What can I expect from the "Media Player" extension?

The primary objective of the "Media Player" extension is to leverage the built-in media player of your browser to fulfill your media playing needs without having to install any external application, provided that the media source is recognizable by your browser (i.e., the media format can be decoded). Notably, the "AVI" format is currently unsupported. To facilitate user convenience, the extension features a range of keyboard shortcuts in the player interface, allowing users to toggle the playing status, adjust the volume, and more. Additionally, three browser or global-level shortcuts enable users to toggle the playing status and move to the previous or next tracks. To enable the global shortcuts, open "chrome://extensions/configureCommands" in a browser tab (keep in mind that each browser may have a custom setting page to configure keyboard shortcuts).

What are the supported keyboard shortcuts?

How can I add new tracks to the player?

To add new tracks to the player, press the toolbar button (action button) to initiate the player. Next, use the large Play button to browse for media files or drag and drop media files into the player interface with your mouse. If you wish to add additional tracks, drop the new media files into the player interface at any time.

Does the "Media Player" extension support displaying video subtitles (captions)?

The extension supports playing video subtitles. It currently recognizes two subtitle formats (SRT and VTT). It is highly recommended that users opt for the "VTT" format as it is the only compatible format the browser can natively play. If you happen to drop an "SRT" subtitle, the "Media Player" extension automatically converts it to the "VTT" format before passing it onto the VIDEO element.

Is it possible to adjust the font size of subtitles on the "Media Player" extension?

Users can adjust the font size for subtitles within the player interface. A new button appears in the control section when playing a video with subtitles in this player. Click on the button and select the settings link to access the subtitle customization options, which include font family and font size. Please note that any changes made to the subtitle settings are not currently persistent, and you need to apply them again following a restart.

How do I ask the "Media Player" extension to display subtitles for a particular track, especially if the subtitle file is in the same folder but not appearing?

Ensure that the subtitle file has an identical name to the original file, only with a different file extension. Additionally, verify that the subtitle file is in either "VTT" or "SRT" format. If not, you may use an online conversion service to convert the file.

Next, close the "Media Player" extension and drag both the media and subtitle files into the player area. Note that since the "Media Player" extension is a browser extension, it does not have direct access to the local disk. Therefore, it is important to drop both files into the player area simultaneously for the extension to parse the captions.

Is it possible to set a global keyboard shortcut to toggle the playing status of the "Media Player" extension?

The ability to set a global keyboard shortcut to toggle the playing status varies depending on your browser. For example, this feature is not supported in Firefox, but it is supported in Chrome. To set a global shortcut in Chrome, open "chrome://extensions/configureCommands" or the equivalent URL in a new browser tab. Locate the "Media Player" extension and set a new shortcut for the "Play/Pause" command. Make sure to change the capturing level from "Browser" to "Global" to ensure that the shortcut works across all windows.

Is it possible to use the "Media Player" extension to watch YouTube videos?

Currently, the "Media Player" extension does not support watching videos on YouTube. However, if you have a direct link to a media file, you can drop the link into the player interface. The extension will attempt to fetch and play the media file as if it were a local file.

Is it possible to open the player interface in a browser tab instead of a popup window?

Yes, starting from version 0.1.7, there is a new option available in the right-click context menu over the browser action button. By selecting this option, you can close the currently open player window and allow it to open in a browser tab instead.

Can this extension automatically extract media files from a local folder?

The extension allows you to drop a local directory into the player interface, and it will automatically navigate through all the files inside the directory, including subdirectories, to extract media files (starting from version 0.1.7). This recursive navigation makes it easier to access and play your media files without having to manually add each file to the player.

Can the Media Player extension play media files embedded in the current webpage?

Yes, starting from version 0.1.8, you can press the toolbar button on a tab with a media element, and the extension will search the tab for media links. If a link is detected, the extension pauses the embedded media player element and transfers the media link to the interface. This feature is optional, and you will receive a one-time permission request to grant or deny access to the media elements. If access is denied, the extension will open an empty player like previous versions.

Can I change the default playback speed rates?

Right-click on the player and select "Inspect". Switch to the "Console" tab and paste the following code:

localStorage.setItem('rates', '0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.25, 1.5, 1.75, 2')

Can I change the default 10 and 30 second jumps on seek forward and backward?

Right-click on the player and select "Inspect". Switch to the "Console" tab and paste the following code:

localStorage.setItem('seek.forward', '5, 60');
localStorage.setItem('seek.backward', '5, 60');

Can I change the default delay between plays?

Right-click on the player and select "Inspect". Switch to the "Console" tab and paste the following code:

localStorage.setItem('delay', '5')

Can I open this player from the command line? I want to use this player from a terminal script to play a remote resource.

On Chromium browsers, you can use the "--app" argument to open an application window in standalone mode. For instance, to open this player with a remote URL, use the following command

chrome.exe "--app=chrome-extension://mgmhnaapafpejpkhdhijgkljhpcpecpj/data/player/index.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3schools.com%2Fhtml%2Fmov_bbb.mp4"

How can I enable the automatic detection of media elements in the current tab?

To enable this feature, right-click the Media Player's action button and select the "Options" item. Then choose "Capture Media from Tab" and grant permission to observe the current tab. The extension will now search for media elements in the current tab and automatically play any media files it detects. If there is already a player in the tab, the extension will pause it before transferring the media to its interface.

Can the player's interface be customized to hide unused toolbar buttons?

Starting from version 0.4.1, users can customize the player's interface by right-clicking on the action button and selecting the "Manage Plugins" option. From there, users can enable or disable various player plugins, allowing them to hide the toolbar buttons they don't need. After disabling the plugins, users must restart the player for the changes to take effect.

How can I take a screenshot from a video file using this media player?

You can take a screenshot from a video by playing the video and seeking the desired time. Then, click on the screen capturing button on the toolbar area to capture the screenshot. The screenshot is placed in the default download directory of your browser.

Can you explain the functionality of the "Boost" button in the player's control section?

The "Boost" button works by installing a gain node to the player. It increases the sound level twice beyond the maximum level. This boosting can be useful if the maximum volume level is not loud enough for your needs. Since the booster could decrease the player's sound quality, only use it when the 100% volume level is not loud enough.