VLC 2.0/2.0.1/2.0.2 audio stuttering/lag

[serianox]

Hi, i'm having some problems since the version 2.0, i've tried 2.0.1 and 2.0.2 aswell. audio is freezing every 5 seconds or so (is variable) for half a second or so. it happens with any video file, and with any music file. it does NOT happen with the previous version of VLC. at first i thought it was a 2.0 bug but now i don't know how to solve it.
my pc specs are: windows 7x64 cpu intel i7 920 motherboard asus p6t (i'm using the onboard audio card with the drivers provided by asus) 6Gb of ram.
Thanks

[serianox]

i've tested the "messages" (debug) option in tools and here is what i get:

main debug: audio output is starving (-243303), playing silence
main warning: audio output out of sync, adjusting dates (-48194 us)
main warning: not synchronized (-48193 us), resampling
main warning: resampling stopped after 215376760 usec (drift: 47485)
main warning: buffer too early (-47485), down-sampling
main warning: audio output out of sync, adjusting dates (-42483 us)
main warning: not synchronized (-42482 us), resampling
main warning: timing screwed, stopping resampling
main warning: buffer too early (-88863), down-sampling
main warning: audio output out of sync, adjusting dates (-44527 us)
main warning: not synchronized (-44526 us), resampling
main warning: buffer way too early (-131347), clearing queue
main warning: timing screwed, stopping resampling
main debug: audio output is starving (-480227), playing silence
main warning: audio output out of sync, adjusting dates (-43449 us)
main warning: not synchronized (-43448 us), resampling
main warning: buffer too early (-43448), down-sampling
main warning: audio output out of sync, adjusting dates (-44523 us)
main warning: not synchronized (-44522 us), resampling
main warning: timing screwed, stopping resampling
main warning: buffer too early (-85179), down-sampling
main warning: audio output out of sync, adjusting dates (-44520 us)
main warning: not synchronized (-44519 us), resampling
main warning: buffer way too early (-127656), clearing queue
main warning: timing screwed, stopping resampling
main debug: audio output is starving (-756570), playing silence
main warning: audio output out of sync, adjusting dates (-41027 us)
main warning: not synchronized (-41026 us), resampling
main warning: buffer too early (-41026), down-sampling
main warning: audio output out of sync, adjusting dates (-44472 us)
main warning: not synchronized (-44471 us), resampling
main warning: timing screwed, stopping resampling
main warning: buffer too early (-81977), down-sampling
main warning: audio output out of sync, adjusting dates (-44466 us)
main warning: not synchronized (-44465 us), resampling
main warning: buffer way too early (-123025), clearing queue
main warning: timing screwed, stopping resampling
main debug: audio output is starving (-583843), playing silence
main warning: audio output out of sync, adjusting dates (-43568 us)
main warning: not synchronized (-43567 us), resampling
main warning: buffer too early (-43567), down-sampling
main warning: audio output out of sync, adjusting dates (-44502 us)
main warning: not synchronized (-44501 us), resampling
main warning: timing screwed, stopping resampling
main warning: buffer too early (-85298), down-sampling
main warning: audio output out of sync, adjusting dates (-42810 us)
main warning: not synchronized (-42809 us), resampling
main warning: buffer way too early (-125419), clearing queue
main warning: timing screwed, stopping resampling
main debug: audio output is starving (-560759), playing silence
main warning: audio output out of sync, adjusting dates (-40303 us)
main warning: not synchronized (-40302 us), resampling
main warning: buffer too early (-40302), down-sampling

the audio stuttering matches perfectly the "main debug: audio output is starving (-number), playing silence" lines

i hope this helps. Thanks and sorry for the poor language

[DanteElysium]

Hello,

I've got the same problem.
It's a bug introduced in VLC 2.x.x

I've got a motherboard Asus P6TD Deluxe and the EPU-6 Engine activated.
If the EPU is on "Auto" mode, there's some freeze
If you are on the "haute performance" mode (the plane) => no freeze, but the fan are noisy....

All other modes do some freezes

Can we expect the problem will be solved in 2.0.3 ??

