5 Ways to Stream Video Content with VLC Media Player on Mac
VLC Media Player is a popular and versatile media player that is available on both Windows and Mac platforms. While it’s well-known for its ability to play a wide range of media formats, it also has some great features for streaming video content. Here are 5 ways to stream video content with VLC Media Player on your Mac:
Method 1: Streaming from a File
One of the simplest ways to stream video content with VLC Media Player on your Mac is to select a file and start playing it. You can navigate to the location of your video file (e.g. MP4, MKV, AVI, etc.) and open it with VLC Media Player. Once the video is playing, you can stream it to your TV, Apple TV, or other devices connected to your network using the "Stream" feature. To do this, navigate to "Media" > "Open Network Stream" and select "Transcode" as the streaming protocol. You can then enter the IP address of the device you want to stream to, and the video will be played back on that device.
Method 2: Streaming from a Website
VLC Media Player also allows you to stream video content from a website using the "Lua`inject" interface. This feature allows you to inject the video URL of a website into VLC Media Player, which can then stream the video content to your Mac. To do this, navigate to the website with the video you want to stream, right-click on the video player and select "Copy Link" to copy the URL. Then, open VLC Media Player and select "Media" > "Open Network Stream" and enter the URL you just copied. You can then select the stream as the protocol and select "Start" to begin streaming the video.
Method 3: Streaming from a Local Network
VLC Media Player also allows you to stream video content from a local network. For example, if you have a network share or a device that’s connected to the same network as your Mac, you can stream video content from that device to your Mac using the "Stream" feature. To do this, select "Media" > "Open Network Stream" and select "Local Network" as the streaming protocol. You can then enter the IP address of the device or network share that you want to stream from.
Method 4: Streaming to an AirPlay-Enabled Device
If you have an AirPlay-enabled device such as an Apple TV or an AirPlay-compatible smart TV, you can stream video content from VLC Media Player to that device using the "AirPlay" feature. To do this, play your video content in VLC Media Player, then navigate to "Devices" > "AirPlay" and select the device you want to stream to. You can then select the video quality and resolution you want to use for the stream, and the video will be streamed to your device.
Method 5: Streaming to a Chromecast or Android Device
VLC Media Player also has built-in support for casting video content to Chromecast devices or Android devices using the "Casting" feature. To do this, play your video content in VLC Media Player, then navigate to "Devices" > "Casting" and select the device you want to stream to. You can then select the video quality and resolution you want to use for the stream, and the video will be streamed to your device.
In conclusion, VLC Media Player is a powerful and versatile media player that offers a wide range of features for streaming video content to various devices. Whether you’re looking to stream video content from a file, a website, a local network, an AirPlay-enabled device, or a Chromecast or Android device, VLC Media Player has got you covered. With its flexibility and ease of use, it’s no wonder that VLC Media Player is a popular choice among media players.
