VLC Updates, Small Improvements All Around

I don't use VLC Player anymore, because it doesn't have all the features I need, well, I'm not saying the program is bad; let's say it doesn't work for me anymore. I use K-Lite Mega Codec Pack with Media Player Classic HomeCinema.

ZOMG!!1 Likehacker reads minds!#@$35eleven

Anyways. I actually installed this earlier today because I had an older version (0.8x) that wasn't reading all formats, and the video was choppy at times.

So far so good, works great on all our boxes, even on the old PIII. Recently someone convinced me to try Media Player Classic - Home cinema because it's supposed to have uber hardware acceleration, but for me it uses more CPU time than VLC.

I hate hate hate how VLC changes out of fullscreen when changing items in a playlist.

johnsmith1234

omg 1.0 is so close!
the end of the world is near!!
haha.

Nice! I was just wondering yesterday why full screening a movie on my secondary screen made it switch to the primary one.

Since I was finally able to use get my codecs right, Vista Media Center has been perfect for me. I'll update VLC, but I don't use it much anymore. WMC will even play my saved Apple High Def trailers!

David Frederick Becker

I don't know why, but VLC won't install without a couple of errors and even then won't run. I tried totally uninstalling it with Revo and reinstalling it, but still nada. Now I'm without VLC. Any suggestions?

Bert Bronaugh

I use MPC. It comes as part of CCCP ( [cccp-project.net] ). VLC is nice if you can't install codecs on your PC, but for a normal user I think CCCP is better.

adam.skinner

@Silentheero: Indeed. I just wanted this for a couple of weeks.

Sad to see that the familiar cone logo will be gone. Being replaced by a bulldozer. Don't think I like it.

bullwinkle12

I can't stand VLC's GUI. So I ended up using CCCP. Though the lack of updates makes me consider returning to K-Lite.

Terminal-Alkyne

@Bert Bronaugh: wait a day and use the portable version from www.portableapps.com

Does this version start up any faster?

For normal stuff it's ok, but for 720p totally legal footage it has a bit of a startup lag :(
Plays fine, though, no complains at all about it.

@goodywitch:
Good idea. Hadn't thought of that. :) Always good to ask the hive mind.

Bert Bronaugh

@Combined Community Codec Pack (cccp) over K-Lite as a slimmer and much better documented codec pack. It seems more reliable as well (and you can still use MPC Home Cinema).

How do people find VLC compares to GOM?

YachiraG

I've been having a lot of issues with HD content with VLC. MPC seems to work better with my setup.

desigi

I use VLC because it will buffer video when streaming over my wifi network. Can media player classic do this?

I like MPC because I can easily stretch a movie to get rid of letterboxing. Is there a good way to do this in VLC?

SamburgerHandwich

@bullwinkle12:
You've been owned, take another look at the VLC web page...

@Insomnic:

I've used CCCP before, but for some reason it was giving me errors, and it didn't have all the codecs I needed(Yes, I know, you have to uninstall any other code pack before installing a new one), but once again, K-Lite Mega Codec Pack works for me and it has all the codecs I need, and Yes, I should give CCCP a second try; Why not?

Multiple display support? Finally! I use VLC on my desktop at home but I just install K-Lite on other people's machines I work on (most of my customers prefer WMP 10/11 unfortunately so I have to bend to their wishes sometimes).

tok3ninja

@Bert Bronaugh: =)
I get the same errors

The portable apps has the updated version

While I usually prefer to use Totem/gstreamer, VLC is definately a much loved media player.

Also, looks like there is a maemo port according to the changelog: [www.videolan.org]

Ok so - I have like a wicked collection of everything. I have tons of mkv, raw formats, and every other video format for all different resolutions.. At leasta couple of terabytes.. VLC became useless to me about 3 months ago when I just organized my codecs.

Look into getting your codecs working right - you can improve so much quality.. Get COREavc - disable ffdshow for mkv - I mean... just do your codecs, I can't express it.. With your codecs done right, all you need is WMP and MPC no more VLC.. VLC has become this evil thing that just is pure epic fail.. It doesn't like to play my stuff right, none of my systems...

Anything raw, I dig out and dump in WMP11 because it usually works best with changing subs (that people "say" are "hardcoded" when they aren't) and it also works for switching audio tracks when MPC can't seem to, liek on all of those italy downloads.

happyandyv

@SamburgerHandwich:stretch a movie to get rid of letterboxing.

