6 Awesome VLC Features You May Not Know About

[Batu69]

Since first becoming available in February 2001, VLC has developed into the leading open source cross-platform multimedia player.

Not only is it free, lightweight, and fast — but it can also play just about any type of file you throw at it, even if the file itself is damaged, incomplete, or unfinished. There’s a reason it’s called the Swiss Army Knife of media players.

 

But if you’re only using it to watch DVDs or listen to CDs, you’re missing out. Dig a little deeper and you’ll find an incredible number of useful features.

In this article, we’re going to show you six awesome VLC features you may not know about.

1. Play and (Safely) Download YouTube Videos

If you want to play a video outside of your browser, you can use VLC. Even better, you can go one step further and download the video to your computer.

To watch a YouTube video, navigate to File > Open Network Stream and paste the YouTube URL of the video in question. After a couple of seconds of loading, it will start playing.

 

 

If you want to download a video to your local drive, you need to take a few extra steps. Navigate to Tools > Codec Information and copy the text from the Location box at the bottom of the screen.

 

 

Paste the text into your browser and the video will start playing. Right-click and select Save Video As to save it locally.

In the example below, you can see our very own James Bruce reviewing the Elephone Elecam 360 on the MakeUseOf channel.

 

 

The method might be more cumbersome than using some of the web-based downloaders, but it’s also a lot more reliable and a lot more secure.

2. Subscribe to Podcasts

VLC is a fully-featured and highly-powerful podcast manager.

To access the podcast menu, go to View > Playlist and scroll down until you come to Podcasts (it’s listed under the Internet subsection).

 

 

To add a podcast, you’ll need to know its RSS feed. If you’re not sure of the podcast’s URL, there are lots of websites that will extract it for you. Click on the + icon to add the podcast to your list of subscriptions.

 

The app will find all the previous episodes, along with any relevant artwork. Double-click on one of them to start listening.

3. Listen to Internet Radio Stations

In addition to podcasts, VLC will also let you listen to internet radio stations. Remember them? It’s what we used to use before the likes of Pandora and Spotify came along.

You access the feature in the same way as podcasts — navigate to View > Playlist and scroll down until you find the entry called Icecast Radio Directory.

 

 

Unlike podcasts, in addition to adding manual feeds if you know the URL, you can also search for stations from within the VLC app. Just enter your query in the search box in the top right-hand corner.

 

In the example above, you can see I searched for BBC Radio 2. Double-click on a result to start listening to the radio station of your choosing.

4. Record Your Desktop

There are countless reasons why you might want to record your screen. Some of the most common include creating a screencast for a presentation and live-streaming your desktop across your network.

 

To start recording, head to Media > Open Capture Device and select Desktop from the drop-down menu.

 

 

You can choose your preferred frame rate. If you’re just recording your desktop, 15 fps should be adequate. Increase it to 30 fps for fast-paced movement.

Lastly, click the drop-down arrow next to Play and select Convert.

 

On the next screen, choose the file format you need (for most uses, the default Video — H.264 + MP3 (MP4) is fine) and where you want to save your output. When you’re ready, hit Start.

 

 

VLC will silently make the recording in the background. When you’ve finished, return to the app and click Stop.

5. Convert Video Files

You don’t need any additional software to convert a video into a different format. VLC is as good as anything else that’s available.

To start the process, go to Media > Convert/Save. Click the Add button to select your file, then choose Convert from the drop-down box in the bottom right-hand corner.

 

 

On the next screen, choose the type of file you want to convert and give the file a name and location under Destination. Finally, click Start.

6. Play Videos Back in ASCII Characters

To finish, I’m going to leave you with one for your inner tech geek. Granted, ASCII playback isn’t particularly useful, but that doesn’t mean it’s not absolutely awesome!

When turned on, any video will be played back as ASCII characters. At the very least, it’s a great way to trick your friends into thinking their video files are corrupted.

 

To use the feature, head to Tools > Preferences > Video. Choose Color ASCII Art Video Output from the drop-down menu next to Output.

Restart the VLC app for the changes to take effect.

 

Remember that video from the start of the article? Here’s the ASCII version of the same footage:

 

 

Change the Output setting back to Automatic to revert to normal playback.

What Cool Features Do You Know About?

We hope these tips have given you an insight into the vast potential of the VLC software.

Of course, there is plenty more cool stuff for you to go and discover by yourself. For example, did you know you could use the app to create a video desktop background on Windows, remotely control video playback from a browser, or fix out-of-sync subtitles?

 

Article source

[steven36]

The best feature they could add to vlc  is remove it as the stock video player from most all Linux Distros and add mpv  and smplayer instead  5 out of 6 of those features they are programs that do it better  and the 6th one  no one cares about 

 

1 videos get all pixelated and artifact-y every few minutes.

2. it uses high cpu to playback hevc

3. Tons of bloated features that dont have nothing to do  with watching a video

4. lack of features  that do  have to do with playing videos.

