How to Play MP4 on VLC

Can You Play MP4 on VLC Smoothly?

VLC is a powerful video player which can play most any video formats, such as: MP4, MPEG-1, WMV, H.264, etc. However many VLC old user feedback some issues that can’t play MP4 on VLC on Mac, they often meet the following conditions when playing the MP4 on VLC.

Issue 1: User is trying to play a mp4 file, click on it to play get the sound but no video, (screen is black), however if user try the same file in media player classic it plays fine, what’s happenig?

Issue 2: VLC skips some MP4 video clips when user is playing MP4 video

Issue 3: Input MP4 files and open VLC, nothing happens, why?

Basic Ways to Play MP4 on VLC Happily

By collecting abundant data and frequent test, we find the following solutions for your reference, hope to help you to play MP4 on VLC smoothly.

Solution 1: About user can’t watch the video frames and only listen to the sound, sounds like an overlay setting is wrong. User cna do the following to do test.

Open "Control Panel" >Display>Advanced>Troubleshoot" and move the hardware acceleration slider down to about 1/3 to 1/4 and see if the video works then. If so, you have a problem with your overlay settings. VLC does have some overlay settings you might try in "Tools>Preferences>Video Settings>Accelerated video output"(Overlay) first.

Solution 2: When user is playing MP4 on VLC and meet the video skip phenomenon, user can try these:

Option 1: MP4 file is playing from a local hard drive

User need to look for the "File Caching (ms)" option under "Advanced" on the right-hand side.The caching value here is set in milliseconds, so setting the value to 1000 will buffer for 1 second (the default is 300, or 0.3 seconds). The problem with setting this option too large is that if you want to manually skip to a new point in the file, there will be a larger lag while the content is buffered again.

Option 2: MP4 is located on a network share

User can change the caching value for “Network Caching (ms)”. For illustration, following has shown the value set to 1 second, but this setting can be used to buffer as much as you want, whether it’s 5 seconds or 20 seconds. However much you need to eliminate the skipping on your network.

Best Way to Play MP4 on VLC Without Any Trouble on Mac

Maybe above solution can solve most issue taht play MP4 on VLC, however, about user can’t play the MP4 on VLC, it’s a little complicated, most reason is that the video codec issue. Because MP4 is a video container which holds different video codec and audio codec, if video or audio codec that VLC can’t support, user will can’t watch MP4 on VLC happily, for example:Video codec issue, user can’t watch the video. Audio codec issue, user can’t listen to the music. Video and audio codec both can’t supported by VLC, what a pity, user can’t watch video and listen to the audio, quick review is useful for you.

Some user are the PC beginner or not too familar with PC operation. If there is a software can help user to do all the click job and solve all the MP4 on VLC issue, that’s too nice. You’re lucky here, from the constant exploration, iMedia Converter for Mac is your dream software which is a professional VLC Video Converter. Why this software stands out from the drastic software competition? Following is the true reasons:

No 1. For most user, VLC’s interface just seems clunky, and overall isn’t as stable. This VLC Video Converter won’t let you down, user can own a safe and clean software.

No 2. This VLC Video Converter accupy the lower CPU and RAM, user don’t worry the software break off or any other unstable, in addition, user cna do batch video conversion.

No 3. This VLC Video Converter not only can support Mac system, Windows user also can own a perfct software which is the brother of the VLC Video Converter on Mac: Free Video DVD Converter Ultimate

No 4. Perfect video conversion, user can convert MP4 to VLC other supported video formats, like MPEG-1, FLV, AVI, H.265, etc. Also user can keep the MP4 video and adjust the video and audio codec at the setting menu. Option is up to you.

No 5. This VLC Video Converter also has a big and multiple video editing world. User can change the default subtitle track, adjust the video length by timing. if user want to clip something from a movie, this software can satisfy you too. What’s more, add watermark, add subtitles, add text are all waiting here for you.

How to use the MP4 to VLC Video Converter?

Step 1. Load MP4 to VLC Video Converter

After the successful installation, click “File” > “Add Video/Audio” or “Add from Folder” to load unsupported MP4 to VLC Video Converter. In addition, load ISO/IFO files to it, DVD and BD disc are also supported too. So cool.

Step 2. Choose or Set MP4 to VLC Compatible Format

Option 1. Choose MP4 to VLC Playable Format.

If user don’t want to change the codec, convert MP4 is a good choice. Click “Format”, from its drop-down option, choose one of VLC best playable video formats such as “H.264 HD Video (*.mp4)” from “HD Video” main category.

Option 2. Adjust MP4 to VLC Supported codec

Click “Settings” on the main interface to open “Profile Settings” window to tweak the output video codec, bit rate, frame rate, resolution and audio codec, bit rate, sample rate or channels, etc according to your own needs. here user can set the MP4 video and audio codec for playing on VLC smoothly.

Step 3: Edit MP4 video (Optional)

Want to get a special MP4 video? Check an item to active the “Video Editor” function, then click the pencil like icon on the top tool bar to open the “Video Editor” window, you can trim video length, crop video black bars, add watermark, apply sepcial rendering effect, remove/replace audio in video, etc. If not want to do, skip to step 4.

Step 4. Carry out the Conversion Process.

After all setting is completed, hit right-bottom “Convert” button to convert MP4 to VLC readable video and audio file formats.

TIP: Want to know the VLC Supported Formats, please refer to here:

Container Formats:

3GP, ASF, AVI, DVR-MS, FLV, Matroska(MKV), MIDI, QuickTime File Format, MP4, Ogg, OGM, WAV, MPEG-2 (ES, PS, TS, PVA, MP3), AIFF, Raw audio, Raw DV, MXF, VOB, RM, DVD-Video, VCD, SVCD, CD Audio, DVB

Video Format:

Cinepak, Dirac, DV, H.263, H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, HuffYUV, Indeo 3, MJPEG, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4 Part 2, RealVideo 3&4, Sorenson, Theora, VC-1, VP5, VP6, VP8, VP9, DNxHD, Prores and some WMV

Audio Formats:

AAC, AC3, ALAC, AMR, DTS, DV Audio, XM, FLAC, It, MACE, Mod, Monkey’s Audio, MP3, Opus, PLS, QDM2/QDMC, RealAudio, Speex, SCreamtracker 3/S3M, TTA, Vorbis, WavPack, WMA (WMA 1/2, WMA 3 partially).