VLC Media Player is updated to version 3.0, bringing support for HDR and 360-degree video

[ProjectBox153]

The popular media player software from VideoLAN has been updated to version 3.0, and it brings support for HDR content (both 10 and 12 bit color) and the playback of 360-degree video. The new version of VLC can also stream content from your computer (with the VLC update) to a Chromecast or Chromecast enabled television. VLC is an open source program, and the developers wanted it to remain that way. The reason the Chromecast implementation took so long was for the developers to reverse engineer the Chromecast support. 

Quote

Please note that Chromecast support in VLC 3.0 is fully open-source for all platforms! That’s the reason why it took us so long to ship as we completely reverse-engineered the entire thing. The closed-source component by Google can’t be used for legal reasons in VLC, isn’t compatible with Macs, Linux and Windows and supports a very limited set of codecs only. With our code, you can play basically anything VLC can decode on your Chromecast (as we transcode on-the-fly if needed).

 

The interface retains the familiar look as older versions of the program, but has many new features under the hood. Along with the 360 degree video support, VLC also has support for 3D audio, and hardware acceleration of 4K content. The update is currently supported on Windows, Macintosh, iOS, Android and Windows Phone, and the Linux version will become available soon. 

To download the latest version of VLC 3.0, visit: https://www.videolan.org/vlc/releases/3.0.0.html

Sources:

Spoiler

PCMag.com: https://www.pcmag.com/news/359146/vlc-3-0-update-supports-hdr10-chromecast-streaming

Ars Technica: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/02/videolan-vlc-releases-version-3-0-with-hdr-and-360-degree-video/

And of course, VideoLAN: https://www.videolan.org/vlc/releases/3.0.0.html

 

[Hiitchy]

This is great. I always recommend VLC because they just threw every possible codec I could think of together into one media player and made it super easy. Now they've gotten even better and continue to be my top recommendation. 

[DrMacintosh]

I just updated mine but on the Mac especially I almost never use it. QuickTime does basically everything I would ask VLC to do, lol. 

[Coaxialgamer]

5 minutes ago, Hiitchy said:

This is great. I always recommend VLC because they just threw every possible codec I could think of together into one media player and made it super easy. Now they've gotten even better and continue to be my top recommendation. 

except for MIDI unfortunately

[Bouzoo]

It worked with no issues on movies and shows like The Wire, Grand Tour and Supernatural. Tried watching Friends with my gf which worked great on 2.2.5 and it crashes on every episode on 3.0 just few seconds in. Tried default Win 10 player as well, no issues whatsoever.

[Blackie Sheen]

Might try it out. Havent used it for a while since I mostly watch my shows with my chromecast using the videostream app because it allowed me to cast with subs and to create a queue of videos from different folders.

 

If it is properly able to display subs on the chromecast then I might use it.

 

Edit: Tried it out and it wont even load any of the files I've tried even after a reboot of the chromecast and of VLC. So I am definitely not going to use this at least for now until they improve it and fix issues.

[Dabombinable]

And its still my main way of playing DVD on any of my computers. Whether it be my 1997 Slot 1 desktop or my main rig.

 

Edit: BTW, still treat the UWP version like cancer. It can't playback DVD or Blueray.

[GilmourD]

If only they'd release an MSI installer so I could push it out via group policy...

[Guest]

Is Chromecast rendering working for anyone? Mine stays in a continuous loading state. For the time being it seems I'll need to stick to Xbox casting through Windows.  (I still use VLC for local playback though)

[AshleyAshes]

1 hour ago, Hiitchy said:

This is great. I always recommend VLC because they just threw every possible codec I could think of together into one media player and made it super easy.

Uhm, to be clear, VLC doesn't have 'every codec possible' in it.  It basically has ONE.  It has the open source Libavcodec from the FFMPEG project at it's heart and this is also in many OTHER places.  Even YouTube uses FFMPEG as it's backend.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FFmpeg

 

[Zodiark1593]

It took long enough. Going to see if hardware acceleration isn't broken on my Atom pc (works with everything but VLC).

 

Edit: Ok, I am legitimately pretty pleased with this release. The DXVA backend is still broken for me (instead of crashing, it produces heavy artifacts now), but the DX11 backend works flawless with the stuff I've tested. 1080P, low bit rate HEVC software decode is quite on the border for my Bay Trail device as well. I'll probably use this as my default player once more.

