View source for Documentation:Play HowTo/Basic Use 0.8

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'''Note: this documentation is for versions older than 0.9. For help with 0.9 please see [[Documentation:VLC for dummies| VLC for dummies: an introduction to VLC]] and [[Documentation:Play_HowTo/Basic_Use_0.9|Basic Use for 0.9]].'''

==General interface description==

VLC has several interfaces: 
*A cross-platform interface, for Windows and GNU/Linux, called wxWidgets, 
*A native Mac OS X interface, and
*A skinnable interface for Windows and GNU/Linux.
Screenshots below are drawn from the various interfaces, but VLC's functions work essentially the same on all operating systems.

===Windows and GNU/Linux (wxWidgets)===

This is the default interface on Windows and GNU/Linux (the screenshot is done on GNU/Linux, but it would look quite the same on Windows).

http://www.videolan.org/doc/play-howto/en/images/play-howto/intf-wx.jpg The wxWidgets interface

This interface also features an ''Extended GUI'' which contains many additional features. To display or hide it, go to the ''Settings'' menu and click ''Extended GUI''.

http://www.videolan.org/doc/play-howto/en/images/play-howto/intf-wx-extended.jpg The wxWidgets interface with extended GUI

===Native Mac OS X (Cocoa)===

This is the default interface on Mac OS X.

http://www.videolan.org/doc/play-howto/en/images/play-howto/intf-osx.jpg The Mac OS X interface

This interface features an ''Extended GUI'' as well. It is called "Extended Controls" and can be opened through the Window menu.

http://www.videolan.org/doc/play-howto/en/images/play-howto/intf-osx-extended.jpg The Mac OSX interface with with the extended controls panel

==Basic playback==

===Play a file===

To play a file, open the ''File'' menu, and select the ''Quick Open File'' menu item. An Open File dialog box will appear. Select the file you want to open, and select Open. VLC will start playing the selected file.

An alternative is to drag 'n' drop your file on the VLC main interface or playlist window from the file explorer (Finder on MacOS X).

http://www.videolan.org/doc/play-howto/en/images/play-howto/intf-wx-file-menu.jpg The File menu - wxWidgets interface

http://www.videolan.org/doc/play-howto/en/images/play-howto/intf-osx-file-menu.jpg The File menu - MacOS X interface

http://www.videolan.org/doc/play-howto/en/images/play-howto/intf-wx-open-file.jpg The Open file dialog - wxWidgets interface

http://wwww.videolan.org/doc/play-howto/en/images/play-howto/intf-osx-open-file.jpg The Open file dialog - MacOS X interface

===Play a CD/DVD/VCD===

To Play a CD, VCD or a DVD, open the ''File'' menu, and select the ''Open Disc...'' menu item. In the Open Disk Dialog Box, select the type of media (DVD, VCD or Audio CD). When reading a DVD, you can enable DVD menus by selecting the ''DVD (menus)'' disc type in the wxWidgets Interface. In the MacOS X interface, this can be done by selecting the "Use DVD menus" dialog box.

You can select the drive from which the media should be read by giving the appropriate drive letter or device name in the "Device Name" text input. This should be auto-detected on MacOS X.

If you want to start the DVD or VCD playback from a given title and chapter instead of from the beginning, you can set it using the ''Title'' and ''Chapter'' selectors.

You can start playback by selecting the ''Ok'' button. 

http://www.videolan.org/doc/play-howto/en/images/play-howto/intf-wx-open-disk.jpg The Open disk dialog - wxWidgets interface

http://www.videolan.org/doc/play-howto/en/images/play-howto/intf-osx-open-disk.jpg The Open disk dialog - MacOS X interface

===Play a network stream (WebRadio, WebTV, etc.)===

To open a network stream, open the "File" menu and select the "Open Network Stream" menu item.

