Many options are only available through command line. They are detailed here. The following commands start VLC and add the first element to the playlist. Start VLC with : % vlc my_file.mpg Although VLC should be able to recognize the file type, you may tell VLC what codec to use with the --codec option. For example to play my_file.mpg using ffmpeg audo/video decoder do : % vlc --codec ffmpeg my_file.mpg A list of all video and audio codecs supported by VLC is available on the VLC features list Start VLC with : % vlc dvd:[device][@raw_device][@[title][,[chapter][,angle]]] or % vlc vcd:[device][@[title][,[chapter] where device is the complete path to your DVD or CD-ROM drive. To receive an unicast UDP stream (sent by VLS or VLC's stream output), start VLC with : % vlc udp:[@:server_port] To receive a multicast UDP stream (sent by VLS or VLC's stream output), start VLC with : % vlc udp:@multicast_address[:server_port] To receive a HTTP stream, start VLC with : % vlc http://www.example.org/your_file.mpg VLC tries to select the most appropriate interface, input and output modules, among the ones available on the system, according to the stream it is given to read. However, you may wish to force the use of a specific module with the following options (for the complete list of modules, see the section) : --intf <module> allows you to select the interface module. --aout <module> allows you to select the audio output module. --vout <module> allows you to select the video output module. --filter <module> allows you to add a video filter module. --memcpy <module> allows you to choose a memory copy module. --access <module> allows you to force the access module. --demux <module> allows you to force the demux module. Stream output is a new feature of VLC, which allows you to save the video that you are watching to a file, or to stream it in UDP. --sout <string> enables stream output to string (string can be either a file name or a ip adress). --no-sout-audio disables audio stream output. --no-sout-video disables video stream output. --sout-acodec [|mpeg1|mpeg2|mpeg4|vorbis] allows you to force audio encoding. --sout-vcodec [|mpeg1|mpeg2|mpeg4] allows you to force video encoding. --packetizer <string> allows you to select the order in which VLC will select its packetizers. --mux <string> lets you configure mux modules. --access_output <string> lets you configure access output modules. --noaudio disables audio output. --mono forces VLC to treat the stream in mono audio. --volume <integer> sets the level of audio output. --aout-rate <integer> sets the audio output frequency (Hz). --desync <integer> compensates desynchronization of audio (ms). --headphone activates headphone virtual spatialization effect. --headphone-dim sets headphone characteristic dimension. --novideo disables video output. --greyscale turns video output into greyscale mode. --fullscreen sets fullscreen video. --nooverlay disables hardware acceleration for the video output. --width, --height <integer> sets the video window dimensions. --zoom <float> adds a zoom factor. --aspect-ratio <mode> forces source aspect ratio. --spumargin <integer> forces SPU subtitles postion. --playlist launches playlist on startup. --random plays files randomly forever. --enqueue enqueues items in playlist. --loop loops playlist on end. --server-port <integer> sets server port. --network-channel enables network channel mode. --channel-server <string> specifies the channel server address. --channel-port <integer> specifies the channel server port. --iface <string> specifies the network interface to use. --iface-addr <string> specifies your network interface IP address. --mtu <integer> specifies the MTU of the network interface. --ipv6 forces IPv6. --ipv4 forces IPv4. --nommx disables the use of MMX CPU extensions. --no3dn disables the use of 3D Now! CPU extensions. --nommxext disables the use of MMX ext CPU extensions. --nosse disables the use of SSE CPU extensions. --quiet be quiet. --color displays color messages. --search-path <string> specifies interface default search path. --plugin-path <string> specifies plugin search path. --dvd <string> specifies the default dvd device. --vcd <string> specifies the default vcd device. --program <integer> specifies program (SID) (for streams with several programs, like satellite ones). --audio-type <integer> specifies the default audio type to use with dvds. --audio-channel <integer> specifies the default audio channel to use with dvds. --spu-channel <integer> specifies the default subtitle channel to use with dvds. --verbose <verbosity> specifies verbosity level. --help gives you all available options. --longhelp gives you a detailled version of the available options. --version gives you information about the current VLC version. --list displays a list of available plugins. --module <module> displays help about specified module.