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VLC 0.8.6 Released

h2g2bob writes "VideoLAN yesterday released a new version of VLC media player. A shout out goes to ffmpeg for many of the codec improvements." From the blurb: "Building on feedback from the 29 million downloads of VLC media player 0.8.5, we bring you version 0.8.6 with many bugfixes, as well as a couple of new features we think you will truly enjoy. Most prominent are probably Windows Media Video 9 and Flash Video. Other important changes are improved H.264 decoding, better Windows Unicode support, a Fullscreen controller, and Apple Remote support for Mac OS X."

12 of 258 comments (clear)

  1. nigthlies is up by gerbalblaste · · Score: 5, Informative
  2. Re:Hmmm....WMV9 on OS X? by Wesley+Felter · · Score: 5, Informative

    FFMPEG now contains an open-source WMV9 decoder.

  3. Re:Hmmm....WMV9 on OS X? by kosmosik · · Score: 5, Informative

    No. It would be illegal (in some countries) to use Windows files - they got its own license and it wold be sloppy. Instead VLC uses ffmpeg codecs which implement (partially) WMV9 decoding (but no DRM and no encoding *FIXME*). Ffmpeg codecs are another implementation (than Windows DLLs) achieved through reverse-engeenering (which also may be illegal to use in some countries).

    As for now from ffmpeg documentation:
    http://ffmpeg.mplayerhq.hu/ffmpeg-doc.html#SEC23

    WMV8 and WMV9 are "not completely working". But I think they may work well for 90% of media files out there.

    So kudos for VLC team for another great release. :)

  4. How about a mirror? by ZiZ · · Score: 5, Informative
    Use a bloody mirror!
    • VideoLAN primary mirror - France - Download (HTTP)
    • VIA Centrale Reseaux, École Centrale Paris - France - Download (HTTP)
    • Twente University - Netherlands - Download (HTTP)
    • IRCAM - France - Download (HTTP)
    • Université de Strasbourg - France - Download (FTP)
    • Cr@ns, ENS Cachan - France - Download (FTP)
    • Providence University - Taiwan - Download (FTP)
    • Endpoint Corporation - Sweden - Download (FTP)
    • Optralan - USA - Download (HTTP)
    • Brno University of Technology - Czech Republic - Download (HTTP)
    • Brno University of Technology - Czech Republic - Download (FTP)
    • Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná - Brazil - Download (FTP)
    (These are all Windows downloads. Remove the filename and last directory from the path to explore other download options.)
    --
    This flies in the face of science.
  5. h264 decoding on vlc player kicks ass! by vivek7006 · · Score: 4, Informative

    On windows platform, when I play h264 video files the cpu usage is considerably less than other players. Especially in comparison with mplayer-classic using ffdshow. I usually encode all my home-videos using x264 and use VLC player for playback. VLC player uses minimal cpu and video quality is awesome. Thanks guys!

  6. Re:slashdotted with no comments by _Pablo · · Score: 4, Informative
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    $2B OR NOT $2B = $FF
  7. Re:Hmmm....WMV9 on OS X? by KonoWatakushi · · Score: 5, Informative

    I have a PPC mac and it is great to have a native working WMV9/VC-1 codec. While I haven't tried it in VLC, I have used it in the recent MPlayer dev builds, and it is much better than flip4mac.

  8. VLC is a packet-based player by aok · · Score: 5, Informative

    I use VLC player for playing all my videos under Linux, both standalone and as a firefox plugin (in conjunction with the MediaPlayerConnectivity Firefox addon extension).

    The only downside I find is that actions are a bit laggy compared to frame-based players. For example, if I hit pause, it doesn't pause instantaneously.

    Also, and I'm not sure if it's a limitation of being a packet-based player, but I wish it wouldn't close the video right after it's done playing. I prefer the last frame to stay on the screen.

    P.S. For those using VLC under XGL and get a weird green-tinted bar at the top of your videos, change the Video output module to "X11 video output". You'll need to toggle the Advanced Settings checkbox.

  9. Mirrors by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative
  10. Re:slashdotted with no comments by chrispl · · Score: 3, Informative

    I have not tried the new version yet but in the old version moving the mouse to the top right corner of the screen would pop up the controls.
    Took me a while to figure that one out...

    --
    What post? The one you're carrying inside your rusty innards!
  11. Re:Hmmm....WMV9 on OS X? by dr.badass · · Score: 4, Informative

    Ffmpeg codecs are another implementation (than Windows DLLs) achieved through reverse-engeenering (which also may be illegal to use in some countries)

    Um, no. There is no reverse-engineering involved. Windows Media Video 9 (fourcc: WMV3) is the same as VC-1, which is an SMTPE standard, and a reference implementation has been available for a while now. I've been using ffmpeg builds with it for months.

    Of course, I can't blame anyone for being confused, given how utterly useless the ffmpeg documentation is.

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  12. Re:Anyone know the changelog? by Xenographic · · Score: 4, Informative
    Their poor site is half dead but here's the changelog they put up:

    Building on feedback from the 29 million downloads of VLC media player 0.8.5, we bring you version 0.8.6 with many bugfixes, as well as a couple of new features we think you will truly enjoy. Highlights of the new features and improvements:

            * Support for Windows Media Video 9 and VC-1
            * Support for VP5/VP6 and Flash video
            * Support for TTA and WavPack Lossless audio
            * Much improved H.264 support
            * Preliminary DVR-ms, MXF support
            * Shoutcast TV support
            * Windows unicode fixes
            * Apple Remote support
            * Apple Fullscreen controller
            * Universal Binary


    Wish I knew how to make shuffle default to off :/