VLC is one of the easiest and favorite media player applications. However, there are several features that you may not know. Let's look at a few: 
Download videos from YouTube
There are many ways to download videos from YouTube, but if you are not using VLC, you already have a choice installed on your computer. The VLC application lets you play and download videos from YouTube:
Find a video on YouTube, and copy the URL from the address bar.
In VLC, follow the path and open the window in Media> Open Network Stream or in Greek Multimedia > Open Network Data Stream.
Paste the YouTube URL into the box and do click on the Play button.
From Tools, click Info Codec.
In the box that says a location, right-click the text block and click the Select All button. Copy this text to your clipboard.
Πηγαίνετε πίσω στο πρόγραμμα περιήγησής σας και να επικολλήσετε το σύνδεσμο στη γραμμή διευθύνσεων. Αυτό θα ανοίξει το αρχείο προέλευσης κατευθείαν από τους servers of YouTube.
Right-click the video during playback and select Save Video as.
You can also record video clips from YouTube when streaming to VLC by pressing the red record button on the player itself. It will not be as immediate as a rip, but it is convenient if you have to get a specific piece of a great video.
Record your desktop
Free desktop video capture softwares are usually very poor quality while the ones you buy are incredibly expensive. The VLC application manages to achieve a balance between the two. Quality is not bad, but it's not high definition. Let's see how it works
In VLC, follow the path and open the window in Media> Open Capture Device or in Greek Multimedia> Open Capture Device.
Click "Capture Mode" and select "Desktop".
Modify frame rate. 15 f / s would most likely be good enough to record your desktop.
Click the drop-down arrow next to Play or Play and select "Convert".
In the window that will open from the "Profile" select MP4.
In this step, you can click on the icon that shows the tools to modify them settings of the profile. You can modify the resolution or bitrate. Use the default settings for now, and you can change the settings later if you're not satisfied with the result.
In the Destination box, select a folder to save your video application.
Click the Start button.
By clicking the Start button, VLC will start copying your desktop background from behind the scenes. When finished, you can click the stop button.
Convert video files
The VLC application also has a fairly reliable video converter. Let's see how it works:
In VLC, follow the path and open the window in Media> Convert / Save or Greek Media> Convert / Save.
Add the file you want to convert to the file selection box.
Click the "Convert / Save" button.
In the Settings section, select the type of file you want to convert the file.
Give a file name and save location from Destination.
Click the Start button.
Recording your Webcam
You can easily record it as it appears on your camera. VLC will give you options for many different types of files. You can also adjust the number of minutes per minute if necessary. This is useful for capturing video on YouTube or writing video messages that you want to send to friends or relatives. Let's see how it works:
In VLC, follow the path and open the window in Media> Open Capture Device or in Greek Multimedia> Open Capture Device.
In the drop down of Capture Mode, select DirectShow.
In the "video device name" select your camera.
In “device name sound” select your microphone.
Click on "Advanced Options".
If you want to use the software that came with your device to check the input settings, select "device properties."
Otherwise, use a value for "Video input frame rate." The number 30 is a good rule of thumb for a smooth video stream, though you can use less if you are not concerned about quality.
Click OK.
At this point, you have two choices. You can click Play to play live video via VLC and record the parts you need by pressing the red record button.
Alternatively, you can select "Convert / Save" and from the drop-down menu select where you want to save the file.
Both methods have the advantages and disadvantages. The first lets you watch videos and take clips in small installments. However, this method requires audio, as it can copy external sounds. It can also cause slow recording on slow computers.
Using the Convert / Save method avoids the sounds but does not give you much information about the recording.
Sign up for Podcasts
VLC is good enough for podcasting as well. To add a podcast, you will need your RSS feed. For example, we will use it BBC's Sunday Morning podcast. The RSS link according to the site is:
http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/scotland/sunmorn/rss.xml
Once you find the RSS feed for the podcast you want to watch, follow these steps:
From the view, select playlist to open the VLC sidebar. Scroll down until you see Podcasts.
Place your mouse over Podcasts and click the plus sign on the right.
Paste the URL of the RSS feed you want.
Click OK.
Now, the podcast of your choice will appear in the Podcasts sidebar section. Click on the Podcast name and you will see a list of available episodes. Double-click any of these to start the feed.
