I use VLC as my default viewer for video material. However, it does have
a couple of shortcomings that have become increasingly irksome with some
recent material: it only has four zoom settings (five if I include
"always fit window"), and it always zooms about the centre, meaning I
can't zoom into something near the edge.

What would people suggest as an alternative viewer? Ideally with a
similar "feel" to VLC, in terms of how intrusive it is (not very, though ideally with similar controls), but with improved - or at least more directsable - zoom.

I'm using Windows 10 (64 bit), but asking in the '7 'group too, as
software that works on '7 (and before!) appeals more to my mindset.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()ALIS-Ch++(p)Ar++T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

There is no honour to be had in not knowing a thing that can be known
- Danny Baker


--- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On Wed, 7/8/2026 3:06 PM, J. P. Gilliver wrote:

I use VLC as my default viewer for video material. However, it does have
a couple of shortcomings that have become increasingly irksome with some recent material: it only has four zoom settings (five if I include
"always fit window"), and it always zooms about the centre, meaning I
can't zoom into something near the edge.

What would people suggest as an alternative viewer? Ideally with a
similar "feel" to VLC, in terms of how intrusive it is (not very, though ideally with similar controls), but with improved - or at least more directsable - zoom.

I'm using Windows 10 (64 bit), but asking in the '7 'group too, as
software that works on '7 (and before!) appeals more to my mindset.

You want the VLC Interactive Zoom.

"In VLC, go to the Tools Menu and select Effects and Filters.
Click on the Video Effects tab and then the Geometry tab.
Click on the Interactive Zoom and make sure it is selected.
Click on Save and then Close."

You can even open a movie from the File menu, while the Video Effects are open.

[Picture] VLC-Interactive-Zoom.jpg

https://postimg.cc/VJjH7sCw

https://imgur.com/a/eeuauJS

Paul


--- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 2026/7/8 23:14:26, Paul wrote:
[]

You want the VLC Interactive Zoom.

"In VLC, go to the Tools Menu and select Effects and Filters.
Click on the Video Effects tab and then the Geometry tab.
Click on the Interactive Zoom and make sure it is selected.
Click on Save and then Close."

You can even open a movie from the File menu, while the Video Effects are open.

Truly excellent - thanks so much! I wasn't looking forward to having to
learn another viewer/player.

[Picture] VLC-Interactive-Zoom.jpg

https://postimg.cc/VJjH7sCw

(That includes "Alina From Headley Sent You Her Videos. Would You Like
To Watch?" plus a "Downloads Pending" or "Update Available" popup, and

https://imgur.com/a/eeuauJS

Not Available in United Kingdom.)

Paul

But thanks for the instructions!
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()ALIS-Ch++(p)Ar++T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Science fiction is escape into reality - Arthur C Clarke

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 07/08/2026 6:52 PM, J. P. Gilliver wrote:

On 2026/7/8 23:14:26, Paul wrote:
[]

You want the VLC Interactive Zoom.

"In VLC, go to the Tools Menu and select Effects and Filters.
Click on the Video Effects tab and then the Geometry tab.
Click on the Interactive Zoom and make sure it is selected.
Click on Save and then Close."

You can even open a movie from the File menu, while the Video Effects are open.

Truly excellent - thanks so much! I wasn't looking forward to having to
learn another viewer/player.

[Picture] VLC-Interactive-Zoom.jpg

https://postimg.cc/VJjH7sCw

(That includes "Alina From Headley Sent You Her Videos. Would You Like
To Watch?" plus a "Downloads Pending" or "Update Available" popup, and

https://imgur.com/a/eeuauJS

The link(s) after loading 'included' ads and popups vary. Not everyone
gets the same as others, and the same visiting device for the same link
may have different ads and popups same/different days/cache
clears/browser used.


--
...w­¤?ñ?¤

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

"J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> wrote:

Paul wrote:

https://postimg.cc/VJjH7sCw

(That includes "Alina From Headley Sent You Her Videos. Would You Like
To Watch?" plus a "Downloads Pending" or "Update Available" popup, and

Use an adblocker.

https://imgur.com/a/eeuauJS

Not Available in United Kingdom.)

Thank your Online Safety Act: your gov't attempting to control the Web.
After investigation by the OSA, imgur was threatened with fines for non-compliance unless they paid fines to your gov't. Instead imgur cut
off access to the UK while adopting the "We have no operations in the
UK, so we are not subject to your law".

