VLC 2.0 & MKV on OSX

[dusk007]

I wonder if there is any way to teach OSX that an MKV file is also a movie file. It treats it as something unknown. Isn't there some list where one adds the file extension so it understands.

Does anybody use VLC 2.X. I used it but reverted back to 1.X because of crappy usability and all kind of borken short cuts like horizontal scrolling.
Did they resolve it yet. I though while I am at it I might ask. Updateing, removing reinstalling of the old is tedious.

BTW New may rumors layout that just changed is not cool.
Too small text, Text doesn't zoom well for some reason, flowing layout is nice but there should be a max width.

 

[GGJstudios]

I wonder if there is any way to teach OSX that an MKV file is also a movie file. It treats it as something unknown. Isn't there some list where one adds the file extension so it understands.

On my MBP running SL, a .mkv file shows as a "Matroska Video File", but it doesn't appear if you search for "Kind" is "Movie". I'm not certain, but I believe the only movies that appear in that search are those playable by Quicktime. I haven't found a way to add a file type to a "Kind".

Does anybody use VLC 2.X. I used it but reverted back to 1.X because of crappy usability and all kind of borken short cuts like horizontal scrolling.

I have VLC 2.0.3 installed, but I find I use it very infrequently now, partially due to the recent changes. I use Plex to play all my movies, TV shows and music videos. It handles most file types, including .mkv files, and it does so much more than just play videos. I use it to organize, manage and deliver my movie library to any computer/iPhone on my network, from a database that includes movies stored on multiple drives and computers. My iPhone serves as the remote control, using the Plex app for iPhone.

If you aren't already familiar with Plex, it's worth taking a look.

 

[dusk007]

Plex looks even worse. That seems appropriate for a TV that is controlled with a remote.
No Touchpad or mouse support. No horizontal scrolling, no volume control. None of all the VLC awesomeness.
It is only Fullscreen.
I mostly play full screen but the interface is very inflexible. I cannot even move plex to show on the external screen rather than the main.

Maybe I am doing something wrong but Plex seems useless on a notebook with just one 23" external screen.

As a Mediaserver I got Serviio and that does a way better job at indexing than Plex. It sorts TV Series, Movies everything automatically into folders no need to select where TV shows or Movies are. Just basic pointing to folders that might have any media file.

I don't know what is it you see in Plex that is worth your while?
I can see its place on a TV where you sit 10ft away and navigate with a remote but for that all one needs is a TV with DLNA and Serviio.

 

[Fabricman112]

i used vlc until i discovered MPlayerX
http://mplayerx.org/
use the one from the website, not the MAS version
better scrolling (with gestures) than vlc

 

[GGJstudios]

Plex looks even worse. That seems appropriate for a TV that is controlled with a remote.
No Touchpad or mouse support.

Yes, you can select mouse use in preferences.

It is only Fullscreen.

Command-F toggles fullscreen on and off.

I cannot even move plex to show on the external screen rather than the main.

Yes, you can. Toggle fullscreen off, then drag the Plex player window to the other display, then toggle fullscreen back on. When you close Plex and restart it, it will automatically start in fullscreen on the display you left it on.

Maybe I am doing something wrong but Plex seems useless on a notebook with just one 23" external screen.

I run Plex on a Mac mini with an external display and a HDTV via HDMI. It works flawlessly. I can also run it on my MBP or iPhones.

As a Mediaserver I got Serviio and that does a way better job at indexing than Plex. It sorts TV Series, Movies everything automatically into folders no need to select where TV shows or Movies are. Just basic pointing to folders that might have any media file.

Plex can pull media from any folders or drives you want it to. I prefer to select only specific folders, as I don't want all video files to be available to Plex.

I don't know what is it you see in Plex that is worth your while?
I can see its place on a TV where you sit 10ft away and navigate with a remote but for that all one needs is a TV with DLNA and Serviio.

It works just fine on my MBP with either a built-in screen or an external display. You don't have to use it if you don't like it, but it appears you may get a better impression if you spend some time getting familiar with it.

 

[acosmichippo]

I also find Plex's interface tedious for regular computer use, and I also recommend mplayerx for a general media player - it'll play anything and has a nice, sleek interface.

 

[dusk007]

Found the mouse enable option.
Played a little around and tried the full screen on off.

Thanks for the help but I don't really get it. The controls aren't what I am looking for. I can see the benefit if one has a big screen and watches movies from a bit of a distance controlling with the iphone app. But I get no use out of the interface for my purely on desktop use. I have a TV but it is one story down and it runs its own DLNA client.

MPlayerX looks exactly like my kind of app. I found the checkbox for enabling horizontal scrolling but looked at the gesture youtube vid.
I love the interface but the horizontal scrolling doesn't work well. It is extremely slow. Even if I use the entire touchpad I only get a few seconds (seems 3 second intervals) up to a minute. Is this a bug, a setting or supposed to be that way.
The up down three finger swipe collides with my global settings. Maybe I can fix that myself in the source. Darn hard to find.

 

[Fabricman112]

scrolling doesn't work well. It is extremely slow. Even if I use the entire touchpad I only get a few seconds (seems 3 second intervals) up to a minute. Is this a bug, a setting or supposed to be that way.
The up down three finger swipe collides with my global settings. Maybe I can fix that myself in the source. Darn hard to find.

well you can adjust it here:
https://github.com/niltsh/MPlayerX/wiki/Some-settings-you-can't-find-in-the-UI
but the settings are 3fingers up ->1 min 3fingers to the side -> 10 sec
I kind of like it that way though... I´m used to the old mpc-way of handling videos
you can always jump in the timeline..

 

[dusk007]

The three fingers don't work. I found an issue report and it seems if you enable two three finger scrolling instead of swiping in the ML trackpad prefs. Than it doesn't work.
I can trigger those steps with the cursor.
What also sort of works is two finger horizontal scroll not swipe. The smallest steps seems something of 3 seconds. That works quite brilliantly in the old VLC.
I don't see any parameter related to this type of scrolling. I also didn't manage to guess from the name in which source file it is. If I'd know the right file it might be fixable. VLC is open source too; worst case one just needs to copy the algorithm.

 

[Fabricman112]

The three fingers don't work. I found an issue report and it seems if you enable two three finger scrolling instead of swiping in the ML trackpad prefs. Than it doesn't work.
I can trigger those steps with the cursor.
What also sort of works is two finger horizontal scroll not swipe. The smallest steps seems something of 3 seconds. That works quite brilliantly in the old VLC.
I don't see any parameter related to this type of scrolling. I also didn't manage to guess from the name in which source file it is. If I'd know the right file it might be fixable. VLC is open source too; worst case one just needs to copy the algorithm.

oh yeah you might have a point... it´s the first thing I change in a new install.. at least to me with 2finger scrolling and 3finger swiping, everything is good
EDIT: or maybe I dont.. I forgot whats default.. I stay away from "natural" scrolling, that I know