VLC media player: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Free and open-source media-player and streaming-media-server}} |
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{{Infobox Software2 |
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{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2020}} |
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{{Infobox software |
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| name = VLC media player |
| name = VLC media player |
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| title = VLC media player |
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| logo = VLC Icon.svg |
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| screenshot = [[Image:Vlc screenshot French.png|220px]] |
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| logo size = 64px |
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| caption = Screenshot of VLC (GUI in French) |
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| screenshot = {{Photomontage| photo1a = VLC media player 3.0.12 (released in 2021-01).png| photo2a = VLC 3.0.10 preferences and effects (running on Linux).png| size = 300| color = white|border = 0}} |
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| developer = [[VideoLAN]] Project |
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| caption = top: VLC 3.0.12 (running on [[Linux]] and [[GNOME]], playing ''[[Spring (2019 film)|Spring]]'', a short film by the [[Blender Foundation]])<br>bottom: VLC 3.0.10 preferences and effects |
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| operating_system = [[Cross-platform]] |
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| ver layout = stacked |
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| genre = [[Media player]] |
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| developer = [[VideoLAN]] |
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| released = {{Start date and age|2001|2|1}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jbkempf.com/blog/post/2016/15-years-of-VLC |title=15 years of VLC and VideoLAN |publisher=Jean-Baptiste Kempf |access-date=April 15, 2017}}</ref> |
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| website = [http://www.videolan.org/ videolan.org] |
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| latest preview version = <!--3.0.0-rc8 (Windows, Linux, and macOS)--> |
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| latest preview date = {{Start date and age|2018|1|27}} <ref>{{cite web |url=http://ftp.videolan.org/testing/ |title=VLC media player, Index of /testing/ |access-date=February 9, 2018}}</ref> |
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| programming language = Core: [[C (programming language)|C]]<br />GUI: [[C++]] (with [[Qt (software)|Qt]]), [[Objective-C]] (with [[Cocoa (API)|Cocoa]]), [[Swift (programming language)|Swift]], [[Java (programming language)|Java]]<br />Bundled Extensions: [[Lua (programming language)|Lua]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://addons.videolan.org/p/1154045/|title=VLSub|website=addons.videolan.org}}</ref> |
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| operating system = [[Windows]], [[Windows Phone]], [[ReactOS]], [[macOS]], [[Linux]], [[Android (operating system)|Android]], [[Android TV]], [[ChromeOS]], [[iOS]], [[iPadOS]], [[tvOS]], [[watchOS]], [[Xbox system software]] |
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| platform = [[IA-32]], [[x86-64]], [[ARM architecture|ARM]], [[ARM64]], [[MIPS architecture|MIPS]], [[PowerPC]] |
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| language count = 106 |
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| language footnote = <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.videolan.org/developers/i18n/ |title=VideoLAN internationalization |website=[[VideoLAN]] |access-date=June 6, 2024}}</ref> |
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| genre = [[Media player (software)|Media player]] |
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| license = [[GNU General Public License|GPL-2.0-or-later]] with some libraries under [[GNU Lesser General Public License|LGPL-2.1-or-later]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.videolan.org/press/lgpl-libvlc.html |title=VLC engine relicensed to LGPL |date=December 21, 2011 |website=[[VideoLAN]] |access-date=April 15, 2017}}</ref><ref name="videolanvlc">{{cite web |url=https://www.videolan.org/vlc/releases/2.1.2.html |title=VLC reaches 2.1.2 |date=December 10, 2013 |website=[[VideoLAN]] |access-date=April 15, 2017}}</ref> VLC for iOS (MPLv2.0) |
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| website = {{URL|https://www.videolan.org/vlc/|videolan.org/vlc}} |
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}} |
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'''VLC media player''' is a [[free software]] [[media player]] by the [[VideoLAN]] project. |
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'''VLC media player''' (previously the '''VideoLAN Client''' and commonly known as simply '''VLC''') is a [[free and open-source software|free and open-source]], [[software portability|portable]], [[cross-platform]] [[media player software]] and [[streaming media]] [[Server (computing)|server]] developed by the [[VideoLAN]] project. VLC is available for desktop [[operating system]]s and [[mobile platform]]s, such as [[Android (operating system)|Android]], [[iOS]] and [[iPadOS]]. VLC is also available on [[digital distribution platform]]s such as [[Apple Inc.|Apple]]'s [[App Store (iOS)|App Store]], [[Google Play]], and [[Microsoft Store (digital)|Microsoft Store]]. |
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It is a highly portable multimedia player, encoder, and streamer supporting many audio and video [[codec]]s and [[file format]]s as well as [[DVD]]s, [[Video CD|VCDs]], and various [[streaming media|streaming]] [[Communications protocol|protocols]]. It is able to stream over [[computer network|networks]] and to transcode multimedia files and save them into various different formats. '''VLC''' used to stand for "VideoLan Client", but that meaning is deprecated.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.jbkempf.com/blog/post/2006/11/23/VLC-Name | title=VLC Name | author=Jean-Baptiste Kempf | date=November 23, 2006 | work=Yet another blog for JBKempf | accessdate=2007-02-24 }}</ref> |
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<ref>{{cite web | url=http://wiki.videolan.org/Intellectual_Properties#Names_.2F_Trademark | title=Intellectual Properties | author=VideoLAN Team | work=VideoLAN Wiki | accessdate=2007-07-30 }}</ref> |
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It is one of the most platform-independent players available, with versions for [[Microsoft Windows]], [[Mac OS X]], [[BeOS]], [[Berkeley Software Distribution|BSD]], [[Windows CE]], [[Linux]], and [[Solaris Operating System|Solaris]], and is widely used with over 40 million downloads for version 0.8.6.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.videolan.org/stats/downloads.php | title=Download Statistics | work=VideoLAN Project | accessdate=2007-10-21 }}</ref> |
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VLC supports many [[data compression|audio- and video-compression]]-methods and [[file format|file-format]]s, including [[DVD-Video]], [[Video CD]], and streaming-[[communications protocol|protocols]]. It is able to stream media over [[computer network]]s and can [[transcode]] multimedia files.<ref name="playback_features">{{cite web |url=https://www.videolan.org/vlc/features.php |title=VLC Features |website=[[VideoLAN]] |access-date=April 15, 2017}}</ref> |
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VLC uses a large number of [[free software|free]] decoding and encoding libraries. Many of its [[codec]]s are provided by the [[libavcodec]] codec library from the [[FFmpeg]] project, but it uses mainly its own [[muxer]] and demuxers. It also gained distinction as the first player to support playback of encrypted DVDs on Linux by using the [[libdvdcss]] DVD decryption library. |
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The default distribution of VLC includes many free decoding and encoding libraries, avoiding the need for finding/calibrating proprietary plugins. The [[libavcodec]] library from the [[FFmpeg]] project provides many of VLC's codecs, but the player mainly<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wiki.videolan.org/Contrib_Status|title=Contrib Status – VideoLAN Wiki|website=wiki.videolan.org|language=en|access-date=July 15, 2017}}</ref> uses its own [[muxer]]s and demuxers. It also has its own protocol implementations. It also gained distinction as the first player to support playback of [[Content Scramble System|encrypted DVDs]] on [[Linux]] and [[macOS]] by using the [[libdvdcss]] DVD decryption library; however, this library is legally controversial and is not included in many [[Software repository|software repositories]] of [[Linux distributions]] as a result.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.videolan.org/developers/libdvdcss.html|title=libdvdcss – VideoLAN|website=www.videolan.org|access-date=February 8, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.howtogeek.com/138969/why-watching-dvds-on-linux-is-illegal-in-the-usa/|title=Why Watching DVDs on Linux is Illegal in the USA|last=Hoffman|first=Chris|website=How-To Geek|date=March 2013 |language=en-US|access-date=February 8, 2020}}</ref> It is available on iOS under the [[Mozilla Public License|MPLv2]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=VLC for Mobile|url=https://apps.apple.com/us/app/vlc-for-mobile/id650377962|access-date=2021-11-16|website=App Store|language=en-US}}</ref> |
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Version 0.8.6, which adds support for [[Windows Media Video|WMV version 9]] and enhances support for [[H.264/MPEG-4 AVC|H.264]], was released on [[10 December]] [[2006]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.via.ecp.fr/via/ml/videolan-announce/2006-12/msg00000.html | title=Release notification, 0.8.6 | author=Derk-Jan Hartman | date=10 December, 2006 | work=videolan-announce mailing list | accessdate=2007-02-24 }}</ref> |
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== |
==History== |
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The VideoLAN software originated as a French academic project in 1996. VLC used to stand for "VideoLAN Client" when VLC was a client of the VideoLAN project. Since VLC is no longer merely a client, that [[initialism]] no longer applies.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jbkempf.com/blog/post/2006/11/23/VLC-Name |title=VLC Name |last=Kempf |first=Jean-Baptiste |date=November 23, 2006 |website=Yet another blog for JBKempf |access-date=April 15, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://wiki.videolan.org/Intellectual_Properties#Names_.2F_Trademark |title=Intellectual Properties |author=VideoLAN Team |work=VideoLAN Wiki |access-date=April 15, 2017}}</ref> It was intended to consist of a client and server<ref>{{cite web | url=https://wiki.videolan.org/VLS/ | title=VLS – VideoLAN Wiki }}</ref> to stream videos from satellite dishes across a campus network. Originally developed by students at the [[École Centrale Paris]], it is now developed by contributors worldwide and is coordinated by [[VideoLAN]], a [[non-profit]] organization. Rewritten from scratch in 1998, it was released under [[GNU General Public License]] on February 1, 2001, with authorization from the headmaster of the [[École Centrale Paris]]. The functionality of the server-program, ''VideoLan Server'' (VLS), has mostly been subsumed into VLC and has been deprecated.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://videolan.org/vlc/streaming.html |title=The cross-platform streaming solution |website=[[VideoLAN]] |access-date=April 15, 2017}}</ref> The project name has been changed to ''VLC media player'' because there is no longer a client/server infrastructure. |
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VLC was initially the client for the VideoLAN project, which aimed to create a program to stream videos across a network. It was originally developed by students at the [[École Centrale Paris]], and was released under the GPL license on the [[1 February]] [[2001]]. It is now developed by contributors worldwide. |
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The cone icon used in VLC is a reference to the [[traffic cone]]s collected by École Centrale's Networking Students' Association.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://nanocrew.net/2005/06/23/vlc-cone/ |title=VLC cone |author=Jon Lech Johansen |author-link=Jon Lech Johansen |date=June 23, 2005 |website=Jon Lech Johansen's blog |access-date=April 15, 2017 |archive-date=March 31, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220331124436/http://nanocrew.net/2005/06/23/vlc-cone/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The cone icon design was changed from a hand drawn low resolution icon to a higher resolution [[computer-generated imagery|CGI]]-rendered version in 2005, illustrated by Richard Øiestad.{{Cn|date=March 2023}} |
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VLC was the client application for VideoLAN, with VLC standing for "VideoLAN Client". The project also created a server program, VideoLAN Server (VLS), whose functionality has mostly been subsumed into VLC. The VideoLAN Server has since been deprecated. The VLC name has therefore changed to "VLC media player", since there is no longer a client/server infrastructure. |
