What's the best DVD/Media player for Mac System OSX Yosemite? My current media player, VLC does not seem to work with Yosemite. What should I replace it with?
This year is glutted with an overwhelming number of Hollywood blockbusters but also brims with incalculable new DVD releases like Disney Moana, Doctor Strange, etc. For Mac owners obsessed with these movies, finding a powerful DVD player on Mac computers seems to be their top priority as they can therefore watch the flicks as many times as they wish. With so many paid and free Mac DVD playing software being in full flood, we put together the top 7 best DVD disc player for Mac and a Mac DVD ripper that converts DVD to digital formats for playback on a Mac (Macbook Pro/Air and iMac) without DVD hard drive.
It adds full support macOS Big Sur including native execution on Apple Silicon. Solves an audio distortion problem on macOS and solves minor cross-platform issues such as YouTube playback. It also introduces a RIST access module. Join over 500,000 subscribers.
Top 7 Best DVD Player for macOS
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Below we compare 7 DVD disc players for Mac (free or paid) with features that make each one special and awesome, covering VLC, MacX DVD Ripper Pro, KMPlayer, XBMC, Mac Media Player, QuickTime, Apple DVD player and 5KPlayer, based on online opinion polls and a complete data analysis from download sites and reviews.
1. 5KPlayer
5KPlayer may be new for many people but it is an awesome region-free DVD movies player working on Mac OS X (macOS Big Sur) and Windows (10) that deserves your attention. Without any ads, malware or spyware, it is 100% safe to get both homemade and copy-protected discs playing on iMac 5K, Macbook Air/Pro, Mac Mini with near HD quality.
The Mac-stylish UI is highly acclaimed among DVD users. Working as an all-in-one free media player, you can even play ISO image, Video_TS folder, play 4K/8K UHD videos, 3D videos, etc, all at your fingertips.
Support playing CSS, RCE, Sony ARccOS, Disney protected DVDs;
Not only a free DVD player on Mac, but also an HD 4K UHD media player, downloader and Airplay sender/receiver;Clean and awesome skin and UI.
Hold no brief for multi-language.
2. VLC Media Player
VLC is the most popular open-source and cross-platform media player that supports physical media (DVD, Audio-CD, VCD), almost all audios and videos (H264, MPEG4, MP4, MOV, AVI, Ogg, MKV, MP3, etc). It is the best option available as free DVD player for Mac OS X, Windows, Linux, Android, iOS, etc. Technically, you can even use this Mac DVD player software to play encrypted DVD discs without the aid of any third party software, as long as your Mac computer has a DVD drive for you to insert and view your disc.
Great audio/video performance;
Support playback of encrypted DVDs from Disney, Sony, paramount, etc;
Support a wide range of media file types, including HD and Bluray discs.
The user interface is a little bit unlikeable, with skin options needing enhancement;
Run into problems like VLC won't play MKV, VLC won't play DVD and VLC audio sync from users feedbacks.
3. Apple DVD Player
Apple 64-bit DVD Player app is the default program for DVD playback on macOS Big Sur. It supports all the standard DVD features such as multiple audio, video & subtitle tracks as well as Dolby Digital 5.1 passthrough, DVD access URLs and closed captions. Sometimes, the Mac DVD disc player accepts .VOB files as well.
And it is fully compatible with DVDs authored by DVD Studio Pro and iDVD. Whereas complying with most copyright laws and enforcing the most restrictive measures of DVD tech, it's inevitably confined to DVD region codes and encryption techs, which leads users to use alternative DVD software.
Comes bundled in Mac machines and is totally free to play DVD on MacBook Pro, iMac, etc.
Need a built in optical drive or external drive for Mac like Apple USB SuperDrive that comes with a DVD Player.
4. KMPlayer
KMPlayer is similar to VLC, which is also a solid open-source media player that can deal with any media and subtitle formats you throw at it, ranging from VCD, DVD, AVI, MKV, OGM, 3GP, WMV, QuickTime to compressed audio album.
The bonus features enable you to play damaged/incomplete AVI file, locked files while downloading and even play movies without worrying about formats and storage on Android and iOS. Editor from CNET gives KMplayer 4-star rating. No wonder it is one of the best DVD player for Mac OS X to play DVD movies on Mac mini, MacBook, etc.
Easy access to subtitle management, brightness adjustments and frame captures;
Handle a bewildering variety of media files;
Stream local videos to your mobile device via Wi-Fi, provided you install Connect app on Android or iOS.
A preview-heavy Mac DVD movies player that throws ads and links constantly;
Sometimes fail to play DVDs on Mac due to Region Code issue
5. XBMC
Labeled as the High Definition Hub for all kinds of media, XBMC Media Center joins our top 5 best DVD player working for Mac list with no ambiguity. This free open-source media center is a pretty good contender as 5KPlayer, being easy to use, slick and supported by a large community of users. It offers a number of options and settings that allow you to play DVDs on Mac OS right out of the box from the main menu something other free DVD players cannot do yet maximize DVD playback quality.
Look great from the start with lots of skins;
Stream video over a network with no effort.
