If you are a music enthusiast as well as tech savvy, you may be familiar with M3U8 file extension. Nevertheless, most people do not understand this format or even have not heard of it. In fact, M3U8 is widely used on computers, websites and streaming services.
This post will share the basic knowledge about this audio format in detail. Then you will understand what is M3U8 and how to listen to it with the best M3U8 players on Windows 10/8.1/8/7 and Mac OS X.
Mac OS X, version 10.6 and later: uninstallflashplayerosx.dmg Mac OS X, version 10.4 and 10.5: uninstallflashplayerosx.dmg The uninstaller is downloaded to the. 5KPlayer is a new-style free media player for Mac OS as all-in-one HD video/music/DVD player, AirPlay/DLNA streamer and free online video/music downloader. It plays 4K/5K, 360°, MKV, MP4, AVI, WMV, MP3 music & DVD on Mac flawlessly.
M3U8 Players
Part 1: What is m3u8?
In brief, M3U8 is the file extension of audio playlist encoded with UTF-8. It uses plain text files to store the information of audio tracks and music, such as the absolute paths and relative paths of local audio files, as well as URLs. Both audio and video players are able to get where media files are located through the information.
As mentioned previously, M3U8 does not contain media content but the location information.
M3U8 files can be opened and edited by most text editors, such as Notepad on Windows. However, if you want to listen to it, you have to prepare a M3U8 player.
Part 2: Top 5 M3U8 players
Top 1: AnyMP4 Blu-ray Player
Key features:
- • Read M3U8 files and let you to listen to music simply.
- • Keep the original quality of audio tracks and music.
- • Support almost all audio formats and media file extensions.
- • Integrate an audio equalizer to get the desired audio effects.
- • Compatible with Windows 10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP and Mac OS X.
Pros
- • The interface is user friendly and easy to use.
- • This M3U8 player is flexible and available to both average people and tech savvy.
Cons
- • Since AnyMP4 Blu-ray Player is a professional media player you need to purchase it after the free-trial.
Top 2: VLC Media Player
Key features:
- • Pack a wide range of video and audio codecs, such as MP3, M4V, WMA, M4A, etc.
- • Get the information in M3U8 files and play audio tracks.
- • Available to both local music files and online streaming.
- • Convert M3U8 files to audio tracks for playing on any devices.
- • Include several bonus tools, such as rip audio from CD, download online music, and more.
Pros
- • This M3U8 player is open source and free of charge.
- • It is an all-in-one media player with extensive features.
Cons
Media Players For Mac Os X
- • It is not suitable to beginners since functionalities are hidden in the menu bar.
- • There are too many custom options.
Top 3: iTunes
Key features:
- • Import M3U8 files as well as the audio tracks in the playlists.
- • Add music in the M3U8 playlist to iTunes library automatically.
- • Create a playlist based on the M3U8 file in iTunes with the specified order.
- • Sync the playlists to iOS devices through a USB cable or Wi-Fi network.
Pros
- • This M3U8 player is completely free to download and use.
- • It is available to both Windows and Mac.
Cons
- • You have to update iTunes frequently.
- • Some songs in the M3U8 file may be not available in iTunes due to copyright.
Top 4: Windows Media Player
Key features:
- • Open M3U8 files and add the audio tracks automatically.
- • Keep the order of the M3U8 playlist.
- • Support WMA, MP3 and popular audio formats.
- • Offer multiple modes, such as listen to music by order or random.
- • Expandable with extra plugins and codecs.
Pros
- • This M3U8 player is pre-installed on Windows.
- • It is able to play online streaming.
Cons
- • You cannot find advanced settings in this media player.
- • It only offers 4 levels of audio quality.
Top 5: Songbird
Key features:
- • Compatible with Windows XP/Vista, Mac OS X 10.5 and Linux.
- • Play popular audio formats, such as MP3, AAC, Ogg, Vorbis, FLAC and WMA.
- • Able to open M3U8 files and import audio files automatically.
- • Pack a customizable interface with various skins.
- • Display basic information of audio tracks.
Pros
- • This M3U8 player is expandable with various addons and extensions.
- • It allows you to control the audio playback with hotkeys.
Cons
- • This audio player is large and takes up space.
- • Some functionalities are difficult to use.
Part 3: Top 3 m3u8 players online
Top 1: Castr Player
https://castr.io/hlsplayer
Key features:
- • Test your M3U8 streams online for free.
- • Offer a video tutorial on the home page.
- • Support HLS and MPEG-Dash.
- • One-click to start the audio playback.
