PotPlayer now Adware!

[Baldrick]

Where exactly do you get the ads? Can you take a screenshot?

I have not yet seen any ads in Potplayer.

I have no idea what versions that have no "builtin" popups. But you could try https://www.videohelp.com/download/PotPlayerSetup64-1.7.18958.exe

[vanbrocklin]

Where exactly do you get the ads? Can you take a screenshot?

I have not yet seen any ads in Potplayer.

I have no idea what versions that have no "builtin" popups. But you could try https://www.videohelp.com/download/PotPlayerSetup64-1.7.18958.exe

with the latest version of potplayer i get a potplayer popup logo in the bottom right hand of my screen, which (from what i can gather) has been used for ads in some versions of potplayer, - i haven't gotten any ads so far, just the popup logo (ad placeholder?)... so i ended up uninstalling it (the latest version) and installed an older version without "_ads.exe" in the file name and so far i haven't seen the popup happen again....

[Baldrick]

Thanks! I will add a note about that in the potplayer description.

[Dreamer]

1.7.18958 64-bit should be adfree, but probably also some newer versions.

I don't have any popup window / ads in the latest versions either, but several users reported it in other forums, strange.

If you have these popup ads, you can ask developer via email, homepage - scroll down - CONTACT US. Then let us know, if he reply, please.

[geoton4]

Malware found by malwarebytes:

[Seeker47]

Malware found by malwarebytes:

As a general principle, single AV scanner results don't really cut it: too many ways it can toss out a false positive, as from the use of certain software tools in the coding development, or certain essential methods by which the program does its thing. It is a much better practice to use VirusTotal, which is free, and then read the multi-AV-scanners report with care and some understanding. Some of those AV scanners are major players, but some others are No Account No Names that I wouldn't put any value on.

Sometimes even multiple hits from the longtime major players does not really tell the tale, either: see many years of valid complaints from NirSoft and certain others. Programs that are good and do important or unique things, but which will always get flagged, due to their nature.

That exception above applies less in the case of something like a video player, which is not doing anything like password recovery.

Getting back to Potplayer, I have not read back through this thread, and I stopped using the program some time ago (although older versions may still be installed on a couple rigs), because I recall reading some disturbing reports about "phone home" tattletale behavior that could not be thwarted without crippling the program. I don't know how accurate those reports were, but I have a very LOW tolerance for that type of behavior from an app. It's why I have done whatever seemed possible to kill Win-10 telemetry, Cortana, etc., before I will make any sustained usage of that OS. Beyond that, I found the Daum Potplayer UI to be chaotic and unappealing. That said, there are videos that even VLC has problems with. And I'm kinda baffled by regularly seeing that "Could not resolve enough pins" error from MPC-BE or its siblings . . . yet sometimes the video still manages to play anyway ?

[Budman1]

Just my added comments... There is definitely truth in what Seeker47 says. I have written many software programs for video handling and each time I run the program from a new folder, Norton 360 (Major Player) says my program is accessing certain unauthorized areas and I have to allow it, although only one time allowance is necessary. Funny Norton lets me write it but stops when I run it. Hmmm

[Orthodox]

Would be really nice if I could just pay for a license for PotPlayer and not have to worry about it. No way they're making more on those ads than what a reasonable license would cost.

[Vanlife]

That sucks I switched to pot player to get away from bugs under VLC in more recent years in its playback and functions. I really like potplayer ability to stretch screen to get picture to fit the screen.

Gom just straight up does not function on my laptop.

Any other alternative free suggestions for screen stretching and play-ability for comercial dvd's?

[butterw]

stretch frame: AR correction ?

mpc-hc
mpc-be

[ValenNC]

In the C:\Program Files\DAUM\PotPlayer\Logos folder you'll find a potplayer.png file which is the logo. Delete it, problem solved. Why you can't edit this out in the preferences however is annoying.

[ValenNC]

Ugg, no it doesn't solve the problem. This logo appears still appears, perhaps it's on a first run but not after it seems.