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In 2007 the VLC project decided, for [[license compatibility]] reasons, not to upgrade to the just-released [[GPLv3]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.videolan.org/press/2007-1.html |title=VLC media player to remain under GNU GPL version 2 |last=Denis-Courmont |first=Rémi |website=[[VideoLAN]] |access-date=April 15, 2017 |quote=In 2001, VLC was released under the OSI-approved GNU General Public version 2, with the commonly-offered option to use "any later version" thereof (though there was not any such later version at the time). Following the release by the Free Software Foundation (FSF) of the new version 3 of its GNU General Public License (GPL) on the 29th of June 2007, contributors to the VLC media player, and other software projects hosted at videolan.org, debated the possibility of updating the licensing terms for future version of the VLC media player and other hosted projects, to version 3 of the GPL. [...] There is strong concern that these new additional requirements might not match the industrial and economic reality of our time, especially in the market of consumer electronics. It is our belief that changing our licensing terms to GPL version 3 would currently not be in the best interest of our community as a whole. Consequently, we plan to keep distributing future versions of VLC media player under the terms of the GPL version 2. [...]we will continue to distribute the VLC media player source code under GPL "version 2 or any later version" until further notice.}}</ref> After 13 years of development, version 1.0.0 of VLC media player was released on July 7, 2009.<ref>{{cite web|last=Paul |first=Ryan |url= https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2009/07/vlc-10-officially-released/|title = VLC 1.0 officially released after more than 10 years of work|publisher=[[Ars Technica]]|date= July 8, 2009|access-date= January 12, 2013}}</ref> Work began on VLC for [[Android (operating system)|Android]] in 2010 and it has been available for Android devices on the [[Google Play]] store since 2011.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ivoire.dinauz.org/blog/post/2011/02/02/VLC-on-Android |title=VLC on Android |publisher=Spill the Beans |date=February 2, 2011 |access-date=October 28, 2013 |archive-date=March 16, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316115444/http://ivoire.dinauz.org/blog/post/2011/02/02/VLC-on-Android |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-android.html|title=VLC media player for Android|publisher=VideoLan |access-date=October 28, 2013}}</ref> In September 2010, a company named "Applidium" developed a VLC port for [[iOS]] under GPLv2 with the endorsement of the VLC project, which was accepted by Apple for their App Store.<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=Hands-On with VLC Movie Player for iPad |url=https://www.wired.com/2010/09/hands-on-with-vlc-movie-player-for-ipad/ |last=Sorrel |first=Charlie |date=10 September 2010 |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |access-date=3 June 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The VLC-iOS license dispute and how it could spread to Android |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2010/11/the-vlc-ios-license-dispute-and-how-it-could-spread-to-android/ |last=Cheng |first=Jacqui |date=1 November 2010 |work=[[Ars Technica]] |access-date=3 June 2022}}</ref> In January 2011, after VLC developer Rémi Denis-Courmont's complaint to Apple about the [[License compatibility|licensing conflict]] between the VLC's GPLv2 and the App store's policies,<ref>{{Cite web |title=VLC for iOS vanishes 2 months after eruption of GPL dispute |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2011/01/vlc-for-ios-vanishes-2-months-after-eruption-of-gpl-dispute/ |last=Cheng |first=Jacqui |date=10 January 2011 |work=[[Ars Technica]] |access-date=3 June 2022}}</ref> the VLC had been withdrawn from the [[Apple App Store]] by Apple.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.macnn.com/articles/11/01/07/move.said.to.be.related.to.licensing.dispute/ |title=Apple pulls VLC media player from the App Store |date=January 7, 2011 |website=MacNN |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120530115942/http://www.macnn.com/articles/11/01/07/move.said.to.be.related.to.licensing.dispute/ |archive-date=May 30, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Subsequently, in October 2011 the VLC authors began to [[Software relicensing|relicense]] the engine parts of VLC from the [[GNU General Public License|GPL-2.0-or-later]] to the [[GNU Lesser General Public License|LGPL-2.1-or-later]] to achieve better [[license compatibility]], for instance with the Apple App Store.<ref>{{cite web|title=Changing the VLC engine license to LGPL|url=http://www.videolan.org/press/lgpl.html |access-date=October 23, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Vaughan-Nichols |first=Steven |title=No GPL Apps for Apple's App Store |url=http://www.zdnet.com/blog/open-source/no-gpl-apps-for-apples-app-store/8046 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110109000122/http://www.zdnet.com/blog/open-source/no-gpl-apps-for-apples-app-store/8046 |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 9, 2011 |access-date=October 23, 2011 |publisher=[[zdnet.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://videolan.org/press/lgpl-libvlc.html|title=Press Release on libVLC relicensing to LGPL |publisher= VideoLAN |date= December 21, 2011| access-date=January 22, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://videolan.org/press/lgpl-modules.html |title=Press Release on modules relicensing to LGPL |publisher= VideoLAN|date= December 21, 2011 |access-date=January 22, 2013}}</ref> In July 2013 the VLC application could be resubmitted to the [[iOS App Store]] under the [[Mozilla Public License|MPL-2.0]].<ref>[https://arstechnica.com/apple/2013/07/vlc-media-player-returns-to-the-ios-app-store-after-30-month-hiatus/ VLC under Mozilla public relaunched.] Accessed October 10, 2013</ref> Version 2.0.0 of VLC media player was released on February 18, 2012.<ref name="videolanvlc"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.lemonde.fr/technologies/article/2012/02/20/une-nouvelle-version-du-lecteur-multimedia-vlc-dix-ans-apres-sa-creation_1645923_651865.html|title=Une nouvelle version du lecteur multimédia VLC, dix ans après sa création|trans-title= New version of VLC media player 10 years after its first creation|work=[[Le Monde]] |language=fr|date= February 20, 2012|access-date= February 22, 2012}}</ref> The version for the [[Windows Store]] was released on March 13, 2014. Support for [[Windows RT]], [[Windows Phone]] and [[Xbox One]] were added later.<ref>[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1061646928/vlc-for-the-new-windows-8-user-experience-metro/posts vlc-for-the-new-windows-8-user-experience-metro] on kickstarter.com</ref> {{As of | 2016}} VLC is the third in the [[sourceforge.net]] overall download count,<ref>{{cite web|url= http://sourceforge.net/top|title= Top Project Listings|publisher= [[SourceForge]] |access-date= January 2, 2012}}</ref> and there have been more than 3 billion downloads.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/2019/01/10/vlc-passes-3-billion-downloads-will-get-airplay-support-and-improved-vr-features-soon/|title=VLC passes 3 billion downloads, will get AirPlay support and improved VR features soon|date=January 11, 2019|website=VentureBeat|language=en-US|access-date=January 16, 2019}}</ref> |
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The cone icon is a reference to the [[traffic cone]]s collected by Ecole Centrale's Networking Students' Association.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nanocrew.net/2005/06/23/vlc-cone/ | title=VLC cone | author=Jon Lech Johansen | date=June 23, 2005 | work=So sue me: Jon Lech Johansen’s blog | accessdate=2007-02-24 }}</ref> The cone icon design was changed from a hand drawn low resolution icon<ref>{{cite web | url=http://trac.videolan.org/vlc/browser/trunk/share/vlc48x48.png?rev=2000 | title=vlc48x48.png | format=PNG | work=VideoLAN Project | accessdate=2007-02-24 }}</ref> to a higher resolution [[Computer-generated imagery|CGI]] rendered version in 2006.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://trac.videolan.org/vlc/browser/trunk/share/vlc128x128.png?rev=13337 | title=vlc128x128.png | format=PNG | work=VideoLAN Project | accessdate=2007-02-24 }}</ref> |
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Version 3.0 was in development for Windows, Linux and macOS since June 2016<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://nightlies.videolan.org/|title=VLC media player continuous nightly builds – VideoLAN|website=nightlies.videolan.org}}</ref> and released in February 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.videolan.org/news.html#news-2018-02-09|title=VLC 3.0.0|website=VideoLAN|language=en|access-date=February 12, 2018}}</ref> It contains many new features including [[Chromecast]] output support (except subtitles<ref>{{cite web| url=https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc-android/issues/502| title=Subtitles doesn't work when playing via Chromecast| website=VideoLAN projects| date=February 11, 2018| access-date=March 9, 2019}}</ref>), [[Hardware acceleration|hardware-accelerated]] decoding enabled by default, [[4K resolution|4K]] and [[8K resolution|8K]] playback, 10-bit and [[High-dynamic-range television|HDR playback]], [[360-degree video|360° video]] and 3D audio, audio passthrough for HD audio codecs, [[BD-J]] menu support, and local network drive browsing. |
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== Design principles == |
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[[Image:VLCgnome.png|thumb|right|VLC with the [[GTK+]] [[GNOME]] interface]] |
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[[Image:Vlc wx kde.png|thumb|right|VLC with the [[wxWidgets]] interface, running on [[KDE]]]] |
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[[Image:VLC Vista.png|thumb|right|VLC playing a video, and running in [[Windows Vista]] with extended [[GUI]] mode enabled.|{{puic|1=Image:VLC Vista.png|log=2007 November 1}}]] |
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[[Image:VLCncurses.jpg|thumb|right|VLC with the [[ncurses]] interface, running on [[Mac OS X]]]] |
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In December 2017 the [[European Parliament]] approved a budget that funds a [[bug bounty program]] for VLC to improve the EU's IT infrastructure.<ref>{{Cite web |title=INFORMATICS – The European Commission offers bug bounties for vulnerabilities in open source software |url=https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/informatics/items/610580/en |access-date=2022-11-17 |website=ec.europa.eu}}</ref> |
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VLC has a very [[modular (programming)|modular]] design, which makes it easier to include modules for new file formats, codecs or streaming methods. This principle also stretches to other areas, and there is a wide selection of interface, video and audio outputs, controls and audio and video filter modules. There are more than 300 modules in VLC.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://trac.videolan.org/vlc/browser/trunk/modules/LIST | title=VLC media player List of modules | work=VLC media player trac system }}</ref> |
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=== |
===Release-history=== |
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Starting with version 1.1.0, VLC release codenames refer to characters from [[Terry Pratchett]]'s ''[[Discworld]]'' novels; an exception is release 2.2.1, which came out shortly after Pratchett's death on March 12, 2015, and which was codenamed ''Terry Pratchett'' in honor of the author himself. |
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The standard [[GUI]] is based on [[wxWidgets]] for Windows/Linux, [[Cocoa (API)|Cocoa]] for Mac OS X, and [[Be API]] on BeOS; but all give a similar standard interface. A [[Qt (toolkit)|Qt 4]] interface is also in the works for Linux and Windows.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.jbkempf.com/blog/post/2007/02/10/Qt4-Interface | title=Qt4 Interface | author=Jean-Baptiste Kempf | date=February 10, 2007 | work=Yet another blog for JBKempf | accessdate=2007-03-07 }}</ref> |
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{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" |
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VLC also supports highly personalizable [[Skin (computing)|skins]] through the skins2 interface, [[Winamp]] 2 and [[XMMS]] skins. |
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|- |
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! Version<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.videolan.org/news.html|title=VLC release history – VideoLAN|website=www.videolan.org|access-date=2022-12-01}}</ref> |
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! Codename<ref>{{Cite web|title=VLC CodeNames – VideoLAN Wiki|url=https://wiki.videolan.org/VLC_CodeNames/|access-date=2021-02-16|website=wiki.videolan.org}}</ref> |
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! Release date |
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|- |
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|1.0.0 |
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| rowspan="7" |Goldeneye |
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|2009-07-07 |
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|- |
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|1.0.1 |
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|2009-07-28 |
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|- |
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|1.0.2 |
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|2009-09-22 |
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|- |
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|1.0.3 |
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|2009-10-31 |
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|- |
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|1.0.4 |
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|2009-12-10 |
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|- |
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|1.0.5 |
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|2010-01-31 |
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|- |
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|1.0.6 |
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|2010-04-21 |
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|- |
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|1.1.0 |
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| rowspan="14" |The Luggage |
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|2010-06-22 |
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|- |
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|1.1.1 |
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|2010-07-21 |
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|- |
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|1.1.2 |
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|2010-07-29 |
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|- |
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|1.1.3 |
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|2010-08-18 |
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|- |
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|1.1.4 |
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|2010-08-27 |
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|- |
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|1.1.5 |
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|2010-11-13 |
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|- |
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|1.1.6 |
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|2011-01-23 |
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|- |
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|1.1.7 |
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|2011-02-01 |
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|- |
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|1.1.8 |
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|2011-03-23 |
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|- |
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|1.1.9 |
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|2011-04-12 |
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|- |
