VLC preferences:
interface -> continue playback: never
video -> uncheck "show video in main window"
video -> fullscreen video device -> screen 2
subtitle/OSD -> turn off OSD
Save
Re-open preferences and go to advanced mode
Playlist -> uncheck "Auto Start"
Interfaces -> Main Interfaces -> macosx -> uncheck "Show Fullscreen Controller"
Save
Might require restarting VLC and re-checking the options a few times before it sticks. Should leave you with the playlist in your main window and completely clean video player fullscreen on second display.
System Preferences -> Desktop and Screensaver; find the window on the second display. Select a file containing all-black pixels (alternately, logo). Note: recently Apple has added a true black in the Colors section.
If any app is using the microphone, then you'll want to hide the orange dot on the second display. This is a great security feature, but rather than giving users a way to control it Apple is in an arms race to make it impossible to hide. Pre-12.2 see here, post-12.2 here, and it might be worth searching for the latest info to see if things have changed.
An additional technique I use for playlists when I need to hold the next film until the MC has finished, is to insert a highly compressed 1-hour black/silent file between every pair of films. I let the previous film run out and playback automatically moves onto the long black, and when it is time for the next film I tap the "next" button once. Compared to juggling stop / play / next there is less room for error, and no need to move my mouse pointer.
An additional technique I use for playlists when I need to hold the next film until the MC has finished, is to insert a highly compressed 1-hour black/silent file between every pair of films. I let the previous film run out and playback automatically moves onto the long black, and when it is time for the next film I tap the "next" button once. Compared to juggling stop / play / next there is less room for error, and no need to move my mouse pointer.