*To open a UDP unicast stream, select ''UDP/RTP'', and set the appropriate UDP port in the selector (it is 1234 for streams sent by a VLC or VLS server).
*To open a UDP multicast stream, select ''UDP/RTP multicast''. Give the address of the multicast group in the "Address" text input, and select the appropriate UDP port.
*To open a stream sent over http (Webradios, WebTVs, Shoutcast, Icecast...),  ftp, or mms (Microsoft Media Server), select "HTTP/FTP/MMS", and give the corresponding complete URL, (such as http://live.stream.org:8080/live or mms://live.ms.stream.net:8080/live.asf) in the corresponding text input. This also the way to open a RTSP stream with the MacOS X interface.
*To open a RTSP stream (sent by Darwin Streaming Server, VLC, etc), in the wxWidgets interface, select "RTSP" and give the URL in the text input.

You can start playback by selecting the ''Ok'' button.

If you get some stuttering during playback, you can try to increase the size of the read buffer. This can be done in the ''Open Network Stream'' dialog box, by selecting the ''Caching'' box. You can then choose the amount time (in milliseconds) VLC should store data in its buffer before starting playback.

http://www.videolan.org/doc/play-howto/en/images/play-howto/intf-wx-open-net.jpg The Open network dialog - wxWidgets interface

http://www.videolan.org/doc/play-howto/en/images/play-howto/intf-osx-open-net.jpg The Open network dialog - MacOS X interface

===Play from an acquisition card===

This currently only possible on Linux and Windows. Open the File menu, and select "Open Capture Device..."

On Windows, supported cards include webcams, TV cards, acquisition cards... provided they come with directshow compatible drivers (Almost all acquisition cards do). You can choose the device to use for video and audio capture using the "Video device name" and "Audio device name" selectors. If your device doesn't appear in the list, try to select the "Refresh list" button. You can access the settings of your acquisition device by selecting the ''configure'' button. Options here depend on the driver of the device. You can select the "Device Proprieties" box if you want the configuration dialog box of every device to be displayed after having pressed the ''Ok'' button. Select the ''Tuner properties'' box to be prompted for tuner settings (PAL/NTSC standard, frequency...) for TV cards. The ''Advanced options...'' button allows to select some further settings useful in some rare cases, such as the chroma of the input (the way colors are encoded) and the size of the input buffer.

http://www.videolan.org/doc/play-howto/en/images/play-howto/intf-wx-open-capture.jpg The Open Capture device dialog and a device configuration windows- wxWidgets interface

On Linux, supported cards include webcams, TV cards, acquisition cards, provided they are supported by the Video4Linux architecture. Haupaugge PVR 250/350 cards are also supported, using the  [http://ivtv.sourceforge.net/ IVTV drivers].

*For Video4Linux devices, you can set the name of the video and audio devices using the "Video device name" and "Audio device name" text inputs. The "Advanced options..." button allows to select some further settings useful in some rare cases, such as the chroma of the input (the way colors are encoded) and the size of the input buffer.

http://www.videolan.org/doc/play-howto/en/images/play-howto/intf-wx-open-v4l.jpg The Open Video4Linux dialog- wxWidgets interface

*To use a Hauppauge PVR card, select the PVR tab in the "Open" dialog box. Use the "Device" text input to set the device of the card you want to use. You can set the Norm of the tuner (PAL, SECAM or NTSC) by using the "Norm" Drop Down. The Frequency selector allows you to set the frequency of the tuner (in kHz), the bitrate selector to set the bitrate of the resulting encoded stream (in bit/s). The "Advanced Options button allows to set some more settings, such as the size of the encoded video (in pixels), its framerate (in frame per second), the interval between 2 key frames, etc.

After having set all the required parameters, you can start the capture by selecting the "Ok" button.

http://www.videolan.org/doc/play-howto/en/images/play-howto/intf-wx-open-pvr.jpg The Open PVR dialog- wxWidgets interface

==Playlist==

VLC can store a list of several files to play one after the other, using its playlist system. To access the playlist, click on the ''Playlist'' button on the main interface.

Each time you use the Open dialog box, the stream you select is appended at the end of the playlist and started.