[october262]

Ugg, no it doesn't solve the problem. This logo appears still appears, perhaps it's on a first run but not after it seems.

go to page 2 post #54 of this thread, to get the ad free version.

[Havokdan]

Where exactly do you get the ads? Can you take a screenshot?

I have not yet seen any ads in Potplayer.

I have no idea what versions that have no "builtin" popups. But you could try https://www.videohelp.com/download/PotPlayerSetup64-1.7.18958.exe

with the latest version of potplayer i get a potplayer popup logo in the bottom right hand of my screen, which (from what i can gather) has been used for ads in some versions of potplayer, - i haven't gotten any ads so far, just the popup logo (ad placeholder?)... so i ended up uninstalling it (the latest version) and installed an older version without "_ads.exe" in the file name and so far i haven't seen the popup happen again....

This popup never appeared to me.

[Dreamer]

This popup never appeared to me.

Same here, I'm trying to find a reason, could you tell us some information, please?

OS version, antivirus, PotPlayer version, country (at least continent, like "EU, Europe non-EU, North America, South America, Asia, Africa, Australia).

I think the reason could be - country dependent (users from Asia had these earlier + real ads, not just PP logo, users from US, Canada, UK had PP logo only), EU/GDPR law, antivirus/OS blocking.

My data: Windows 10 Home 2004 64-bit (+older), PotPlayer 201021 1.7.21306 64-bit (+any older), Defender (no other antivirus or antispyware), EU.

You can PM me, if you don't want to share your info, thanks.

[Havokdan]

This popup never appeared to me.

Same here, I'm trying to find a reason, could you tell us some information, please?

OS version, antivirus, PotPlayer version, country (at least continent, like "EU, Europe non-EU, North America, South America, Asia, Africa, Australia).

I think the reason could be - country dependent (users from Asia had these earlier + real ads, not just PP logo, users from US, Canada, UK had PP logo only), EU/GDPR law, antivirus/OS blocking.

My data: Windows 10 Home 2004 64-bit (+older), PotPlayer 201021 1.7.21306 64-bit (+any older), Defender (no other antivirus or antispyware), EU.

You can PM me, if you don't want to share your info, thanks.

Windows x64, PotPlayer x64 1.7.21311, South America, Kaspersky Internet Security

[yro]

Guys, all theses links redirects to potplayer main site and/or the company that makes potplayer (kaka something). its normal behaviour.

In my installs i never saw any banner or ads. I have potplayer updated and all great here, as usual..

I think people are complaining as their player of choise are total crap if compared to potplayer... am i wrong? prove me...

I have one question, if anyone can help, please: how can I watch my iptv channels in potplayer? the provider send me the url, port, login and password. all great at my lg tvs with webos, but how can i watch it in potplayer? i know potplayer supportes it but i just cant find the options..

[Dreamer]

yro - 1st part, just some users have the ads, some users don't have any ads, I don't have any either, read previous posts for more.

2nd part, it's OT.

[gendalv]

Another weird behavior I've noticed when PotPlayer is opened, is that the bottom right corner of the screen sometimes has an invisible box - like, even if it isn't showing an ad, it is still showing an invisible ad there, occupying the space for it, and blocking, for example, mouse selection of text or video scrolling or anything that is in that area on the screen.

[Dreamer]

gendalv - yes, as I said, some users have ads, some users don't have ads and just few users has such invisible object there.

Even after this was added to changelog: "Remove sponsor-related features", at least one user reported ads, but we'd need more reports, I can't help because I never had ads.

I tried to find why some users don't have ads, they could be small countries, or EU countries, that because of EU/GDPR author can't use ads there.

[Dreamer]

New review for the latest version:

After reading in the change log "* Remove sponsor-related features," I tried this current 64-bit beta version today. The installer passed VirusTotal scan on all vendors, and the install itself was flag-free. So far have NOT noticed any occurrence of the corner "empty ad window popup." Runs beautifully. Caveat: as with all other versions, I have blocked potplayermini.exe for both In and Out in Windows Defender Firewall. What we all hoped would happen may have really happened. I would say, "get it while it's hot" before someone at Daum changes their mind. Note this review only applies to the version specified.

