mpv

Play a video or audio from a URL or file

$ mpv [url|path/to/file]

$ [<ArrowLeft>|<ArrowRight>]

$ [<ArrowDown>|<ArrowUp>]

$ [<[>|<]>]

$ mpv --sub-file=[path/to/file]

$ <s>

$ mpv --speed [0.01..100] [path/to/file]

$ mpv --profile [profile_name] [path/to/file]

mpv [options] [file|URL|...]

--no-osc
    Disables the on-screen controller.

--fs
    Starts in fullscreen mode.

--loop[=N]
    Loops playback indefinitely, or N times if specified.

--volume=
    Sets the initial playback volume (0-100).

--start=
    Starts playback at the specified time (e.g., 'HH:MM:SS', 'SS', 'PP%').

--alang=
    Specifies preferred audio language (e.g., 'en', 'jp').

--slang=
    Specifies preferred subtitle language (e.g., 'en', 'jp').

--sub-file=
    Loads an external subtitle file.

--hwdec=
    Enables hardware decoding using a specified API (e.g., 'auto', 'vaapi', 'vdpau', 'cuda').

--vo=
    Specifies the video output driver (e.g., 'gpu', 'opengl', 'x11').

--ao=
    Specifies the audio output driver (e.g., 'pulse', 'alsa').

--screenshot
    Takes a screenshot at the current playback position.

--ytdl
    Enables youtube-dl integration for online media playback.

--config-dir=
    Specifies a custom configuration directory for mpv.

mpv is a free, open-source, and cross-platform media player that offers high-performance playback of a vast array of media formats.

Originally forked from MPlayer2 (which was a fork of the classic MPlayer), mpv was designed with an emphasis on modern features, cleaner code, and a more robust design, making it a powerful and flexible choice for media consumption. It supports a wide range of video and audio codecs, leveraging FFmpeg for decoding and various video outputs for rendering.

While it features a minimalist on-screen controller (OSC) by default, mpv truly shines through its extensive command-line options and powerful Lua scripting capabilities, allowing users to deeply customize its behavior, appearance, and functionality. It excels at handling complex playback scenarios, including high-bitrate video, multi-track audio/subtitles, and sophisticated filtering. Its lightweight nature and efficient hardware decoding support make it suitable for both high-end systems and less powerful machines.

mpv's default minimalist interface might be less intuitive for users accustomed to traditional GUI media players. Its full power is unlocked through command-line options and configuration files, which can present a steep learning curve for newcomers. While highly configurable, complex setups might require delving into its extensive documentation.

mpv's behavior can be extensively customized through configuration files. The main configuration file is typically located at `~/.config/mpv/mpv.conf`. Keyboard shortcuts are defined in `~/.config/mpv/input.conf`. These plain text files allow users to set default options, define custom key bindings, and load scripts.

By default, mpv features a minimalistic on-screen controller (OSC) that appears when the mouse is moved over the video window. This GUI provides basic playback controls like play/pause, seek bar, volume, and fullscreen toggle. It can be disabled with the `--no-osc` option for a completely minimalist experience.

mpv began its development around 2012 as a fork of MPlayer2, which itself originated from the MPlayer project. The primary motivation for the fork was to address long-standing design issues in MPlayer, remove deprecated features, and improve the codebase with a focus on modern APIs and maintainability. It quickly gained traction for its efficient performance, extensive customization options, and commitment to a cleaner, more robust architecture, evolving into a widely used media player among power users.

mplayer(1), ffmpeg(1), vlc(1), ffplay(1)