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[https://mpv.io/ MPV] is an open-source command line media player known for its high performance, versatility, and minimalist design.While it has a basic GUI, MPV can be paired with a GUI front-end like SMPlayer (package: smplayer) to offer a user-friendly interface similar to other desktop media players.
[https://mpv.io/ MPV] is an open-source command line media player.  
 
MPV supports a wide range of video and audio formats, ensuring extensive compatibility. It features advanced video rendering capabilities, including high-quality scaling algorithms, color management, and HDR support, which contribute to superior video playback quality. MPV leverages hardware-accelerated video decoding through APIs such as VA-API, VDPAU, and DXVA2, improving performance and reducing CPU usage. The player’s minimalist design emphasizes efficiency, offering a streamlined user experience with extensive configurability through command-line options and scripting interfaces. 


== Installation ==
== Installation ==


==== 2.1 Using nix-shell ====
==== With nix-shell ====
<syntaxhighlight lang="bash" start="3">
<syntaxhighlight lang="bash" start="3">
nix-shell -p mpv
nix-shell -p mpv
</syntaxhighlight>
</syntaxhighlight>


==== 2.2 System-Wide Installation on NixOS ====
==== With NixOS ====
<syntaxhighlight lang="text">
<syntaxhighlight lang="text">
environment.systemPackages = [
environment.systemPackages = [
  pkgs.mpv
  pkgs.mpv
];
];
</syntaxhighlight>After modifying your configuration, apply the changes by running:<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
sudo nixos-rebuild switch
</syntaxhighlight>
</syntaxhighlight>
 
==== With Home Manager ====
==== 2.3 User-Specific Installation with Home Manager ====
<syntaxhighlight lang="text">
<syntaxhighlight lang="text">
home.packages = [  
home.packages = [  
   pkgs.mpv  
   pkgs.mpv  
];
];
</syntaxhighlight>After updating your configuration, apply the changes by running:<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
home-manager switch
</syntaxhighlight>
</syntaxhighlight>
== Configuration ==


== Configuration ==
=== With Home Manager ===


==== 3.1 Basic ====
==== Basic ====
<syntaxhighlight lang="nix">
<syntaxhighlight lang="nix">
programs.mpv = {
programs.mpv.enable = true;
    enable = true;
};
</syntaxhighlight>
</syntaxhighlight>


==== 3.2 Advanced ====
==== Advanced ====
<syntaxhighlight lang="nix">
<syntaxhighlight lang="nix">
programs.mpv = {
programs.mpv = {
Line 65: Line 57:
== Tips and Tricks ==
== Tips and Tricks ==


==== 4.1 Where to get scripts ====
==== Where to get scripts ====
To find more scripts run this in a terminal: <syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
To find more scripts run this in a terminal: <syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
nix search nixpkgs mpvScripts
nix search nixpkgs mpvScripts
</syntaxhighlight>The scripts are also defined in the following [https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/tree/master/pkgs/applications/video/mpv/scripts Nixpkgs directory].
</syntaxhighlight>The scripts are also defined in the following [https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/tree/master/pkgs/applications/video/mpv/scripts Nixpkgs directory].


==== 4.2 Where to find override options ====
==== Where to find override options and using umpv ====
The package override options are defined in the following [https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/blob/master/pkgs/applications/video/mpv/default.nix Nixpkgs directory].
The package override options are defined in the following [https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/blob/master/pkgs/applications/video/mpv/default.nix Nixpkgs directory]. This includes a commonly used first party script called [https://github.com/mpv-player/mpv/blob/master/TOOLS/umpv umpv] which allows additional files to be appended to the playlist of an open instance. In the nix derivation of mpv, the umpv script is bundled into the program and can be ran from the command line with `umpv foo.ogg`. Note that umpv can only be ran with the name of the file being opened and cannot be ran with additional arguments or flags.
 
