Keybindings

Timecode Display

Key	Action
t	Cycle timecode display modes (Full → TC Only → Minimal → Off)
Ctrl+t	Toggle countdown display

Audio Channel Routing

Key	Action
Ctrl+0	Reset - Clear filters, apply intelligent downmix
Ctrl+1 to Ctrl+8	Route stereo pairs (CH1+2, CH3+4, …, CH15+16)
Ctrl+Alt+1 to Ctrl+Alt+8	Solo channels CH1-8 (mono→stereo)
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+1-8	Solo channels CH9-16 (mono→stereo)
Ctrl+l	Cycle loudness normalisation (None → EBU R128 → ATSC → Podcast)
Ctrl+i	Display detailed audio information

Playback Control

Key	Action
. / ,	Step forward/backward one frame
[ / ]	Decrease/increase playback speed (0.5×, 2.0×)
Backspace	Reset playback speed to 1.0×
→ / ←	Seek ±1 second
↑ / ↓	Seek ±5 seconds
Shift+→ / Shift+←	Seek ±10 seconds

Quality Control

Key	Action
i	Show file metadata (resolution, codec, framerate, audio config)
s	Screenshot current frame (video only, no OSD)
S	Screenshot with OSD/subtitles
Alt+↑ / Alt+↓	Zoom in/out for detail inspection
Ctrl+Arrow Keys	Pan whilst zoomed
Alt+0	Reset zoom and pan
d	Toggle deinterlacing
a	Cycle aspect ratio override
l / L	Toggle loop / Set A-B loop points

Help & Information

Key	Action
F1	Display broadcast-specific quick reference
?	Show all keybindings

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📖 Usage Examples

Scenario 1: Multi-Channel Embedded Audio QC

You receive a 1080p59.94 file with 16 channels of embedded PCM audio:

mpv broadcast_master.mxf

Workflow:

1. Press Ctrl+i to verify 16 channels detected
2. Press Ctrl+1 to monitor CH1+2 (typically programme L+R)
3. Press Ctrl+3 to check CH5+6 (often ambient or effects)
4. Press Ctrl+Alt+1 to solo CH1 (hear left channel only in both ears)
5. Press Ctrl+0 to reset and hear all channels intelligently mixed
6. Press Ctrl+l repeatedly until “EBU R128 (-23 LUFS)” appears for loudness normalisation

Scenario 2: Frame-Accurate Review

You need to verify a specific frame for quality control:

mpv interview_cut.mp4

Workflow:

1. Use arrow keys for rough positioning
2. Press , and . to step frame-by-frame
3. Observe large timecode showing exact position: 01:23:45:18
4. Press s to capture PNG screenshot
5. Press Alt+↑ to zoom for pixel-peeping
6. Use Ctrl+Arrow Keys to pan around zoomed area
7. Press Alt+0 to reset zoom when finished

Scenario 3: Live Stream Monitoring

Monitoring a live ingest or stream:

mpv udp://239.1.1.1:5000

Workflow:

1. Timecode automatically displays elapsed time with countdown
2. Press # to cycle between multiple embedded audio tracks
3. Use Ctrl+1-8 for rapid channel selection
4. Press [ for half-speed review of recorded segments
5. Press L twice to set A-B loop on interesting sections