[Jordan]

i never used it on windows!

Too blurry compared to the excellent MPC-HC

Other programs do better than VLC too

 

The difference may be not noticeable on some computer monitors, but it's clearly visible on good ones and on LCDTV's

[straycat19]

1 hour ago, jordan4x said:

i never used it on windows!

Too blurry compared to the excellent MPC-HC

Other programs do better than VLC too

 

The difference may be not noticeable on some computer monitors, but it's clearly visible on good ones and on LCDTV's

 

True but I wonder about the future of MPC-HC since it hasn't been updated in over a year.  As long as it keeps working though everything is fine.

[Jordan]

Just now, straycat19 said:

True but I wonder about the future of MPC-HC since it hasn't been updated in over a year.  As long as it keeps working though everything is fine.

 

Correct! even betas are rarely released!

i hope this project will be never abandonned cause it's my primary media player since years!

[alduin]

Del

[knowledge-Spammer]

for me i just use this program for watch videos  for me i think its very good program and ill not change it

VLC is a popular libre and open source media player and multimedia engine,
used by a large number of individuals, professionals, companies and
institutions. Using open source technologies and libraries, VLC has been
ported to most computing platforms, including GNU/Linux, Windows, Mac OS X,
BSD, iOS and Android.
VLC can play most multimedia files, discs, streams, allows playback from
devices, and is able to convert to or stream in various formats.
The VideoLAN project was started at the university École Centrale Paris who
relicensed VLC under the GPLv2 license in February 2001. Since then, VLC has
been downloaded close to one billion times.

Links:
======

The VLC web site  . . . . . http://www.videolan.org/
Support . . . . . . . . . . http://www.videolan.org/support/
Forums  . . . . . . . . . . http://forum.videolan.org/
Wiki  . . . . . . . . . . . http://wiki.videolan.org/
The Developers site . . . . http://wiki.videolan.org/Developers_Corner
VLC hacking guide . . . . . http://wiki.videolan.org/Hacker_Guide
Bugtracker  . . . . . . . . http://trac.videolan.org/vlc/
The VideoLAN web site . . . http://www.videolan.org/

 

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-skins2-go.php?url=vlc-skins.zip

[pc71520]

6 hours ago, jordan4x said:

I never used it on windows!

Too blurry compared to the excellent MPC-HC

Other programs do better than VLC, too.

Pretty much the same, here.

[hannubys]

I use Potplayer, found it better for playback.

[AcIdPort]

VLC could be open source but it's not good as PotPlayer 64 bit. MPC-HC it's good but PotPlayer it's my choice.

[Sandman]

This information might be useful to someone:

I've been using KMplayer for a long time (just to play video) and I don't see not even a tiny ad. The solution is easy, just disconnect the computer from internet during install. After install block the program in the firewall to prevent it from connecting to the internet. Pandora process is no longer installed and there is no need to block any site in the host file.

[bigjohn]

PotPlayer 64 bit  can re start playing from where you stopped play, turned off your computer, go away, you come back later and watch the rest of the video. 

[npo33770]

I use MPC-BE, for me its awesome compare to MPC-HC

[Fallon]

Good article! And I see there are some players for me to try out still.

My take..
-1-
The best thing about Media Player Classic (mpc-hc64) is that it comes with icons for every format it supports.  
But it starts by default in a small window which always adjusts to the clip-size. So its window size jumps around all the time. There are some other programs which still do this, but I think an interface like that is yesterdays snow. MPC startup is relatively slow too.
-2-
SMplayer starts up quick, also after drag and drop over a playing clip (it's not that important but here it beats VLC).
SMplayer looks slick, looks modern, and has improved much too. However, it's codecs are less complete than the ones in VLC.
There are videoclips that will not start, others will break off, there are plenty of  'Oops' moments still when SMplayer has to do something special.
As for icon support, it just follows Windows default, which means no luck, unless you want to change the registry yourself.
-3-
VLC Player is the most complete Player in my experience. It's no lie that 'it can also play just about any type of file you throw at it, even if the file itself is damaged, incomplete, or unfinished.' Only some old Microsoft formats will do better in Windows Media Player, but since Windows media player is lacking in other departments, VLC wins.
VLC's icon support is nogood (consequenly most users will look at its default icon a lot.

 

Non of these players is as good for Audio as a dedicated player for Audio.
Aimp has improved -has nice looks now. Foobar2000 is so much superior that Microsoft has tried to 'warn' about the presence of its installer signature. (see: http://www.foobar2000.org/download ) Foobar is also an example for the right way to implement icon support).

[dcs18]

1 hour ago, Fallon said:

My take..

-1-
The best thing about Media Player Classic (mpc-hc64) is that it comes with icons for every format it supports.  
But it starts by default in a small window which always adjusts to the clip-size. So its window size jumps around all the time. There are some other programs which still do this, but I think an interface like that is yesterdays snow. MPC startup is relatively slow too.