Bye

DanteElysium

PS: Sorry for my English, I speak French

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

There must be something broken in your computer's power management if it works in high perf mode and not in normal mode. This is not solved in VLC 2.0.3 and it is not clear that it can be fixed in VLC side at all.

[DGMurdockIII]

are any of you outputting you audio through HDMI

[DanteElysium]

Le mode haute perf. correspond à la fréquence d'origine du processeur.
Tous les autres modes la diminuent, sauf le mode "Turbo" qui l'overclocke de 3%

et oui le souci vient de qqch introduit dans la branche 2.0.0 car je n'ai jamais eu le problème avec la version 1.x.x

Non pas de sortie via HDMI. uniquement par les ports mini jack de la carte mère.

J'ai des Hauts parleurs Logitech Z5500 qui sont connectés dessus mais le problème n'est pas de là.

Si ça peut aider, voici ma config:

CM: Asus P6TD Deluxe
Proc: Intel Core i7 930
Ram: 6Go
Carte Graph: Sapphire Radeon HD 5870 Vapor-X
2 écrans 24"
HP: Logitech Z5500

[DGMurdockIII]

bump

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

VLC cannot fix broken ACPI BIOS or whatever it is that generates invalid time measurements when power management kicks in. That's a problem with your computer.

[DanteElysium]

That's a problem with your computer.

Qui n'existe PAS avec la version 1.x.x

Mais tant pis...

Bonne continuation quand même...

[Runo]

Hello,

i think it's not a problem of his Computer.
I got the same problem since I updated from version 1.x.x to 2.x.x

main warning: audio output out of sync, adjusting dates (-42601 us)
main warning: not synchronized (-42600 us), resampling
main warning: buffer too early (-70421), down-sampling
main warning: audio output out of sync, adjusting dates (-41396 us)
main warning: not synchronized (-41396 us), resampling
main warning: timing screwed, stopping resampling
main warning: buffer too early (-107837), down-sampling
main warning: audio output out of sync, adjusting dates (-41396 us)
main warning: not synchronized (-41395 us), resampling
main warning: buffer way too early (-145420), clearing queue
main warning: timing screwed, stopping resampling
main debug: audio output is starving (-320483), playing silence
main warning: audio output out of sync, adjusting dates (-41937 us)
main warning: not synchronized (-41936 us), resampling
main warning: buffer too early (-41936), down-sampling
main warning: audio output out of sync, adjusting dates (-41394 us)
main warning: not synchronized (-41393 us), resampling
main warning: timing screwed, stopping resampling

[DanteElysium]

We're not alone...

Here: viewtopic.php?f=14&t=99776
and here: viewtopic.php?f=14&t=99791

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

Buggy power management is not specific to one person's computer. At the very least, any computers with the same chipset, BIOS and Windows version will be affected by the same bug. The point is, VLC works fine in high performance mode and fails with synchronization issues in power saving mode. And that means that scheduling or timing is not behaving right in the system.

I don't see anything that VLC can do if the computer clock or its driver is misbehaving. We do not even know how to detect the situation. Also, VLC volunteer developers are struggling to fix VLC bugs; they don't have time to dig into problems caused by computer manufacturers.

[8track]

I just upgraded from VLC 1.x to 2.0.3 and I'm having the same stuttering problem. I'm on a Macbook Air from 2011. I vaguely remember having a similar problem last year with VLC 1.x, and was directed to some buffering option buried deep within the preferences that fixed the problem. However, I'm having difficulty finding any option like that in VLC 2.0.3. Anyway, this is definitely a major problem since without a fix I cannot use the program. (It is effecting every mp3 file that I have, including the ones that were playing properly in VLC 1.x earlier today.)

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

If you have Vista or later, you can try the VLC 2.1 prereleases.

Personally, I have not been able to reproduce the problem nor to pinpoint it to something specific with the vague reports that have been made so far. I doubt I ever will.
I don't think any other developer is even looking at the issue. Someone else needs to take this up.

[RazzMaTazz007]

I'm also having the same problem now i don't know what caused it but suddenly the audio has been stuttering (no lag)

currently using 2.0.3

EDIT: reverted back to 2.0.2, 2.0.1 & 2.0.0 same problem

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

There really are no needs for more people saying "me too". At this point, it is clear that some people have stuttering problems in VLC 2.0.x for Windows and that their logs show broken audio timings. If you have nothing to add, please save your energy. This is really not helping unless you have some more useful technical facts.