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|1.1.10 |
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|2011-06-06 |
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|- |
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|1.1.11 |
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|2011-07-15 |
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|- |
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|1.1.12 |
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|2011-10-06 |
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|- |
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|1.1.13 |
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|2011-12-20 |
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|- |
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|2.0.0 |
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| rowspan="11" |Twoflower |
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|2012-02-18 |
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|- |
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|2.0.1 |
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|2012-03-19 |
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|- |
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|2.0.2 |
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|2012-07-01 |
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|- |
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|2.0.3 |
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|2012-07-19 |
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|- |
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|2.0.4 |
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|2012-10-18 |
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|- |
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|2.0.5 |
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|2012-12-15 |
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|- |
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|2.0.6 |
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|2013-04-11 |
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|- |
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|2.0.7 |
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|2013-06-10 |
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|- |
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|2.0.8 |
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|2013-07-29 |
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|- |
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|2.0.9 |
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|2013-11-05 |
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|- |
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|2.0.10 |
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|2014-02-21 |
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|- |
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|2.1.0 |
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| rowspan="6" |Rincewind |
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|2013-09-26 |
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|- |
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|2.1.1 |
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|2013-11-14 |
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|- |
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|2.1.2 |
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|2013-12-10 |
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|- |
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|2.1.3 |
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|2014-02-04 |
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|- |
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|2.1.4 |
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|2014-02-21 |
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|- |
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|2.1.5 |
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|2014-07-26 |
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|- |
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|2.2.0 |
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|Weatherwax |
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|2015-02-27 |
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|- |
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|2.2.1 |
|||
|Terry Pratchett |
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|2015-04-16 |
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|- |
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|2.2.2 |
|||
| rowspan="7" |Weatherwax |
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|2016-02-06 |
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|- |
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|2.2.3 |
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|2016-05-03 |
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|- |
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|2.2.4 |
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|2016-06-05 |
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|- |
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|2.2.5.1 |
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|2017-05-12 |
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|- |
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|2.2.6 |
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|2017-05-24 |
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|- |
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|2.2.7 |
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|2017-11-21 |
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|- |
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|2.2.8 |
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|2017-12-05 |
|||
|- |
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|3.0.0 |
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| rowspan="20" |Vetinari |
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|2018-02-09 |
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|- |
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|3.0.1 |
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|2018-02-28 |
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|- |
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|3.0.2 |
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|2018-04-23 |
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|- |
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|3.0.3 |
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|2018-05-29 |
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|- |
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|3.0.4 |
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|2018-08-31 |
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|- |
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|3.0.5 |
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|2018-12-27 |
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|- |
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|3.0.6 |
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|2019-01-10 |
|||
|- |
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|3.0.7 |
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|2019-06-07 |
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|- |
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|3.0.8 |
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|2019-08-19 |
|||
|- |
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|3.0.10 |
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|2020-04-28 |
|||
|- |
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|3.0.11 |
|||
|2020-06-16 |
|||
|- |
|||
|3.0.11.1 |
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|2020-07-29 |
|||
|- |
|||
|3.0.12 |
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|2021-01-18 |
|||
|- |
|||
|3.0.13 |
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|2021-05-10 |
|||
|- |
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|3.0.14 |
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|2021-05-11 |
|||
|- |
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|3.0.16 |
|||
|2021-06-21 |
|||
|- |
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|3.0.17 |
|||
|2022-04-19 |
|||
|- |
|||
|3.0.18 |
|||
|2022-11-29 |
|||
|- |
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|3.0.19 |
|||
|2023-09-30 |
|||
|- |
|||
|3.0.20 |
|||
|2023-11-01 |
|||
|- |
|||
|4.0.x |
|||
|Otto Chriek |
|||
| |
|||
|} |
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==Design principles== |
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For [[Computer console|console]] fans, VLC has an [[ncurses]] interface. As VLC can act as a streaming server, rather than a media player, it can be useful to control it from a remote location, and there are special interfaces allowing this. The Remote Control Interface is a text-based interface for doing this; and there are also interfaces using [[telnet]] and [[HTTP]] ([[Ajax (programming)|AJAX]]). |
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===Modular design=== |
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VLC, like most [[multimedia framework]]s, has a very [[modular (programming)|modular]] design which makes it easier to include modules/plugins for new file formats, codecs, interfaces, or streaming methods. VLC 1.0.0 has more than 380 modules.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://git.videolan.org/?p=vlc.git;a=blob_plain;f=modules/LIST;hb=HEAD|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130416024854/http://git.videolan.org/?p=vlc.git;a=blob_plain;f=modules/LIST;hb=HEAD|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 16, 2013|title=VLC media player List of modules|publisher=[[VideoLAN]]|work=VLC media player trac system}}</ref> The VLC core creates its own graph of modules dynamically, depending on the situation: input protocol, input file format, input codec, video card capabilities and other parameters. In VLC, almost everything is a module, like interfaces, video and audio outputs, controls, scalers, codecs, and audio/[[filter (video)|video filters]]. |
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=== |
===Interfaces=== |
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[[File:VLC basic key mapping.svg|thumb|Keyboard map (basic)]] |
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In addition to these interfaces, it is possible to control VLC in different ways: |
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* configurable hotkeys |
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* [[mouse gesture]]s |
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* [[LIRC]] and infrared controllers |
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The default [[GUI]] is based on [[Be API]] on [[BeOS]], [[Cocoa (API)|Cocoa]] for macOS, and [[Qt (framework)|Qt 5]] for Linux and Windows, but all give a similar standard interface. The old default [[GUI]] was based on [[wxWidgets]] on Linux and Windows.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jbkempf.com/blog/post/2007/02/10/Qt4-Interface|title=Qt4 Interface|author=Jean-Baptiste Kempf|work=Yet another blog for JBKempf|date=February 10, 2007|access-date=January 13, 2013}}</ref> VLC supports highly customizable [[Skin (computing)|skins]] through the skins2 interface,<ref>{{cite web|title=Skins|url=http://wiki.videolan.org/Skins/|website=VideoLAN Wiki|publisher=VideoLAN|access-date=July 9, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160709051705/https://wiki.videolan.org/Skins/|archive-date=July 9, 2016|date=February 21, 2015}}</ref> and also supports [[Winamp]] 2 and [[XMMS]] skins.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Popov|first1=Dmitri|title=VLC beyond the basics|url=http://www.linux.com/news/vlc-beyond-basics|website=Linux.com|publisher=The Linux Foundation|access-date=July 9, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160709051037/https://www.linux.com/news/vlc-beyond-basics|archive-date=July 9, 2016|date=March 22, 2007}}</ref> Skins are not supported in the macOS version.<ref>{{cite web|title=Skins|url=http://www.videolan.org/vlc/skins.html|website=VideoLAN|access-date=July 9, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160709050316/https://www.videolan.org/vlc/skins.html|archive-date=July 9, 2016}}</ref> VLC has [[ncurses]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Documentation:Modules/ncurses|url=http://wiki.videolan.org/Documentation:Modules/ncurses/|website=VideoLAN Wiki|publisher=VideoLAN|access-date=July 9, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160709042658/https://wiki.videolan.org/Documentation:Modules/ncurses/|archive-date=July 9, 2016|date=July 20, 2008}}</ref> remote control,<ref>{{cite web|title=Documentation:Modules/rc|url=https://wiki.videolan.org/Documentation:Modules/rc|website=VideoLAN Wiki|publisher=VideoLAN|access-date=July 9, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160709045830/https://wiki.videolan.org/Documentation:Modules/rc|archive-date=July 9, 2016|date=December 13, 2008}}</ref> and [[telnet]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Console|url=http://wiki.videolan.org/Console/|website=VideoLAN Wiki|access-date=July 9, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160709043230/https://wiki.videolan.org/Console/|archive-date=July 9, 2016|date=February 26, 2008}}</ref> [[System console|console]] interfaces. There is also an [[HTTP]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Documentation:Modules/http intf|url=http://wiki.videolan.org/Documentation:Modules/http_intf/|website=VideoLAN Wiki|publisher=VideoLAN|access-date=July 9, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160709043859/https://wiki.videolan.org/Documentation:Modules/http_intf/|archive-date=July 9, 2016|date=July 1, 2014}}</ref> interface, as well as interfaces for mouse gestures and keyboard [[hotkey]]s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://wiki.videolan.org/Interfaces/|title=Interfaces|date=July 28, 2011|website=VideoLAN Wiki|publisher=VideoLAN|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160709045549/https://wiki.videolan.org/Interfaces/|archive-date=July 9, 2016|access-date=July 28, 2011}}</ref> |
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== Features == |
|||
* VLC is popular for its ability to play the video content of incomplete, unfinished, or damaged video downloads before the files have been fully downloaded. (For example, files still downloading via [[BitTorrent]] or [[eMule]]) This is because it is a packet-based player. |
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* The player also has the ability to use libcdio to access [[.iso]] files so that the user can play files on a [[disk image]], even if the user's operating system does not have the capability of working directly with .iso images. |
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* VLC supports all codecs and all file formats supported by [[FFmpeg]]. This means that [[VOB|DVD Video]] and [[MPEG-4]] playback as well as support for [[Ogg]] and [[Matroska]] (MKV) file formats works "out of the box". However, this feature is not unique to VLC, as any player, including [[MPlayer]] and [[xine]], using the FFmpeg libraries can play those formats without need for external codecs. VLC does, however, also support codecs that are not included in FFmpeg. |
