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VLC

Sub-pages:

• FAQ
• Streaming Transcoding failed
• Cannot play high-definition video with VLC

VLC is one of the most useful media players around. Besides just about any feature that you need is very easy screenshots, and its ability to replace most other media players (mkv playback, FREE DVD player, quick time format, etc, etc). Primarily because I have used so much, I have collected a significant amount of notes related to VLC:

VLC is most useful for playing all downloaded and internet video for the following reason:

• it can forgive some errors
• it will play all file formats without installing other software. It will eliminate need to install software like QuickTime with all of their components and problems, and it will also not open the browser when playing videos that ask for it.
• it can fix aspect ratios
• it can easily take screenshots of video

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I have been watching the search terms people use to find my website. The following are questions that I see all the time:

UPDATE: SOME MORE RECENT KEYWORDS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED ON THIS PAGE

Note: I will recommend for all people to go thru the list of hotkey shortcuts in Tools>Preferences>Hotkeys. You will learn a lot of new things about VLC. Right now, you are probably underutilizing the player too much.

Problem: audio pop when playing, no audio cracking sound, popping audio. Description and solution: http://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=30611&p=94714 and http://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=30550&p=94551

Problem: screensaver over VLC, my screen saver goes off even when VLC is at full screen window, VLC full screen mode turn off screen. This is a serious problem with VLC. When VLC is running, it will screw up both the screen saver and power saving functions of your computer. For example, your computer will never go into standby or hibernate even if VLC is paused.

Problem: audio track lag, sound ahead of picture, slow down subtitles VLC, VLC subtitles lag. Solution: there are hotkeys for all of these problems. Look in Tools>Preferences>Hotkeys.

Problem: VLC remember and restore the window size, forcing VLC to play videos double size, VLC how to open it maximize. Solution: VLC will not remember window size. There is no way to have it open maximized. You either have to manually resize window every time, or manually select zoom, or select a default starting zoom setting in Preferences.

Problem: mkv hangs in VLC, .mkv file getting hanged on VLC, how to play huge videos in VLC. Solution: VLC sometimes has a problem playing large files, .mkv files, or high-definition files. The only solution is to try another video player.

Miscellaneous questions:

Q: Can I capture subtitles? A: No

Q: Can I the play next file in directory? A: No, this has not been implemented.

Q: VLC keeps resizing when not in full screen. A: This is a problem with some files. Try using another player.

Q: What player should I use if VLC gives me a problem with a particular file? A: Use Media Player Classic HomeCinema, or (for mkv files) an MKV player.

Q: How get VLC to not show file name on video playback, how to turn off file title in VLC? A: Tools>Preferences>Subtitles & OSD>"Show media title on video".

Q: Can VLC remember playback position? A: No.

Q: Can VLC play all videos at the same screen size? A: No.

Q: Where is video fps information? Tools>Media Information>Codec Details.

Q: Make VLC show buttons on full screen. A: There is a hotkey for this called "Show interface"

Q: What is the problem with double-click title maximize? A: I don't know. You might have to do that again every time.

Q: Why can't I open a folder "VIDEO_TS" of a ripped DVD? A: I don't know. Open the parent of that folder (folder that contains that folder) in VLC.

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Bugs:

• Some DVD and .avi playback, the audio starts to output popping / cracking sound. No audio is played. Description and solution: http://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=30611&p=94714 and http://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=30550&p=94551
• When applying deinterlace in fullscreen mode, the video window briefly toggles from fullscreen to window back to fullscreen.
• if audio visualization window is closed, video window closes too and playback stops.
• VLC interferes with computer and screen power save functions. Screen saver kicks in, (in my case displaying a blank screen), but the display never turns off. VLC should allow computer standby and screen turn off when paused, or playback stopped/ended. VLC does not support stand by while in DVD menu mode. What is stupid is that it does allow the screen saver to kick in, while blocking display turn off and computer lock.
• several different sound level indicators, and none agree with each other (big screen -- middle position is 200%, while GUI indicator will always be <=200%). No indicator either on screen or GUI of 100% position.
• When playback of a file is finished, the video window resizes. When it starts playing another file (double click another file, etc), same window is reused, but its size is incorrect. It cannot also be resized by dragging on the window borders, etc. The only solution is to double click on the window top to "maximize" the window, which does not maximize it but make it a proper "restore" size. Then, the window can be resized by dragging, it can be made full screen, etc.
• player crashes when it finishes a DVD and returns to DVD menu
• no default directory for screenshots
• if screenshot directory is deleted or incorrect one is entered, VLC does not respond to key button press for screenshot, nor are any error messages displayed or logged
• when a text file with the same name as the video file exists in the directory, but is not a valid subtitles file, VLC gives an error message that most users will not understand. since it is very common for movie downloads to include a text file with the same title as the video file, and since VLC thinks that all such files should contain subtitles, VLC should not show an error if such file does not contain subtitles. users both have no idea what the error means, and it is also pointless to spend energy on viewing and closing the error box since nothing can be done.
• capturing in DVD menus does not work, as capture only begins on brief playback when a selection to another page is made
• default settings: minus key on the main keyboard area slows down playback, but the +/= key does not restore or fasten playback, nor does shift+"=" work.
• subtitles do not work with deinterlacing

Feature requests:

• Play next/previous file in the folder, without playlist. Current behavior: if there is no playlist, then pressing the previous/next buttons resets the playback of the current file and shows an error.
• "Media Information" provides about all information other than the one you need. provide info like resolution, file format, size, format, frames per second, etc.
• IMPORTANT. capture: name files with file name and position marker. Since one of the BIGGEST reasons I use VLC (over say Media Player Classic HomeCinema), is easy captures, I also have a huge number of them. Having all captures without source identifying information does not make sense.
• in video zoom feature for VLC
• one instance only option more visible
• within every new instance: list in huge buttons several options for playback, like any present DVD disks their titles and picture previews, library button, button to browse for a file, etc.
• in disc selection page: add both drive selector and display the title of inserted DVDs for that drive letter. possibly show DVD preview.
• When hovering mouse pointer over GUI buttons, include what keyboard shortcut has been assigned to that button.
• much clearer wording of subtitle and audio track delay up and down. Good wording will be something like "lag audio behind video" "play audio ahead of video". Presently, it is very confusing with the plus and minus signs. I can never remember which way it goes.
• place a large capture frame button on GUI
• Resize all buttons to be the same size (make either play button smaller, or make other buttons as big as play button).
• When hovering on the status bar filename information, show full path and filename.
• if VLC is playing a file and DVD is inserted it will interrupt playback if autoplay is on.
• capture directory change only works after program restart

• option to not show error dialog by default for minor problems like a text file with the same filename as the video file that VLC expects to be subtitles but is not. This can be done by setting the output option to Silent.

• Acceleration to play high-definition video on a computer
• Default option not to preload huge .MKV files so that VLC does not hang.
• clear VLC playback of wmv files and jumping / seeking to any position without video artifacts for some time before video becomes clear (due to video compression that only stores differential changes in video screen for compression)
• A clearer explanation that the "Wallpaper" option is not to set the user desktop's wallpaper to a screenshot of the current scene, but that video will play in the desktop area. Reword as "play in desktop".
• VLC does not detect new devices like USB DVD readers and does not list their letter in the play from disk option without program restart.
  

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