A Comprehensive Guide on VLC Visualizations

Are you aware of the mesmerizing visual delights that lie within VLC Media Player? Many users might have overlooked this feature, but beneath the surface of the familiar traffic cone icon lies a realm of captivating visualizations waiting to accompany your favorite tunes. In this guide, we'll delve into how to enable, disable and change visualizations in VLC, transforming your music-listening experience into a vibrant spectacle.

Part 1: What Is VLC Visualizations?

VLC Visualizations is a feature in the popular VLC media player that allows users to enhance their video watching experience by adding visual effects and animations to the video playback. These visualizations are generated in real-time and are synchronized with the audio content of the video, creating a more immersive and engaging viewing experience.

VLC Visualizations come in a variety of styles and effects, ranging from simple colorful patterns to more complex animations and 3D renderings. Some common examples include waveforms, spectrum analyzers, and particle systems that react to the audio's volume, bass, and treble. These visualizations can be customized to the user's preference, allowing them to choose the style, color, and intensity of the effects.

VLC Visualizations are particularly popular among music listeners who enjoy watching the animations synchronized with the music they are listening to. They can add a new level of enjoyment to listening experiences, making it more interactive and fun. However, it's important to note that the availability and quality of visualizations may vary depending on the version of VLC you are using and the computer's hardware capabilities.

Part 2: How to Enable or Disable Visualizations for VLC?

In addition to its video playback capabilities, VLC Media Player doubles as an audio player. For a richer audio experience, you can enable Audio Visualizations. VLC offers seven distinct audio visualization animations: Spectrometer, Scope, Spectrum, Vu Meter, Goom, ProjectM, and 3D Spectrum. Follow these steps to enable them:

Enable Audio Visualizations in VLC Media Player:

To access VLC Visualizations, you need to have the VLC media player installed on your computer. Once opened, you can navigate to the "View" menu and select the "Visualizations" option. This will bring up a list of available visualizations, which you can choose from and enable.

• Step 1:Accessing Your Music in VLC : Begin by launching VLC and navigating to the "Media" menu. From there, open your desired music file or playlist. Alternatively, you can simply drag and drop the audio file directly into VLC's interface.

  

• Step 2:Enable VLC Visualizations: While your music plays, click on the "Audio" menu and select "Visualizations." Here, you'll find an array of options, including Spectrometer, Scope, Spectrum, VU meter, projectM, and 3D spectrum. Experiment with each to find your preferred visual accompaniment. Additionally, you can right-click on a blank area, go to "Audio" > "Visualizations", and choose your desired visualization.

  

• Step 3:Disable VLC Visualizations, head to the "Audio" tab and choose the "Disable" option from the menu.

Keep in mind, this adjustment will only affect the current audio session; if you close VLC and reopen it, the settings will revert.

Optional: Saving Your Visualization Filter

By default, VLC resets visualizations to "Disable" upon closing the program. To retain your preferred visualization.

• Step 1:Navigate to the "Tools" menu and select "Preferences."

• Step 2:Under the "Audio" tab, choose your desired visualization option, such as "Goom effect", "libprojectM effect", "Visualizer filter", or "3D OpenGL spectrum visualization."

  

• Step 3:Save your settings to enjoy your chosen visualization every time you play an audio file.

It will permanently enable the audio visualization setting in VLC unless you disable it from the preferences settings.

Part 3: How to Install New Audio Visualizations in VLC Media Player

VLC Media Player comes equipped with a range of integrated audio visualizations, elevating your music-listening journey to new heights of excitement. Yet, if you're eager to incorporate fresh audio visualizations into VLC, simply adhere to these steps:

• Step 1:Visit the provided link to download the VLC Audio Visualization file, available in .tar.gz format. Extract the files from the archive to access the proper files.

  

• Step 2:Upon downloading the audio visualization file, extract its contents using software like WinRAR or WinZip. Following successful extraction, locate the files within the "projectM-complete-2.1.0-named Source" folder.

  

• Step 3:Open the "projectM-complete-2.1.0-Source" folder and ensure it contains the following subfolders:

  • presets_milkdrop
  • presets_milkdrop_104
  • presets_milkdrop_200
  • presets_projectM
  • presets
  • presets_yin
  

• Step 4:Enable projectM Visualization: Now, when playing an audio file in VLC, you can select "Audio" > "Visualizations" > "projectM" to enjoy a randomized visualization. Alternatively, save your preferences to always display projectM visualizations by selecting "libprojectM effect" in the preferences window.

• Step 5:Copy the "presets_milkdrop" subfolder to the following location: C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\Visualizations. If the "Visualizations" folder is not present within the VLC directory, create a new folder and name it "Visualizations".

  

• Step 6:Launch VLC Media Player on your computer. If not already installed, refer to our guide to download the latest version of VLC. Then, click on the "Tools" option in the top menu bar and select "Preferences". Alternatively, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + P to open the preferences window.

  

• Step 7:The "Preferences" window will appear. Click on the "All" radio button at the bottom to access the "Advanced Settings" menu.

  

• Step 8:Navigate to Audio > projectM and set the "projectM present path" option to point to C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\Visualizations/presets_milkdrop. Click on the "Save" button to confirm the changes.

  

That's it! You can now play any audio file with the projectM visualization effect. Simply select Audio > Visualizations > projectM, and it will play a random projectM visualization synchronized with the waveform.

Bonus Tip: Best VLC Alternative to Convert Video Formats Effortlessly

Encountering unsupported video or audio formats is a common occurrence. To address this issue effectively, having a reliable video converter on hand is essential. HitPaw Video Converter proves to be an invaluable tool for users of all levels, offering seamless downloading, editing, and conversion of videos with utmost ease. Embark on your initial trial today to experience its convenience firsthand.

• Step 1:Install HitPaw Video Converter on your computer. Then, click on "Add Video" to import the video you want to convert.

  

• Step 2:Select "Convert all" from the bottom menu. In the video section, choose your preferred resolution and format, such as MKV or MP4.

  

• Step 3:Click on "Convert" to start the video conversion process.

  

Final Thoughts

In the vast sea of visualization presets, it can be overwhelming to find the perfect match for your music. Sometimes, simplicity is key. Nonetheless, with these steps, you can unlock the visual potential of VLC Media Player, transforming your listening sessions into immersive journeys through sound and light. BTW, try the novice-oriented FREE utility for video/music downloading, and converting software - HitPaw Video Converter.