VLC Media Player is a highly portable multimedia player for various audio and video formats (MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DivX, MP3, OGG, …) as well as DVDs, VCDs, and various streaming protocols. It can also be used as a server to stream in unicast or multicast in IPv4 or IPv6 on a high-bandwidth network.
Media player with support for a vast array of multimedia formats
Although its main window won’t impress you, its Preferences window will enable you to adjust a staggering number of options when clicking the innocent looking “Show All” button.
Among its most popular features is also the fact that it comes with built-in support to a plethora of input media, as well as the most popular video and audio formats nowadays.
Additionally, aside from being able to play all of them, VLC Media Player will also help one convert between nearly all and stream them on a network of your choice.
Online music and video services browser
Furthermore, just in case you’re not one to keep a collection of music on your own Mac, VLC Media Player also comes with a built-in Internet music services browser, neatly tucked within its main window sidebar.
This makes it really easy to quickly browse a set of free music charts, the Freebox TV’s listing, an extensive directory of online radios via the Icecast Directory and the Kamendo Selections, as well as a almost unlimited supply of videos and video podcasts provided by the Channels.com service.
Large variety of audio configuration options
Moreover, while playing multimedia content, you can use VLC Media Player’s “Audio Effects” window to enable and adjust an equalizer, a dynamic range compressor, an audio spatializer and a number of filters that will make the audio experience a lot more enjoyable, for example, if you’re watching your movies or listening to podcasts wearing headphones.
Multimedia player with support for a vast amount of audio and videos formats
All in all, VLC Media Player may not have a user interface that matches Apple’s design guidelines, but its extensive set of features speaks for itself once you put it to work.
What’s more, its GPL license and comprehensive multimedia format support are surely worth taking into consideration when searching for a new or better multimedia player for your Mac.
What’s New
Version 3.0.17.3:
- Release notes were unavailable when this listing was updated.
Compatibility
OS X 10.7 or later
Apple Silicon or Intel Core processor
Screenshots
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What’s New
Improvements for HDR support on Windows, including for HLG streams
Improvements on the Blu-ray support, notably for menus
Fixes for UPnP discovery on MacBooks with a TouchBar
Numerous security issues:
1 high security issues, 21 medium and 20 low security issues where fixed,
Release notes for version 3.0.12:
It adds full support macOS Big Sur including native execution on Apple Silicon, solves an audio distortion problem on macOS and solves minor cross-platform issues such as YouTube playback. It also introduces a RIST access module.
Note: if you run VLC on Apple Silicon, you will be offered the subsequent 3.0.12.1 update that actually installs the native application on your Mac