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A new, comprehensive media player from Microsoft

A new, comprehensive media player from Microsoft

Vote: (2 votes)

Program license: Free

Developer: Microsoft

Works under: Windows

Vote:

Program license

(2 votes)

Free

Developer

Microsoft

Works under:

Windows

Pros

  • Well-designed interface
  • Supports local content
  • Supports Windows store content

Cons

  • Slow initial parsing

Movies & TV is a Windows app that lets you watch movies, television shows and more.

Movies & TV is a Windows app designed by Microsoft specifically for Windows and the Windows ecosystem. It is an excellent option for users who purchase and rent content from the Microsoft Store. If you tend to get your content elsewhere, then there are likely better options for you.

The program has a well-designed interface that uses the Metro style. It feels a lot like a website. You can move between tabs easily via the side menu bar. All of the content you have access to are displayed as thumbnails. These thumbnails appear on the page without any noticeable delay, and they are very easy to see and read even if you are viewing this on a big screen from across the room.

Microsoft categorizes content into movies, TV and videos. It supports all content from the Windows Store. If you have purchase or rented a movie, you will find it in the movies section. If you have purchased or rented a television episode or season, you will find it in the TV section. Microsoft also supports local content, and you will find those files accessible in the videos section.

Being able to access your own local content is a nice touch. If you have a lot of content, the initial parsing of your collection can be slow. The program may even appear to hang at times as it works its way through. You will only have to deal with that one time—unless you add many files all at once—and when it is done, subsequent searches and iterations will be quite fast.

File format support is good but not great. Support includes AVI, ASF, M4V, MOV, MP4 and WMV. There are some rather popular formats, such as MKV, that are not supported. If a file format you want is not supported, there is not much you can do about it, such as installing an appropriate codec. Movies & TV simply does not deliver that level of sophistication.

Moves & TV is set to download and stream content in HD by default. You can opt for SD if you have limited bandwidth or whatnot. If you are looking for content, the app provides suggestions based on what you have watched recently or what is in your collection. If you have some episode or seasons but not all, the app provides convenient links to the content you are missing.

Perhaps the most surprising aspect is that integration with the Windows Store is not great. You cannot purchase and rent content inline. It has to switch you back and forth, which is cumbersome. You may be better off just using the Store app directly and then switching to Movies & TV when ready to watch.

Pros

  • Well-designed interface
  • Supports local content
  • Supports Windows store content

Cons

  • Slow initial parsing