Disable VLC command line output
Summary
Learn how to suppress or disable VLC, CVLC, and NVLC terminal output, including warnings and errors, by using the right combination of flags like --quiet, --no-message and output redirections.
Introduction #
When using VLC Media Player from the command line, you often do not want verbose output, warnings, or error messages flooding the terminal. VLC, cvlc, and nvlc all behave differently in this regard. This guide helps you suppress their output using flags and redirections. You will see practical command examples with detailed explanations for each.
VLC vs cvlc and nvlc #
VLC #
The main VLC binary (vlc) starts with a graphical user interface (GUI) by default. If you launch VLC from a terminal, it opens a GUI window and still prints some output in the terminal.
CVLC #
cvlc (Command-line VLC) is a VLC variant that runs entirely without a GUI. It is useful for automation, scripting, or headless servers. It can be used with standard input/output redirection and does not open any windows.
NVLC #
nvlc (Ncurses VLC) is another variant that uses the ncurses library to display a text-based user interface in the terminal. It offers an interactive command-line interface similar to tools like htop or nano.
In general:
- Use
vlcwhen you want GUI. - Use
cvlcfor scripting or automation. - Use
nvlcfor an interactive text-only interface.
All, vlc, cvlc, and nvlc, accept the same command-line arguments for suppressing output.
Suppressing warnings and errors #
To suppress warnings and errors, VLC offers several flags and standard Unix redirection mechanisms. These are commonly used:
--quiet: Minimizes logging verbosity.--no-message: Disables internal VLC message output.--file-logging --logfile=filename: Redirects logs to a file.>/dev/null 2>&1: Redirects all output to the null device.
You can combine these options to fully silence VLC output.
Examples #
Here are examples to silence vlc, cvlc, and nvlc in different usage contexts.
Suppress all output using redirection #
cvlc input.mp4 >/dev/null 2>&1
- Launches
cvlcto playinput.mp4. - Redirects standard output to
/dev/null. - Redirects standard error to standard output, which is already being discarded.
You can apply the same logic to nvlc:
nvlc input.mp4 >/dev/null 2>&1
Suppress output using --quiet #
cvlc --quiet input.mp4
This command reduces the verbosity of VLC logs. Some error messages might still appear, depending on severity.
To completely mute, combine it with redirection:
cvlc --quiet input.mp4 >/dev/null 2>&1
Use --no-message to suppress VLC’s internal logs #
This command disables the internal message output of VLC:
cvlc --no-message input.mp4
It is less aggressive than --quiet. Combine both:
cvlc --quiet --no-message input.mp4 >/dev/null 2>&1
This is one of the most reliable combinations for complete silence.
Redirect logs to a file #
If you want to suppress terminal output but still save logs, use:
cvlc --quiet --file-logging --logfile=vlc.log input.mp4 >/dev/null 2>&1
- Reduces verbosity with
--quiet. - Enables logging to a file with
--file-logging. - Sends output to
vlc.log. - Discards terminal messages.
You can apply the same logic to nvlc:
nvlc --quiet --file-logging --logfile=nvlc.log input.mp4 >/dev/null 2>&1
You can interact with nvlc while its logs are saved in nvlc.log.
FAQ's #
Most common questions and brief, easy-to-understand answers on the topic:
What is the difference between VLC, CVLC, and NVLC?
VLC uses a graphical interface, CVLC is the command-line version without a GUI, and NVLC is a console-based user interface version using ncurses.
How can I suppress all VLC terminal output?
Use the --quiet and --no-message flags together with output redirection like 2>/dev/null to silence all output.
What does 2>/dev/null do?
It redirects standard error (file descriptor 2) to /dev/null, discarding all error messages from the command.
Can I still log VLC errors to a file while suppressing terminal output?
Yes. Use --file-logging --logfile=yourfile.log and redirect standard output and error as needed.
Does suppressing output affect VLC playback?
No. Suppressing output only hides messages and does not interfere with audio or video playback functionality.
Further readings #
Sources and recommended, further resources on the topic:
- VideoLAN Wiki: VLC Command-line Help
- VideoLAN Wiki: Documentation for Command Line Usage
- VideoLAN: Official Documentation
- Arch Linux Man: VLC Manual
Author
Jonas Jared Jacek (J15k)
Jonas works as project manager, web designer, and web developer since 2001. On top of that, he is a Linux system administrator with a broad interest in things related to programming, architecture, and design. See: https://www.j15k.com/License
Disable VLC command line output by Jonas Jared Jacek is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
This license requires that reusers give credit to the creator. It allows reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, for noncommercial purposes only. To give credit, provide a link back to the original source, the author, and the license e.g. like this:
<p xmlns:cc="http://creativecommons.org/ns#" xmlns:dct="http://purl.org/dc/terms/"><a property="dct:title" rel="cc:attributionURL" href="https://www.ditig.com/disable-vlc-command-line-output">Disable VLC command line output</a> by <a rel="cc:attributionURL dct:creator" property="cc:attributionName" href="https://www.j15k.com/">Jonas Jared Jacek</a> is licensed under <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" target="_blank" rel="license noopener noreferrer">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>.</p>For more information see the Ditig legal page.
