Using VLC to Play Video Files (rather than Windows Media Player?)

[Trevor Newell]

[edited from support email]

Hi, we're curious if the VideoLan media player (VLC) can be used with our study.
www.videolan.org/vlc/

Can MediaLab be configured to use the VLC media player? Does the software require that Windows Media Player is used? Is VLC configurable for the application instead?

[Trevor Newell]

This should definitely be possible. One of the benefits of using VLC over another video player is that it can do relatively anything (and more) from the command-line itself, whereas the GUI provided only taps into a few of it's extra features.

Take a look at the following command:

C:\Program Files\VideoLan\VLC\vlc.exe -vvv "C:\Videos\ExampleVideo.mp4" --fullscreen --play-and-exit

Using this syntax we can launch the VLC player, begin playback of our video file, tell VLC to initialize itself in fullscreen-mode, and exit once the playback has finished.

For a full list of commands, see the following documentation:
http://wiki.videolan.org/VLC_command-line_help
http://www.videolan.org/doc/vlc-user-guide/en/ch04.html

To integrate this functionality into MediaLab, select the 'Executable' item type from within a row on your questionnaire file.

More information on the 'Executable' item type can be found here:
www.empirisoft.com/medialab/help/index.html?queitemtype.htm (under the 'Executable' section).

If you wanted to prevent the user from being able to control the mouse and keyboard while the video is playing, you could assign a command to a different executable before and after the video that restricts the mouse and keyboard device from being used. With this added on, you would have a fully functional method of playing a video file, in fullscreen, that exits upon completion, and denies the user from altering the state of the application during its run-time.

[Trevor Newell]

[edited from support email]

We were able to get the VLC player working, but have been unable to get the video to initiate on its own. I see that there are command line operations I can use, but have been unable to get them to work. What specific line should I put the commands on (the ones to initiate the specific video)? I used the file line to access the VLC player, but the commands won't work on either the file line or the parameter line.

[Trevor Newell]

While editing the item in your questionnaire, what are you putting in the 'File Name' field?

Here's what I'm inputting:

C:\Program Files\VideoLan\VLC\vlc.exe -vvv "C:\Videos\ExampleVideo.mp4" --fullscreen --play-and-exit

It would seem that if you enter in the command line arguments within the same field, you'll be able to achieve the desired result.

I've attached a screenshot to further assist - hopefully it helps.

[Trevor Newell]

[edited from support email]

I was able to get it working! Thanks for your help and sending the screenshot - it looks like i had an extra space in the syntax.

[Trevor Newell]

The following thread can provide insight for more ways to integrate video files into your study:
www.empirisoft.com/support/showthread.php?t=3442