Take some time to customize for Macs.
6. QuickTime
QuickTime media player is the default DVD/video player on Mac OS system and is obviously the best option for Mac users to play DVD freely. This best Mac freeware for playing DVD supports most common video/audio formats, enables you to play HD videos, record, edit and stream internet videos as well. It turns your Mac into a DVD player for watching movies without a TV. All you need to do is to select the file from the menu option, click on Open and navigate to the file you want to watch.
Slick user interface.
Supports limited video formats, WMV and DivX are not playable.
Once in a while, it will drive users crazy when it plays DVD but no sound from DVD player.
7. Mac Media Player
Macgo Free Mac Media Player is a basic but efficient program to play all kinds of media files right on your Mac, whether they originate on your computer or on a disk. As soon as you install this program, it's ready to go, so you won't have to worry about managing complicated configurations or setups before you start playing your files. It also offers super high definition visual effects & fabulous DTS5.1 audio spectacle.
A powerful high def video player with hardware acceleration capabilities.
Has the potential to use up plenty of system resources
What If Mac DVD Player Not Working? How to Fix It?
As you can see, each player has its own pros and cons. Some could play DVDs on Mac mini, Macbook Pro/Air, iMac etc. smoothly indeed, while DVD players not working on Mac sometimes happens as well. There are many reasons causing this:
- System issue usually after upgrading OS X to Big Sur.
- Bad or damaged superdrive. If your DVD drive is damaged, the player will not be open.
- Region issue on commercial DVDs.
- DVD disc is scratched or dirty. In this case, your DVD disc player can accept discs but they do not mount or are automatically ejected.
- Unsupported DVDs such as Blu-Ray discs, some commercial DVDs. If your DVD discs are not supported, the player will go to a black screen and then unexpectedly quit.
Solutions: As the reasons about DVD player not working above, you can find the corresponding way to fix DVD not playing problems, such as repairing or purchasing a new DVD drive, removing DVD region code, cleaning the dirty DVD discs, fixing the scratched DVDs etc. But in most cases, your DVD player is not working because your DVD discs are in unsupported DVD formats. Why not convert DVD to MP4, MOV, AVI, MKV, H.264 etc. accepted by all players or commen meida player? A versatile DVD ripper is what you need!
How to Play DVD on Mac (incl. Big Sur), If Extra Media Player Is Undesirable
It is easy to watch movies in the way of using a DVD movies player for Mac. But from time to time, your DVD player not working on Mac will perplex you. What if you end up with compatibility issues or you are reluctant to install an extra media player or take along DVD discs with your during travel?
To that end, MacX DVD Ripper Pro for Mac (DVD ripper for Windows 10) is here to settle down the problems. Working flawlessly on Mac OS X 10.5-10.15, it can copy and rip both homemade and commercial DVDs to whatever formats Mac computer accepts like MOV, MP4, M4V with ease, such that you can play DVD on Macbok Pro/Air, Mac mini, iMac without a hitch.
Especially, due to the absence of DVD hard drive on some Mac devices, directly playing DVD on Mac mini, Macbook Air/Pro etc. becomes a tall order. Luckily, this best Mac DVD ripper is built in 350+ preset profiles, empowering you not only to convert DVD to Mac general formats for unhindered DVD playing on Mac, but also rip DVD to Apple iPhone, iPad or Android Samsung, HTC for DVD playback on the go. The DVD ripping process is as simple as that when using the DVD player for Mac.
Step 1: Free download Mac DVD ripper, install and launch it. Insert the DVD your want to play to your hard drive by hitting the DVD button.
Step 2: If you just want to play DVD on Mac computer, you can simply choose the QuickTime supported video formats like MOV, MP4, M4V as the output format from the Mac General Video.
Step 3: Click Browse to specify the destination path.
Step 4: Hit RUN button to start DVD conversion on Mac.
Related: Best DVD Players for Car, Play USA Region 1 DVD in UK
Notice: The DVD ripper developer only encourages you to use this DVD ripper to digitize DVD movies for convenient playback on DVD for legal personal use, instead of illegal reproduction or distribution of copyrighted content. Please obey your local DVD copyright law before you rip protected DVDs. DO NOT do harm to others' lawful rights and interests.
The latest version of VLC, 3.0.12, brings some major improvements for macOS users. Especially those who got an M1-powered Mac, since this is the first version of the video player to natively support Apple silicon.
Note that after updating to v3.0.12 you will still have the x86 app. You need to hit Check for updates from the menu again, then you'll be shown v3.0.12.1, which is the actual ARM version of the app.
Even if you have an Intel-powered Mac, you should download this update as it fixes the audio distortion issues that happened on macOS. It has some UI improvements for Big Sur as well.
VLC 3.0.12.1 gains native support for running on the Apple M1 chip (image credit)
6. QuickTime
QuickTime media player is the default DVD/video player on Mac OS system and is obviously the best option for Mac users to play DVD freely. This best Mac freeware for playing DVD supports most common video/audio formats, enables you to play HD videos, record, edit and stream internet videos as well. It turns your Mac into a DVD player for watching movies without a TV. All you need to do is to select the file from the menu option, click on Open and navigate to the file you want to watch.