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* VLC media player has some filters that can distort, rotate, split, [[deinterlace]], mirror videos, create display walls, or add a logo overlay. It can also produce video output as [[ASCII art]]. |
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* VLC media player can play [[High-definition video|high definition]] recordings of [[D-VHS]] tapes duplicated to a computer using CapDVHS.exe. This offers another way to archive all D-VHS tapes with the DRM copy freely tag. An entire library of tapes (or about 50 D-VHS 2 hours long) can be placed on a single terabyte sized hard drive. However, they must be imported by playing the tapes in real time, and can't simply be copied as data files. |
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* Using a [[FireWire]] connection from cable boxes to computers; VLC can stream live, unencrypted content to a monitor or HDTV. |
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* VLC media player can display the playing video as the [[Computer wallpaper|desktop wallpaper]]. |
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* On Microsoft Windows, VLC also supports the Direct Media Object (DMO) framework and can therefore make use of some third-party [[Dynamic-link library|DLL]]s. |
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==Features== |
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== Use of VLC with other programs == |
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=== |
=== Effects (desktop version) === |
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The desktop version of VLC media player has some filters that can distort, rotate, split, [[deinterlace]], and mirror videos as well as create display walls or add a logo overlay during playback. It can also output video as [[ASCII art]]. |
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There are several [[API]]s to connect to and use VLC functionalities: |
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* libVLC API, which is the VLC Core, for C, C++ and C# |
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* [[JavaScript]] API, which is the evolution of ActiveX API and Firefox integration; |
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* [[D-Bus]] Controls; |
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* [[C Sharp|C#]] interface; |
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* [[Python (programming language)|Python]] controls; |
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* [[Java (programming language)|Java]] API. |
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An interactive zoom feature allows magnifying into video during playback.<ref>{{cite web |title=How to Zoom into Videos in VLC Media Player |url=https://www.vlchelp.com/how-to-zoom-into-videos-in-vlc-media-player/ |website=VLC Help |date=13 September 2020}}</ref> Still images can be extracted from video at original resolution,<ref>{{cite web |title=Take Picture Snapshot of a Video Using VLC Media Player |url=https://www.vlchelp.com/take-picture-snapshot-video/ |website=VLC Help |date=17 November 2013}}</ref> and individual frames can be stepped through, although only in forward direction.<ref>{{cite web |title=How to Go Frame by Frame in VLC |url=https://www.vlchelp.com/frame-stepping/ |website=VLC Help |date=17 June 2016}}</ref> |
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=== Browser plugins === |
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* On Windows, Linux, and some other platforms, VLC provides a [[NPAPI]] plugin,<ref>http://www.videolan.org/doc/play-howto/en/ch04.html#id293992</ref> which lets people view some QuickTime and Windows Media files embedded in websites without using [[Microsoft]] or [[Apple]] products. It supports [[Mozilla Firefox|Firefox]], [[Mozilla Application Suite]], [[Safari (web browser)|Safari]] and [[Opera (Internet suite)|Opera]] as well. This plugin was initially used by [[Google]] to build the [[Google Video]] web browser plugin,<ref>http://code.google.com/patches.html</ref> which currently uses [[Adobe Flash]]. |
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* Starting with version 0.8.2, VLC also provides an [[Component Object Model|ActiveX]] plugin, which lets people view some [[QuickTime]] (MOV) and [[Windows Media]] files embedded in websites when using [[Internet Explorer]]. |
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* It should be noted that these plugins have less features than default plugin. For example, the entire video must load prior to playback and no graphic controls are present as in Windows Media Player Plugin. |
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Playback can be gamified by splitting the picture inside the viewport into draggable [[puzzle]] pieces, where the row and column count can be set as desired.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Awasthi |first1=Abhishek |title=How to turn any video into an interactive puzzle in VLC media player |url=https://www.techworm.net/2016/02/how-to-turn-any-video-into-an-interactive-puzzle-in-vlc-media-player.html |website=TechWorm |date=6 February 2016 |access-date=20 April 2021}}</ref> |
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=== Applications which use the VLC plugin === |
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* VLC is good at handling incomplete files and so can be used to preview files being downloaded; several programs make use of this, including eMule and [[KCeasy]]. |
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* The free/open-source [[Miro Media Player]] (formerly [[Democracy Player]]) also uses VLC code. |
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* The [[Songbird (software)|Songbird]] media browser joins code from VLC and [[Firefox]]. |
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For audio playback, this feature includes an equalizer and other filters that help customize sound quality. |
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A few other applications use VLC for playback: [http://wiki.videolan.org/We_Use_VideoLAN We use VideoLAN]. A [[portable application|portable]] version is packaged by [[PortableApps.com]] and is available from the [http://portableapps.com/apps/music_video/vlc_portable VLC Portable] page on their site. |
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== |
=== Formats === |
||
Because VLC is a [[Packet (information technology)|packet-based]] media player it plays almost all video content. Even some damaged, incomplete, or unfinished files can be played, such as those still downloading via a [[peer-to-peer]] (P2P) network. It also plays m2t [[MPEG transport stream]]s (.TS) files while they are still being digitized from an [[HDV]] camera via a [[FireWire]] cable, making it possible to monitor the video as it is being recorded. The player can also use libcdio to access [[.iso]] files so that users can play files on a [[disk image]], even if the user's operating system cannot work directly with .iso images. |
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=== Readable formats === |
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VLC can read several formats, depending on the [[operating system]] VLC is running on.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.videolan.org/vlc/features.html | title=VLC features list | work=VideoLAN Project | accessdate=2007-02-24 }}</ref> |
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; '''Input''' : [[User Datagram Protocol|UDP]]/[[Real-time Transport Protocol|RTP]] [[unicast]] or [[multicast]], HTTP, [[FTP]], [[Multimedia Messaging Service|MMS]], DVDs, VCD, [[SVCD]], [[CD Audio]], [[DVB]] (only on Linux and on Windows in development versions), Video acquisition (via V4l and DirectShow), [[RSS (file format)|RSS]]/[[Atom (standard)|Atom]] Feeds, and from files stored on your computer. |
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; '''[[Container format (digital)|Container format]]s''': [[3GP]],<ref name="3gp">To use AMR as audio codec, VLC and FFmpeg need to be compiled with AMR support. This is because the AMR license is not compatible with the VLC license.</ref> [[Advanced Systems Format|ASF]], [[AVI]], [[FLV]], [[Matroska|MKV]], [[QuickTime#QuickTime file format|QuickTime]], [[MP4]], [[Ogg]], [[OGM]], [[WAV]], [[MPEG-2]] (ES, PS, [[transport stream|TS]], PVA, MP3), [[AIFF]], Raw audio, Raw DV, [[FLAC]]. [[MXF]]. |
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; '''[[Template:Compression Formats|Video formats]]''': [[Cinepak]], [[DV]], [[H.263]], [[H.264/MPEG-4 AVC]], [[HuffYUV]], [[Indeo]] 3,<ref>Indeo 4 and 5 codecs are not supported</ref> [[MJPEG]], [[MPEG-1]], MPEG-2, [[MPEG-4 Part 2]], [[Sorenson codec|Sorenson]] (thus enabling direct playback of the modified Sorenson [[H.263]] encoded videos downloaded from [[YouTube]]), [[Theora]], [[VC-1]],<ref name="086"> This is from 0.8.6 version</ref> [[VP5]],<ref name="086"/> [[VP6]],<ref name="086"/> [[WMV]]. |
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; '''Subtitles''': DVD, SVCD, DVB, OGM, [[SubStation Alpha]],<ref name="ssa">The current version only supports some of the formatting data from SSA/ASS (only coloring but no positioning, animation, typesetting etc.), but it was announced that it will be improved in 0.9.0. </ref> [[SubRip]], [[Advanced SubStation Alpha]],<ref name="ssa"/> [[MPEG-4 Timed Text]], [[Text file]], [[Vobsub]], MPL2,<ref name="090">This will be in 0.9.0</ref> [[Teletext]].<ref name="090"/> |
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; '''Audio formats''': [[Advanced Audio Coding|AAC]], [[AC3]], [[ALAC]], [[Adaptive Multi-Rate|AMR]],<ref name="3gp"/> [[Digital Theater System|DTS]], DV Audio, FLAC, [[MACE (codec)|MACE]], [[MP3]], QDM2/QDMC, [[RealAudio]],<ref> Real Audio playback is provided through the FFmpeg library which only supports the Cook (RealAudio G2 / RealAudio 8) decoder at the moment.</ref> [[Speex]], [[S3M|Screamtracker 3/S3M]], [[TTA (codec)|TTA]], [[Vorbis]], [[WavPack]],<ref>Currently only supported when encapsulated in the Matroska container format, and includes no multichannel support.</ref> [[Windows Media Audio|WMA]]. |
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VLC supports all audio and video formats supported by [[libavcodec]] and libavformat. This means that VLC can play back [[H.264/MPEG-4 AVC|H.264]] or [[MPEG-4 Part 2]] video as well as support [[Flash Video|FLV]] or [[Material Exchange Format|MXF]] file formats "out of the box" using FFmpeg's libraries. Alternatively, VLC has modules for codecs that are not based on FFmpeg's libraries. VLC is one of the [[free software]] DVD players that ignore [[DVD region code#Software DVD players|DVD region coding]] on [[RPC-1]] firmware drives, making it a [[region-free DVD player|region-free player]]. However, it does not do the same on [[RPC-2]] firmware drives, as in these cases the region coding is enforced by the drive itself, however, it can still [[Brute-force attack|brute-force]] the [[Content Scramble System|CSS]] encryption to play a foreign-region DVD on an RPC-2 drive. |
|||
=== Output formats for streaming/encoding === |
|||
VLC can transcode into several formats depending on the operating system. |
|||
; '''Container formats''': ASF, AVI, FLV,<ref name="090"/> MP4, Ogg, Wav, MPEG-2 (ES, PS, TS, PVA, MP3), MPJPEG, FLAC, MOV |
|||
; '''Video formats''': H.263, H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, MJPEG, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4 Part 2, VP5,<ref name="086"/> VP6,<ref name="086"/> Theora, DV |
|||
; '''Audio formats''': AAC, AC3, DV Audio, FLAC, MP3,<ref>You need to compile VLC with mp3lame support</ref> Speex, Vorbis |
|||
; '''Streaming protocols''': [[User Datagram Protocol|UDP]], [[Hypertext Transfer Protocol|HTTP]], [[Real-time Transport Protocol|RTP]], [[Real Time Streaming Protocol|RTSP]], [[Microsoft Media Services|MMS]], File |
|||
VLC media player can play [[High-definition video|high-definition]] recordings of [[D-VHS]] tapes duplicated to a computer using {{tt|CapDVHS.exe}}. This offers another way to archive all D-VHS tapes with the DRM copy freely tag. Using a [[FireWire]] connection from cable boxes to computers, VLC can stream live, unencrypted content to a monitor or HDTV. VLC media player can display the playing video as the [[computer wallpaper|desktop wallpaper]], like [[Windows DreamScene]], by using [[DirectX]], only available on Windows operating systems. VLC media player can record the desktop and save the stream as a file, allowing the user to create [[screencast]]s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wiki.videolan.org/Documentation:Advanced_Use_of_VLC/#Desktop.2FScreen_grab_options|title=Documentation:Advanced Use of VLC – VideoLAN Wiki|website=wiki.videolan.org|language=en|access-date=April 25, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wiki.videolan.org/Documentation:Streaming_HowTo_New/#Streaming_using_the_GUI|title=Documentation:Streaming HowTo New – VideoLAN Wiki|website=wiki.videolan.org|language=en|access-date=April 25, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.vlchelp.com/how-to-record-desktop/|title=How to Record Your Desktop Using VLC Media Player|date=November 9, 2014|work=VLC Help|access-date=April 25, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> On Microsoft Windows, VLC also supports the Direct Media Object (DMO) framework and can thus make use of some third-party [[dynamic-link library|DLLs]] (Dynamic-link library). On most platforms, VLC can tune into and view DVB-C, DVB-T, and DVB-S channels. On macOS the separate EyeTV plugin is required, on Windows it requires the card's BDA Drivers. |
|||
==== Unsupported Output Formats ==== |
|||
VLC is currently (as of 0.8.6c) unable to play videos using the following codecs: |
|||
* [[Fraps]] |
|||
* [[RealMedia]] (.rm) |
|||
* RealMedia Variable Bitrate ([[RMVB]], .rmvb) |
|||
VLC can be installed or run directly from a [[USB flash drive]] or other external drive. VLC can be extended through scripting; it uses the [[Lua (programming language)|Lua]] scripting language.<ref>{{cite web|title=Addons for VLC|url= http://addons.videolan.org/|work= www.vlc-addons.org|publisher=[[VideoLAN]]|date=January 10, 2013|access-date= January 13, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Scripting VLC in lua|url=https://forum.videolan.org/viewforum.php?f=29|work=the videolan forums|publisher=[[VideoLAN]]|access-date= January 13, 2013}}</ref> VLC can play videos in the [[AVCHD]] format, a highly compressed format used in recent [[High-definition video|HD]] camcorders. VLC can generate a number of [[music visualization]] displays. The program is able to convert media files into various supported formats.<ref name="PC World 2012-10-10">{{cite web|url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/2011013/how-to-master-vlc-the-ultimate-windows-media-player-for-power-users.html|title=How to master VLC, the ultimate Windows media player for power users |last=Chacos |first=Brad |work=Video players review & comments |publisher=[[PC World]]|date= October 10, 2012 |access-date= January 13, 2013}}</ref> |
