far less than comparable hardware prepro solutions.

[ozorfis]

I use JRiver as an external Video Player in Kodi because:
- it has support for madVR
- it has far superior audio customization and processing.
- it has audio channel mapping
- it has a night mode, which my old school receiver is lacking

I use Kodi as frontend because I like the UI. Feels more like a TV and I'm used to it.

I use foobar2000 for Audio because it and especially the library and search function is faster. For 2 channel Audio I do not need any processing although sometimes I am of the impression that JRiver sounds a bit better, which might be insane of course.

[Amfibius]

I love JRiver so much that I built a computer just to run JRiver. It is the heart of my home audio system. This one piece of software does almost everything I need. For me, these are the most important features:

- Built-in convolution engine. JRiver is my digital crossover. I created the crossover filters using Acourate, and I use JRiver to convolve the audio in real time and send it to individual DAC channels, which go to individual amplifier channels, and then go directly to each driver with no passive crossover in between. This entails quite a bit of trust in JRiver, because it has the potential to destroy my speakers (for example, sending bass frequencies to the tweeters). That trust in JRiver is well earned. I have been doing this for 8 years without so much as a hiccup. OK, so the convolution engine isn't as easy to use, or powerful, or as feature rich as third party convolvers, but it does the job.

- VST plugin support. I use audio de-clippers, dynamic range expanders, crosstalk for headphones ... all kinds of VST. I love experimenting with VST's! Very few convolvers integrate VST support.

- ISO226 volume control. Again, this is a feature missing in most convolvers. It is also a PITA to switch from your player software to the convolver to control the volume. With JRiver, it is built in and convenient. Also, volume control is done in 64 bit floating point and then scaled down to 16 bit for output, which is better than simply lopping off bits at the end to obtain lower volume.

- The interface isn't the most beautiful I have seen, but it is good looking enough. I love the touchscreen option.

- Endless customization options. I thought I knew JRiver after using it for so long, but if I click on some settings, up pops a dialog box with another 20-30 options I have never seen before. JRiver's philosophy is different to some other players (notably the four letter word player starting with R). Those players decide how you use their software. With JRiver, you decide.

- There are two remote options - JRemote2 and Gizmo. I have tried both. They are as slick and quick as JRiver, and run on ancient hardware (my remote controller is running on an 8 year old tablet running Android v5).

- It is CHEAP! To put it in perspective, JRiver costs $60, and you can install it on as many computers as you want. Some convolution software by itself costs $130-300, and it only performs convolution. JRiver does convolution and everything else.

- The video and TV functions of JRiver are currently irrelevant for me, but when I eventually get around to getting my TV working with JRiver, it will cost me nothing. No need to buy more software.

- It is lightweight and fast. JRiver launches almost instantaneously on my PC and consumes very few resources. Result: I can underclock and undervolt my CPU so it runs cool, and set the fans so they don't turn on. I have a completely silent PC, which is important since my PC is in my listening room.

At the moment I am still customizing JRiver to make it easier for my wife to use. The goal is to avoid using the keyboard and mouse altogether, and control everything by touchscreen and JRemote2. I am starting to think it is possible.

[antenna]

I love JRiver so much that I built a computer just to run JRiver. It is the heart of my home audio system. This one piece of software does almost everything I need.

Yeah.  Argreement abounds.

On the video side, I am currently starting to look for a replacement for my TiVo.

TiVo's customer service seems to have gone south for the winter, i.e. too many problems, not enough solutions.

So... based upon my most excellent experience with MC in the audio area (and to the MC team, thank-you), it is a frontrunner in my quest to replace my TiVo.  But I have so much to explore and learn on the video side...

[wilfredjg]

Because it works. I rather pay for a program that does everything I want it to do, then get frustrated with Free programs.

[antenna]

Because it works. I rather pay for a program that does everything I want it to do, then get frustrated with Free programs.

Yeah, there is the [minimal, imho] cost aspect of MC to consider. 

But, yes, it works, and it works most excellently.

For example... (and I have posted this example before but, imo, it is worth a repost...)

MC in some usage (OK, my usage) depends upon network connectivity.

In my use, I have an old PC in the entertainment center that functions as a MC client, the server being the desktop PC in a different room.

So... obviously the MC client in the entertainment center needs to have the desktop PC running in order to be fed the media bits and bytes the client needs to show in Theater mode on the TV.


So... what happens when I'm listening to a song in Theater mode on the PC client in the entertainment center, and I shutdown down the PC that hosts the MC server for its nightly backup?

Long story short, the MC client puts up a nice,informative message telling me there's an issue.

When the MC server on the PC eventually comes back online, I merely press "Enter" on the remote and I'm back to cruising along in media bliss as if nothing happened.

In my prior lives of writing system-level networking software (can you say X.25, I knew you could  ) I will say that such smooth operation does not just appear out of thin air.

It is thought of ahead of time and engineered into the software.

Thank-you to the developers of MC.

[Bmwheeler1]

I chose JRiver because.
1. It's not a subscription service...please don't change this attribute.
2. It is absolutely brilliant at connecting to and play person audio libraries.
3. It's more geared towards people with a bit of technical knowledge on how all this works
4. I love the ability to connect remotely to my personal music library from the JRemote app, and play my music, not a version of what I own that resides on some 3rd party cloud server.
5. Customizable to no end.
6. Cloud Play is a game changer for discovering new music without having to go through mainstream music streaming services that run on a subscription model. (I hate that)
7. I run the Windows version on a dedicated, but old, laptop that has absolutely nothing else running on it besides the Windows OS and JRiver is rock solid with streaming my FLAC music library.
That, is why I chose JRiver.

[sheppy99]

I chose JRiver after my Windows 7 Media Center Box suffered a hardware failure and there was no way back with the latest hardware. My main reasons are:

1) Helpful forum especially to a newbie with a near vertical learning curve
2) Ability to read tags from existing WTV files
3) Automated Ad Skipping
4) Continued program development
5) Sensible licencing
6) Its ability to work with my local TV standard H264 HD / AAC-LATM / AC3 and MHEG5 Guide Data - all the other Windows Media Center replacements I tried didn't fully work

Please keep up the good work guys!