The AC3 codec is a common headache for Android users, so why not get a video player that supports that natively? AC3 Player is a fairly simple video player app that allows users to play the tricky codec without any additional plugins or downloads. It boasts under-the-hood optimizations to help improve overall performance, frame rate, and more. It also supports a bunch of other video codecs, and many audio codecs as well. There is also subtitle support, playback speed control, and a sleep timer if you need those. It’s one of the easier, simpler video player apps out there.

1. Windows Media Player Sync Android

AllCast is a video player that specializes in sending your locally stored content to your Chromecast, Roku, Apple TV, Xbox 360/One, and other DLNA compliant devices. Along with videos, it also supports other types of media. It has a bit of a rough start, but has quickly become one of the most stable casting apps out there. The free version has a five minute limit for content while the pro version has no limitations. You can also turn your Android device into an AllCast receiver (capable of being casted to) with the AllCast Receiver app. BSPlayer has been around for a longer than most video player apps and has continued to be one of the best in all that time.

It features multi-core hardware decoding, hardware accelerated playback, and support for streaming from network (DLNA) devices. On top of that, there is subtitle support, the ability to play files from compressed formats, and you can even have a pop-up window if you want to. The free version is ad-supported, but has all of the features. There are also additional plugins for even better support.

The full version runs for $5.99. LocalCast is a competitor to AllCast and they perform a lot of the same functions.

That includes streaming media from your device to a Chromecast, Xbox 360/One, Roku, Fire Stick, or Apple TV. Along with AllCast, it allows for streaming from cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox), and it should work on most DLNA compliant devices. It does only have the codecs that the Chromecast supports.

That should be most major codecs these days, though. Even so, it’s one of only a few respectable video player apps that perform this function. MoboPlayer is another one of those video player apps that has seemingly been around since dinosaurs roamed the planet. Don’t worry, the app received plenty of dates during that time. It claims to support all video formats (you may need to switch from hardware to software decoding sometimes) which is great news.

It also support subtitles, playlists, continuous playback, and you can stream video through HTTP and RTSP protocols if you want to. There are additional plugins you can add to increase functionality, but it’s an overall solid offering. MX Player has long been one of the most popular video player apps. It supported more formats long before other video player apps thought to do so and was also among the first to include things like hardware decoding, hardware accelerated playback, and other such features. It still has all of those things along with gesture controls (including pinch-to-zoom), subtitle support, a kids lock to keep your kids in the app watching their Disney movies, and it supports virtually every codec out there.

Like MoboPlayer, it comes with additional plugins to add more functionality if you need them. Plex is currently the best answer to the question of what to do if you have a lot of videos and only 32GB of storage on your phone. Plex allows you to set up a server on your computer and then it will stream content from your computer to your smartphone. It’s a bit unique from other video player apps, but it also doesn’t require you to keep your files on your device. That frees up valuable storage space for other stuff.

The service is free to set up, the mobile app costs $4.99, and you can get an optional $4.99 per month subscription to unlock all of the Plex Pass features. VLC has quickly made a name for itself as one of the must-have video player apps. It has a a slew of unique features, including the ability to stream videos if you have the URL.

It can also play some obscure video formats, like DVD ISOs. Unlike most, it also has all of its codecs built-in without the need for additional plugin downloads. Other features include subtitle support, full media support (including audio), multi-track audio, and more.

There is also a beta version in case you want to try out the latest features.

Movie playback is one area where Google hasn't really done much on Android. Its standard video player is still a defiantly dull grey and lifeless experience. The software maker clearly much keener on pushing its online sales and rental channels on Google Play, rather than encouraging users to fill their mobiles with their own movie files. That said, a decent model - and even older phones such as Samsung's excellent Galaxy SII - have more than enough power to run today's HD video content. Although manufacturer politics can play a part in unfairly restricting video playback.

