Short answer: choose Media Player SDK .Net Professional if your C# app needs to play video, including RTSP camera feeds and HLS streams, or has to run beyond Windows (.NET MAUI, Avalonia, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS or Unity). Choose TVideoGrabber .NET Video SDK if your Windows app needs to capture from webcams, capture cards or the screen as well as play files, or if you also work in Delphi, C++Builder, Visual C++, Java or Qt.
Media Player SDK .Net Professional costs $392.53 a year for one developer on the order page, with network streams included. TVideoGrabber costs €700 (about $785) once per developer with two years of updates, but playing IP cameras over RTSP takes Datastead's €950 add-on filter.
At a glance
| Media Player SDK .Net Professional | TVideoGrabber .NET Video SDK |
|---|
| Developer | VisioForge | Datastead |
| Main job | Video and audio playback | Video capture, recording and streaming, plus a built-in player |
| Price for one developer | $392.53 a year on the order page (renews at $274.77) | €700 once, about $785, excluding VAT |
| License | Annual, one named developer, auto-renews (lifetime team license sold separately) | Never expires, 2 years of updates, then 50% to renew |
| Current version | 2026.10.20 (October 20, 2026) | 17.0.0.1 (October 12, 2026) |
| Your app runs on | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS | Windows 10 and 11, Windows Server 2016 to 2025 |
| UI frameworks | WPF, WinForms, WinUI, .NET MAUI, Avalonia, Uno Platform, Unity | WinForms, WPF (plus VCL and FireMonkey for Delphi) |
| .NET versions | .NET Framework 4.6.1+, .NET Core 3.1, .NET 5 to 10 | .NET Framework 3.5 to 4.8.1, .NET Core 3.x, .NET 5 to 10 |
| Other languages | ✗ (.NET only) | ✓ Delphi, C++Builder, Visual C++, Java, Qt |
| RTSP, RTMP, HLS stream playback | ✓ included in Professional | Only with the €950 RTSP/RTMP/HTTP/ONVIF Source Filter |
| Webcam and capture card input | ✗ (that's VisioForge's separate Video Capture SDK) | ✓ |
| GPU decoding | ✓ | ✓ |
| Frame-accurate seeking and frame capture | ✓ | ✓ |
| Trial | 30 days, fully functional, may show a watermark or notice | No time limit, watermark on the video |
| Royalty-free distribution | ✓ | ✓ |
How we compared them
- We read both vendors' product pages, price lists, license terms and documentation, including the Media Player SDK edition table and TVideoGrabber's evaluation-version and player guides.
- We put Media Player SDK .Net Professional in the cart and read the price, the renewal price and the auto-renewal setting.
- We checked the newest release of each SDK on NuGet and in Datastead's changelog, and counted the releases each published since July 1, 2026.
- We converted Datastead's euro prices at the European Central Bank reference rate of October 20, 2026 (1.1215 dollars to the euro).
- What we checked: on October 21, 2026 the order page showed Media Player SDK .Net Professional at $392.53 for one developer, renewing at $274.77 a year. Datastead's purchase page listed TVideoGrabber at €700 per developer and its RTSP/RTMP/HTTP/ONVIF Source Filter at €950. The newest versions on NuGet were VisioForge.DotNet.MediaPlayer 2026.10.20 and TVideoGrabber-SDK 17.0.0.1, and VisioForge's trial installer was 200 MB.
We compared features, licenses, prices and trials. We didn't build test apps or measure playback performance, and we found no independent user reviews of either SDK to quote.
Media Player SDK .Net Professional
Media Player SDK .Net Professional from VisioForge is a playback component for C# and VB.NET apps that plays files and network streams with GPU decoding.
- Price: $392.53 a year for one developer on the order page, renewing at $274.77. VisioForge's own store also sells Professional at €350 a year or €1,000 for a lifetime team license.
- Platforms: Windows 7 SP1 to 11, Windows Server 2016+, macOS 10.14+, Linux, Android 8+ and iOS 12+
- Best for: apps whose main job is playing video, especially live streams, on more than one platform
The Skinned Player demo that ships with Media Player SDK .Net: a seek bar, time counters, volume, previous/play/next, speed, full screen, settings and eject buttons. The title bar shows an older SDK version, 15.4.26.0.
