about · early access · Indev A26
a playerthat works.
PRISM started as frustration with players that crashed on rare formats, looked ten years old, or needed three codec packs to open a plain MKV. This page is the long version.
the short version
VLCandMPCplayeverything,andlooklikeitisstill2008.macOShasbeautifulplayers;Windowshasnothing,andtheappMicrosoftshipsbelongsoutthewindow.SoPRISMexists:libmpvunderneath,soitplayswhateveryouthrowatit,andanative**WinUI3**interfaceontop,soitfinallylookslikeitbelongsonWindows11.
how itgot here.
Four phases. Two are done, one is happening in the current build, one is the public alpha.
phase 01done
the itch
VLC and MPC play everything and look like it is still 2008. macOS has beautiful players, Windows has nothing, and the one Microsoft ships belongs out the window. The idea: a player that plays anything and looks like it belongs on Windows 11.
phase 02done
MPV core
Instead of reinventing decoding, PRISM embeds libmpv, the most capable playback core there is, and wraps it in a native WinUI 3 app: hardware decoding, Watch Together, casting to a TV, Prism Island.
phase 03now
Prism Native
An experimental media framework in Rust that should one day replace libmpv. It already has a switch in the settings, marked coming soon.
phase 04next
public alpha
The first public build, and the repository opened under LGPL v2.1.
two engines,one player.
Mainstream media goes through the MPV core. Everything it cannot see goes through Prism Native. You never pick; the file does.
today
MPV core
- every format FFmpeg knows: HEVC, AV1, VP9, ProRes, FLAC
- hardware decoding with D3D11VA and DXVA2
- ASS, SRT and PGS subtitles, styled your way
- links and streams via yt-dlp, up to 4K
experimental
Prism Native
- a media framework written in Rust
- meant to replace libmpv inside PRISM
- already has a switch in the settings
- marked coming soon: not usable yet
four rules.
01
no codec packs.
Everything a file needs ships in the installer. If PRISM cannot play something, that is a bug to fix, not a download to find.
02
looks like it belongs.
Fluent design, acrylic windows and a title bar that adapts to what is playing. A player that finally fits Windows 11 instead of fighting it.
03
light on purpose.
No background services, no telemetry, no updater daemon. A window, a file, a play button.
04
built in the open.
The repository opens with the public alpha, under LGPL v2.1 like the libmpv it links to.
0
formats on the pill wall, and counting
0
codec packs, filters or runtime installers
0
installer, for Windows 11
A0
indev builds so far
questionsI get.
The honest answers, including the ones about the name.
Yes. The repository opens with the public alpha under LGPL v2.1, the same license as the libmpv it links to.
next step