The playlist window shows all the available streams. Double-click one to play it.

http://www.videolan.org/doc/play-howto/en/images/play-howto/intf-wx-playlist.jpg The Playlist - wxWidgets interface

http://www.videolan.org/doc/play-howto/en/images/play-howto/intf-osx-playlist.jpg The Playlist - MacOS X interface

===Adding items, saving and loading playlists===

In the wxWidgets interface, the ''Manage'' menu allows you to append an item at the end of the playlist (its playback won't start immediately), to save the playlist as a M3U or PLS file, or to import a playlist file.

In the MacOS X interface, saving a playlist can be done using the ''Save Playlist...'' function in the ''File'' menu. To import a playlist file, open it the same way as any other media file, using the ''Quick Open File...'' menu item.

===Sorting===

In the wxWidgets interface, ''Sort'' allows you to sort the playlist according to several criteria, or to shuffle it. You can also sort by clicking the header of the column.

In the MacOS X interface, sorting can be done by clicking the header of the column matching the criteria you want to use for sorting.

===Playlist modes===

The playlist supports several playback modes.

In the wxWidgets interface, the toolbar contains three playlist mode buttons. They allow to enable random mode, to repeat the whole playlist or to repeat one item.

In the MacOS X interface, random mode can be enabled by selecting the ''Random'' box. A drop down menu allows you to enable playlist and item repeat modes.

===Misc===

====Search====

You also have a search tool. Enter a search string and hit search. The next item to match the string will be highlighted. Keep hitting Search to cycle between all matching items.

====Moving items====

In the wxWidgets interface, the ''Up'' and ''Down'' buttons at the bottom of the playlist window allow you to move an item. Select an item and use these buttons to move it.

In the MacOS X interface, you can easily move an item with the mouse, using drag-and-drop.

====Contextual menu====

By right-clicking or control-clicking an item, a contextual menu will appear, giving access to a number of functions (for example, play the item, disable it, delete it, or get info on it).

If you ask for info, an ''item info'' dialog box will appear. This dialog box also allows you to change the name, the author and the location of the item to play.

http://www.videolan.org/doc/play-howto/en/images/play-howto/intf-wx-iteminfo.jpg Item Info Dialog - wx Interface

http://www.videolan.org/doc/play-howto/en/images/play-howto/intf-osx-iteminfo.jpg Item Info Dialog - MacOS X interface

==Subtitles==

VLC supports many kinds of subtitles.

===Media with included subtitles===

Many types of media can have embedded subtitles. VLC can read subtitles for the following media:
*DVD
*SVCD
*OGM files
*Matroska (MKV) files

Subtitles are disabled by default. To enable them, go to the ''Video'' menu, and to ''Subtitles track''. All available subtitles tracks will be listed. Select one to get the subtitles. Depending on the media, a description (language, for example) might be available for the track.

http://www.videolan.org/doc/play-howto/en/images/play-howto/intf-wx-select-sub.jpg Select a subtitles track under Windows or Linux

http://www.videolan.org/doc/play-howto/en/images/play-howto/intf-osx-select-sub.jpg Select a subtitles track under MacOS X

DVD and SVCD subtitles are merely images, so you won't be able to change anything for them. OGM and Matroska subtitles are rendered text, so you will be able to change several options.

Text rendering options can be changed in the Preferences. In the ''Modules'' section, ''text renderer'' subsection, open the ''freetype'' page. You can then set the font and its size. For the font, you have to select a font file. Under Windows, they can be found in ''C:\Windows\Fonts''. Under MacOS X, they are in ''/System/Library/Fonts''. Size can be set either relatively or as a number of pixels.

You need to restart your stream for the font modifications to take effect.

===Subtitles files===

While modern file formats like Matroska or OGM can handle subtitles directly, older formats like AVI can't. Therefore, a number of subtitles files formats have been created. You need two files: the
video file and the subtitles files that only contains the text of the subtitles and timestamps.

