The VLC Media Player is an open-source software application that allows users to play almost any type of video or music file. Installation of the player is simple, but there are many functions you can enable and change in the setup of the software. These functions include the appearance of the player, which files can automatically be opened with the player, how videos are displayed, and the use of hotkeys.
Interface
- The basic VLC look is a simple gray and orange bar with navigation and volume icons. Go to "Tools" and "Preferences." Click on the "Interface" icon. Select the "Display Mode" to choose the "Classic Look," "Complete Look With Informational Area" or the "Minimal Look With No Menu Options." Click on the "Skins" link to find different skins that you can use on the VLC player. Themes include a boombox, Star Wars, PlayStation and futuristic designs.
Association Setup
- Decide what type of files you want to automatically open with the VLC Media Player. At the bottom of the "Interface" menu, select the "Association Setup" icon. Click the check box next to the audio files, such as ".mka," ".mp3," ".aac" and ".wma." Scroll through the video section and check the boxes next to video file types like ".mpg," ".wmv," ".ogg" and ".avi."
Video Settings
- Click on the "Video" icon to set the video settings. Under the display submenu, choose from "Full Screen," "Always on Top," "Skip Frames" and "Accelerated Video Output." Scroll down to the "Video Snapshots" section. If you want to take screenshots of specific videos, click on the "Directory" icon and select a save location for these videos. Select from "JPG" or "PNG" image files.
Hotkeys
- The last part of the initial setup is for the "Hotkeys." Your keyboard acts like a multimedia controller to the VLC player and every key can perform a different function while videos play. Scroll through the hotkeys. If there is one you want to change, click on it once. Type in the new hotkey control and press "Set" so that it applies. Examples of hotkeys include "Zoom," "Show Interface" and "Fullscreen." Click the "Save" icon at the bottom of the screen to save all of the changed settings.