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== See also == |
|||
{{portal|Free software|Free Software Portal Logo.svg}} |
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Both desktop and mobile releases are equipped with an [[Equalization (audio)|audio equalizer]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-04-15|title=VLC Android: Access Graphic Equalizer & Other in-player Options|url=https://www.vlchelp.com/android-graphic-equalizer/|access-date=2021-04-17|website=VLC Help|language=en-US}}</ref> |
|||
* [[List of video players (software)]] |
|||
* [[List of media players]] |
|||
* [[Comparison of media players]] |
|||
* [[List of codecs|List of multimedia (audio/video) codecs]] |
|||
* [[xine]], [[MPlayer]] |
|||
* [[MEncoder]] |
|||
== |
=== Christmas logo === |
||
A red Santa hat appears on top of VLC's traffic-cone logo during Christmas seasons.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fitzpatrick |first1=Jason |title=VLC Gets Dressed Up for Christmas |url=https://lifehacker.com/vlc-gets-dressed-up-for-christmas-5432179 |access-date=5 June 2023 |website=Lifehacker|date=December 22, 2009 }}</ref> |
|||
{{reflist}} |
|||
== |
=== Keyboard shortcuts === |
||
{{commons|VLC}} |
|||
* [http://www.videolan.org/vlc/ Official Website] |
|||
* [http://wiki.videolan.org VideoLAN Wiki] |
|||
* [http://forum.videolan.org VideoLAN Forums] |
|||
* [http://trac.videolan.org VideoLAN Tracking System] |
|||
* [irc://irc.freenode.net/videolan IRC channel] |
|||
There are single-button shortcuts in VLC that don't require Ctrl or Alt button. |
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For example, pressing keys F and G while a video file is running in VLC shifts the file's audio/video sync for 50 millisecond per adjustment.<ref>[https://osxdaily.com/2009/10/07/quick-tip-press-f-and-g-keys-to-sync-audio-in-vlc/ A notion from 2009 on the use of keys F and G in VLC]</ref> This is useful to fix an issue with the sound being ahead or lagging behind the video. |
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==Operating system compatibility== |
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VLC media player is [[cross-platform]], with versions for [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]], [[macOS]], [[Linux]], [[iOS]], [[Android (operating system)|Android]], [[tvOS]], [[ChromeOS]], [[Windows Phone]], various [[BSD|BSD-based]] systems, [[Oracle Solaris|Solaris]], [[BeOS]], [[OS/2]], and [[Syllable Desktop (operating system)|Syllable]].<ref name="videolan-dl">{{cite web| url = https://videolan.org/vlc/#download| title = Official Downloads of VLC media player| publisher = Videolan.org| access-date = January 2, 2012}}</ref> However, forward and backward compatibility between versions of VLC media player and different versions of OSes are not maintained over more than a few generations.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=98689#p330501|title=VLC 2.0 and Windows 2000| publisher=[[VideoLAN]]|work=VideoLAN Forums|date=February 28, 2012|access-date= January 12, 2013}}</ref> [[64-bit]] builds are available for 64-bit Windows, starting with version 2.0.1.<ref name="videolan-dl-windows">{{cite web|url=https://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-windows.html|title=Download official VLC media player for Windows |publisher=Videolan.org |access-date=June 19, 2013}}</ref><ref>[https://download.videolan.org/pub/videolan/vlc/2.0.1/ First 64-bit build of VLC for 64-bit Windows.]</ref> |
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===Windows 8 and 10 support=== |
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The VLC port for [[Windows 8]] and [[Windows 10]] is backed by a [[crowdfunding]] campaign on [[Kickstarter]] to add support for a new GUI based on Microsoft's [[Metro (design language)|Metro design language]], that will run on the [[Windows Runtime]]. All the existing features including video filters, subtitle support, and an equalizer are present in Windows 8.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.neowin.net/news/beta-for-windows-8-vlc-app-to-be-sent-to-kickstarter-backers-this-month|title=Beta for Windows 8 VLC app to be sent to Kickstarter backers this month |publisher=neowin.net |date=March 11, 2012|access-date=April 15, 2013}}</ref> A beta version of VLC for Windows 8 was released to the [[Microsoft Store]] on March 13, 2014.<ref>Ian Paul (March 13, 2014) [http://www.pcworld.com/article/2107861/hands-on-with-vlcs-beta-metro-app-already-better-than-windows-8s-video-app.html Hands-on with VLC's beta Metro app: Already better than Windows 8's Video app]. [[PC World]]. IDG Consumer & SMB. Retrieved September 23, 2015.</ref> A [[Universal Windows Platform apps|universal app]] was created for Windows 8, 8.1, 10, Windows Phone 8, 8.1 and Windows 10 Mobile. |
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===Android support=== |
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[[File:Screenshot of VLC media player on Android.jpg|thumb|VLC media player on Android]] |
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In May 2012, the VLC team stated that a version of VLC for [[Android (operating system)|Android]] was being developed.<ref>{{cite web |
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|url=https://videolan.org/vlc/download-android.html|title=VLC media player for Android|publisher=[[VideoLAN]]|access-date=May 6, 2012}}</ref> The stable release version 1.0 was made available on [[Google Play]] on December 8, 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://lifehacker.com/vlc-for-android-finally-reaches-full-stable-version-1668394621 |
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|title=VLC for Android Finally Reaches Full, Stable Version |date=December 8, 2014 |website=[[Lifehacker]] |access-date=April 15, 2017}}</ref> |
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==Use of VLC with other programs== |
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===Bindings=== |
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{{Infobox software |
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| name = libVLC |
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| logo = |
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| developer = [[VideoLAN]] Project |
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| released = February 1, 2001 |
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| latest release version = 3.0.10<ref name="libVLC">{{cite web |url=https://wiki.videolan.org/LibVLC |title=libVLC |publisher=VideoLAN Wiki |date=April 22, 2020 |access-date=April 22, 2020}}</ref> |
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| latest release date = |
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| latest preview version = |
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| latest preview date = |
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| programming language = [[C (programming language)|C]] |
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| size = |
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| language = |
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| genre = Multimedia [[library (computing)|Library]] |
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| license = [[GNU Lesser General Public License|LGPL-2.1-or-later]] |
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| website = {{URL|https://wiki.videolan.org/LibVLC}} |
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}} |
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Several [[Application programming interface|APIs]] can connect to VLC and use its functionality: |
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* libVLC API – the VLC Core, for [[C (programming language)|C]] and [[C++]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://code.videolan.org/videolan/libvlcpp|title = VideoLAN / Libvlcpp}}</ref> |
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* VLCKit – an Objective-C framework for macOS<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://code.videolan.org/videolan/VLCKit|title = VideoLAN / VLCKit}}</ref> |
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* LibVLCSharp – Crossplatform [[.NET Core|.NET]] bindings to libVLC ([[C Sharp (programming language)|C#]]/[[F Sharp (programming language)|F#]]/[[Visual Basic .NET|VB]])<ref>{{Citation|last=Martin|first=Martin|title=LibVLCSharp: official crossplatform .NET/Mono bindings for LibVLC|date=April 29, 2020|url=https://code.videolan.org/videolan/LibVLCSharp|access-date=April 29, 2020}}</ref> |
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* [[JavaScript]] API – the evolution of ActiveX API and Firefox integration<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://github.com/adammw/node-vlc-ffi|title = Node-VLC-ffi|website = [[GitHub]]|date = August 14, 2020}}</ref> |
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* [[D-Bus]] controls<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wiki.videolan.org/DBus/|title = DBus – VideoLAN Wiki}}</ref> |
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* [[Go (programming language)|Go]] bindings<ref>{{Citation|last=Bostan|first=Adrian-George|title=Go bindings for libVLC 2.X/3.X/4.X used by the VLC media player: adrg/libvlc-go|date=November 5, 2019|url=https://github.com/adrg/libvlc-go|access-date=November 5, 2019}}</ref> |
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* [[Python (programming language)|Python]] controls<ref>{{cite web |url=https://wiki.videolan.org/Python_bindings |title=Python bindings – VideoLAN Wiki |publisher=Wiki.videolan.org |date=September 30, 2010 |access-date=October 6, 2010}}</ref> |
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* [[Java (programming language)|Java]] API<ref>{{cite web |url=https://wiki.videolan.org/Java_bindings |title=Java binding Project |publisher=Wiki.videolan.org |date=January 25, 2010 |access-date=October 6, 2010}}</ref> |
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* [[DirectShow]] filters<ref>{{cite web | last=Anderson | first=Dean |author2=Lamberson, Jim | title=Using VideoLan VLC in DirectShow | work=An open source bridge from VLC to DirectShow | year=2007 | url=http://www.sensoray.com/support/videoLan.htm | access-date=February 15, 2008}}</ref> |
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* [[Object Pascal|Delphi/Pascal]] API: PasLibVlc by Robert Jędrzejczyk<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prog.olsztyn.pl/paslibvlc|publisher= Prog.olsztyn.pl|title=libvlc for Delphi and FreePascal|access-date=May 22, 2011}}</ref> |
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* [[Free Pascal]] bindings and an [[Object-oriented programming|OOP]] wrapper component, via the libvlc.pp and vlc.pp units. This comes standard with the Free Pascal Compiler as of November 6, 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://svn.freepascal.org/cgi-bin/viewvc.cgi?view=revision&revision=22943|title=SubVersion commit r22943 in the Free Pascal repository|access-date=March 16, 2013|archive-date=January 26, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160126221921/http://svn.freepascal.org/cgi-bin/viewvc.cgi?view=revision&revision=22943|url-status=dead}}</ref> |
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* The [[Phonon (KDE)|Phonon]] multimedia API for [[Qt (framework)|Qt]] and [[KDE]] applications can optionally use VLC as a backend.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Larabel|first1=Michael|title=Phonon Now Supports Qt5, Likes VLC Over GStreamer|url=https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTUwNDM|website=Phoronix|access-date=July 10, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160710074648/https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTUwNDM|archive-date=July 10, 2016|date=November 5, 2013}}</ref> |
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===Applications that use libVLC === |
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VLC can handle some incomplete files and in some cases can be used to preview files being downloaded. Several programs make use of this, including eMule and [[KCeasy]]. The free/open-source Internet television application [[Miro (software)|Miro]] also uses VLC code. [[HandBrake]], an open-source video encoder, used to load [[libdvdcss]] from VLC Media Player.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://geekyswap.com/mx-player-vs-vlc-android-detailed-comparison/|title=MX Player Vs VLC for Android – Detailed Comparison|last=Suryawanshi|first=Swapnil|date=September 11, 2017|website=GeekySwap|language=en-US|access-date=February 10, 2019}}</ref> Easy Subtitles Synchronizer, a [[freeware]] subtitle editing program for Windows, uses VLC to preview the video with the edited subtitles. |
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==Format support== |
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===Input formats=== |
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VLC can read many formats, depending on the [[operating system]] it is running on, including:<ref>{{cite web | url=https://videolan.org/vlc/features.html | title=VLC features list | work=VideoLAN Project | access-date=February 24, 2007 }}</ref> |
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* [[Digital container format|Container formats]]: [[3GP]],{{efn|name=Threegp|Until VLC 1.1.0, to use AMR as audio codec, VLC and FFmpeg had to be compiled with AMR support. This is because the AMR license is not compatible with the VLC license.}} [[Advanced Systems Format|ASF]], [[Audio Video Interleave|AVI]], [[DVR-MS]], [[FLV]], [[Matroska]] (MKV), [[MIDI]],{{efn|This feature needs [[SoundFont|sound fonts]] and might not work on every OS.}} [[QuickTime File Format]], [[MP4]], [[Ogg]], [[OGM]], [[WAV]], [[MPEG-2]] ([[Elementary stream|ES]], [[MPEG program stream|PS]], [[MPEG transport stream|TS]], PVA, [[MP3]]), [[Audio Interchange File Format|AIFF]], Raw audio, Raw DV, [[Material Exchange Format|MXF]], [[VOB]], [[RealMedia|RM]], [[Blu-ray]], [[DVD-Video]], [[VCD]], [[SVCD]], [[CD-DA]], [[Digital Video Broadcasting|DVB]], [[HEIF]], [[AVIF]] |
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* [[Audio coding format]]s: [[Advanced Audio Coding|AAC]], [[Dolby AC-3|AC3]], [[Apple Lossless|ALAC]], [[Adaptive Multi-Rate|AMR]],{{efn|name=Threegp}} [[Digital Theater System|DTS]], DV Audio, [[XM (file format)|XM]], [[Free Lossless Audio Codec|FLAC]], [[Impulse Tracker#IT file format|It]], [[MACE (codec)|MACE]], [[MOD (file format)|MOD]], [[Monkey's Audio]], [[MP3]], [[Opus (audio format)|Opus]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://videolan.org/vlc/releases/2.0.4.html |title= VLC 2.0.4 Twoflower |publisher=VideoLAN |access-date=October 19, 2012}}</ref> [[PLS (file format)|PLS]], [[QCP]], QDM2/QDMC, [[RealAudio]],{{efn|RealAudio playback is provided through the FFmpeg library which only supports the Cook (RealAudio G2 / RealAudio 8) decoder at the moment.{{When|date=April 2021}}}} [[Speex]], [[S3M|Screamtracker 3/S3M]], TTA, [[Vorbis]], [[WavPack]],{{efn|{{As of|2010}}, only supported in mono and stereo, so no multichannel support.}} [[Windows Media Audio|WMA]] (WMA 1/2, WMA 3 partially).<ref name="vlcAudio">{{cite web |url=https://videolan.org/vlc/features.php?cat=audio |title=VLC playback Features |author=VideoLAN team |access-date=January 3, 2010}}</ref> |