Media Player SDK .Net does one job well: playback. It comes with two engines. The cross-platform MediaPlayerCoreX engine is built on GStreamer and runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS. The Windows-only MediaPlayerCore engine plays through DirectShow, with optional FFmpeg filters or VLC. Either way your users don't install a codec pack. VisioForge says it plays 500+ formats, including MP4, MKV, MOV, WebM and AVI with H.264, HEVC, AV1 and VP9 video, and decodes on the GPU through DXVA2, D3D11, VideoToolbox and VAAPI.
The Professional edition is the one most buyers need, because it adds network stream playback (HTTP, RTSP, RTMP, HLS, WMV and NDI), memory streams, reverse playback and motion detection to the Standard edition's file playback. DVD and Blu-ray playback, chroma-key, VR 360° video and the AI analysis blocks (object and face detection, Whisper transcription) are Premium only. The SDK also ships a ready-to-import Unity package for Windows, Android, macOS and iOS.
What we like
- RTSP, RTMP and HLS playback included in Professional, with no add-on to buy
- One API across WPF, WinForms, WinUI, MAUI, Avalonia, Uno and Unity
- Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS
- Frequent releases: 17 NuGet versions between August 6 and October 20, 2026
- Free for non-commercial use (VisioForge asks you to contact them for the license)
Watch out for
- The annual license auto-renews at $274.77 unless you switch it off
- No capture from webcams or capture cards: that's a separate SDK
- DVD, Blu-ray, 360° video and the AI features need the dearer Premium edition
- The trial may put a watermark or "unregistered" notice on the video
- The 200 MB trial installer covers all of VisioForge's .NET SDKs, not just the player
Download Media Player SDK .Net TrialBuy Media Player SDK .Net
TVideoGrabber .NET Video SDK
TVideoGrabber .NET Video SDK from Datastead is a Windows video SDK that captures, records, streams and plays video, with the same component and property names in C#, VB.NET, Delphi, C++Builder, Visual C++, Java and Qt.
- Price: €700 per developer, excluding VAT (about $785), with 2 years of updates and e-mail support. Renewing for 2 more years costs 50%.
- Platforms: Windows 11 and 10 (32-bit and 64-bit), Windows Server 2016 to 2025 with the Desktop Experience feature
- Best for: Windows apps that record or monitor cameras and also need a player
Datastead's TVideoGrabber demo playing a WMV clip, with tabs for video source, IP cameras, audio, recording, network streaming, player, frame grabber, motion detection, overlays and more. This is an older version of the demo, shown on Windows Vista. Datastead doesn't publish a newer screenshot.
TVideoGrabber is a capture SDK first, and its player is part of the same component. One TVideoGrabber object previews and records webcams, USB and HDMI capture devices, Blackmagic DeckLink cards and the desktop screen, records to MP4, MKV, AVI or WMV with the built-in Windows and GPU encoders, and plays media files. You can run several instances at once, so an app can record a camera while it plays back an earlier clip.
The player is solid for files. Since version 17 it plays MP4, MOV, MKV and WebM through the Windows decoders, with GPU decoding of H.264, VP9 and AV1 and no codec pack. It offers frame-accurate seeking, frame stepping, playback speed control, backward playback, several clips played back to back without a gap, frame capture and text and graphic overlays. Network sources are where the extras start. IP cameras over RTSP, RTMP, HTTP and ONVIF need the €950 RTSP/RTMP/HTTP/ONVIF Source Filter, and HEVC recording, MOV/MPEG-TS/FLV/WebM recording and live streaming need the €950 Multipurpose Encoder. HEVC playback needs Microsoft's HEVC Video Extensions or that source filter.
What we like
- A perpetual license: nothing stops working, and 2 years of updates are included
- Capture, recording, streaming and playback in one component
- Native Delphi and C++Builder components (VCL and FireMonkey, with a true FireMonkey component since version 17), plus Visual C++, Java and Qt
- The evaluation has no time limit
- Active development: version 17.0.0.1 on October 12, 2026, and 7 releases since July 1, 2026
Watch out for
- Windows only
- IP camera playback and HEVC recording cost €950 more each
- Only WinForms and WPF on .NET, with no MAUI or Avalonia
- Datastead's own docs say backward playback is "not as smooth as normal playback"
- Prices are in euros, excluding VAT
Download TVideoGrabber Evaluation
Playing network streams and IP cameras
Media Player SDK .Net Professional wins on streams. RTSP, RTMP, HTTP, HLS, UDP, SRT and NDI playback are part of the Professional edition, with configurable buffering, and the same calls work on every platform the SDK supports. To play an IP camera with TVideoGrabber, you add the RTSP/RTMP/HTTP/ONVIF Source Filter. In return that filter brings ONVIF discovery, PTZ camera control and recording in the camera's native format, which a player-only SDK doesn't try to do.
