Videolan V1 released

[DesDownunder]

VIDEO LAN. Latest version of one of the best video and multimedia players available.....(free).

Can be used with AwesomeDude Radio.

Download from here

(It's cross platform and my preferred media player.)

[Tanuki Racoon]

Indeed, it's what Raccoons use to listen to AD Radio.

[dude]

Wow.... not only does it play every video format I have in my considerable video collection, but it has scores and scores of good-looking skins!

I've just set it up as my default media player for a test run!

[Richard Norway]

I also d/l V! today and have now been able to see videos that I couldn't before because of codex problems.

[Bruin Fisher]

There have been 0.x (beta?) versions around for ages and I use it in preference to anything else because it will play almost anything. I first discovered it when I wanted to play a Youtube video offline. You can't. I eventually discovered software that would let you 'rip' the Youtube stream to a file, but then I found that the 'usual suspects' media players wouldn't play the file. And more research turned up VLC which played it perfectly. And I've been using it ever since. Oh, and there are versions for Linux and OSX as well as Windows, and it's Open Source.

It's the kind of software that gets me excited and then leaves me with a warm fuzzy feeling inside. Like sex.

[DesDownunder]

I have used VLC for some years in its various betas.

The latest Version 1 seems to offer even more than before.

There are a couple of things that I have found however that need adjusting for some video playbacks on my machine.

I found it necessary for two very badly compressed / recorded videos to untick the 'Drop late frames' and also the 'Skip frames' boxes in the preferences:

From the menu bar go to Tools/ Preferences. On the preferences box you will see in the bottom left hand corner a box marked 'Show settings' click on 'All'.

Then click on the Video tab in the left hand column. You should then see the Drop late frames and Skip Frames check boxes.

I leave both these unselected most of the time, however your situation may vary.

I have one video which loses sound and I can't discover why. It played fine on the old version.

Not that it matter much as Windows media player works fine for that one video.

I have also found that the video is slightly too bright in comparison with some other players, but you can tweak that too in the extended settings on the control panel beneath the video image.

Many of the audio and video settings are great fun to play with, (or, with which to play.

If you get lost in playing with the adjustments you can always click the "Reset Preferences" button, (and start again).

Bruin (and others) who wish to watch YouTubes later:

The free program VDOWNLOADER will save YouTube videos for later viewing on your own computer.

You can get VDOWNLOADER from here. (Pop-ups need to be on) After installation you will need to select English in the settings panel.

To download a youtube, I have found it easiest to make sure that 'Monitor clipboard' is ticked on the settings panel, then all you have to do is copy the full address of the video you want and VDownloader will automatically detect it and ask where you want to save it. Too easy.

[Tanuki Racoon]

The free program VDOWNLOADER will save YouTube videos for later viewing on your own computer.

You can get VDOWNLOADER from here. (Pop-ups need to be on) After installation you will need to select English in the settings panel.

DownloadHelper (Firefox extension) does this automatically. Click and done. Works with many other sites as well.

[rick]

Does anyone know if this player will run with multiple instances open at the same time?

Rick

[DesDownunder]

Does anyone know if this player will run with multiple instances open at the same time?

Rick

Yes it will, Rick, but you need to go to Tools/Preferences - Interface, and select All in the Show Settings panel, then under Performance Options uncheck both of the one instance boxes. Click on Save and you should have multiple instances of VLC available.

[rick]

Thanks, Des. I'll give it a try.

Rick

[rick]

Des;

I'm generally pretty impressed, but I have several video clips where this player will, on its own, resize the video window to minimum after I've set it to a larger size...kinda annoying. Any suggestions?

Rick

[DesDownunder]

Des;

I'm generally pretty impressed, but I have several video clips where this player will, on its own, resize the video window to minimum after I've set it to a larger size...kinda annoying. Any suggestions?

Rick

Not really, Rick. Like most things that try to be a universal answer for everything, Videolan suffers from having so many options that it is difficult to know what to do with some of the settings. A quick look shows me that in Tools/Preferences - show all - video - there is a box marked Fulllscreen video output. I don't have this box checked on my machine, but then I am not having this problem either.

One of the good things about the Videolan Preferences is that they have provided a Reset Preferences button, so if you do try a few things you can always go back to the original settings.

However I hasten to add that many other things may influence your playback. Perhaps you might like to try Videolan's Forum pages for help as they will know a lot more than me.

I have had similar things happen with Flash streams, but only at some sites which have restricted the video format according to control freak philosophy.

[rick]

I have had similar things happen with Flash streams, but only at some sites which have restricted the video format according to control freak philosophy.

This may well be a similar issue....

Thanks;

Rick

[DesDownunder]

There is a new version update out 1.0.1 of VLC available

[DesDownunder]

I just noticed the latest version is 1.05.

[Drewbie]

1.0.5 been out for awhile, I hope they'll update soon. and maybe redesign the interface.