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* Capture devices: [[Video4Linux]] (on Linux), [[DirectShow]] (on Windows), Desktop ([[screencast]]), Digital TV ([[DVB-C]], [[DVB-S]], [[DVB-T]], [[DVB-S2]], [[DVB-T2]], [[ATSC]], [[QAM (television)|Clear QAM]]) |
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* Network protocols: [[FTP]], [[HTTP]], [[Microsoft Media Services|MMS]], [[RSS (file format)|RSS]]/[[Atom (standard)|Atom]], [[Real Time Messaging Protocol|RTMP]], [[Real-time Transport Protocol|RTP]] ([[unicast]] or [[multicast]]), [[Real Time Streaming Protocol|RTSP]], [[User Datagram Protocol|UDP]], [[Sat-IP]], [[Smooth Streaming]] |
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* Network streaming formats: [[HTTP Live Streaming|Apple HLS]], [[Real-Time Messaging Protocol|Flash RTMP]], [[Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP|MPEG-DASH]], [[MPEG Transport Stream]], [[Real-time Transport Protocol|RTP]]/[[Real Time Streaming Protocol|RTSP]] ISMA/3GPP PSS, Windows Media MMS |
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* Subtitles: [[Advanced SubStation Alpha]], [[Closed Captions]], [[Digital Video Broadcasting|DVB]], [[DVD-Video]], [[MPEG-4 Timed Text]], MPL2,{{efn|name=ZeroNineZero|This is present in 0.9.0 and newer version.}} [[OGM]], [[SubStation Alpha]], [[SubRip]], [[SVCD]], [[Teletext]],{{efn|name=ZeroNineZero}} [[Text file]], [[VobSub]], [[WebVTT]], [[Timed Text Markup Language|TTML]] |
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* [[Video coding format]]s: [[Cinepak]], [[Dirac (codec)|Dirac]], [[DV (video format)|DV]], [[H.263]], [[H.264/MPEG-4 AVC]], [[High Efficiency Video Coding|H.265/MPEG HEVC]],<ref name="VLC 2.1.2 Rincewind">{{cite web|url=https://www.videolan.org/vlc/releases/2.1.2.html |title= VLC 2.1.2 Rincewind |publisher=VideoLAN |access-date=January 30, 2014}}</ref> [[AV1]], [[HuffYUV]], [[Indeo]] 3,{{efn|Indeo 4 and 5 codecs are not supported.}} [[MJPEG]], [[MPEG-1]], [[MPEG-2]], [[MPEG-4 Part 2]], [[RealVideo]] 3&4,{{efn|From 0.9.9 and over.}} [[Sorenson codec|Sorenson]], [[Theora]], [[VC-1]],{{efn|name=ZeroEightSix|This is from the 0.8.6 version.}} [[VP5]],{{efn|name=ZeroEightSix}} [[VP6]],{{efn|name=ZeroEightSix}} [[VP8]], [[VP9]],<ref name="VLC 2.1.2 Rincewind"/> [[DNxHD codec|DNxHD]], [[Apple ProRes|ProRes]] and some [[Windows Media Video|WMV]]. |
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* [[Camcorder|Digital Camcorder]] formats: [[MOD and TOD]] via USB. |
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===Output formats=== |
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VLC can [[transcode]] or [[Streaming media|stream]] audio and video into several formats depending on the operating system, including: |
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* Container formats: [[Advanced Systems Format|ASF]], [[Audio Video Interleave|AVI]], [[FLAC]], [[FLV]],{{efn|name=ZeroNineZero}} [[Fraps]],{{efn|name=ZeroNineZero}} [[Matroska]], [[MP4]], MPJPEG, [[MPEG-2]] ([[Elementary stream|ES]], [[MP3]]), [[Ogg]], [[Program stream|PS]], PVA, [[QuickTime File Format]], [[Transport stream|TS]], [[WAV]], [[WebM]] |
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* Audio coding formats: [[Advanced Audio Coding|AAC]], [[Dolby AC-3|AC-3]], [[DV (video format)|DV Audio]], [[FLAC]], [[MP3]],{{efn|VLC must be compiled with mp3lame support.}} [[Speex]], [[Vorbis]] |
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* Streaming protocols: [[Hypertext Transfer Protocol|HTTP]], [[Microsoft Media Services|MMS]], [[Real Time Streaming Protocol|RTSP]], [[Real-time Transport Protocol|RTP]], [[User Datagram Protocol|UDP]] |
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* Video coding formats: [[Dirac (video compression format)|Dirac]], [[DV (video format)|DV]], [[H.263]], [[H.264/MPEG-4 AVC]], [[High Efficiency Video Coding|H.265/MPEG-H HEVC]], [[MJPEG]], [[MPEG-1]], [[MPEG-2]], [[MPEG-4 Part 2]], [[Theora]], [[VP5]],{{efn|name=ZeroEightSix}} [[VP6]], [[VP8]],{{efn|name=ZeroEightSix}} [[VP9]]<ref name="VLC 2.1.2 Rincewind"/> |
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==Legality== |
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The VLC media player software installers for the macOS platform and the Windows platform include the [[libdvdcss|libdvdcss DVD decryption library]], even though this library may be legally restricted in certain jurisdictions.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://videolan.org/support/faq.html |title=VideoLAN – Frequently Asked Questions |access-date=March 24, 2012 |publisher=VideoLAN}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://videolan.org/legal.html |title=VideoLAN – Legal |access-date=March 24, 2012 |publisher=VideoLAN}}</ref> |
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===India=== |
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In May 2022, it was reported by [[MediaNama]] that VLC was banned in India and its website was inaccessible from India under the provisions of the [[Information Technology Act, 2000]].<ref>{{cite news |title=VLC's website has been down for over two months in India |url=https://www.medianama.com/2022/05/223-vlc-website-blocked-two-months-india/ |access-date=14 August 2022 |work=MediaNama |date=19 May 2022}}</ref> Neither the developers, nor the Indian government offered any explanation to the ban, according to [[India Today|''India Today'']]. The official VideoLAN Twitter account stated in August that the website was blocked in India from 13 February 2022.<ref>{{cite news |last1=DelhiAugust 12 |first1=India Today Tech New |title=VLC Media Player banned in India, website and VLC download link blocked |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/technology/news/story/vlc-media-player-banned-in-india-website-and-vlc-download-link-blocked-1987361-2022-08-12 |access-date=14 August 2022 |work=India Today |language=en}}</ref> A report by [[Hindustan Times|''Hindustan Times'']] indicated that the ban could be due to links with China.<ref>{{cite news |title=Popular VLC Media Player banned in India: Report |url=https://tech.hindustantimes.com/tech/news/popular-vlc-media-player-banned-in-india-report-71660414487178.html |access-date=14 August 2022 |work=HT Tech |date=13 August 2022 |language=en}}</ref> India had in 2020 banned over 200 Chinese apps following the [[2020–2022 China–India skirmishes]]. Another Hindustan Times report from April quoting [[Symantec Security|Symantec]] said that Chinese hackers were depending on VLC to launch malware they had previously installed on Windows machines.<ref>{{cite news |title=Do you use VLC media player? Beware! Hackers in China have launched malware attack |url=https://tech.hindustantimes.com/tech/news/do-you-use-vlc-media-player-beware-hackers-in-china-have-launched-malware-attack-71649576739623.html |access-date=14 August 2022 |work=HT Tech |date=10 April 2022 |language=en}}</ref> The technique they used is called DLL side-loading, in which an external library that a legitimate program loads at runtime is substituted with a modified version containing the malware.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chinese hackers abuse VLC Media Player to launch malware loader |url=https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/chinese-hackers-abuse-vlc-media-player-to-launch-malware-loader/ |access-date=2022-11-11 |website=BleepingComputer |language=en-us}} </ref> VideoLan president and lead developer [[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]] said, the block was most likely a result of a misunderstanding of the Chinese security issue, although the Indian Government did not provide for a reason as to why it was blocked.<ref>{{cite web |title=VLC says India internet providers blocking site poses threat to users |url=https://techcrunch.com/2022/08/17/vlc-india/ |website=TechCrunch |date=August 17, 2022 |access-date=18 November 2022}}</ref> In October 2022, VLC, with assistance from the Indian digital rights organization [[Internet Freedom Foundation]] sent a legal notice to the Indian Government, following which, in November 2022, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India decided to remove the ban from the VLC website.<ref>{{cite web |title=India lifts download ban on VLC |url=https://techcrunch.com/2022/11/14/india-lifts-download-ban-on-vlc |website=Tech Crunch |date=November 14, 2022 |access-date=18 November 2022}}</ref> |
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===United States=== |
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The VLC media player software is able to read audio and video data from DVDs that incorporate [[Content Scramble System]] (CSS) encryption, even though the VLC media player software lacks a CSS decryption license.<ref name="pc_world_dvds_css">{{Cite web |url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/168622/VLC_Video_Player_New_DVD_Copying_Feature_Could_Run_Afoul_of_the_MPAA.html |title=VLC Video Player's New DVD-Copying Feature Could Run Afoul of the MPAA |date=July 17, 2009 |access-date=November 12, 2010 |publisher=[[PC World (magazine)|PCWorld]] |author=Horton, Steve}}</ref> The unauthorized decryption of CSS-encrypted DVD content or unauthorized distribution of CSS decryption tools may violate the US [[Digital Millennium Copyright Act]].<ref name=pc_world_dvds_css /> Decryption of CSS-encrypted DVD content has been temporarily authorized for certain purposes (such as [[documentary film]]making that uses short portions of DVD content for criticism or commentary) under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act [[Digital Millennium Copyright Act#Anti-circumvention exemptions|anticircumvention exemptions]] that were issued by the [[US Copyright Office]] in 2010.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://copyright.gov/1201/ |title=Rulemaking on Exemptions from Prohibition on Circumvention of Technological Measures that Control Access to Copyrighted Works |date=July 28, 2010 |access-date=November 14, 2010 |publisher=[[US Copyright Office]]}}</ref> However, these exemptions do not change the DMCA's ban on the distribution of CSS decryption tools; including those distributed with VLC.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2005/11/dmca-triennial-rulemaking-failing-consumers-completely |title=DMCA Triennial Rulemaking: Failing Consumers Completely |year=2005 |access-date=November 14, 2010 |publisher=[[Electronic Frontier Foundation]] |last=von Lohmann |first= Fred |author-link=Fred von Lohmann}}</ref> |
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==See also== |
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{{Portal|Free and open-source software}} |
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* [[Comparison of video player software]] |
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* [[List of codecs]] |
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* [[List of music software]] |
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* [[ASCII art#Animated ASCII art|Animated ASCII art]] - VLC can output [[ASCII art|ASCII animation]] through the [[Libcaca]] module |
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== Explanatory notes == |
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{{noteslist}} |
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==References== |
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{{Reflist|30em}} |
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==External links== |
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{{commons category|VLC media player}} |
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{{Spoken Wikipedia|Vlc spoken.ogg|date=2019-08-14}} |
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* {{Official website}} |
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{{Media player (application software)|free}} |
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{{Qt}} |
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{{FLOSS}} |
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[[Category:2001 software]] |
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[[Category:Amiga media players]] |
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[[Category:Applications using D-Bus]] |
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[[Category:Audio software with JACK support]] |
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[[Category:BeOS software]] |
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[[Category:BSD software]] |
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[[Category:Cross-platform free software]] |
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[[Category:Free and open-source Android software]] |
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[[Category:Free media players]] |
[[Category:Free media players]] |
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[[Category:Free video software]] |
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[[Category:Linux DVD players]] |
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[[Category:Software using the LGPL license]] |
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[[Category:Solaris media players]] |
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[[Category:Spoken articles]] |
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Latest revision as of 17:28, 11 August 2024
top: VLC 3.0.12 (running on Linux and GNOME, playing Spring, a short film by the Blender Foundation) bottom: VLC 3.0.10 preferences and effects | |||||||||||||
Developer(s) | VideoLAN | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Initial release | February 1, 2001[1] | ||||||||||||
Stable release(s) [±] | |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
Repository | |||||||||||||
Written in | Core: C GUI: C++ (with Qt), Objective-C (with Cocoa), Swift, Java Bundled Extensions: Lua[9] | ||||||||||||
Operating system | Windows, Windows Phone, ReactOS, macOS, Linux, Android, Android TV, ChromeOS, iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, watchOS, Xbox system software | ||||||||||||
Platform | IA-32, x86-64, ARM, ARM64, MIPS, PowerPC | ||||||||||||
Available in | 106 languages[10] | ||||||||||||
Type | Media player | ||||||||||||
License | GPL-2.0-or-later with some libraries under LGPL-2.1-or-later[11][12] VLC for iOS (MPLv2.0) | ||||||||||||
Website | videolan.org/vlc |
VLC media player (previously the VideoLAN Client and commonly known as simply VLC) is a free and open-source, portable, cross-platform media player software and streaming media server developed by the VideoLAN project. VLC is available for desktop operating systems and mobile platforms, such as Android, iOS and iPadOS. VLC is also available on digital distribution platforms such as Apple's App Store, Google Play, and Microsoft Store.