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/online-safety-act-explainer/online-safety-act-explainer

The UK is one of the Five Eyes alliances. If imgur runs afoul of USA constrictions, they could move their operations (server) to elsewhere.
However, countries can still fuck over the DNS lookups to effectively
lockout a website.

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-fbi-disable-13-websites-backed-suspected-chinese-agents-sought-sensitive

When trying to visit one of the disabled websites, you get a placeholder
web page saying "This domain has been siezed by the United States
Department of Homeland Security".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Eyes

Start using a VPN. Don't need to always use a VPN, just to circumvent censorship or geofencing. However, although your DNS requests go
through the VPN, they'll come back to whichever DNS server you
specified, so websites siezed by fucking over their DNS records will
still be inaccessible.

Some VPNs have their own DNS servers. For example, Proton VPN has their
own DNS service to resolve DNS queries to adhere to their strict no-logs policy. "[DNS queries are] usually sent through the encrypted VPN
tunnel to be securely and privately resolved by Proton VPN" (https://protonvpn.com/support/custom-dns). I don't know if that
prevents DNS poisoning by governments in usurping the DNS records, and
the DNS changes taking 4 hours to propagate to all other DNS servers.

If the website itself got siezed, the gov't now owns the servers, so
you're not getting "there", because "there" doesn't exist anymore.

Your gov't knows what's best for you, or, well, best for them.

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 2026/7/8 23:14:26, Paul wrote:
[]

You want the VLC Interactive Zoom.

"In VLC, go to the Tools Menu and select Effects and Filters.
Click on the Video Effects tab and then the Geometry tab.
Click on the Interactive Zoom and make sure it is selected.
Click on Save and then Close."

[]
Repeating my earlier thanks!

You don't happen to have found keyboard equivalents to the zoom/pan
controls, do you? I'm finding the zoom control very hard to use with the
mouse - especially as its size varies with the resolution of the video
you're watching (with a hi-res video, it's tiny)!
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()ALIS-Ch++(p)Ar++T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 7/10/2026 2:06 AM, J. P. Gilliver wrote:

On 2026/7/8 23:14:26, Paul wrote:
[]

You want the VLC Interactive Zoom.

"In VLC, go to the Tools Menu and select Effects and Filters.
Click on the Video Effects tab and then the Geometry tab.
Click on the Interactive Zoom and make sure it is selected.
Click on Save and then Close."

[]
Repeating my earlier thanks!

You don't happen to have found keyboard equivalents to the zoom/pan
controls, do you? I'm finding the zoom control very hard to use with the mouse - especially as its size varies with the resolution of the video
you're watching (with a hi-res video, it's tiny)!

Use the PotPlayer. There you can use the Numpad to zoom in and move
the zoomed area. I still use an old, portable Version from 2016, never
had a reason to update it, it is still perfect for me. I use VLC only
if I have to play a video piped through stdin.




--- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 2026/7/10 17:14:43, Herbert Kleebauer wrote:

On 7/10/2026 2:06 AM, J. P. Gilliver wrote:

On 2026/7/8 23:14:26, Paul wrote:
[]

You want the VLC Interactive Zoom.

"In VLC, go to the Tools Menu and select Effects and Filters.
Click on the Video Effects tab and then the Geometry tab.
Click on the Interactive Zoom and make sure it is selected.
Click on Save and then Close."

[]
Repeating my earlier thanks!

You don't happen to have found keyboard equivalents to the zoom/pan
controls, do you? I'm finding the zoom control very hard to use with the
mouse - especially as its size varies with the resolution of the video
you're watching (with a hi-res video, it's tiny)!

Use the PotPlayer. There you can use the Numpad to zoom in and move
the zoomed area. I still use an old, portable Version from 2016, never
had a reason to update it, it is still perfect for me. I use VLC only
if I have to play a video piped through stdin.

Do you happen to have a link?

Can it do single-frame advance or take snapshots? Those are features of
VLC I occasionally use (though would still look at it if it doesn't).
Oh, and the speed control.

--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()ALIS-Ch++(p)Ar++T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Mike Jackson |\ _,,,---,,_
and Squeak /,`.-'`' -. ;-;;,_ Shame there's no snooze button
[1998] |,4- ) )-,_..;\ ( `'- on a cat who wants breakfast
zzz '---''(_/--' `-'\_)

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 7/10/2026 6:21 PM, J. P. Gilliver wrote:

Use the PotPlayer. There you can use the Numpad to zoom in and move
the zoomed area. I still use an old, portable Version from 2016, never
had a reason to update it, it is still perfect for me. I use VLC only
if I have to play a video piped through stdin.

