VLC media player gets GPU decoding on Windows and Linux

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Matthew DeCarlo

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VideoLAN has pushed out a new finalized build of its VLC media player, adding stability as well as numerous enhancements and features. Among the more noteworthy items listed in 1.1.0's changelog is the addition of GPU decoding on Windows (via DxVA2) and Linux (using VAAPI) for H.264, VC-1 and MPEG-2 formats. Unfortunately, the developer says GPU decoding is currently limited to Nvidia cards, citing driver issues with ATI products.

VLC 1.1.0 also includes DSP decoding using OpenMax IL, improved MKV HD support, and compatibility with Blu-ray subtitles, MPEG-4 lossless, VP8, and WebM. The latest build touts a better audio experience, with additions such as support for DVD-Audio files, AMR-NB, MPEG-4 ALS, Vorbis 6.1/7.1, FLAC 6.1/7.1, and WMAS, not to mention tweaked meta-data and album-art features.


Besides the added functionality and various developer-oriented improvements, VideoLAN says version 1.1.0 is simply lighter and faster, with thousands of lines of code removed and decoding speed boosted by up to 40%. If you're interested, you can read the itemized highlights here, or simply take the new build for spin.

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Hope they get their GPU decoding fixed for ATI cards. I don't have one now, but will in the near future.
 
I like SMPlayer better. I think VLC is too overrated, but maybe that's just me...
 
I have so many problems with VLC, especially when im trying to watch Anime. However i'll probably put that down to the containers the video is in, as its usually just MKV and MKV HD files that cause the problems. Codecs aren't a problem either.
 
I just use Media Player Classic Home Cinema.... VLC is limited when it comes to advanced subtitle rendering..
 
Love VLC been using it for sometime, hope they get the ATI issue sorted out though =/ .

kg363 said:
Can it play bluray disks yet?

Pretty sure you they'd have to get a license or crack it if they wanted that.
 
I'm not really impressed at GPU decoding. Almost all of the situations where GPU decoding works (supported GPUs) there is sufficient CPU power to handle it. It is only when you run into insufficient CPU power that you really need GPU decoding, and unfortunately the cases where you don't have a strong enough CPU you most likely don't have a supported GPU.
 
@Armanian
I watch a huge amount of anime using VLC, and never have a problem with any of the containers, even ogm and mkv. In fact I had to go look to see how much of the anime I had is in mkv format, and about 1/3 of its. I just never have any issues with any format with VLC so I no longer pay attention to the container the video comes in. VLC plays 'em all without trouble for me :D.
 
klite mega codec pack has had gpu decoding for nvidia and ati now for almost a year. media player classic is much nicer than the vlc format. also the pack is updated monthly.
 
VLC's always been a great, all round player, I use it primarily for playback of mkv's, had absolutely no problems playing 720 files but 1080's was always hit n miss - whenever it failed to perform, I'd resort to km player or media player home cinema classic.

Have just installed the latest version of vlc, and love it! all my 1080's work flawlessly, I'm still testing it, but it gets a big thumbs up from me!
 
Love VLC been using it for sometime, hope they get the ATI issue sorted out though =/

As per usual, AMD are about to bring the driver guy out of suspended animation as soon as the bad PR reaches red alert status

http://twitter.com/CatalystMaker/statuses/16797139455

You would think that since VLC is an open source project, that AMD and Intel could spare a few minutes to help these guys out without having to make pointed notes on their release page. It's not as if VLC is a completely unknown app. and DxVA2's spec has been out for around three years.
 
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