Best software for viewing videos?

I'm about to do some extensive traveling, and would like to view
movies etc. aboard aircraft and in the hotels. For this laptop
(Home Premium, Core Duo, 2GB RAM, etc.) what are the best tools
for .avi and other common formats?

Windows Media Player is installed with the OS, but I remember
from 98/XP days that there are better choices. I'd like to know
what "works" with Vista.

Thanks!

"Henry" <not@all.com> wrote in message
news:fbhns9$tkq$1@registered.motzarella.org...
> I'm about to do some extensive traveling, and would like to view movies
> etc. aboard aircraft and in the hotels. For this laptop (Home Premium,
> Core Duo, 2GB RAM, etc.) what are the best tools for .avi and other common
> formats?
>
> Windows Media Player is installed with the OS, but I remember from 98/XP
> days that there are better choices. I'd like to know what "works" with
> Vista.


Some people prefer the bloat free and standalone (no installing needed)
Media Player Classic. It is quite like Windows Media Player v6 from the
early Win2000 days.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/guliverkli/

There is also VLC, which plays almost anything, and uses its own codecs,
which are entirely separate from the installed ones in the operating system.

http://www.videolan.org/

ss.

WoW!

As soon as I pressed the SEND key, I realized that my post would
probably trigger yet another wave of antiVista comments. In
fact, I'm very satisfied with this OS.

....and pleased with the on-point and useful responses!

I've installed GOM and one of the Classic editions. Both work
better than the original WMP that came preloaded.

THANKS!