The open-source operating system, Linux, is highly popular and known for its exceptional flexibility, stability, and ability to customize to a great extent. As a Linux user, you may need a reliable video player to enjoy your favorite movies or videos.
Fortunately, there are many open-source video players available for Linux that are feature-rich, support various video and audio formats, and can be tailored to meet your specific needs.
In this comprehensive article, we will introduce you to the top five open-source video players for Linux that you can use for an enhanced experience.
Top Open Source Video Players for Linux
Whether you’re looking for advanced customization options, support for specific video formats, or an intuitive and user-friendly interface, our guide to the top open-source video players for Linux will provide a detailed review of each player with pros and cons.
1: VLC Media Player
2: Haruna Video Player
3: XBMC – Kodi Media Center
4: SMPlayer
5: Gnome Videos
1: VLC Media Player
VLC Media Player has the capability to play numerous audio and video formats, supports subtitles, and allows for DVD playback on Linux. Other features include playing .iso files, HD recordings of D-VHS tapes, and the ability to run directly from USB flash drives.
Additionally, VLC’s functionality can be extended with Lua scripting and APIs, and it supports browser plugins in various browsers. The compatibility, flexibility, and extensive features of this video player make it a popular choice among media players.
Pro
- Wide format support
- Can play DVDs on Linux
- Ability to play .iso files and HD recordings of D-VHS tapes
- Extendable with Lua scripting and APIs
Cons
- Occasional compatibility issues
2: Haruna Video Player
What makes Haruna Video Player stand out is its support for Youtube-dl, which allows users to directly play videos from YouTube. It’s an excellent choice for a front-end to use with MPV. Despite not being a cross-platform solution, it is a great choice for Linux users due to its support for all major video formats and other useful features like UI tweaks and playlist management. It also has improved navigation through chapters with a middle click.
Pros
- Easy to use and customizable interface
- Plenty of keyboard shortcuts and options for UI tweaks
- Playlist creation and management
- Advanced features like playback speed control, subtitle support, and hardware decoding
Cons
- Can have occasional issues with some video formats
3: XBMC – Kodi Media Center
Kodi, previously called Xbox Media Center (XBMC), is a media player that runs on multiple platforms and is licensed under the GNU General Public License. It supports over 69 languages. By utilizing C++ as its foundation and incorporating Python scripts as supplementary components, it offers complete versatility for playing audio and video files, including those from internet podcasts, as well as local and network storage.
Its open-source nature has made it a popular choice in various devices, including Smart TVs, set-top boxes, and media players. With support for a wide range of formats, Kodi offers add-ons like audio and video streaming plugins, screensavers, themes, and more, making it a highly customizable media player for both casual and power users.\
Pros
- Flexible media player.
- Customizable interface and add-ons.
- Strong community support.
Cons
- Resource-intensive
4: SMPlayer
SMPlayer is a versatile media player that works on both Windows and Linux operating systems. It is created using C++ and Qt library and is licensed under the GNU General Public License. This media player can handle various commonly-used media file formats and offers several functionalities, such as customizable subtitle options, EDL file support, multiple playback speeds, audio and video filters, and equalizers.
SMPlayer also has a built-in YouTube browser and offers numerous downloadable skins to customize its appearance.
Pros
- Multiple speed playback
- Audio and video filters and equalizers
- Numerous downloadable skins available
Cons
- Can be resource-intensive on lower-end hardware
5: Gnome Videos
Gnome Videos, previously known as Totem, is the media player that comes pre-installed with Gnome-based desktop environments. It is developed in C programming language and employs the use of GTK+ and Clutter libraries. Development of the media player was split into two stages, with one version using the GStreamer multimedia framework for playback and another using xine libraries.
In addition to its basic functionality, Gnome Videos offers advanced features such as still image capture, support for SubRip subtitles, and the ability to adjust brightness, contrast, and saturation settings while playing media.
Pros
- Wide range of format support
- Can adjust brightness, contrast, and saturation
- Can load SubRip subtitles
- Can capture still images
Cons
- Fewer features than other players
Conclusion
Open-source video players have become an essential part of the Linux ecosystem. They offer a flexible, customizable, and feature-rich environment that can enhance the user’s media experience. To get the most out of it, it all comes down to choosing the best video player, and this article is going to help exactly in this perspective as we have featured the top best open source video players for Linux. So, give these players a try, and enjoy your media content on your Linux machine with ease!
