Best MP$ Video Player for Android 4.0.4

[Chaosrider]

I recently unearthed an old Samsung 8.9 Tablet, the SGH-1957. It worked fine when I bought it, but it only had Android 2.3, which meant I couldn't download any modern SW. At the time I tried to do that (about 2016, I bought the device in 2013), there was no upgrade path, according to Samsung. It has a phone in it, but it's an ATT locked device, and I'm boycotting ATT. It's hard to believe I'll buy another locked phone again.

I wanted to use that device as a running display of drone vids as part of my Savage Drones marketing effort, but it wouldn't run MP4s, which I expected.

On a lark, I decided to look again for an upgrade path for it, and I *found* one! The thing now has Android 4.0.4 installed!

What's the best free/cheap app to use for playing MP4s under Android 4.0.4?

Thx!

TCS

 

[mobilehomer]

Try VLC

 

[Chaosrider]

Try VLC

I didn't immediately see a version that was compatible with Android 4.0.4. I have VLC on my PC, and use it somewhat regularly.

I ended up downloading a Wondershare player, since I use Wondershare for my video editing, The file said it downloaded completely, but it doesn't seem to have been installed, and it didn't tell me to do anything to install.

APK is, I think, the kind of file that I downloaded. I'm not sure I've actually used 4.0.4 before on any of my devices. Where might I find the downloaded file to install it?

On the other hand, now that I've re-established its link to the collective and fed it 4.0.4, it's been happily feeding on updates on it's own. Perhaps once it finish that, something will just work.

If it doesn't, I'll do a more focused search for a VLC version that will run on 4.0.4. But advice on installing downloaded stuff using 4.0.4 specifically would be welcome.

Thx,

TCS

 

[Kilrah]

A good player is MX Player, but like with anything else finding an apk of a version old enough to run on an 11 year old OS might be a challenge. Maybe check apkmirror or such.
Tablet also might have trouble decoding some formats/lack hardware acceleration for what would be standard today.

 

[Chaosrider]

A good player is MX Player, but like with anything else finding an apk of a version old enough to run on an 11 year old OS might be a challenge. Maybe check apkmirror or such.
Tablet also might have trouble decoding some formats/lack hardware acceleration for what would be standard today.

OK, I found an MX player that said it would run on 4.0.4. I had just never heard of MX before.

But once I download the APK...what next? Will it auto-install, or ask me if it's OK to install, or...?

I downloaded the Wondershare APK that said it would run on 4.0.4, and it said it completed the download, and then...nothing.

Are there any file size limitations on Android 4.0.4?

Thx!

TCS

 

[Chaosrider]

Frustration!

I'm hung up the step of getting from the download of the APK, to finding and installing the APK.

If there's a "Downloads" folder in Android 4.0.4 running on the Samsung SDH-1957, I can't find it save my soul.

I've downloaded a couple of different video player APKs now, or at least, the download site says I have. But then nothing. No prompt to install, the supposedly downloaded APKs are nowhere to be found.

I went into the security settings and told it that it was OK to install apps from unknown sources. That box had previously been unchecked, so perhaps that's progress, but I haven't seen it make any difference yet.

Any suggestions...even guesses...gratefully appreciated.

Thx,

TCS

 

[Kilrah]

There should be a Downloads or Documents folder... the browser may have a Downloads page, might even put you a notification "xxx downloaded" you can tap to open, otherwise open the file browser and look around

 

[Chaosrider]

There should be a Downloads or Documents folder... the browser may have a Downloads page, might even put you a notification "xxx downloaded" you can tap to open, otherwise open the file browser and look around

No joy. I can't find a "Downloads" folder anywhere on the device. I haven't looked for Downloads tab within the browser itself, so I'll try that.

Also, when I successfully upgraded to 4.0.4, I did that using Samsung Kies on my laptop, with the device linked to the laptop via USB cable. There might be an answer there, but I have no idea how to use that path to get the vid player installed on the device.

Thx,

TCS