Some mobiles only officially allow their users to play MP4 files, for example, as if they somehow convey more legitimate forms of media than the other movie formats available. Plus, when it comes to video playback, the dreaded (and often overstated) Android fragmentation situation really is a big issue.

But it's a hardware problem in the most part. The huge variety in Android chip suppliers out there, from old handsets with single-core ARMv6 chips up to 2012's quad-core monsters, means that some phones won't work very well as media players no matter what app you use. Put simply, if your phone is still an HTC Wildfire, none of the apps here will get HD MKV files running smoothly on your phone. But, if you do have something relatively modern with a fast processor, the following media apps ought to spice up Google's rather boring movie playback options, and at least widen your options when it comes to video viewing. Our academy has seen them all. And the nominees for best app are 1. Movies By Flixster Pitching itself as a complete package for moviegoers, Flixster lets you stream and download films, build a cloud-based library of purchased titles, check out reviews on its site, and find cinema listings for those times when a pocket-sized picture just isn't enough.

Ad-heavy, but free and Facebook-friendly. MX Player Taking almost any file format in its stride (and offering plugins for the rest), this is the perfect player for movie libraries amassed from a range of sources.

Its also a great one to leave with the kids, as its child-lock keeps them out of your inbox and current account. Claims to 'play everything' on its Google Play artwork, and with over 10,000,000 downloads, it's the most popular option out there. MX Player's big selling point is hardware support that's augmented by multi-core decoding, so if you're running a modern dual-core processor, you ought to see a significant performance boost. 3.Google Play Movies & TV With Google making a pretty penny flogging third-party players through its Google Play store, they'd be forgiven for downplaying their own free app – but this a typically slick offering access to thousands of titles to rent or buy, all available for instant streaming or downloading to watch offline.

MoboPlayer Much like MX Player, this is an all-purpose movie player designed to decode so many file formats it's tempting to start making them up (kiss my.ass file, Mobo! Wait, it can actually do that one). Offering support for subtitles, playlists and pop-out windows, this Mobo deserves its own award A comprehensive list of supported codecs makes MoboPlayer a good choice, although being entirely software based means you'll need something with some serious processor power to watch anything approaching HD resolution. Still, for getting subtitled MKVs and more exotic movie file types running on Android models that don't officially support them, it's a decent, simple and free choice. 5.Crackle Free to download and free to watch, this Flash streaming app intercuts playback with ads for an old-school, ITV feel. Movies are mostly drawn from Sony's back catalogue, so you won't find all the latest releases here (, anyone?), but did we mention it's completely free?. 6.VPlayer Yours for under a fiver after a week's free trial, VPlayer promises to get the best out of your handset with a choice of hardware or software decoding.

Smooth HD playback proves no problem on a dual core device, and it boasts less battery drain than its rivals to boot. 7.BigFlix If your tastes lean closer to Bollywood than Hollywood, you could do a lot worse than check out this free repository of Hindi, Tamil and Bengali blockbusters, offering unlimited monthly streaming for a flat fee. If your tastes lean more towards, there's nothing we can do to help you. 8.Crunchyroll Mmm Crunchyroll. Another specialist player, this time packed full of the latest Japanese Anime, Crunchyroll offers most download content for free after its first week of release, and ad-free streaming with a paid membership. English subtitles are favoured over dubbing for a fully authentic experience, and the interface is in English, too. 9.VLC for Android Beta A much-loved (if occasionally moody) open-source player, VLC has yet to perfect its Android offering.

Warning that it's liable to 'kill your kitten, destroy your house and start the Mayan apocalypse', this beta version is still worth a look, handling most media files and network streams with something approaching aplomb. However, it's free, plays most media types through a home network, lets you adjust aspect ratios, and much more. It'll be great, when it's really finished. 10.Netflix Love film?

Then you need Netflix, obviously. A monthly sub gives you access to thousands of films via your phone, tablet, console or Smart TV, with the ability to start watching on one device, then pick up where you left off on another.

Windows Media Player Sync Android

A tempting free trial offers full access for one month.