Also note that commands cannot be passed to mpv using socat when mpv is ran using the umpv python wrapper. For example, if you try to pause umpv with <code>echo '{"command": ["cycle", "pause"]}' | socat - /tmp/mpvsocket</code>, it will result in an error similar to the following:
<code>2025/05/07 22:49:15 socat[115919] E GOPEN: /tmp/mpvsocket: Connection refused</code>


== Troubleshooting ==
== Troubleshooting ==


==== 5.1 Error, unknown format ====
==== Error, unknown format ====
If you get the following sort of error, note that MPV currently uses the small ffmpeg version (ffmpeg_5) instead of the full version (ffmpeg_5-full).  
If you get the following sort of error, note that MPV currently uses the small ffmpeg version (ffmpeg_5) instead of the full version (ffmpeg_5-full).  


Line 106: Line 101:
# https://github.com/mpv-player/mpv/wiki
# https://github.com/mpv-player/mpv/wiki
# https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mpv_(media_player)
# https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mpv_(media_player)
# https://mynixos.com/search?q=mpv
# https://search.nixos.org/packages?query=mpv
# https://home-manager-options.extranix.com/?query=mpv


[[Category:Applications]]
[[Category:Applications]]
[[Category:CLI Applications]]
[[Category:Media Player]]
[[Category:Media Player]]

Revision as of 01:43, 10 May 2025

MPV is an open-source command line media player.

Installation

With nix-shell

nix-shell -p mpv

With NixOS

environment.systemPackages = [
  pkgs.mpv
];

With Home Manager

home.packages = [ 
  pkgs.mpv 
];

Configuration

With Home Manager

Basic

programs.mpv.enable = true;

Advanced

programs.mpv = {
  enable = true;

  package = (
    pkgs.mpv-unwrapped.wrapper {
      scripts = with pkgs.mpvScripts; [
        uosc
        sponsorblock
      ];

      mpv = pkgs.mpv-unwrapped.override {
        waylandSupport = true;
      };
    }
  );

  config = {
    profile = "high-quality";
    ytdl-format = "bestvideo+bestaudio";
    cache-default = 4000000;
  };
};

Tips and Tricks

Where to get scripts

To find more scripts run this in a terminal:

nix search nixpkgs mpvScripts

The scripts are also defined in the following Nixpkgs directory.

Where to find override options and using umpv

The package override options are defined in the following Nixpkgs directory. This includes a commonly used first party script called umpv which allows additional files to be appended to the playlist of an open instance. In the nix derivation of mpv, the umpv script is bundled into the program and can be ran from the command line with `umpv foo.ogg`. Note that umpv can only be ran with the name of the file being opened and cannot be ran with additional arguments or flags.

Also note that commands cannot be passed to mpv using socat when mpv is ran using the umpv python wrapper. For example, if you try to pause umpv with echo '{"command": ["cycle", "pause"]}' | socat - /tmp/mpvsocket, it will result in an error similar to the following:

2025/05/07 22:49:15 socat[115919] E GOPEN: /tmp/mpvsocket: Connection refused

Troubleshooting

Error, unknown format

If you get the following sort of error, note that MPV currently uses the small ffmpeg version (ffmpeg_5) instead of the full version (ffmpeg_5-full).

$ mpv --log-file=foo.log av://v4l2:/dev/video5
[lavf] Unknown lavf format v4l2
Failed to recognize file format.

Exiting... (Errors when loading file)

To address this problem, you can use the following package configuration for ffmpeg.

programs.mpv = {
  enable = true;

  package = (
    pkgs.mpv-unwrapped.wrapper {
      mpv = pkgs.mpv-unwrapped.override {
        ffmpeg = pkgs.ffmpeg-full;
      };
    }
  );
};

References

  1. https://github.com/mpv-player/mpv/wiki
  2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mpv_(media_player)
  3. https://search.nixos.org/packages?query=mpv
  4. https://home-manager-options.extranix.com/?query=mpv