Mini-WebServer support, full Windows Vista support, improved shell integration, Audio-Bar mode, new Navigator interfaces...
New in v7.x:
Mini-WebServer support (control Zoom Player through any Web browser), automatic new version notification, enhanced Audio TAG display system, ability to show FFDShow's DeInterlacing and Sharpen settings, support for MadVR Video Rendering technology, support for FLAC Vorbis Audio TAGs, support for ID3v2 embedded image display, fullscreen Information Navigation interface, various other enhancements and bug fixes for earlier releases; Release Notes - Last Updated: 11.18.09 (v7.00)
Upgrade Meter: 3
New in v6.x:
New product names with new (higher) pricing structure (Zoom Player Home Pro, Premium, and Max editions); full Windows Vista support, improved shell integration, simpler to use and easier to configure, various enhancements and bug fixes for earlier releases; Release Notes - Last Updated: 09.04.08 (v6.0)
Upgrade Meter: 5
New in v5.x:
Media library full-screen interface, simplified Smart Media Mode, new "ZPS" Skin Installation system, various user interface improvements and new functions, various enhancements and bug fixes for earlier releases; Release Notes - Last Updated: 06.04.08 (v5.0)
Upgrade Meter: 4
New in v4.51:
New search function for the Intergrated Keyboard Editor, new H263 Customized Media Playback video profile and AMR Customized Media Playback audio profile, various enhancements and bug fixes for earlier releases; Release Notes - Last Updated: 08.01.05 Upgrade Meter: 2
New in v4.50:
Ability to play Windows Media Video DRM level 2000 content; enhanced Play List Navigator; enhancement to the Skinning code; new "White Wash" and "Gradient" patterns; new settings, values, and customized media profiles; playback support of segmented MPEG2 Transport files (in Zoom Player Professional); support for external Matroska Chapter files; new shortcuts for "fnPLItemUp" and "fnPLItemDown" functions that allow you to move items up and down within the Play List; various other enhancements and bug fixes for earlier releases; Release Notes - Last Updated: 07.05.05 Upgrade Meter: 5
New in v4.0.3: New functionality in the Communication interface, various other minor enhancements and bug fixes; Release Notes - Last Updated: 09.08.04 Upgrade Meter: 2
New in v4.0.2: New skin constants, more functions added to the TCP/IP interface, new setting for disabling Overlay on the VMR7 renderer, AC3Filter profile for Customized DVD filters, H264 profile for Customized Media Mode using the VideoSoft decoders, various other enhancements and bug fixes; Release Notes Upgrade Meter: 2
Pros: Plays nearly every imaginable multimedia fomat, basic settings and advanced settings mode to satisfy casual and expert users alike, high-quality DVD and video playback, free standard edition
Cons: Requires some plug-ins/additional downloads to support some formats (would be helpful is everything was included in a single download); despite supporting more formats than its competition, Zoom Player faces an uphill battle for popularity against Windows Media Player and RealPlayer
