I recently got a Sequoia device and I’m having trouble finding a video player that works well with it. Most of the popular options either don’t run smoothly or are missing features I need. Has anyone found a reliable video player for Sequoia that handles different file formats and offers good performance? Any suggestions or tips would be appreciated.
Trying Out Video Players on macOS Sequoia: My Take
Alright, so I’ve bounced between a bunch of media apps on my MacBook running Sequoia. Some of them claim to “just work,” but half the time it’s like rolling the dice—will your MKV finally play, or will you get that dreaded ‘unsupported format’ popup again?
A Player That Actually Reads the Weird Stuff
Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve collected some ancient AVI files, a bunch of WMVs from someone’s old hard drive, and I even have a regular supply of subtitled K-dramas in formats I’d never even heard of. Most Apple-bundled stuff chokes on at least some of this. So I scoured the App Store and stumbled across Elmedia Player.
Real talk: It runs all of my files. No hunting down weird codec packs. No crashing. It doesn’t even flinch when I dump an entire folder of videos into it (which has broken lesser apps, trust me).
Subtitles—No More Sync Headaches
Not to oversell it, but subtitles are a dealbreaker for some. I’ve had to watch too many things with burned-in, ugly yellow text, or the timing off by five seconds. With this player, you just drag and drop a subtitle file, and it works. Multiple formats, font settings—it’s there.
Streaming to Stuff Without Headaches
Okay, so I wanted to flex and beam some media to an actual TV. Chromecast? Apple TV? Even my LG set? No problem. Didn’t have to fuss with network settings or dig through forums for workarounds. Click a button, select the device, and your video is on the big screen. Why can’t everything be this straightforward?
Not a Beauty Queen, But a Mac Match
Look, the UI isn’t going to win a design award, but it doesn’t look like an app from 2009 either. Everything’s where I expect it, clean, and doesn’t make me dig through six menus to change the aspect ratio. Totally feels at home on a Mac.
TL;DR (For Anyone Who Just Wants the Answer)
- Handles all those weird file formats in my dusty “Movies” folder
- Subtitles are easy and adjustable
- Streaming to TV just…works
- Mac interface that’s not an eyesore
You tell me if there’s a better all-in-one that doesn’t require a YouTube tutorial before use. For now, this is the one that actually lets me watch stuff instead of troubleshoot.
4 Likes
Not gonna lie, as much as @mikeappsreviewer geeked out over Elmedia (and, yeah, it is a solid pick if you want something plug-n-play for weird files and streaming), I gotta challenge the idea there isn’t anything else worth considering—especially for folks who tinker with all sorts of formats or want a more open-source route.
Personally, I gave IINA a run on Sequoia, and it’s smooth as butter on everything I’ve thrown at it—4K MKVs, HEVC, all the subs you can imagine. Where Elmedia impresses with plug-and-play, IINA wins on customization. Keyboard shortcuts? You bet. Visual tweaks? Tons. Extra filters? They’re there. Bonus: It has an honestly nice Mac-friendly UI (feels a little more modern to me), and it’s all free, which matters if you like open-source stuff.
That being said, AirPlay and streaming get dicey with IINA compared to Elmedia—so yeah, if seamless TV casting is your jam, Elmedia does edge ahead. But for the purists, hobbyists, or those who like to tweak every little playback quirk, IINA is hard to beat. I wouldn’t say Elmedia is the “only” choice, but for less techy folks or anyone who just wants it to “work” without extra effort, it definitely earns the rep @mikeappsreviewer gives it.
tl;dr:
- Elmedia Player: foolproof, format-eater, best for anyone who’s had enough of “this file can’t be played”-style trauma.
- IINA: for the customization-obsessed or open-source fans who don’t mind fiddling with settings and might skip on seamless streaming.
It’s more Coke/Pepsi than “there’s only one answer.” Just comes down to which problems annoy you more—file compatibility headaches, or hunting for an extra feature. YMMV, but at least you’ve got real picks on Sequoia now.
Honestly, it sounds like you’re living the same fever dream I had last month after upgrading to Sequoia—‘best video player’ turns into “what fresh hell will finally play this file,” am I right? So, seeing the debate between Elmedia Player and IINA pop up isn’t a shocker—@mikeappsreviewer and @mike34 nailed a lot of the practical angles: Elmedia for lazy plug-n-play, IINA for the Mac-hipster tweakers. But here’s my wild take: most folks (me included) just wanna hit “play” and see video, not get stuck reading forum threads about codecs or discovering another open-source project that silently dies after macOS updates.
VLC? Everyone always shouts “just use VLC!” except it’s had weird performance hiccups on Sequoia (maybe it’s just me??). Subtitles randomly ghosting me, UI frozen—actual drama. Movist Pro is slick but wants your money and still sometimes freaks over high-bitrate HEVC. Far as I care, Elmedia Player is the only app that hasn’t given me that white-hot “why won’t this work” rage, especially with casting files and not caring what random filetype I toss at it. Sure, it’s not as geek-friendly as IINA for customization, but at least it actually works right now (which, with Sequoia, is all I dream of).
So, in my completely non-expert, outrage-fueled experience: Elmedia Player, despite not being perfect or free, is the one that finally killed my losing streak of weird videos failing. Don’t care how pretty the UI is or if it’s open-source. I care that I don’t have to explain to my partner why the episode won’t play—for the fourth freaking time this week.
Please, someone prove me wrong and show anything that’s actually smoother on Sequoia—I’ll buy you a hypothetical digital coffee if you do. For now: Elmedia all the way, just so I can finally binge in peace.