First-year cost for one developer to play RTSP camera streams (USD)
Media Player SDK .Net Professional, annual$392.53
TVideoGrabber + RTSP/RTMP/HTTP/ONVIF Source Filter bundle (€1,452)$1,628.42
Media Player SDK price from the order page on October 21, 2026. TVideoGrabber bundle price from Datastead's purchase page on October 21, 2026, converted at the ECB rate of October 20, 2026, excluding VAT.
Platforms and languages
Media Player SDK .Net is the only choice here if your app leaves Windows. It targets macOS, Linux, Android and iOS through .NET MAUI, Avalonia and Uno Platform, and Unity on four platforms. TVideoGrabber is a DirectShow component for Windows 10, 11 and Windows Server. It runs only on Windows, but it covers far more languages: the same API in C#, VB.NET, Delphi, C++Builder, Visual C++, Java and Qt, so a team with a Delphi or C++ app as well as a .NET one can use one SDK for both. TVideoGrabber also still supports .NET Framework 3.5, for older WinForms apps that can't move to 4.6.1.
Price and licensing
Over four years the two cost about the same for the SDK alone, but they are billed differently. Media Player SDK .Net Professional at checkout is a yearly subscription for one named developer that renews at $274.77. If you cancel, the version you last downloaded stays yours and the apps you've built keep working; only newer releases need a new license. TVideoGrabber is paid once, never expires, and includes 2 years of updates. After that, another 2 years cost half the license price, €350. Both are royalty-free, so you pay nothing per end user.
Cost of the SDK alone for one developer over four years, with updates throughout (USD)
Media Player SDK .Net Professional ($392.53, then 3 renewals at $274.77)$1,216.84
TVideoGrabber (€700, then one 2-year renewal at €350)$1,177.58
Prices checked on October 21, 2026. Euro prices converted at the ECB rate of October 20, 2026, excluding VAT. Assumes today's renewal prices stay the same.
If you'd rather pay once for Media Player SDK too, VisioForge's own store sells a Lifetime Team license for Professional at €1,000 (about $1,121.50). It covers every developer in your organization at one location and includes all future updates, which makes it the cheaper option for a team. TVideoGrabber needs one license per developer, issued to the company that publishes the app.
Trials and updates
TVideoGrabber has the more relaxed trial. Its evaluation version has no time limit and every feature, with "TVideoGrabber SDK - evaluation version" drawn across the video. Recordings that can't carry the watermark, such as an IP camera saved in its native format, stop after 5 minutes per run of the app. Media Player SDK .Net's trial is fully functional for 30 days and, depending on the engine and output, may show a watermark or an "unregistered" notice. Both vendors also publish their SDKs on NuGet.
Releases published from July 1 to October 21, 2026
Media Player SDK .Net (VisioForge.DotNet.MediaPlayer on NuGet)17
TVideoGrabber SDK (Datastead changelog)7
Counted on October 21, 2026. More releases mean faster fixes, but also more updates to test before you ship.
Which should you choose?
| Your situation | Pick | Why |
|---|
| A WPF or WinForms player for files and live camera feeds | Media Player SDK .Net Professional | RTSP, RTMP and HLS playback are included |
| A .NET MAUI, Avalonia or Unity app, or anything that runs on macOS, Linux or mobile | Media Player SDK .Net Professional | TVideoGrabber is Windows only |
| Recording webcams, capture cards or the screen on Windows | TVideoGrabber | Capture is its main job, and Media Player SDK doesn't capture at all |
| A camera monitoring app that records IP cameras without re-encoding | TVideoGrabber with the Source Filter | Native-format recording, ONVIF discovery and PTZ control |
| A Delphi, C++Builder or mixed-language team | TVideoGrabber | The same component in Delphi, C++, Java, Qt and .NET |
| You want to pay once | TVideoGrabber, or Media Player SDK's lifetime team license from VisioForge | Both stay usable without a subscription |
| DVD or Blu-ray playback, or AI analysis of the video | Media Player SDK .Net Premium (not this Professional edition) | Those features are Premium only |
Skip Media Player SDK .Net Professional if you need to record from cameras or capture cards (that's VisioForge's Video Capture SDK), or if you only play local MP4 files in a Windows app and the built-in .NET media controls already do the job. Skip TVideoGrabber if your app must run outside Windows, if you build with MAUI or Avalonia, or if all you need is network stream playback, since the extra filter makes it the expensive route.