Strange . . . . . . my Media Player Classic (mpc-hc64) adjusts itself full-screen to whichever monitor is being used and never has ever jumped around (not even when I allow it to adjust to all the different dimensions of media files in my collection — EOD, it's all boils down to configuration.)

 

Moreover, it boasts of one of the fastest startup . . . . . . . second, only to the barebone VLC which obviously is fair given the widest range of customizations available on any video player (barring Winamp Pro, that anyways is more of a music player than a video player.) Love that it also allows me to inject the splash screen of my choice into the startup.

 

Have been trying out the more active Black Edition (Nightly build) over the past few weeks — and, just like it's cousin, it ships with the most ravishing skin imaginable to match my OS (not to forget additional features and fixes.)

[Jordan]

7 hours ago, dcs18 said:

Strange . . . . . . my Media Player Classic (mpc-hc64) adjusts itself full-screen to whichever monitor is being used and never has ever jumped around (not even when I allow it to adjust to all the different dimensions of media files in my collection — EOD, it's all boils down to configuration.)

 

Moreover, it boasts of one of the fastest startup . . . . . . . second, only to the barebone VLC which obviously is fair given the widest range of customizations available on any video player (barring Winamp Pro, that anyways is more of a music player than a video player.) Love that it also allows me to inject the splash screen of my choice into the startup.

 

idem here.

Run instantly and adjust itself on every monitor

 

9 hours ago, Fallon said:

The best thing about Media Player Classic (mpc-hc64) is that it comes with icons for every format it supports.  

But it starts by default in a small window which always adjusts to the clip-size. So its window size jumps around all the time. There are some other programs which still do this, but I think an interface like that is yesterdays snow. MPC startup is relatively slow too.

 

You should customize its settings according to your needs.

Here you can make it snap to desktop edges, remember last window position & size:

 

 

[dcs18]

13 hours ago, jordan4x said:

idem here.

Run instantly and adjust itself on every monitor

 

 

You should customize its settings according to your needs.

Here you can make it snap to desktop edges, remember last window position & size:

 

 

21 hours ago, dcs18 said:

Have been trying out the more active Black Edition (Nightly build) over the past few weeks — and, just like it's cousin, it ships with the most ravishing skin imaginable to match my OS (not to forget additional features and fixes.)

I see that you're running the stock MPC-HC

 

Check out some of the additional features available on the Black Edition of MPC-HC, especially the New process for every file option — it's something along the lines of Multi-Process adopted recently on Firefox.

 

 

[Fallon]

18 hours ago, jordan4x said:

You should customize its settings according to your needs.

Of course you are right here. I missed that 'Remember last Windows Position' setting, which does meet my critic. My bad. Thanks for enlightening me. I will give MPC another look, but it remains an old beast. As is WinAmp. 

 

On 1/31/2017 at 2:47 PM, dcs18 said:

my Media Player Classic (mpc-hc64) adjusts itself full-screen to whichever monitor is being used and never has ever jumped around (not even when I allow it to adjust to all the different dimensions of media files in my collection — EOD, it's all boils down to configuration.)

Personally I am not interested in a Player adjusting itself to full screen (although I go full screen sometimes).

SmPlayer is quicker for me than MPC, and when it is lacking I do like VLC Player. Thanks for dropping in by the way. 

 

[dcs18]

2 hours ago, Fallon said:

On 1/31/2017 at 7:17 PM, dcs18 said:

On 1/31/2017 at 5:09 PM, Fallon said:

My take..
-1-
The best thing about Media Player Classic (mpc-hc64) is that it comes with icons for every format it supports.  
But it starts by default in a small window which always adjusts to the clip-size. So its window size jumps around all the time. There are some other programs which still do this, but I think an interface like that is yesterdays snow. MPC startup is relatively slow too.

my Media Player Classic (mpc-hc64) adjusts itself full-screen to whichever monitor is being used and never has ever jumped around (not even when I allow it to adjust to all the different dimensions of media files in my collection — EOD, it's all boils down to configuration.

Personally I am not interested in a Player adjusting itself to full screen (although I go full screen sometimes).

SmPlayer is quicker for me than MPC, and when it is lacking I do like VLC Player. Thanks for dropping in by the way. 

Hey, nobody wants you to be interested in a Player adjusting itself to full screen — all that we were trying to point out was that your funny experience with the Media Player Classic (mpc-hc64) window jumping all around town was an observation completely contrary to ours.

 

As far as the SMPlayer claim at being quick is concerned — I'd rather prefer the solid playback quality and finer granularity of Media Player Classic (a quick startup — for me, on a video player is about just as useful as all these 6 useless VLC features.)

[KRS]

Notably and there is no doubt that it is one of the best multimedia players, personally. Next to