VLC supports many audio- and video-compression-methods and file-formats, including DVD-Video, Video CD, and streaming-protocols. It is able to stream media over computer networks and can transcode multimedia files.[14]
The default distribution of VLC includes many free decoding and encoding libraries, avoiding the need for finding/calibrating proprietary plugins. The libavcodec library from the FFmpeg project provides many of VLC's codecs, but the player mainly[15] uses its own muxers and demuxers. It also has its own protocol implementations. It also gained distinction as the first player to support playback of encrypted DVDs on Linux and macOS by using the libdvdcss DVD decryption library; however, this library is legally controversial and is not included in many software repositories of Linux distributions as a result.[16][17] It is available on iOS under the MPLv2.[18]
History
[edit]The VideoLAN software originated as a French academic project in 1996. VLC used to stand for "VideoLAN Client" when VLC was a client of the VideoLAN project. Since VLC is no longer merely a client, that initialism no longer applies.[19][20] It was intended to consist of a client and server[21] to stream videos from satellite dishes across a campus network. Originally developed by students at the École Centrale Paris, it is now developed by contributors worldwide and is coordinated by VideoLAN, a non-profit organization. Rewritten from scratch in 1998, it was released under GNU General Public License on February 1, 2001, with authorization from the headmaster of the École Centrale Paris. The functionality of the server-program, VideoLan Server (VLS), has mostly been subsumed into VLC and has been deprecated.[22] The project name has been changed to VLC media player because there is no longer a client/server infrastructure.
The cone icon used in VLC is a reference to the traffic cones collected by École Centrale's Networking Students' Association.[23] The cone icon design was changed from a hand drawn low resolution icon to a higher resolution CGI-rendered version in 2005, illustrated by Richard Øiestad.[citation needed]
In 2007 the VLC project decided, for license compatibility reasons, not to upgrade to the just-released GPLv3.[24] After 13 years of development, version 1.0.0 of VLC media player was released on July 7, 2009.[25] Work began on VLC for Android in 2010 and it has been available for Android devices on the Google Play store since 2011.[26][27] In September 2010, a company named "Applidium" developed a VLC port for iOS under GPLv2 with the endorsement of the VLC project, which was accepted by Apple for their App Store.[28][29] In January 2011, after VLC developer Rémi Denis-Courmont's complaint to Apple about the licensing conflict between the VLC's GPLv2 and the App store's policies,[30] the VLC had been withdrawn from the Apple App Store by Apple.[31] Subsequently, in October 2011 the VLC authors began to relicense the engine parts of VLC from the GPL-2.0-or-later to the LGPL-2.1-or-later to achieve better license compatibility, for instance with the Apple App Store.[32][33][34][35] In July 2013 the VLC application could be resubmitted to the iOS App Store under the MPL-2.0.[36] Version 2.0.0 of VLC media player was released on February 18, 2012.[12][37] The version for the Windows Store was released on March 13, 2014. Support for Windows RT, Windows Phone and Xbox One were added later.[38] As of 2016[update] VLC is the third in the sourceforge.net overall download count,[39] and there have been more than 3 billion downloads.[40]
Version 3.0 was in development for Windows, Linux and macOS since June 2016[41] and released in February 2018.[42] It contains many new features including Chromecast output support (except subtitles[43]), hardware-accelerated decoding enabled by default, 4K and 8K playback, 10-bit and HDR playback, 360° video and 3D audio, audio passthrough for HD audio codecs, BD-J menu support, and local network drive browsing.
In December 2017 the European Parliament approved a budget that funds a bug bounty program for VLC to improve the EU's IT infrastructure.[44]
Release-history
[edit]Starting with version 1.1.0, VLC release codenames refer to characters from Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels; an exception is release 2.2.1, which came out shortly after Pratchett's death on March 12, 2015, and which was codenamed Terry Pratchett in honor of the author himself.
Version[45] | Codename[46] | Release date |
---|---|---|
1.0.0 | Goldeneye | 2009-07-07 |
1.0.1 | 2009-07-28 | |
1.0.2 | 2009-09-22 | |
1.0.3 | 2009-10-31 | |
1.0.4 | 2009-12-10 | |
1.0.5 | 2010-01-31 | |
1.0.6 | 2010-04-21 | |
1.1.0 | The Luggage | 2010-06-22 |
1.1.1 | 2010-07-21 | |
1.1.2 | 2010-07-29 | |
1.1.3 | 2010-08-18 | |
1.1.4 | 2010-08-27 | |
1.1.5 | 2010-11-13 | |
1.1.6 | 2011-01-23 | |
1.1.7 | 2011-02-01 | |
1.1.8 | 2011-03-23 | |
1.1.9 | 2011-04-12 | |
1.1.10 | 2011-06-06 | |
1.1.11 | 2011-07-15 | |
1.1.12 | 2011-10-06 | |
1.1.13 | 2011-12-20 | |
2.0.0 | Twoflower | 2012-02-18 |
2.0.1 | 2012-03-19 | |
2.0.2 | 2012-07-01 | |
2.0.3 | 2012-07-19 | |
2.0.4 | 2012-10-18 | |
2.0.5 | 2012-12-15 | |
2.0.6 | 2013-04-11 | |
2.0.7 | 2013-06-10 | |
2.0.8 | 2013-07-29 | |
2.0.9 | 2013-11-05 | |
2.0.10 | 2014-02-21 | |
2.1.0 | Rincewind | 2013-09-26 |
2.1.1 | 2013-11-14 | |
2.1.2 | 2013-12-10 | |
2.1.3 | 2014-02-04 | |
2.1.4 | 2014-02-21 | |
2.1.5 | 2014-07-26 | |
2.2.0 | Weatherwax | 2015-02-27 |
2.2.1 | Terry Pratchett | 2015-04-16 |
2.2.2 | Weatherwax | 2016-02-06 |
2.2.3 | 2016-05-03 | |
2.2.4 | 2016-06-05 | |
2.2.5.1 | 2017-05-12 | |
2.2.6 | 2017-05-24 | |
2.2.7 | 2017-11-21 | |
2.2.8 | 2017-12-05 | |
3.0.0 | Vetinari | 2018-02-09 |
3.0.1 | 2018-02-28 | |
3.0.2 | 2018-04-23 | |
3.0.3 | 2018-05-29 | |
3.0.4 | 2018-08-31 | |
3.0.5 | 2018-12-27 | |
3.0.6 | 2019-01-10 | |
3.0.7 | 2019-06-07 | |
3.0.8 | 2019-08-19 | |
3.0.10 | 2020-04-28 | |
3.0.11 | 2020-06-16 | |
3.0.11.1 | 2020-07-29 | |
3.0.12 | 2021-01-18 | |
3.0.13 | 2021-05-10 | |
3.0.14 | 2021-05-11 | |
3.0.16 | 2021-06-21 | |
3.0.17 | 2022-04-19 | |
3.0.18 | 2022-11-29 | |
3.0.19 | 2023-09-30 | |
3.0.20 | 2023-11-01 | |
4.0.x | Otto Chriek |
Design principles
[edit]Modular design
[edit]VLC, like most multimedia frameworks, has a very modular design which makes it easier to include modules/plugins for new file formats, codecs, interfaces, or streaming methods. VLC 1.0.0 has more than 380 modules.[47] The VLC core creates its own graph of modules dynamically, depending on the situation: input protocol, input file format, input codec, video card capabilities and other parameters. In VLC, almost everything is a module, like interfaces, video and audio outputs, controls, scalers, codecs, and audio/video filters.
Interfaces
[edit]The default GUI is based on Be API on BeOS, Cocoa for macOS, and Qt 5 for Linux and Windows, but all give a similar standard interface. The old default GUI was based on wxWidgets on Linux and Windows.[48] VLC supports highly customizable skins through the skins2 interface,[49] and also supports Winamp 2 and XMMS skins.[50] Skins are not supported in the macOS version.[51] VLC has ncurses,[52] remote control,[53] and telnet[54] console interfaces. There is also an HTTP[55] interface, as well as interfaces for mouse gestures and keyboard hotkeys.[56]
Features
[edit]Effects (desktop version)
[edit]The desktop version of VLC media player has some filters that can distort, rotate, split, deinterlace, and mirror videos as well as create display walls or add a logo overlay during playback. It can also output video as ASCII art.
An interactive zoom feature allows magnifying into video during playback.[57] Still images can be extracted from video at original resolution,[58] and individual frames can be stepped through, although only in forward direction.[59]
Playback can be gamified by splitting the picture inside the viewport into draggable puzzle pieces, where the row and column count can be set as desired.[60]
For audio playback, this feature includes an equalizer and other filters that help customize sound quality.
Formats
[edit]Because VLC is a packet-based media player it plays almost all video content. Even some damaged, incomplete, or unfinished files can be played, such as those still downloading via a peer-to-peer (P2P) network. It also plays m2t MPEG transport streams (.TS) files while they are still being digitized from an HDV camera via a FireWire cable, making it possible to monitor the video as it is being recorded. The player can also use libcdio to access .iso files so that users can play files on a disk image, even if the user's operating system cannot work directly with .iso images.