[RazzMaTazz007]

main warning: PTS is out of range (-9359), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (-32469), dropping buffer
main debug: picture might be displayed late (missing 8 ms)
main debug: audio output is starving (-65812), playing silence
main warning: audio output out of sync, adjusting dates (-41072 us)
main warning: not synchronized (-41070 us), resampling
main warning: buffer too early (-41071), down-sampling
main warning: audio output out of sync, adjusting dates (-47949 us)
main warning: not synchronized (-47948 us), resampling
main warning: timing screwed, stopping resampling
main warning: buffer too early (-88996), down-sampling
main warning: audio output out of sync, adjusting dates (-42276 us)
main warning: not synchronized (-42275 us), resampling
main warning: buffer way too early (-131135), clearing queue
main warning: timing screwed, stopping resampling
main debug: audio output is starving (-267444), playing silence
main warning: audio output out of sync, adjusting dates (-46932 us)
main warning: not synchronized (-46931 us), resampling
main warning: buffer too early (-46932), down-sampling
main warning: audio output out of sync, adjusting dates (-46297 us)
main warning: not synchronized (-46295 us), resampling
main warning: timing screwed, stopping resampling
main warning: buffer too early (-92978), down-sampling
main debug: audio output is starving (-57610), playing silence
main debug: audio output is starving (-68703), playing silence
main debug: audio output is starving (-77863), playing silence
main debug: audio output is starving (-72294), playing silence
main debug: audio output is starving (-61141), playing silence

well you see when i first updated from 1.1.11 to 2.0.0 then up to the following versions everything at first was working fine no audio stuttering

but suddenly probably 1-2 days ago this problem occurred.

i might have changed or done something that has affected the performance of vlc I'll try to find what caused this issue of mine

[Lotesdelere]

more useful technical facts.

Some technical information has been given here:
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=98974

The DPC latency tool page is here:
http://www.thesycon.de/deu/latency_check.shtml
Another good tool which can show you a lot about a process:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysi ... 96653.aspx

Even without tools you can do this simple check:
Rip a music file out of a CD, any one you want, the more complex the music is the more evidence you will get.
Encode it to FLAC, I have used -6. Encode it to AAC into MP4, I have used NeroAacEnc -q 0.45.
Play the FLAC file with VLC 1.1.11 and enable the oscilloscope visualisation. Then play it with VLC 2.0.3 and enable the oscilloscope as well. You will notice on v2.0.3 the animation is not as fluid as it is on v1.1.11.
Now do the same with the MP4/AAC file. While there is no problem at all with v1.1.11 it will struggle a LOT with v2.0.3 and create audio stutter. Whatever video output you use, the worst one being Direct3D, the best one DirectX and OpenGL in the middle.

There is a devil inside the machine since v2.0, un vice caché. The dozens and dozens of reports we got about this are proving the problem does exist, many of these reports claiming a simple downgrade to v1.1.11 solved the issue. It is easy to compare the behaviour of v1.1.11 against v2.0.3 on the same machine playing the same files. And when you see more and more people saying that WMP and QuickTime are now better than VLC that should really ring an alarm bell to put all of the live forces of the VideoLAN team on the highest possible priority to track down and to fix this bloody bug. Right now.

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

I wonder if the old clock for Windows was better or not...

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

When a regression in VLC affects me, I investigate the bug myself. If it comes to that, I will spend several hours of my time with git-bisect to identify the faulty change. It can take several hours and is extremely tedious and boring, so I do not embark on that operation lightly on my free time. What I do not do is beg for the whole VideoLAN volunteer team to look at that bug.

So if you think this bug is so critical, you are more than welcome to use your time or whatever resources you see fit to help resolve. You are not welcome (to try) to boss the (other) VideoLAN volunteers. They are not at your express service, nor am I.

