View source for Documentation:VLC for dummies

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Thank you for visiting this page to find out what VLC is all about. '''Please Note''': this page is ''Under Construction'' and might change in the near future. 

VLC media player (or VLC for short) is a FREE and Open Source Software Media Player. Features that make VLC the preferred media player for a lot of people is its excellent support for various Audio and Video CODECs, the fact that it's cross platform and the open way of development. 

This page will describe the steps to perform the basic steps of using VLC. For more Advanced Users see the [[Documentation:Play HowTo|VLC Play HowTo]] for a complete user guide, or [[Documentation:Streaming HowTo|VLC Streaming HowTo]] for the advanced streaming features that VLC is capable of. 

== Prerequisites  ==

*Computer 
*Audio output hardware (speakers, headphones) for audio playback 
*Internet (Web) Browser (to download VLC)<br /> [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrXPcaRlBqo What is a web browser?]
*Internet Connection (for browsing to that download page) 
*You know how to work with computer files and folders<br />  [http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Working-with-files-and-folders Working with files and folders] (Windows)<br />[http://support.apple.com/kb/PH3725 How to open documents and folders] (Mac OS X)<br />[https://help.ubuntu.com/11.10/ubuntu-help/files.html Files, folders & search] (Ubuntu)
*Media (audio, video) files or Disc (optical drive required to play discs)

== Understanding the VLC interface  ==
=== Interface overview ===
[[File:Interface1.png|800px]]
=== Windows notification area (system tray) Icon  ===

When you start the VLC media player, the application appears on the screen and a small icon {{VLC icon}} appears in the notification area (system tray). Clicking once on the icon in the will hide the VLC media player, and clicking on it again will show it again. Hiding the icon does not close the application which continues to run in the background.&nbsp;By simply right clicking on this icon brings up a list of things to do:&nbsp;''stopping''&nbsp;or&nbsp;''pausing playback''&nbsp;or&nbsp;''change track''.'''<br>'''

=== The main interface of VLC media player  ===

[[Image:Interface 2.0.png|Windows 2.0 GUI|frame|c|none|'''Note:''' These screenshots are taken from the MS Windows XP version. On other systems, they might appear slightly different.]]  

==== Menu bar  ====

[[Image:Menu bar.png|430x22px]] 

The menu bar at the top contains commands accessible from the interface. 

==== Track slider  ====

[[Image:Track slider.png|433x16px]]<br> The track slider is below the menu bar. It shows the progress of playing of the media file. You can drag the track slider left to rewind or right to forward the track being played. When a video file is played, the video appears between the menu bar and track slider. 

Timers on each side show the elapsed time (left) and the total/remaining (right) time. 

'''Note:''' When a media file is streamed (live), the track slider will not move because you are streaming at real time. Unlike a track which will end in a predetermined time. 

==== Control buttons  ====

[[Image:Control buttons.png|285x34px]] 

The buttons below the slider help in controlling the playback. 

From left to right: 

*Play/Pause 
*Previous Media in the Playlist 
*Stop playback 
*Next Media in the playlist 
*Toggle the Video in fullscreen 
*Show Extended Settings<br>Audio effects, Video effects, Synchronization 
*Show playlist 
*Repeat: toggles between loop all, loop one, no loop (default) 
*Random (Shuffle)<br>Plays the playlist randomly

==== Volume control  ====

[[Image:Volume control.png|104x34px]] 

To the right of the control buttons is the volume control. The small speaker icon is a button to quickly mute[[File:Vlc 098a mute on.jpg]] or un-mute[[File:Vlc 098a mute off.jpg|17x17px]] all sound. The slider to the right of it allows you to modify the volume to louder or softer. The percentage gives the amount of amplification.

== Tutorials  ==

*[[Documentation:Play_HowTo/Installing_VLC|Installing VLC]]
**[[Documentation:Play_HowTo/Installing_VLC#Windows|Windows]]
**[[Documentation:Play_HowTo/Installing_VLC#Mac_OS_X|Mac OS X]]
**[[Documentation:Play_HowTo/Installing_VLC#Linux|Linux]]
*[[Documentation:Play_HowTo/Basic_Use/Interface|Basics of VLC]]
**Windows
***[[Documentation:Play_HowTo/Basic_Use/Interface#Starting_VLC_Media_Player|starting VLC]]<br> Double click the VLC icon [[File:Icon.png|32px]] on the desktop or from the start menu: select ''Programs'', select ''VideoLAN'' and select ''VLC media player''. 
**[[Documentation:Play_HowTo/Basic_Use/Open#Play_a_file|Playing media files stored in the computer]]
***Queuing files<br /> You can queue files by selecting multiple files at a time.
**[[Documentation:Play_HowTo/Basic_Use/Open#Play_a_CD.2FDVD.2FVCD|Playing media from your optical reader]] (CD, DVD, Blu-Ray) 
**[[Documentation:Play_HowTo/Basic_Use/Interface#Stopping_VLC_Media_Player|Closing VLC]]

== See also  ==
*[[VLC HowTo]]
*[[Documentation:Play HowTo]]

*[[Common Problems]]
*Hotkeys
**[[QtHotkeys]] (Qt is the default graphical interface) 
**[[Hotkeys table]] 
**[[How to set global hotkeys]]

== External Links ==
*[http://www.videolan.org/support/faq.html F.A.Q.]
*[http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/help Windows Help and How-to]
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrXPcaRlBqo What is a web browser?]
*[http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCCCDDDC322A8AA82 Video tutorials (selected by Jan)]

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