VLC can handle these types of subtitles files:
*MicroDVD
*SubRIP
*SubViewer
*SSA
*Sami
*Vobsub (this one is quite special: it is not made from text but from images, which means that you can't change the fonts)

To open a subtitles file, use the Advanced Open dialog box (Menu File, Open file). Select your file by clicking on the ''Browse'' button. Then, check the ''Subtitle options'' checkbox and click on the Settings button.

http://www.videolan.org/doc/play-howto/en/images/play-howto/intf-wx-sub-file.jpg Select a subtitles file under Windows or Linux

You can then select the subtitles file by clicking the ''Browse'' button. You can also set a few options like character encoding, alignment and size. The delay option allows you to delay the subtitles against the video if they are not in sync. If they are not at the same speed, you might also want to adjust the subtitles framerate.

Note: For Vobsub subtitles, you need to select the '''.idx''' file, not the '''.sub''' file.
Encoding, alignment and size won't have any effect for Vobsub subtitles.

Font can be changed as explained in the previous section.

==Video and audio filters==

VLC includes a system of ''filters'' that allow you to modify the audio and video.

===Deinterlacement and Post Processing===

VLC is able to deinterlace a video stream using different deinterlacement methods. Deinterlacement can be enabled in the ''Video'' menu, ''Deinterlacement'' menu item. The ''Blend'' methods gives the best results in most cases. The ''discard''method is a less resource consuming alternative.

On some particular streams (MPEG 4, DIVX, XVID, Sorenson, etc.), some additional image filtering can be applied to the video before display, improving its quality in some cases. This can be enabled in the ''Video'' menu, ''Post processing'' menu item. Different levels of post processing can be chosen here. A higher level means more filtering.

===Video filters===

VLC features several filters able to change the video (distortion, brightness adjustment, motion blurring, etc.).

With the wxWidgets interface, filters can be easily enabled using the Extended GUI. In the Video tab, simply select the filters to enable. Image settings can be easily adjusted.

http://www.videolan.org/doc/play-howto/en/images/play-howto/intf-wx-vfilters.jpg Video filters selection in the wxWidgets interface

You can enable these filters through the ''Extended Controls panel'' on Mac OS X. Click on the triangle next to ''Video filters'' to select your filters or expand the ''Adjust Image'' section to change the contrast, hue, etc.

http://www.videolan.org/doc/play-howto/en/images/play-howto/intf-osx-vfilters.jpg Video filters selection in the Mac OS X interface

For better control, you need to go to the preferences. To select the filters to be enabled, go to ''Video'', then to ''Filters''. In the "video filter module" box, enter the names of the filters to enable, separated by semicommas. Filters will be applied in the selected order. Valid names are "clone", "wall", "transform", "adjust", "crop", "deinterlace", "distort", "motionblur" and "logo".

If you want to tune the behavior of these filters, go to ''Video, Filters, [your filter]''. For each filter, you will find a short description and the options.

===Audio filters===

====Equalizer====

VLC features a 10-band graphical equalizer. You can display it by activating the advanced GUI on wxWidgets or by clicking the ''Equalizer'' button on the MacOS X interface.

http://www.videolan.org/doc/play-howto/en/images/play-howto/intf-wx-equalizer.jpg The equalizer in the wxWidgets interface

http://www.videolan.org/doc/play-howto/en/images/play-howto/intf-osx-equalizer.jpg The equalizer in the MacOS X interface

Presets are available in the Audio menu in wxWidgets, or in the Equalizer window in the MacOS X interface.

====Other audio filters====

At the moment, VLC features two other audio filters: a volume normalizer and a filter providing sound spatialization with a headphone. They can be enabled in the Audio tab of the extended GUI for the wxWidgets interface and in the Audio section of the Extended Controls panel of the Mac OS X interface.

For better control, you need to go to the preferences. To select the filters to be enabled, go to ''Audio'', then to ''Filters''. In the "audio filters" box, enter the names of the filters to enable, separated by commas. Valid names are "equalizer", "normvol" and "headphone".

If you want to tune the behavior of these filters, go to ''Audio, Filters, [your filter]''. The equalizer and headphone filters can be tuned.

==Snapshots (aka, screenshots)==
There are two ways to take snapshots (i.e., screenshots or frame grabs) with VLC:
#Go to Video -> Snapshot, or
#Press the snapshot hotkey
#*Windows / Linux / Unix: Ctrl-Alt-s
#*Mac OS X: Command-Alt-s

When a snapshot is taken, it will briefly preview as a thumbnail with its filename and then fade away.