[Lotesdelere]

I don't see anyone on this forum saying the bug is yours. You asked for a more detailed report, you got it.
The bug is there, period. It has been reported for months and it is critical, facts don't lie, it's a major flaw in the core. To bury one's head in the sand or any attempt to make it personal is just more waste of time, the bug is still there.

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

I don't see anyone on this forum saying the bug is yours.

You did, to put it midly, strongly recommend the VideoLAN "team" to track down and fix that "bloody bug. Right now."

You asked for a more detailed report, you got it.

I don't see any detailed report. All I see is a yet another identically looking and utterly redundant log.

The bug is there, period.

Nobody questions that there is a bug (or several with similar symptoms), and explicitly not me. But unlike you, I don't claim to know where the bug actually is.

It has been reported for months and it is critical, facts don't lie, it's a major flaw in the core.

Criticality is a matter of perspective. It is certainly not critical to me at this point in time. The bug does not affect any of my computers (including some running Windows). Also, whether the bug gets fixed or not, won't make a difference to my (un)employment situation.

If you have a critical problem, it is your responsibility to address it. The developers are doing you a favor by reading and answering the forum, and trying to diagnose and fix the bug. You can think it's not fast or effective enough. But that thinking only engages you.

To bury one's head in the sand or any attempt to make it personal is just more waste of time, the bug is still there.

Nobody denies the existance of the (symptoms of the) bug. If anyone is buyring his/her head, that's the one thinking that an open-source project works by urging volunteer hobbyists to scratch other people's itches.

[Lotesdelere]

You did, to put it midly, strongly recommend the VideoLAN "team" to track down and fix that "bloody bug. Right now."

I talked to "all of the live forces of the VideoLAN team", how come you take it for you, yourself, and you only, is a mystery.

The bug is present in both v2.0.x and 2.1-NB. The visualisation test I've posted above seems to be in relation with audio formats: there is almost no effect on lossless (tested with FLAC, APE, WV), a very small effect on MP3 and AC-3, a more sensible effect on AAC/MP4 and always a very bad effect on Vorbis/OGG. Vorbis in OGG creates a lot of stutter and chopiness even on an Intel Core i7 3770 @ 3.50 GHz.
On an average machine (2.66 to 3 GHz) you can clearly hear some strange pitch effects on MP3 files and that's without using any visualisation. With visualisations it's even worse in v2.1 as it completly cuts the sound off whilst it's 'only' choppy in v2.0.3.
And more evilness: there is an impact on other apps running at the same time (slow down, lag feeling) especially the ones using graphics.

So yes, it requires the highest possible priority, of course, because the bug has been reported for six months, since v2.0 is out, the DPC hint being given five months ago.

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

You did, to put it midly, strongly recommend the VideoLAN "team" to track down and fix that "bloody bug. Right now."

I talked to "all of the live forces of the VideoLAN team", how come you take it for you, yourself, and you only, is a mystery.

I never said that I was the only live force of the VideoLAN team. Please stop misrepresenting my statements, this is extremely annoying and impolite.

There is no point discussing with you. You refuse to understand how open-source projects work.

[Lotesdelere]

I never said that I was the only live force of the VideoLAN team.

You said, and you even used bold characters for doing so:

What I do not do is beg for the whole VideoLAN volunteer team to look at "my" bug.

To which I answered that I can't see anyone on this forum, thus not the whole VideoLAN volunteer team, saying the bug is yours. This happened only in your imagination. You are not discussing, you are only trying to find excuses to evade the facts, and telling us what you are not going to do and what does not happen to you.

You refuse to understand how open-source projects work.

The problem with most open source projects that I know is that devs find more fun to add new features than to fix bugs. So it ends up with a big bloated thing full of bugs which becomes unsusable.
VLC is now facing a major bug, it doesn't matter if you believe it or not, facts don't lie. We have understood you are not going to do anything so these messages and reports are obviously not for you but for the people who still want things to evolve. Many users have been disappointed by version 2.0 because of audio troubles and I can see here on the forum, and around me with relatives and friends, many many people downgrading back to v1.1.11 to finally solve their problems.
Since v2.1 is affected as well, I have the feeling it will be terrible for the VLC reputation if it is released as it. The reason why this bug must be tracked down and fixed as soon as possible, six months gone already and time flies.