video player for vista?

I'm helping a non-tech friend set up a new Viao/VistaHome laptop that will mostly be used for watching online videos/movies and rented DVD/Blueray. I'm okay with XP but have no experience with Vista or Chrome, or which video apps and plugins work well.

Assumptions:
1. Choice is between Win Media Center, VLC and MPlayer. Any others?
2. Need plugins for DivX, Flash, QuickTime, RealPlayer, Silverlight and WMP. Others?
3. Chrome works well with all(?) of the apps and plugins above

Found very few issues when googling the plugins, VLC and MPlayer for problems, but there were a lot more for Win Media Center.

I'd appreciate learning others' experience with a similar setup (Vista+Chrome), and which video player works best for them.

Thanks!

 

I really appreciate the info and the links. Got the basics set up today, so it'll be next week for the codecs and testing the media apps you recommended.

Thanks, Halo.


PS. Interesting that Vista wasn't as different as I thought; mostly new names and paths for the same settings in XP.

 

I use the Intervideo for Vaio with excellent results. It came installed.
I've tried about every media player available and this is my experience only.

http://windvd-for-vaio.software.informer.com/8.0/

Also use the k-lite codecs. Have had no problems.
http://majorgeeks.com/K-Lite_Codec_Pack_Standard_d4620.html

 

Noticed the program and wondered how well it works. Appreciate the tip and the codec pack to use.

My friend is in an assisted living home and a late tech bloomer. Getting a leg up on which stuff works best is a great help for the limited times we have together.

Thanks, Samtal.