Right click while in full screen-video->crop

johnsmith1234

@framitz: LOL. I laughed at that one.

johnsmith1234

@johnsmith1234: Change the video output to EVR. that is how it switches to GPU hardware acceleration.

I found out the switch, and won't go back to VLC.

There is a guide here: [forums.bit-tech.net] in the middle of that post

media player classic is 10X better than vlc...

urbanturban666

@[x7productions]: vlc will get a 1.0 as soon as gmail gets out of beta.

BurkDP

@[x7productions]:

According to Cantor [en.wikipedia.org] there are infinitely many numbers between zero and 1, so they could still be ages away from a 1.0 release!

but still no blu-ray support?

bonneyt

@[x7productions]: As long as it doesn't turn into KDE where 4.0 is actually pre-alpha software.

Or Wine which took 15 years to get to 1.0

johnsmith1234

Still loyal to 0.8.6 For some reason I can't stand the 0.9.x releases. The 0.8.x seemed to be fine the way it was, with the small exception of how it handled subtitles.

@Log1c: I think my GPU might not support DXVA? When I go into MPC Video Decoder properties it doesn't have the DXVA checkbox.

And EVR performs worse than the other modes (might have something to do with the fact that I'm using XP?) It uses more CPU and I get tearing.

But HD sure does look nice. Too bad so far I've just seen movie trailers.

johnsmith1234

I think it's done through A or Ctrl+A. You can cycle through all aspect ratios. Why would you want to do that do. Stretched video looks like ass. Always!

Mudassir Chapra

@johnsmith1234: Perhaps. I think you need something that supports CUDA or something similar. I have no idea about the AMD cards.

I'm on vista but I would have offhandedly guessed that XP would be better so I'm clueless on that.

@Terminal-Alkyne: They don't make proper updates frequently but you can get their betas if you really want something more recent:
[www.cccp-project.net]

_Jonny

One of the builds briefly had a sliding control bar at the bottom in full screen mode. This was great for being able to change volume, mute, or seek with the slider without having to go to windowed mode.

Anyone else notice that & know how to get it back?

RareButSerious

@PatrickReddy: I have 0.9.4 installed, but I prefer 0.8.6 portable since no delay when jumping forward/backwards.

@bullwinkle12: now I feel like an idiot. ..umm I meant it as a joke

bullwinkle12

Does anyone know how to find the list of all changes? They only list major changes on their website.

mrbofus

@Silentheero: I was doing a presentation at my school and I didn't bother testing how VLC would act on the extended desktop. So when I went to play a video it came up on my laptop screen insted of the projector. Then when I switched the display mode so the projector would mirror my laptop I got a BSOD. Not a good day.!

OulaMan

@Silentheero: Same. This was so annoying when I wanted to watch a movie, because I would never be able to work at the same time. This is going to make movie-watching and multitasking so much easier for me.

Ahmed Mohieldin

@Insomnic: VLC on windows is kind of broken on my system, and I've re-installed a few times. It feels too clunky and crusty, I use MPC-HC too since I mostly watch HD content nowadays. VLC on Mac though, is simply awesome.

@[x7productions]:

So, You are saying that VLC 1.0 is ready by 2012? ;)

Anyway, I just started using VLC again, so thanks for te heads up.

Angryman

The latest version craps out in OS X. I got stuttered playback last night on an avi file. It played beautifully in Quicktime. In fact QT looks so much better on video playback. I'm on the verge of removing VLC.

@SamburgerHandwich: "A" changes the aspect ratio so if you have 4:3 cycling through A would make it 16:9. If the black bars are embedded in the video than use "C" to crop the video so it fits properly within your display.

Matt Veziris

@johnsmith1234: This program claims to check whether your hardware supports DXVA and for what... I think...

[bluesky23.hp.infoseek.co.jp]

johnsmith1234

OMFG fullscreen actually works in the non primary monitor, OMG, OMG, OMG.

Thanks you lifehacker, I am happy.

After reading the recommendations for VLC player I tried it out ... for about 3 days then removed it. The main drawback is lack of bookmarks. Sure you can bookmark things, but close the player or reboot and your bookmarks are gone. Sure you can back them up but is that really a convenient way of using bookmarks?

fredinmx

I just upped to .99 from .92. Resolution went way down. Pixels everywhere.

MadelineLich