vlc
TLDR
Play a media file
SYNOPSIS
vlc [options] [file|url...]
DESCRIPTION
VLC is a free, open-source multimedia player supporting virtually all audio and video formats without external codecs. It can play local files, discs, streams, and capture devices.
Beyond playback, VLC includes powerful streaming and transcoding capabilities. It can serve as a streaming server, convert between formats, and apply various filters and effects.
The command-line interface provides full access to VLC's features for scripting and automation. Use cvlc for headless operation without starting the GUI.
VLC's media library and playlist features help organize large collections, while its network streaming supports protocols like HTTP, RTSP, and HLS.
PARAMETERS
--fullscreen, -f
Start in fullscreen mode--loop, -L
Loop playlist--repeat, -R
Repeat current item--random, -Z
Random playback--volume N
Set volume (0-512, 256 = 100%)--play-and-exit
Exit after playing--start-time N
Start at N seconds--stop-time N
Stop at N seconds--rate N
Playback speed (1.0 = normal)--no-video
Audio only--no-audio
Video only--sout chain
Stream output chain--intf interface
Interface module (qt, ncurses, dummy)-I dummy, --intf=dummy
No interface (background)
VARIANTS
vlc: Full GUI version
cvlc: Command-line only (no GUI)
nvlc: NCurses text interface
rvlc: Remote control interface
svlc: Skinnable interface
CAVEATS
The --sout streaming syntax is complex. Consult VLC documentation for stream output chain construction.
Hardware acceleration options vary by platform. Use --avcodec-hw to control hardware decoding.
Some proprietary formats may have playback issues due to licensing. VLC uses open-source implementations that may not match commercial decoders exactly.
HISTORY
VLC was created as a student project at École Centrale Paris in 1996 under the name VideoLAN Client. It became open source in 2001 and grew into one of the most popular media players, known for playing "anything" without codec packs.
