VLC finally lands on Apple TV, with Plex support, and so much more

By Chris Leo Palermino January 12, 2016

vlc mobile apple tv itv 2014 predictions — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Apple TV owners, the wait is finally over: Popular open-source video player VLC is now available on Apple TV. With a new app called VLC for Mobile, users can now play local video files from a wide variety of formats on the big screen.

The new app also offers a plethora of other features, including availability for multiple audio and subtitle tracks, playback from local servers like Plex and FTP, video navigation by chapters, custom playback speed, and casting from desktop computers and apps. VLC’s new compatibility with Apple TV is most helpful for those with large collections of local audio and video files.

VLC noted in a blog post that it’s the first video player on Apple TV to offer custom playback. The company made a point to implement this option because the app is “increasingly used to watch talks and documentation in education.” Users can also play web radio and other music, and view album art and artist bios when playing radio streams. In addition to Plex and FTP, VLC for Apple TV has compatibility with other local network services, including Windows Shares (SMB) and DLNA/UPnP media servers.

The casting feature called “Remote Playback” gives users the ability to play video files through the Apple TV directly from a browser or app. To use this function, users first need to navigate to an Apple TV web interface and then drag-and-drop files into a web browser. The web interface also has the option to control video playback.

As VLC for Mobile is a universal app, 9to5Mac notes that it will show up in the purchased section of the App Store when users download tvOS version 2.7.2. The app is also available on Android, Windows, Mac OS, Unix, and Chrome OS.

Native integration with cloud services including Dropbox, OneDrive, and Box is also in beta testing according to VLC.

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Chris Leo Palermino

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Chris Leo Palermino is a music, tech, business, and culture journalist based between New York and Boston. He also contributes…

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