Sadly the Mac version of VLC is less functional than the Windows version.
By default the deïnterlace modus of the Mac version is turned off. Evertime I start up VLC I have to put the deïnterlace modus back to automatic. There's no way to correct this. In the Windows version there is.
Also VLC cuts MPEG1/2 video's short. It's only the first and last second that are missing. But sometimes this is frustrating.
Is there an alternative to VLC for the Mac?
Unfortunately iTunes isn't. It doesn't play MPEG1/2's, but I very much like iTunes for the way it organises music and video's.
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I do like VLC and I do use it on Mac, but I'm posting this for people who've never used it on Mac and aren't going to believe your post.
Yes, you are absolutely correct. VLC is worse for Mac than Windows/Linux. In fact, it's not even the same code base. The last time I bothered to check it was several minor releases behind the current Windows/Linux code version. Don't believe us? Then play a VCD with VLC on Mac and try to do something with it like jump forward or backwards on it.
The problem with Macs is that there are not a lot of alternatives for anything. I don't know of anything that's free on Mac that's like VLC but maybe someone else knows if something exists. -
Then you have something else wrong with your Mac if you can't hear the audio of MPEG2 files in QuickTime player or any 3rd party app that supports QT (like MPEG Streamclip) with Apple's MPEG2 codec installed. Now, if the file has some really bizarre audio codec that isn't supported, then VLC will probably come to your rescue. However, a DVD ripped to your hard drive as a VIDEO_TS folder or a .ts file will play in MPEG Streamclip (and many other apps) just fine.
I wouldn't necessarily expect FrontRow and iTunes to manage MPEG2 mux'd files regardless of the codecs you have installed as they comply with the Apple orthodoxy of the walled garden.
My solution (YMMV) is to transcode "foreign" or obsolete formats (like MPEG2) to H264/AAC and then it plays on every app on my Mac, iPad, AppleTV, Color Nook, and WDTV player. -
@ rumplestiltskin:
MPEG Streamclip indeed plays the audio of my muxed MPEG2's (with the QickTime MPEG 2 component installed). But it is widely known that iTunes, Front Row and QuickTime don't.
I don't like transcoding MPEG2' to H264/AAC, as you do. It's extra work and I like to keep the original DVD-quality. -
MPlayer OSX Extended seems to be a good alternative to VLC for the Mac:
Once you've turned the deinterlace modus on, it stays on.
It plays the complete MPEG2 (it doesn't cut it short).
MPlayer would be perfect if it organized video's like iTunes does (artist, album, name, genre, year).Last edited by HitTheRoad; 27th Oct 2011 at 13:43.
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HitTheRoad: I stand corrected. I played a few files before my original post and, just now, I double-checked what I was playing and they turned out to be MPEG1, not 2.
If you use the appropriate settings, the H264 file will have the same quality as the MPEG2 (but, of course, you have to exert the effort and time to effect the transcoding). -
Does anyone know where to report "Mplayer OSX Extended" bugs? When watching full screen the button for switching to half size/normal size sometimes is/becomes inactive.
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The developer's contact details are listed on his webpage. http://www.mplayerosx.ch/#footer (Adrian Stutz)
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