Choose a video playback engine

The Video engine dropdown includes four options:

• DirectShow: An older Windows video engine. Try this option for older video files or files that worked in previous versions of Sonar but have compatibility issues with Media Foundation.
• Media Foundation (Legacy): Sonar’s previous Media Foundation engine, retained as an alternative for compatibility with existing video workflows.
• Media Foundation: Sonar’s updated Media Foundation engine, designed to improve handling of video start times, seeking, and trimming.
• VLC: Uses VLC for playback, providing support for a wider range of video formats. VLC must be installed before using this engine.

Select an engine, click OK, and restart Sonar to apply the change.

Set up VLC for video playback

VLC provides support for a wider range of video formats.

1. Click Install VLC… if VLC is not already installed.
2. If you already have VLC installed, use VLC path to specify the folder containing libvlc.dll. Leave it blank to use the default installation folder.
3. Select VLC from the Video engine dropdown.
4. Click OK to save your settings.
5. Restart Sonar.

Important

Install VLC before selecting it as your video engine.

Set up FFmpeg for video export

FFmpeg provides additional video export options and can be used with any video engine.

1. Click Install FFmpeg… if FFmpeg is not already installed.
2. If you already have FFmpeg installed, use FFmpeg executable to locate the ffmpeg.exe file.
3. Click OK to save your settings.

When FFmpeg is installed and configured, its custom export options are available in the Export Video dialog, and FFmpeg becomes the default export format.

Note

The install buttons remain available after installation. Seeing them does not mean VLC or FFmpeg is missing.