What commonly goes wrong
- Buying Standard for a stream player. Media Player SDK .Net Standard plays files only. RTSP, RTMP and HLS need Professional or Premium.
- Forgetting TVideoGrabber's add-ons. IP cameras, HEVC recording, MPEG-TS and FLV recording and live streaming each need a €950 Datastead filter, so price the bundle you need, not the base SDK.
- HEVC files that won't play. TVideoGrabber plays HEVC only with Microsoft's HEVC Video Extensions or Datastead's source filter installed.
- Slow seeking in some MP4 files. TVideoGrabber's docs suggest reindexing such clips, which uses the optional Multipurpose Encoder.
- An unexpected renewal. Media Player SDK .Net's annual license renews automatically. Turn auto-renewal off at checkout or later if you only want one year.
- Licensing in the wrong name. Both are per-developer licenses, and Datastead issues the license to the company that publishes the app, so contractors order it in the client's name.
FAQs
Can Media Player SDK .Net play RTSP camera streams?
Yes, Media Player SDK .Net plays RTSP, RTMP, HTTP, HLS, UDP and SRT streams in the Professional and Premium editions, with configurable buffering for low-latency camera feeds. The Standard edition plays files only.
Does TVideoGrabber work on macOS or Linux?
No. TVideoGrabber is built on DirectShow and supports only Windows 10 and 11 (32-bit and 64-bit) and Windows Server 2016 to 2025 with the Desktop Experience feature. For macOS, Linux, Android or iOS, Media Player SDK .Net is the one to look at.
Is TVideoGrabber a subscription?
No. A TVideoGrabber license never expires and includes 2 years of updates and e-mail support. After that you can renew updates for another 2 years at 50% of the license price, or keep using the version you have.
What happens if I cancel the Media Player SDK .Net subscription?
Media Player SDK .Net keeps working in the apps you've already built, and the last version you downloaded stays yours. You only need a new license for newer SDK releases. The annual license renews automatically at $274.77 unless you turn auto-renewal off.
Do my users need a license for an app built with either SDK?
No. Both Media Player SDK .Net and TVideoGrabber are royalty-free: you can distribute your app to any number of users without runtime fees.
Can I use Media Player SDK .Net or TVideoGrabber from Delphi?
TVideoGrabber has native Delphi and C++Builder components for VCL and FireMonkey, up to RAD Studio 13 Florence, and version 17 made the FireMonkey one a true FireMonkey component rather than a wrapper around a Windows control. Media Player SDK .Net, the edition compared here, is for .NET languages such as C# and VB.NET.
Is there a free version of Media Player SDK .Net?
Media Player SDK .Net is free for non-commercial use: VisioForge asks you to contact them for a free license. For commercial work there's a 30-day trial.
Can TVideoGrabber play a file while it records a camera?
Yes. TVideoGrabber can run several instances in one app, so one can record a camera while another plays a clip. Datastead lists simultaneous playback and capture among its typical uses.
Conclusion
For a video player, buy Media Player SDK .Net Professional. At $392.53 for the first year it includes the RTSP, RTMP and HLS playback that costs €950 extra with TVideoGrabber, and it is the only one of the two that runs on macOS, Linux, Android, iOS and Unity. The main reason not to buy it is the subscription: if you dislike auto-renewal, switch it off or get the lifetime team license from VisioForge.
Buy TVideoGrabber .NET Video SDK instead if capture is the core of your Windows app (webcams, capture cards, the screen, IP cameras recorded as received) or if your team works in Delphi or C++ as well as .NET. Its perpetual license and untimed evaluation are real advantages. Just price the add-on filters you'll need before you compare.
Download Media Player SDK .Net TrialBuy Media Player SDK .Net