VLC Media Player Problem under Vista

January 25, 2007 amida168 Windows 239

[Update] I tried the latest version of VLC player (0.8.6d) and it played OK without modification. 12/27/2007

VLC is my favorite media player. It plays almost every media format and you can get it for every major platforms.

I tried VLC to play some AVI files on Vista RC2. It didn’t play them properly. I can hear sound but no video showing. I remember running into similar problems on XP. I had to reduce the color from 24 bit to 16 bit. I tried to do the same on Vista RC2, but it’s a no go. Still no video.

I then found this solution. It tells you to set the video rendering engine to OpenGL. I tried to use other settings and found that “DirectX video output” and “Windows GDI video output” also work. Here are the steps.

  1. Open VLC media player.
  2. Click on Settings and select Preferences… .
  3. Expand Video and click on Output modules. Note that DON’T expand Output modules, just click on it.
  4. Check Advanced options in the lower right corner.
  5. Set Video output module to either “DirectX“, “OpenGL” or “Windows GDI”
    vlcpref.jpg

You’ll need to restart VLC media player after the change.

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50 Comments

  20. Some of my observations:

    Windows GDI – Run the smoothest, but the worst quality. When in full screen mode I am unable to use keyboard commands.

    Direct X – Changes to Vista Basic colors, but who cares. Better quality than GDI, but it just doesn’t seem perfect. Keyboard commands work in full screen mode however.

    OpenGL – Not sure why, but on my comp it’s very laggy, enough to make everything unwatchable. Sounds like it works on other computers though.

    Reply

  27. Very well done man. I have used this player for a very long time and was disappointed to see it did not work under Vista until now. Your efforts are greatly appreciated. I can now rid of WMP! woot! 😀

    Reply

  38. hey up lads need sum help it does nt apper the gui windows thing tryed dircetx ad the other turned of the rgb colour iam now geytting a black sceen ad a fanit flicker of about 1 second wear i can see the movie thats being plkayed any help wood b very very great full other matters test divx pro gud installation missing the mepg 1 codec 4 sum reason vlc resolved the issue with nero7 4 vista sum theing that might b ov interest xp regisitry cleaner start up as admininsterater cleaned it up fat when u go 2 delete it ll hang 4 a while but bear with it simes 2 b working

    Reply

  39. installed divx pro was haveing pro;bems with the mepg 1 codec they have a very fancy tool indeed 2 repair missing dlls ad so forth bascially all in coders r working very very pleased thought pass it on full divx in codeing on vista starting 2 feel like xp wed a new look nice 1 xxxxx

    o yea 2 my last post prolbems with vlc 1 sewcond of picture than a black screen here sound done much of the above menthioned no gui wiondows mentions command promp with in the program little lost did gain picture 4 sum time lost it again doing head in gud little player a must have xxxxx

    Reply

  42. vlc no help got divx 6.0.0 installed weorking transcodeing can also use in media centre ad media player all thow reverts 2 basic mode further work 2 b done cant get this vlc thiong working sirpize sirprize most ov the cracks for xp r working just applyed differently got this running like a bomb lolololo as ive said xp wed a new faCE FEW BITS MISSING ID RATHER OF HAD FOR CLEANING UNISTALLS namely folders regisrty cleaning the lot haveing a vey gud day pushing this vista crap 2 its limits lololoolo

    Reply

  43. forgot 2 mention this is a clean install not of the back ov xp is this cwear iam getting prolbems cud anybody throw a little light thanks brenie

    Reply

  44. Thank you!

    I was thinking of waiting for a VLC Vista release but your solution has solved all problems.

    With your help VLC has once again showed its versatility in the face of so many incompatibility issues with Vista!

    Reply

  50. Cheers! Was having some audio sync problems playing xvids with media player and nero vision. Thought I’d give VLC a shot only to be disappointed by flashing colours instead of video. I changed the video output settings to DirectX and now it works perfectly and no sync problems.

    Thanks again, your help was much appreciated!

    Reply

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