Updated November 15 2006

VideoLAN Media Player - MS Windows Installation

Binaries and source are also available for many Linuxes, BeOS and MacOS X here

Introduction

Skill Level: beginner

I've tried to make this tutorial as simple and unassuming as possible. After following these steps, the multimedia content on LosCota should run seamlessly in Firefox.

I've chosen VideoLAN Client and the Ogg-Vorbis codecs for the LosCota webspace media content because they are free and open-source software as defined by the GNU General Public License. That means that there will always be a community support base to prevent these formats from becoming obsolete as a result of corporate decisions. It also means that we are free to use these programs and encoders/decoders however we like, as long as we do not attempt to restrict anyone else from enjoying the same freedoms.

Step by Step Tutorial

First, download VLC. The current version as of this writing is: vlc-0.8.5-win32.exe. Save the file to your desktop. When it has finished downloading, double click on its icon to run the installer...




VLC installer step 1, select language

Select your preferred language and click 'OK'



VLC installer step 2, close other applications

Close other running programs and click 'Next'



VLC installer step 3, accept GPL

Skim the General Public License. This license guarantees that we will always have free access to this program and any derivative works with the rights and freedoms to view, modify and share.

Click 'I Agree'



VLC installer step 4, choose components

Select at a minimum: 'Mozilla Plugin' and set your 'File type associations', see below.

Optionally, the 'ActiveX plugin will provide Microsoft Internet Explorer support (you are using Firefox, right?), the 'Context Menus' will put VLC options in your right-click menus.

If you want to set all multimedia files to play using VideoLAN, select the box next to 'File type associations' as shown above.

OR



VLC installer step 4a, expand File type associations

To only play the LosCota audio files (ogg-vorbis) with VideoLAN, expand 'File type associations' by clicking the plus sign |+|

Then click the |+| next to 'Audio Files' to expand it as well

AND



VLC installer step 4b, choose .ogg

Then scroll down and select '.ogg' from the list

NEXT



VLC installer step 4c

Scroll back up to the top of 'Audio Files' and click the minus sign |-| this will collapse the 'Audio files' list

Now click the |+| next to 'Video Files'

AND



VLC installer step 4d

Scroll down and select '.mp4'. This will make LosCota video play in VideoLAN

P.S. Video is coming soon

Click 'Next'



VLC installer step 5, choose location

Click 'Install' to accept the default install location



VLC installer step 6, installing

Sit back while the installer does its thing. Click 'Next' when it's done



VLC installer step 7, finish

Click 'Finish'



VLC installer step 8, run

VLC is at your service