Ubuntu – VLC only supports up to 13.10

software installationvlc

I am currently awaiting the final parts for a home theater PC build I am doing, and want to use Ubuntu (this will be my first attempt at anything outside of a Windows machine). My plan is to use a standard Ubuntu version, as up to date as possible while using VLC as my main media player.

There seems to be a difference in version from what VLC supports (their website says 13.10 is the latest they support here: https://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-ubuntu.html) but the latest version of Ubuntu, is 17.xx. Main use will be playing downloaded content through VLC.

The meat of my question is, am I going to run into significant problems attempting to install VLC on a newer than "recommended" version of Ubuntu and if so, would it be better for me to install an older version (13.10) until VLC supports a newer Ubuntu release?

Best Answer

Firstly, 13.10 is infinitely dead. It is well past end of life and not supported. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES ATTEMPT TO DOWNGRADE TO IT.

VLC 100% most definitely is supported in later Ubuntu releases, and I know that I use it as my primary media player on my Ubuntu laptop.

Further evidence that VLC exists and works in the repositories is evidenced by the fact that VLC exists in every version since 12.04, as shown by this rmadison output:

 vlc | 2.0.1-4                | precise/universe          | source, amd64, armel, armhf, i386, powerpc
 vlc | 2.0.8-0ubuntu0.12.04.1 | precise-security/universe | source, amd64, armel, armhf, i386, powerpc
 vlc | 2.0.8-0ubuntu0.12.04.1 | precise-updates/universe  | source, amd64, armel, armhf, i386, powerpc
 vlc | 2.1.2-2build2          | trusty/universe           | source, amd64, arm64, armhf, i386, powerpc, ppc64el
 vlc | 2.1.6-0ubuntu14.04.4   | trusty-security/universe  | source, amd64, arm64, armhf, i386, powerpc, ppc64el
 vlc | 2.1.6-0ubuntu14.04.4   | trusty-updates/universe   | source, amd64, arm64, armhf, i386, powerpc, ppc64el
 vlc | 2.2.0-1                | vivid/universe            | source, amd64, arm64, armhf, i386, powerpc, ppc64el
 vlc | 2.2.2-5                | xenial/universe           | source, amd64, arm64, armhf, i386, powerpc, ppc64el, s390x
 vlc | 2.2.2-5ubuntu0.16.04.4 | xenial-security/universe  | source, amd64, arm64, armhf, i386, powerpc, ppc64el, s390x
 vlc | 2.2.2-5ubuntu0.16.04.4 | xenial-updates/universe   | source, amd64, arm64, armhf, i386, powerpc, ppc64el, s390x
 vlc | 2.2.4-14ubuntu2        | zesty/universe            | source, amd64, arm64, armhf, i386, ppc64el, s390x
 vlc | 2.2.4-14ubuntu2.2      | zesty-security/universe   | source, amd64, arm64, armhf, i386, ppc64el, s390x
 vlc | 2.2.4-14ubuntu2.2      | zesty-updates/universe    | source, amd64, arm64, armhf, i386, ppc64el, s390x
 vlc | 2.2.6-4build1          | artful/universe           | source, amd64, arm64, armhf, i386, ppc64el, s390x

So feel free to just install vlc from the repositories and use it. There won't be any issues with compatibility.

I've emailed the VideoLAN group about the inaccuracy of their site in the interim.

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