Existing users, 
I keep hoping that this will someday be superior to MPlayer. MPlayer seems kind of like a kludge, requiring 2 icons in the dock when playing, and it's interfaced is till kind of clunkly. However it plays just about anything ...
VLC has a superior interface and approach, however it still does not play some things that MPlayer will play. I just tried 2 small clips that MPlayer plays flawlessly, and VLC will not play the audio.
Plus, I do like the MPlayer trick of using the right and left arrow keys to step just a TINY amount backwards and forwards, these functions on VLC seem to "jump" too far back and ahead.
Despite how slick VLC is compared to MPlayer, sadly, VLC is inferior when it comes to compatibility. MPlayer is able to play just about anything and everything I through at it. Everything. (One exception, some VCDs need to be decoded.)
And no, before someone asks, I don't know "what audio and video encoding method was used" (on the files that did not work). Who cares? 99% of the computer using public doesn't. Things should just PLAY. Plus, excuses like "well, uh, see ... uh. ... the person who encoded it didn't do this and that and they did this wrong ..." don't hold up. Sorry. I don't care. I want to drag, drop, PLAY, see, and hear. Period.
Its still a colossal embarrassment that QuickTime Player will not play all of these files. It's sad. I love Macs and OS X and Apple, but for us to have to use ANY type of 3rd party player is a joke. The ONLY excuse for things not being playable would be proprietary formats like REAL and some of the latest Windows Media (crap). But everything else? Come on Apple, you need to step up. (as if they actually READ these message, LOL).
VLC media player
for DivX, VCD, DVD, MPEG, AVI, FLV, WAV, WMV, OGG
Version: 0.9.8a
Still doesn't play some things that MPlayer does
Feedback Type: Review
Contributed by: Dave Riker Monday, June 27 2005 @ 01:04 AM PDT
Product Platform: MacOSX
Used Product For: Less than a month
Recommend Product: YES
Overall Rating:
Comments
Still doesn't play some things that MPlayer does - donikatz
VLC is a brilliant piece of FREEware that plays virtually everything I've ever thrown at it, on Windows and OS X. What you need to understand is many of these unusual codecs are illegal (copyright-wise), hacked, or at least non-standard. Yes, QT should have better built-in support, but you can't expect a major vendor to support illegal or non-standard practices. And to expect them to play improperly produced materials, regardless of format, is absurd.VLC does a fantastic job of an all-in-one easy-to-use player for what you used to need a library of independent installers and codecs to accomplish. It continues to be one of the most valuable freeware apps around. If you can't play that one obscure, damaged file, boo-hoo. There's no reason to not have MPlayer and VLC in your arsenal, as they're both FREE.
Monday, June 27 2005 @ 06:00 AM PDT
Still doesn't play some things that MPlayer does - gullevek
well I prefer VLC because it can change between multiple channels in an OGM or matroka file. mplayer still has problems there. But I keep both at hand what one can't play can the other :)Monday, June 27 2005 @ 07:31 AM PDT
Still doesn't play some things that MPlayer does - Dave Riker
Well, the bottom line is: Things should just "work".Thats whay I use Mac. Yes, I know how to fix macs and really know my way around OS X, but when I want to play a video, it sholdl just Play.
VLC is a good program and well done. There are just some things that it still can't handle, that oher programs do.
QT Player should still handle it all. No excuses.
Monday, June 27 2005 @ 01:07 PM PDT
Still doesn't play some things that MPlayer does - The DJ
Well unfortunatly this situation is not our fault. It's largely to blame on the unprofessionalism of the 3 major video application producers that this situation has come to be. They should really learn to look at how the TV world (MPEG) creates standards. It might be slow, but at least it will do what it is supposed to be in anything that implements the standard. For most other formats, there isn't even a standard !!! Just a very high license fee.Tuesday, June 28 2005 @ 04:05 PM PDT
Still doesn't play some things that MPlayer does - eux
I agree with Dave.To the others who claim VLC has played everything you threw at it, is that an argument? what is the value of your observation? none. in contrast, I have consistenly experience glitches. there certainly is value in giving the programmer heads-up regarding this. which, by the way, I thought was the point of these boards. I suspect it is in part due to the Tiger OS.
note: the latest VLC update so far hasn't quit on me when I hit escape from full screen--which is better than the last version.
your comments, on the other hand, sound an awful like "sticks and stones..." puppy-love-Mac whimperings...
Monday, June 27 2005 @ 03:42 PM PDT
Still doesn't play some things that MPlayer does - Hannibal Fortune
VLC has played DivX, Xvid, MKV, OGM, MPEG1, MPEG2, ASF, VOB and even earlier WMV files for me. If there are many files it's not playing, they must be in some obscure format or possibly the latest WMV format, which luckily precious few people use. I've found MPlayer much cruder in virtually every respect. I wouldn't trade the better interface and function of VLC for any marginally higher compatibility that MPlayer might offer.Monday, June 27 2005 @ 08:33 PM PDT
Still doesn't play some things that MPlayer does - Greg H
I've seen some clips that MPlayer wouldn't play that VLC does, and probably vice versa. As others have said, why not just keep both and simply use whichever works? Why the debate?Monday, June 27 2005 @ 08:46 PM PDT
Still doesn't play some things that MPlayer does - fireflies1
Um because some peoples lives have absolutely no meaning without a 'cause'?.. On the subject, mplayer does not handle subtitles properly on 90% of file formats that contain muxed subs. Makes it useless in my eyes.Monday, November 06 2006 @ 06:35 PM PST
Still doesn't play some things that MPlayer does - ryandesign
Bla bla bla. VLC plays everything I've ever thrown at it and always has. Never ever used MPlayer.Left and Right arrows go to previous and next item in playlist, respectively. Command-Shift-Left and -Right arrows go backward or forward about 1 minute. Command-Option-Left and -Right arrows go backward forward about 10 seconds. Good enough for me.
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Monday, June 27 2005 @ 02:52 AM PDT