Open source video player software VLC (also known as "VideoLAN") has come a long way and it continues to keep up with video standards today. Its latest version, 3.0 Vetinari, offers features one might expect from a high-end player. This includes high dynamic range (HDR) 10 bits support.
One of the major updates to the player is hardware acceleration, which improves performance on all the platforms it currently runs on. This means that it can effortlessly play 4K and 8K videos not only on computers but on phones, as well.
As mentioned, the video player now supports HDR10, which means that there will be richer variations in color during playback. Enhanced contrast and color dynamic between each individual pixel is expected.
The player also supports 360video playback, along with 3D audio up to Ambisonics 3rd order.
High definition (HD) video performance may now be complimented by high definition soundtracks, too. This is because VLC 3.0 Vetinari allows for audio passthrough of HD audio codecs, and can support up to 8 audio channels.
Supported HD audio codecs include (but are not limited to) E-AC3, TrueHD, and DTS-HD.
Along with these improvements, VLC 3.0 Vetinari also comes with enhancements that will make user experience more convenient. For instance, the player recognizes Blu-Ray Java menus, which can be really helpful when navigating content packed in Blu-Ray specials. The player also supports browsing of file systems. It can even stream to Chromecast devices, even if the source material's format is not supported natively by the device.
VLC 3.0 Vetinari video player is open source and remains free to download, although the non-profit organization that maintains it accepts donations. It is available for Windows, macOS, Android, and Apple iOS.
VLC started in 1996 as a project by a student based in Paris. It has undergone a rewrite in 1998, and was made completely open source by 2001, via the École Centrale Paris agreement.
