Table Of Content
jriver.com
The best viewing experience on traditional mediums is not necessarily dependent on your tv and internet connection alone. Cinephiles like you and I know the importance of having a quality DVD player software that can provide the best audio and video playback.
There are many media centers available catering to the needs of the audience. However, there is a lack of services that offer you detailed customization options. The reason why I did not face any issue with optimization is that I have been using JRiver Media Center for a long time.
JRiver provides a comprehensive movie-viewing experience with various plugins and personalization options, followed by a great user forum and knowledgebase. It earns a Top 5 position in my list of best media centers out there.
If you have heard of the word "JRiver" before, the following overview will give you all the information you need about it.
What is JRiver?
JRiver Media Center is one of the most modern multimedia playback and management solutions available. Its amazing interface makes it perfect for achieving the best audio and video quality. Along with its compatibility factor, this makes JRiver stand out from the competition. You can access your media whenever and wherever you want, as you can integrate them with services such as Hulu, Netflix, and Last.Fm. You can also use your Android, iOS devices as a remote control.
You can use the media center to rip, burn CDs, play music, listen to podcasts, copy music, and carry on other tasks. JRiver Media Center allows you to encode and play popular media formats. That isn't all because now we're going to check out different elements that make JRiver a great option to turn down.
Why should you use JRiver?
With a user-friendly interface and easy-to-use software, you can enjoy content on this software with ease. You can use it with a variety of digital formats along with the traditional discs. People don't have to be a techie to use this media player. It's user-friendly and once you get going, you'll get used to it within 20 minutes. Recording TV shows on integrated platforms has never been so easy.
Simplified tasks
I know that for many of us, ripping audio files, importing audio, searching for files on the hard drive, and converting files is not really an easy task. But JRiver makes sure that we can convert and even downmix and upmix audio easily. owing to its 64-bit audio path, you get pristine audio quality with lossless compression. Much of that can also be accredited to its DTS and Dolby audio support.
Flexible program
JRiver is one of the most flexible programs. It can play audio and video on different operating systems such as Mac, Windows, and Linux. You can integrate plugins, third-party software, and even add other scripts or manual tweaks to personalize the experience. It is due to its flexibility that JRiver consumes little CPU power allowing you to get the best experience without requiring your PC to be put in a clinic. Low power consumption provides you with processing speed, essential for multitasking.
Excellent Playback
JRiver Media Center's playback capabilities are amazing. It is smooth and stable, preventing lag and buffering. The resume function allows you to continue playing media from where you left off. You can change world regions as per your convenience and even connect with social media platforms such as YouTube and Twitter. The seamless playback allows you to post a comment directly from the media center. Not just that, you can also customize the skins as per your preference.
Massive Community
JRiver?s website might come off as unappealing but its contact resources are up-to-date. You can access the user forum where you can find answers to all your queries. You can ask various questions ranging from simple to complex customization options. There is a dedicated wiki page, where you can learn about different functions of this media player. Using the wiki, you will be able to get notification about upgrades, DVD software offers and so on.
Dual Interface
You can play both music and movies simultaneously with the Windows Media Player. While the Windows Media Player can provide this option, it doesn't do it in the same length. Not only can you play multiple media, but you can even decide the output. For instance, if you want ASIO output for music, you can do so as well. Thus, there's no room for compromise.
How to access JRiver?
The JRiver website can be found by searching for the term "JRiver" or by clicking on the JRiver screenshot on the left.
Design
Since we are focused more on reviewing the website, our focus will be on the design and interface of the website. Having said that, I will still share information about the actual player as well. The website is not at all impressive. It looks 2000s and does not justify the good work that is visible within the actual media center.
Header
I am disappointed that JRiver does not feel the need to update their website given their core competency in digital solutions.
Hero Section
The center of the page has a banner that reads "The Most Comprehensive Media Software." A few other sections are available on the page, including "Download Now?", "Audio?", "Video?", "Network?", "Home Theater?", and "Images." You can click on any of these sections to learn more about the service.
Body
There is no body section on the website. As you scroll once, you will find three options - Forum, Wiki, and Quotes. Beneath that, you can find various footer options.
Footer
The footer section on the website offers four options - About Media Center, Support, Corporate Solutions, and Other Products. Each of these categories has several options available. For example, instead of Support, you can access navigation options to pages such as Forum, Wiki, Developer, Licensing, Privacy Policy, and Links.
Inner Pages
There are not many inner pages on the website. As for the ones that are there, I do not like the download page the most. Why? Because I prefer staying on the website for a little longer. The download page has important content such as ?How this works?, ?Installation Guide?, ?Purchase?, and ?Download section?. You can also learn about prices and upgrade from an older version if you want to.
JRiver Media Center Interface
As said earlier, the media center interface is impressive. The end-product itself is worth spending your hard-earned money on, and the interface is well designed with various options on the left-hand side. These include ?Audio?, ?Burning, ?CD, ?DVD & BD?, ?Encoding?, ?File Location?, ?File Types?, ?General?, Handheld?, ?Library & Folders?, ?Media Network?, Podcasts, Remote Control, Services, Startup Options, Theater View, and Tree & View.
The interface of the software is sleek and modern. There is nothing like the website experience. Once you are in the software, you can choose from a wide range of skins, access panels for features such as audio, images, videos, performer stores, podcasts, playlist, drives & devices, services & plug-ins. At the bottom of the interface you have different options in the Action Window - rip disc?, burn disc?, sync handheld?, create playlist?, camera?, and tag.
Plans & Pricing
As for plans and pricing, you must pay a one-time license fee. If you want to purchase the master license, you need to spend $79.98. If you want the software for a specific platform, per se Windows or Mac, you need to spend $59.98.
Suggestions I have for JRiver
JRiver is an excellent media center with enormous capabilities. My only advice to the developers would be to improve the website experience, given that the landing page is so unconvincing. I'm not sure how the end-user makes the purchase decision after browsing such a poor website.
Conclusion
There is no denying the fact that JRiver is one of the best media players available in the market. The innovative interface coupled with complete control and customization of files makes it a stand out service. Thus, I would totally recommend this media center.
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