VLC 1.0.0 debuts for Windows, Mac, other platforms
updated 12:45 pm EDT, Tue July 7, 2009
VLC 1.0.0 for Mac, Windows
After years of alpha and beta development, VideoLAN has finally released v1.0.0 of VLC, its cross-platform media player software. Aside from platform independence the player is notable for supporting a variety of unusual codecs, such as OGG, FLAC and MKV. Users also gain access to third-party AirTunes streaming, more precise playback control, and functions like live stream recording.
Among other new features in v1.0.0 is support for a collection of HD codecs, including AES3, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD and Blu-ray Linear PCM. Beyond HD, newly-supported formats include M2TS and Raw Dirac; matching the latter is a new Dirac encoder. An MP3 fixed-point encoder has been introduced as well. The Mac software requires Mac OS X 10.5 or later, while the PC version requires at least Windows 2000 or XP. Versions are also available for less common operating systems, namely variants of Linux and BSD. All copies are free.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2001
MKV
MKV is hardly unusual and supporting it doesn't make VLC special - Quicktime provides the same support.