VLC (also known as
VideoLAN or
VLC Media Center) is an excellent cross-platform
open-source multimedia framework, player and server that support that majority of existing video and audio formats without having to install additional codecs.
It is one of the most popular
alternatives to
Windows Media Player, the multimedia player that is included in all the Windows operating systems, that doesn't allow us to view many video formats.
Developed by a group of volunteers,
VLC is a lot better than lots of similar pay solutions. It uses hardly any resources, it has many visualization options, it includes the option to use susbtitles and it's interface is very modern and stylish.
VLC can read the following
formats MPEG-1/2, DIVX (1/2/3), MPEG-4 ASP, DivX 4/5/6, XviD, 3ivX D4, H.261, H.263 / H.263i, H.264/MPEG-4, Cinepak, Theora, Dirac, VC-2MJPEG (A/B), WMV, WMV 3 / WMV-9 / VC-1, Sorenson 1/3 (Quicktime), DV (Digital Video), On2 VP3/VP5/VP6, Indeo Video v3 (IV32), Indeo Video 4/5 (IV41, IV51), Real Video 1/2 y Real Video 3/4, and many other less known formats.
This list includes the majority of high definition formats, that will allows us to view our films as we have never imagined before.
VLC also offers support for various video streaming protocols, that will allow us to watch
video streams on our computer. It will also allow us to convert our computer into a streaming server, so we can show our videos trough the net.
Another characteristic that turn
VLC Media Player into a very interesting player is it's capacity to detect and show subtitles from various types of files (OGM, DVB, SVCD/CVD, CMML, Kate, text files). Furthermore, it detects tags like ID3 tags, APEv2 and Vorbis.
VLC Media Center is one of the best open source multimedia players available at the moment.
Latest updates:
- Fixed several bugs.
- Included new deinterlacers modules.
- Fix video quality for Windows 7 and Vista.