To change the hotkey, go to Preferences -> Interface -> Hotkeys settings.  Check Advanced options, and set Take video snapshot.

===Snapshot location, format and name===
The snapshot location depends upon your operating system:
*Windows: My Documents\My Pictures\
*Linux / Unix: $(HOME)/.vlc/
*Mac OS X: Desktop/

The default format for snapshots is PNG, but this may be changed to JPEG.  Also, the default name for snapshots is ''vlcsnap-'' followed by a timestamp that is ''not'' the time of the frame in the video you're viewing.

The location, format and name of snapshots may be changed in the Preferences.  Also, you may substitute other text for ''vlcsnap-'' in the ''Video snapshot file prefix'' and you may choose to have snapshots numbered sequentially (i.e., 000001, 000002, 000003, and so on) instead of with a timestamp.  As of version 0.9.0, you may even use [[Documentation:Play HowTo/Format String|variables]] in the text used for the filename.  For example, ''$T'' (must be upper case) will insert the video's time code into the file name.  If you were to change the prefix to ''Friends-$T-'' while watching a DVD of ''Friends'', then the snapshot filenames would look something like this: Friends-00_05_21-00004.png .  This indicates a snapshot taken at 5 minutes and 21 seconds into the video; and it was the number 00004 snapshot of the day.

For a full list of variables, please see [[Documentation:Play HowTo/Format String]].

==Hotkeys==

Most of VLC functions are accessible using hotkeys.

The list of the available hotkeys and their functions can be retrieved and altered in the preferences panel of the player. In the wxWidgets interface, preferences are available in the "Settings" menu, "Preferences" menu item. In the MacOS X interface, open the "VLC" menu, and select "Preferences". Select the "Hot keys" panel in the dialog. 

As of version 0.9, a list of hotkeys is presented in a drop-down window. To change one, double-click its name to select it.  Then, press the new key that will trigger the specified action.  Modifier keys (such as Control/Command and Alt) may also be used.

In earlier versions, several boxes give the list of modifiers for the hotkey. To trigger an action using a hotkey, you need to press simultaneously the keys corresponding to the different selected modifiers as well as the key set in the dropdown.

To change the binding of a hotkey, select or deselect boxes corresponding to the different modifiers, and change the key by using the drop-down menu. Select the ''Save'' button to apply the changes.

http://www.videolan.org/doc/play-howto/en/images/play-howto/intf-wx-hotkeys.jpg The Hotkeys Panel - wxWidgets interface

http://www.videolan.org/doc/play-howto/en/images/play-howto/intf-osx-hotkeys.jpg The Hotkeys Panel - MacOS X interface

==Basic troubleshooting==

===File does not play, only sound or only video===

Maybe the file you are trying to read is not fully supported. VLC does not use the codec packs (the software that decodes video signals) you might have installed. It comes with its own codecs. If there is no open-source decoder for the format you are trying to read, it won't be supported. (There is an exception, under Windows, for codecs that use the DirectShow framework.)

To find out, open the Messages Window (View menu) and restart your stream. Look for error messages (red messages)

http://www.videolan.org/doc/play-howto/en/images/play-howto/intf-wx-messages.jpg The wxWidgets messages window

In this example, the file contains a IV41 video stream, a codec that is not supported by VLC.

You may of course have other messages. If you post to a VideoLAN mailing list or in the forum, please include such a log.  It is very valuable in troubleshooting.

===Weird VLC behavior and crashes===

A very common thing is a corrupted VLC preferences file. Don't hesitate to delete it if problems appear suddenly. You will find in the FAQ details on [http://www.videolan.org/doc/faq/en/index.html#id2470084 how to delete your preferences file].

===Computer crashes / Video is corrupted===

Another common problem is buggy video drivers. Try upgrading them from the website of your video card's manufacturer.

Also, you can try disabling Overlay (Preferences/General/Video, untick "Overlay video output")

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