Review by svk on Jul 24, 2021 Version: 210723 Beta 64-bit OS: Windows 10 64-bit Ease of use: 7/10 Functionality: 10/10 Value for money: 10/10 Overall: 9/10

[Baldrick]

New review for the latest version:

After reading in the change log "* Remove sponsor-related features," I tried this current 64-bit beta version today. The installer passed VirusTotal scan on all vendors, and the install itself was flag-free. So far have NOT noticed any occurrence of the corner "empty ad window popup." Runs beautifully. Caveat: as with all other versions, I have blocked potplayermini.exe for both In and Out in Windows Defender Firewall. What we all hoped would happen may have really happened. I would say, "get it while it's hot" before someone at Daum changes their mind. Note this review only applies to the version specified.

Review by svk on Jul 24, 2021 Version: 210723 Beta 64-bit OS: Windows 10 64-bit Ease of use: 7/10 Functionality: 10/10 Value for money: 10/10 Overall: 9/10

Adding a mirror for it here:
https://www.videohelp.com/download/PotPlayerSetup64-210723.exe

[Gus.Ghanem]

Just to be clear, Potplayer has been my favorite and default player since the very first version. I especially like the choice of audio/video renderers, and the normalizer...
I have not modified the HOSTS file or the Windows firewall rules. I have been trying every Beta version, and I still get the pop-up every now and then. The pop-up itself is not a big deal as there are no ads in it, my issue with it is that the player loses focus, and so I lose the right-click context menu and I have to right-click again, this is extremely annoying (I don't want to set the player to "stay on top" when not in full screen mode). I have tried every media player there is, and there's no competition, but if the focus issue persists, I may stop using Potplayer.

[malboro]

where are you guys getting the installer from? I never got any ads or prompts to install adware.
I got mine from https://potplayer.daum.net/ which seems to be the official site.

[Gus.Ghanem]

Yes, that's the only place we get it from. They stopped bundling third party apps in the installer a while back, but the logo pop-up in the lower right corner is still there for SOME people, but it doesn't show on every launch. It could be regional; I'm in Canada/North America.

[Dreamer]

I'm creating a poll about it, but I'm not sure if I should check this option:

"Make votes public"

What it means, that the user names will be visible for each vote, or just the number of votes will be visible for all users?

I want to make it anonymous, but all users should see the results, number of votes per answer.

[Baldrick]

I'm creating a poll about it, but I'm not sure if I should check this option:

"Make votes public"

What it means, that the user names will be visible for each vote, or just the number of votes will be visible for all users?

I want to make it anonymous, but all users should see the results, number of votes per answer.

I means that the user names will be visible for each vote. So don't select it.

[Dreamer]

Thanks.

Poll created here:

forum.videohelp.com/threads/404415-Do-you-have-a-popup-ad-in-PotPlayer-and-where-are-you-from

[Dreamer]

This text is at the main PotPlayer page:

Note! Potplayer might come with built-in popup-ads(get an old version from 2019-06 or older for no ads).

AFAIK, PotPlayer should not have any ads now, few users reported it here, I can't confirm it, because I never had popup ads in PotPlayer, but perhaps that note should be removed.

If anyone have any popup ad in PotPlayer - latest version, let us know here, please, especially users who had a popup ad in older versions.

[Baldrick]

This text is at the main PotPlayer page:

Note! Potplayer might come with built-in popup-ads(get an old version from 2019-06 or older for no ads).

AFAIK, PotPlayer should not have any ads now, few users reported it here, I can't confirm it, because I never had popup ads in PotPlayer, but perhaps that note should be removed.

If anyone have any popup ad in PotPlayer - latest version, let us know here, please, especially users who had a popup ad in older versions.

Okey. I have removed that note.