[Hiitchy]

3 hours ago, Coaxialgamer said:

except for MIDI unfortunately

I learn something new every day

1 hour ago, AshleyAshes said:

Uhm, to be clear, VLC doesn't have 'every codec possible' in it.  It basically has ONE.  It has the open source Libavcodec from the FFMPEG project at it's heart and this is also in many OTHER places.  Even YouTube uses FFMPEG as it's backend.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FFmpeg

 

Thank you for the correction, I completely forgot about that

[Blackie Sheen]

1 hour ago, tjcater said:

Is Chromecast rendering working for anyone? Mine stays in a continuous loading state. For the time being it seems I'll need to stick to Xbox casting through Windows.  (I still use VLC for local playback though)

Not working for me either. Seems like it still needs work.

[Drak3]

3 hours ago, Dabombinable said:

It can't playback DVD or Blueray

If I had a dollar for every Bluray I owned that VLC could play, I'd have $1.

[Automobili3XF]

Time to stop using MPC-BE then...

[Zodiark1593]

18 minutes ago, Drak3 said:

If I had a dollar for every Bluray I owned that VLC could play, I'd have $1.

I did have some luck with older blu rays by using a .dll and a repository of decryption keys. I'd rather just eat the space costs, and rip the blu ray, and not deal with the drm. As AACS isn't truly broken however, there is no truly comprehensive solution for playing all Blu Ray discs outside official channels. 

 

12 years, and we still need to rely upon leaked keys to decrypt blu ray discs. I'm rather disconcerted that there isn't a true exploit found that can decrypt the discs without the private keys.

[Drak3]

16 minutes ago, Zodiark1593 said:

I did have some luck with older blu rays by using a .dll and a repository of decryption keys. I'd rather just eat the space costs, and rip the blu ray, and not deal with the drm. As AACS isn't truly broken however, there is no truly comprehensive solution for playing all Blu Ray discs outside official channels. 

 

12 years, and we still need to rely upon leaked keys to decrypt blu ray discs. I'm rather disconcerted that there isn't a true exploit found that can decrypt the discs without the private keys.

Too much work, would rather spend my time building AR15 uppers or digging around under my truck's hood.

[Bcat00]

i haven't used VLC since i changed to windows 10, simply no need for it anymore with the installed player that came with it.

[Jito463]

1 hour ago, Zodiark1593 said:

I did have some luck with older blu rays by using a .dll and a repository of decryption keys. I'd rather just eat the space costs, and rip the blu ray, and not deal with the drm. As AACS isn't truly broken however, there is no truly comprehensive solution for playing all Blu Ray discs outside official channels. 

 

12 years, and we still need to rely upon leaked keys to decrypt blu ray discs. I'm rather disconcerted that there isn't a true exploit found that can decrypt the discs without the private keys.

There's no perfect solution, but I've had great luck with AnyDVD HD.  Though, admittedly I don't have very many Blu-Ray discs.

[Zodiark1593]

2 hours ago, Drak3 said:

Too much work, would rather spend my time building AR15 uppers or digging around under my truck's hood.

Jeez, you and my father would get along grandly.

 

1 hour ago, Jito463 said:

There's no perfect solution, but I've had great luck with AnyDVD HD.  Though, admittedly I don't have very many Blu-Ray discs.

I've picked up an external BD drive a few years ago when my anime blu ray set came in. It sees seldom use, though I'm very glad I picked it up when I do actually need it. I use MakeMKV. It would make no sense to buy AnyDVD just for ripping the (maybe) 3 or so blu rays I get a year.

[ElZamo92]

But does it solve the TONS of issues I’ve had with audio playback?

[Guest Generallee]

Well I do not own any device capable of HDR playback so this doesnt affect me that much but that's cool

 

I still use AIMP for mp3 and FLAC playback, I mean you can't beat this a e s t h e t i c interface :

 

[Bananasplit_00]

nice, VLC getting even better  

[Mihle]

Only me that don't use VLC?

[Jito463]

5 minutes ago, Mihle said:

Only me that don't use VLC?

Yes, only you.