- • No require to install or download anything on your computer
Pros
- • This online M3U8 player responds fast.
- • It gives you total control to access streaming services on your own.
Cons
- • The free-trial is limited.
- • It cannot get online audio tracks offline.
Top 2: HLSTester
https://www.hlstester.com/
Key features:
Mp3 Players For Mac Osx
- • Play and test your streams online without downloading anything.
- • Support every stream type, such as M3U8, RTMP, MP4, etc.
- • Test your music streams with a single click.
- • Offer the plugin for web browsers for free.
- • Load audio tracks quickly.
Pros
- • The interface of this online M3U8 player is intuitive.
- • There is no extra requirement, such as registration.
Cons
- • It needs VPN to access in some regions.
- • It may crash if your internet connection is not very good.
Top 3: HLSPlayer
https://www.hlsplayer.net/
Key features:
- • Play M3U8 and HLS playlists through the internet connection.
- • Completely free to use without restrictions.
- • Search for audio streams based on the M3U8 playlist automatically.
- • Offer a RTMP player and a MP4 player as well.
Pros
- • The interface is straightforward and easy to navigate.
- • This M3U8 player is available in most popular web browsers.
Cons
- • It does not offer extensions for Firefox or Chrome.
Part 4: FAQs of M3U8 player
How can I play M3U8 file in HTML?
HTML5 does not support M3U8 files playback. For opening the M3U8 videos on HTML5, you need to insert the following command:
<link href=“https://vjs.zencdn.net/6.6.3/video-js.css” rel=“stylesheet”>
<script src=“https://vjs.zencdn.net/6.6.3/video.js”></script>
<script src=“https://unpkg.com/videojs-flash/dist/videojs-flash.js”></script>
<script src=“https://unpkg.com/videojs-contrib-hls/dist/video js-contrib-hls.js”></script>
<video class=“video-js vjs-default-skin vjs-big-play-centered” data-setup=’{“controls”: true, “autoplay”: true }’>
<source src=“http://sample.vodobox.net/skate_phantom_flex_4k/skate_phantom_flex_4k.m3u8” type=“application/x-mpegURL”>
Your browser does not support HTML5 video.
</video>
How do I convert M3U8 to MP4?
Video Player Mac Os
For converting M3U8 to MP4, you will need the professional M3U8 converter software. VLC, M3U8 Loader App, etc. Learn the detailed steps of converting M3U8 to MP4 here.
Which browser supports M3U8 files playback?
Microsoft Edge plays M3U8 files but you must make sure your computer run on windows 8 or 10.
Conclusion
We have shared the best M3UP player software and online M3U8 players. Now, you should understand what is M3U8 file and how to listen to music with your M3U8 playlist on Windows and Mac.
For Hyper-V Enabled Hosts:
CPU Requirements:
- Intel Sandy Bridge or a newer CPU
- AMD Bulldozer or a newer CPU
Host Operating Systems:
- Windows 10 2004
Minimum Requirements to Run Container Runtime on workstation Windows Host Operating Systems:
- Windows 10 1809 or higher
Minimum Requirements to Dark Theme support on Workstation Windows Host Operating Systems:
- Windows 10 1809 or higher
For 3D Hardware Accelerated Graphics Support:
Hardware Requirements:
- For Windows hosts, a GPU that supports DirectX 11 is required.
- For Linux hosts, the latest NVIDIA proprietary drivers are required.
- For Linux hosts, AMD devices are not supported
Software Requirements:
64-bit Host Operating System:
- Windows 8 or higher
- GNU/Linux with NVIDIA drivers that support OpenGL 4.5 and above
Guest Operating System
- Windows 7 or higher
- GNU/Linux with vmwgfx
*With exception, the following CPUs are not supported:
- Intel Atom processors based on the 2011 “Bonnell” micro-architecture (e.g. Atom Z670/Z650; Atom N570)
- Systems using Intel Atom processors based on the 2012 “Saltwell” micro-architecture (e.g. Atom S1200, Atom D2700/D2500, Atom N2800/N2600.
- Systems using AMD processors based on the “Llano” and “Bobcat” micro-architectures (e.g. code-named “Hondo”, “Ontario”, “Zacate”, “Llano”)
In addition, the following CPUs are supported:
- Intel processors based on the 2010 “Westmere” micro-architecture (e.g. Xeon 5600, Xeon 3600, Core i7-970, Core i7-980, Core i7-990)
Download Mac Os X Free
For a complete list of supported host and guest the operating systems visit the VMware Compatibility Guide.