Slick user interface.
Supports limited video formats, WMV and DivX are not playable.
Once in a while, it will drive users crazy when it plays DVD but no sound from DVD player.
7. Mac Media Player
Macgo Free Mac Media Player is a basic but efficient program to play all kinds of media files right on your Mac, whether they originate on your computer or on a disk. As soon as you install this program, it's ready to go, so you won't have to worry about managing complicated configurations or setups before you start playing your files. It also offers super high definition visual effects & fabulous DTS5.1 audio spectacle.
A powerful high def video player with hardware acceleration capabilities.
Has the potential to use up plenty of system resources
What If Mac DVD Player Not Working? How to Fix It?
As you can see, each player has its own pros and cons. Some could play DVDs on Mac mini, Macbook Pro/Air, iMac etc. smoothly indeed, while DVD players not working on Mac sometimes happens as well. There are many reasons causing this:
- System issue usually after upgrading OS X to Big Sur.
- Bad or damaged superdrive. If your DVD drive is damaged, the player will not be open.
- Region issue on commercial DVDs.
- DVD disc is scratched or dirty. In this case, your DVD disc player can accept discs but they do not mount or are automatically ejected.
- Unsupported DVDs such as Blu-Ray discs, some commercial DVDs. If your DVD discs are not supported, the player will go to a black screen and then unexpectedly quit.
Solutions: As the reasons about DVD player not working above, you can find the corresponding way to fix DVD not playing problems, such as repairing or purchasing a new DVD drive, removing DVD region code, cleaning the dirty DVD discs, fixing the scratched DVDs etc. But in most cases, your DVD player is not working because your DVD discs are in unsupported DVD formats. Why not convert DVD to MP4, MOV, AVI, MKV, H.264 etc. accepted by all players or commen meida player? A versatile DVD ripper is what you need!
How to Play DVD on Mac (incl. Big Sur), If Extra Media Player Is Undesirable
It is easy to watch movies in the way of using a DVD movies player for Mac. But from time to time, your DVD player not working on Mac will perplex you. What if you end up with compatibility issues or you are reluctant to install an extra media player or take along DVD discs with your during travel?
To that end, MacX DVD Ripper Pro for Mac (DVD ripper for Windows 10) is here to settle down the problems. Working flawlessly on Mac OS X 10.5-10.15, it can copy and rip both homemade and commercial DVDs to whatever formats Mac computer accepts like MOV, MP4, M4V with ease, such that you can play DVD on Macbok Pro/Air, Mac mini, iMac without a hitch.
Especially, due to the absence of DVD hard drive on some Mac devices, directly playing DVD on Mac mini, Macbook Air/Pro etc. becomes a tall order. Luckily, this best Mac DVD ripper is built in 350+ preset profiles, empowering you not only to convert DVD to Mac general formats for unhindered DVD playing on Mac, but also rip DVD to Apple iPhone, iPad or Android Samsung, HTC for DVD playback on the go. The DVD ripping process is as simple as that when using the DVD player for Mac.
Step 1: Free download Mac DVD ripper, install and launch it. Insert the DVD your want to play to your hard drive by hitting the DVD button.
Step 2: If you just want to play DVD on Mac computer, you can simply choose the QuickTime supported video formats like MOV, MP4, M4V as the output format from the Mac General Video.
Step 3: Click Browse to specify the destination path.
Step 4: Hit RUN button to start DVD conversion on Mac.
Related: Best DVD Players for Car, Play USA Region 1 DVD in UK
Notice: The DVD ripper developer only encourages you to use this DVD ripper to digitize DVD movies for convenient playback on DVD for legal personal use, instead of illegal reproduction or distribution of copyrighted content. Please obey your local DVD copyright law before you rip protected DVDs. DO NOT do harm to others' lawful rights and interests.
The latest version of VLC, 3.0.12, brings some major improvements for macOS users. Especially those who got an M1-powered Mac, since this is the first version of the video player to natively support Apple silicon.
Note that after updating to v3.0.12 you will still have the x86 app. You need to hit Check for updates from the menu again, then you'll be shown v3.0.12.1, which is the actual ARM version of the app.
Even if you have an Intel-powered Mac, you should download this update as it fixes the audio distortion issues that happened on macOS. It has some UI improvements for Big Sur as well.
VLC 3.0.12.1 gains native support for running on the Apple M1 chip (image credit)Macs aside, the latest VLC adds support for the RIST protocol, improves how settings for adaptive streaming resolution are handled, updates the YouTube and Vocaroo scripts, touches up the web interface and patches several security issues. Also, crashes with Direct3D video filters have been fixed.
You can find download links and the full changelog at the Video LAN website.
Source | Via
Reader comments
- mhe
Vlc Big Surface
what a trouble name! use arm or arm64 instead of apple silicon
- Anonymous
- YQP
The what lol, vlc is more stable than default media player that comes with Android and windows
- Anonymous
- YQP
Big Sur Os
It shows French can make good piece of software as well along with their excellent hardware