Do you happen to have a link?

Not for my old version, but here 2 links for the current version:

https://potplayer.tv/ https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/xp8bsbgqw2dks0?hl=en-US&gl=US

If you want a portable version (which doesn't need to be
installed and uses an ini file instead of the registry)
you have to use Google.

Can it do single-frame advance

Key F and D

or take snapshots? Those are features of

CTRL-C

VLC I occasionally use (though would still look at it if it doesn't).

Oh, and the speed control.

Key X and C

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 2026/7/10 18:9:45, Herbert Kleebauer wrote:

On 7/10/2026 6:21 PM, J. P. Gilliver wrote:

Use the PotPlayer. There you can use the Numpad to zoom in and move

[Sorry, I hadn't noticed you'd told me that!]
[]

or take snapshots? Those are features of

CTRL-C

[]
Ah, there VLC does lead: it lets you specify a directory (folder) [and
format, e. g. .jpg], and has a "snapshot" button - easier if you want to
take several snapshots (you don't have to keep switching to something
else to paste and then back, it just creates them - named with the
current time - in the specified directory). But I think I'll still be
using PotPlayer a lot!
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()ALIS-Ch++(p)Ar++T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Although I may disagree with what you say, I will defend to the death
your right to hear me tell you how wrong you are.

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

Sorry, I erroneously sent it by email:

On 7/12/2026 9:12 AM, J. P. Gilliver wrote:

On 2026/7/10 18:9:45, Herbert Kleebauer wrote:

Use the PotPlayer. There you can use the Numpad to zoom in and move

or take snapshots? Those are features of

CTRL-C

[]
Ah, there VLC does lead: it lets you specify a directory (folder) [and format, e. g. .jpg],

You can do this also in PotPlayer.

and has a "snapshot" button -

CTRL-E in PotPlayer

I also often use the keys W an E to in-/decrease the brightness.

The only disadvantage of PotPlayer is, there seems to be no
manual, so you have to find out many things yourself or ask
Google.


--- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 2026/7/12 11:57:56, Herbert Kleebauer wrote:
[]

Use the PotPlayer. There you can use the Numpad to zoom in and move

I've been using it - it's good!

or take snapshots? Those are features of

CTRL-C

[]
Ah, there VLC does lead: it lets you specify a directory (folder) [and
format, e. g. .jpg],

You can do this also in PotPlayer.

and has a "snapshot" button -

CTRL-E in PotPlayer

Thanks.

I also often use the keys W an E to in-/decrease the brightness.

I haven't had the luxury of contrast, brightness, hue controls before!

The only disadvantage of PotPlayer is, there seems to be no
manual, so you have to find out many things yourself or ask
Google.

Or ask you :-)

For example: where, in it, do I specify where the Ctrl-E snapshots go
(and maybe what format)?
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()ALIS-Ch++(p)Ar++T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

I was never drawn to sport, to which I attribute my long life.
- Barry Humphries, RT 2016/1/9-15

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 7/12/2026 11:51 PM, J. P. Gilliver wrote:

On 2026/7/12 11:57:56, Herbert Kleebauer wrote:

For example: where, in it, do I specify where the Ctrl-E snapshots go

For the German version:

Press key K -> "Bildablage-Ordner festlegen"

(and maybe what format)?

Press key K -> select BMP/JPEG/PNG

Or for continuous screen shoots press CTRL-G, then
you can select size and delta time.




--- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 2026/7/13 11:4:41, Herbert Kleebauer wrote:

On 7/12/2026 11:51 PM, J. P. Gilliver wrote:

On 2026/7/12 11:57:56, Herbert Kleebauer wrote:

For example: where, in it, do I specify where the Ctrl-E snapshots go

For the German version:

Press key K -> "Bildablage-Ordner festlegen"

(and maybe what format)?

Press key K -> select BMP/JPEG/PNG

Or for continuous screen shoots press CTRL-G, then
you can select size and delta time.

Thanks/Danke!

(Set Image Storage Folder in English.)
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()ALIS-Ch++(p)Ar++T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Look out for #1. Don't step in #2 either.

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)