VLC supports all audio and video formats supported by libavcodec and libavformat. This means that VLC can play back H.264 or MPEG-4 Part 2 video as well as support FLV or MXF file formats "out of the box" using FFmpeg's libraries. Alternatively, VLC has modules for codecs that are not based on FFmpeg's libraries. VLC is one of the free software DVD players that ignore DVD region coding on RPC-1 firmware drives, making it a region-free player. However, it does not do the same on RPC-2 firmware drives, as in these cases the region coding is enforced by the drive itself, however, it can still brute-force the CSS encryption to play a foreign-region DVD on an RPC-2 drive.
VLC media player can play high-definition recordings of D-VHS tapes duplicated to a computer using CapDVHS.exe. This offers another way to archive all D-VHS tapes with the DRM copy freely tag. Using a FireWire connection from cable boxes to computers, VLC can stream live, unencrypted content to a monitor or HDTV. VLC media player can display the playing video as the desktop wallpaper, like Windows DreamScene, by using DirectX, only available on Windows operating systems. VLC media player can record the desktop and save the stream as a file, allowing the user to create screencasts.[61][62][63] On Microsoft Windows, VLC also supports the Direct Media Object (DMO) framework and can thus make use of some third-party DLLs (Dynamic-link library). On most platforms, VLC can tune into and view DVB-C, DVB-T, and DVB-S channels. On macOS the separate EyeTV plugin is required, on Windows it requires the card's BDA Drivers.
VLC can be installed or run directly from a USB flash drive or other external drive. VLC can be extended through scripting; it uses the Lua scripting language.[64][65] VLC can play videos in the AVCHD format, a highly compressed format used in recent HD camcorders. VLC can generate a number of music visualization displays. The program is able to convert media files into various supported formats.[66]
Both desktop and mobile releases are equipped with an audio equalizer.[67]
Christmas logo
[edit]A red Santa hat appears on top of VLC's traffic-cone logo during Christmas seasons.[68]
Keyboard shortcuts
[edit]There are single-button shortcuts in VLC that don't require Ctrl or Alt button.
For example, pressing keys F and G while a video file is running in VLC shifts the file's audio/video sync for 50 millisecond per adjustment.[69] This is useful to fix an issue with the sound being ahead or lagging behind the video.
Operating system compatibility
[edit]VLC media player is cross-platform, with versions for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, tvOS, ChromeOS, Windows Phone, various BSD-based systems, Solaris, BeOS, OS/2, and Syllable.[70] However, forward and backward compatibility between versions of VLC media player and different versions of OSes are not maintained over more than a few generations.[71] 64-bit builds are available for 64-bit Windows, starting with version 2.0.1.[72][73]
Windows 8 and 10 support
[edit]The VLC port for Windows 8 and Windows 10 is backed by a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter to add support for a new GUI based on Microsoft's Metro design language, that will run on the Windows Runtime. All the existing features including video filters, subtitle support, and an equalizer are present in Windows 8.[74] A beta version of VLC for Windows 8 was released to the Microsoft Store on March 13, 2014.[75] A universal app was created for Windows 8, 8.1, 10, Windows Phone 8, 8.1 and Windows 10 Mobile.
Android support
[edit]In May 2012, the VLC team stated that a version of VLC for Android was being developed.[76] The stable release version 1.0 was made available on Google Play on December 8, 2014.[77]
Use of VLC with other programs
[edit]Bindings
[edit]Developer(s) | VideoLAN Project |
---|---|
Initial release | February 1, 2001 |
Stable release | 3.0.10[78]
|
Repository | |
Written in | C |
Type | Multimedia Library |
License | LGPL-2.1-or-later |
Website | wiki |
Several APIs can connect to VLC and use its functionality:
- libVLC API – the VLC Core, for C and C++[79]
- VLCKit – an Objective-C framework for macOS[80]
- LibVLCSharp – Crossplatform .NET bindings to libVLC (C#/F#/VB)[81]
- JavaScript API – the evolution of ActiveX API and Firefox integration[82]
- D-Bus controls[83]
- Go bindings[84]
- Python controls[85]
- Java API[86]
- DirectShow filters[87]
- Delphi/Pascal API: PasLibVlc by Robert Jędrzejczyk[88]
- Free Pascal bindings and an OOP wrapper component, via the libvlc.pp and vlc.pp units. This comes standard with the Free Pascal Compiler as of November 6, 2012.[89]
- The Phonon multimedia API for Qt and KDE applications can optionally use VLC as a backend.[90]
Applications that use libVLC
[edit]VLC can handle some incomplete files and in some cases can be used to preview files being downloaded. Several programs make use of this, including eMule and KCeasy. The free/open-source Internet television application Miro also uses VLC code. HandBrake, an open-source video encoder, used to load libdvdcss from VLC Media Player.[91] Easy Subtitles Synchronizer, a freeware subtitle editing program for Windows, uses VLC to preview the video with the edited subtitles.
Format support
[edit]Input formats
[edit]VLC can read many formats, depending on the operating system it is running on, including:[92]
- Container formats: 3GP,[a] ASF, AVI, DVR-MS, FLV, Matroska (MKV), MIDI,[b] QuickTime File Format, MP4, Ogg, OGM, WAV, MPEG-2 (ES, PS, TS, PVA, MP3), AIFF, Raw audio, Raw DV, MXF, VOB, RM, Blu-ray, DVD-Video, VCD, SVCD, CD-DA, DVB, HEIF, AVIF
- Audio coding formats: AAC, AC3, ALAC, AMR,[a] DTS, DV Audio, XM, FLAC, It, MACE, MOD, Monkey's Audio, MP3, Opus,[93] PLS, QCP, QDM2/QDMC, RealAudio,[c] Speex, Screamtracker 3/S3M, TTA, Vorbis, WavPack,[d] WMA (WMA 1/2, WMA 3 partially).[94]
- Capture devices: Video4Linux (on Linux), DirectShow (on Windows), Desktop (screencast), Digital TV (DVB-C, DVB-S, DVB-T, DVB-S2, DVB-T2, ATSC, Clear QAM)
- Network protocols: FTP, HTTP, MMS, RSS/Atom, RTMP, RTP (unicast or multicast), RTSP, UDP, Sat-IP, Smooth Streaming
- Network streaming formats: Apple HLS, Flash RTMP, MPEG-DASH, MPEG Transport Stream, RTP/RTSP ISMA/3GPP PSS, Windows Media MMS
- Subtitles: Advanced SubStation Alpha, Closed Captions, DVB, DVD-Video, MPEG-4 Timed Text, MPL2,[e] OGM, SubStation Alpha, SubRip, SVCD, Teletext,[e] Text file, VobSub, WebVTT, TTML
- Video coding formats: Cinepak, Dirac, DV, H.263, H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, H.265/MPEG HEVC,[95] AV1, HuffYUV, Indeo 3,[f] MJPEG, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4 Part 2, RealVideo 3&4,[g] Sorenson, Theora, VC-1,[h] VP5,[h] VP6,[h] VP8, VP9,[95] DNxHD, ProRes and some WMV.
- Digital Camcorder formats: MOD and TOD via USB.
Output formats
[edit]VLC can transcode or stream audio and video into several formats depending on the operating system, including:
- Container formats: ASF, AVI, FLAC, FLV,[e] Fraps,[e] Matroska, MP4, MPJPEG, MPEG-2 (ES, MP3), Ogg, PS, PVA, QuickTime File Format, TS, WAV, WebM
- Audio coding formats: AAC, AC-3, DV Audio, FLAC, MP3,[i] Speex, Vorbis
- Streaming protocols: HTTP, MMS, RTSP, RTP, UDP
- Video coding formats: Dirac, DV, H.263, H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, H.265/MPEG-H HEVC, MJPEG, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4 Part 2, Theora, VP5,[h] VP6, VP8,[h] VP9[95]
Legality
[edit]The VLC media player software installers for the macOS platform and the Windows platform include the libdvdcss DVD decryption library, even though this library may be legally restricted in certain jurisdictions.[96][97]
India
[edit]In May 2022, it was reported by MediaNama that VLC was banned in India and its website was inaccessible from India under the provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000.[98] Neither the developers, nor the Indian government offered any explanation to the ban, according to India Today. The official VideoLAN Twitter account stated in August that the website was blocked in India from 13 February 2022.[99] A report by Hindustan Times indicated that the ban could be due to links with China.[100] India had in 2020 banned over 200 Chinese apps following the 2020–2022 China–India skirmishes. Another Hindustan Times report from April quoting Symantec said that Chinese hackers were depending on VLC to launch malware they had previously installed on Windows machines.[101] The technique they used is called DLL side-loading, in which an external library that a legitimate program loads at runtime is substituted with a modified version containing the malware.[102] VideoLan president and lead developer Jean-Baptiste Kempf said, the block was most likely a result of a misunderstanding of the Chinese security issue, although the Indian Government did not provide for a reason as to why it was blocked.[103] In October 2022, VLC, with assistance from the Indian digital rights organization Internet Freedom Foundation sent a legal notice to the Indian Government, following which, in November 2022, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India decided to remove the ban from the VLC website.[104]
United States
[edit]The VLC media player software is able to read audio and video data from DVDs that incorporate Content Scramble System (CSS) encryption, even though the VLC media player software lacks a CSS decryption license.[105] The unauthorized decryption of CSS-encrypted DVD content or unauthorized distribution of CSS decryption tools may violate the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act.[105] Decryption of CSS-encrypted DVD content has been temporarily authorized for certain purposes (such as documentary filmmaking that uses short portions of DVD content for criticism or commentary) under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act anticircumvention exemptions that were issued by the US Copyright Office in 2010.[106] However, these exemptions do not change the DMCA's ban on the distribution of CSS decryption tools; including those distributed with VLC.[107]
See also
[edit]- Comparison of video player software
- List of codecs
- List of music software
- Animated ASCII art - VLC can output ASCII animation through the Libcaca module
Explanatory notes
[edit]- ^ a b Until VLC 1.1.0, to use AMR as audio codec, VLC and FFmpeg had to be compiled with AMR support. This is because the AMR license is not compatible with the VLC license.
- ^ This feature needs sound fonts and might not work on every OS.
- ^ RealAudio playback is provided through the FFmpeg library which only supports the Cook (RealAudio G2 / RealAudio 8) decoder at the moment.[when?]
- ^ As of 2010[update], only supported in mono and stereo, so no multichannel support.
- ^ a b c d This is present in 0.9.0 and newer version.
- ^ Indeo 4 and 5 codecs are not supported.
- ^ From 0.9.9 and over.
- ^ a b c d e This is from the 0.8.6 version.
- ^ VLC must be compiled with mp3lame support.
References
[edit]- ^ "15 years of VLC and VideoLAN". Jean-Baptiste Kempf. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
- ^ "3.0.21". June 5, 2024. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
- ^ "3.5.4". July 6, 2023. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
- ^ "VLC - Chrome Web Store". December 23, 2015. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
- ^ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/vlc-media-player/id650377962.
{{cite web}}
: Missing or empty|title=
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In 2001, VLC was released under the OSI-approved GNU General Public version 2, with the commonly-offered option to use "any later version" thereof (though there was not any such later version at the time). Following the release by the Free Software Foundation (FSF) of the new version 3 of its GNU General Public License (GPL) on the 29th of June 2007, contributors to the VLC media player, and other software projects hosted at videolan.org, debated the possibility of updating the licensing terms for future version of the VLC media player and other hosted projects, to version 3 of the GPL. [...] There is strong concern that these new additional requirements might not match the industrial and economic reality of our time, especially in the market of consumer electronics. It is our belief that changing our licensing terms to GPL version 3 would currently not be in the best interest of our community as a whole. Consequently, we plan to keep distributing future versions of VLC media player under the terms of the GPL version 2. [...]we will continue to distribute the VLC media player source code under GPL "version 2 or any later version" until further notice.
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{{cite news}}
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External links
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