Open-source media player VLC's ability to play back just about any file I can throw at it has made me a fan, but its geeky feel and utilitarian interface can be a turnoff. Enter GOM Media Player (free). It’s a full-featured video player that can handle almost anything, and looks good doing it.

GOM Media Player supports a wide range of audio and video formats out of the box. Supported file types include flv, mp4, mov, mpg, ts, avi, divx, asx, wmv, m4v, dat, ifo, vob, 3gp/3gp2, rm/rmvb, mkv, ogm video files and mp3, .m4a, .aac, .ogg audio files.

If GOM doesn't support your file format, you're not out of luck. The application includes a Codec Finder service that tells you which codec you need, and points you to sources for downloads and more information about the codecs. It's a nice touch that offers enough freedom for advanced users and enough hand-holding for newbies.

Another nice touch is GOM's slick design.

The edges of the video player look like polished steel, and the buttons resemble those you'd see on an actual device. You can easily load videos, create playlists, fast forward and rewind, move quickly through the video to find an exact spot, and switch to full-screen mode.

Advanced users will appreciate options like the ability to capture the screen, change the stereo mode for audio playback, and adjust subtitle size and displayand all of these are laid out in a settings menu that doesn't feel overwhelming.

But all of this wouldn't matter if the video output didn't look good. Luckily, that wasn't the case: Video played back on GOM Media Player looked great. There’s no reason to not keep using GOM as my media player of choice.

Note: The "Try it for free" button on the Product Information page will download the software to your system.