Configure Caching for Capture Device on macOS

[cdayjr]

I'd like to use VLC to play games from a capture card on my computer but the input latency is too great. On Linux I was able to mitigate this by checking "Show more options" on the open capture device tab and changing the "Caching" value but I don't see any option like this on the macOS window.

Is there somewhere else this can be configured?

I found the "Input / Codecs" section of "Prefrences" has a caching option which I set to lowest latency but it's still pretty bad. I'm guessing I'd have to use the custom option but I'm not clear what settings I'd have to modify? Seems like it'd be something in the "Show All" section of the preferences but I have no clue where. Does anyone know if this is right and if so, what would I have to configure (or what can I do to find out what to configure)?

[nfolken]

I have also always had issues with capture devices or USB cams on VLC for mac os. It's never worked for me, for many years/versions of VLC or Mac OS

The first issue is that when there are multiple video sources available, the names do not match with what is displayed (selecting Facetime Camera will show the USB capture device and vice versa).

The second issue is that there is terrible lag/delay, with complete freezes for several seconds every 8 seconds or so. This has been the case for every video source I've plugged in, and resetting preferences or reinstalling VLC hasn't helped. Quicktime player and Photo Booth have no issue showing capture devices on macos. If I reboot my mac into windows or linux, VLC on those OS's have none of these issues.

[dfuhrmann]

Regarding the video sources, would you be so kind to exactly describe in which order the Video devices are shown, and how they are played? Also if you upload some logs it can help identifying the issue.

[nfolken]

Sorry for the delay. I've done some more rigorous testing and found the following:

Nothing Attached
Select "FaceTime HD Camera"
MRL is filled with:
avcapture://DJH5264QGJUG1HPAW
lags and freezes often, but comes up as expected.

Attach a Depstech USB camera
Restart VLC
options are now
"FaceTime HD Camera"
"USB 2.0 Camera"
Selecting either option fills the MRL with
avcapture://DJH5264QGJUG1HPAW
and the facetime camera starts displaying.
stop playback and try again. this time selecting either option fills the MRL with
avcapture://0x14240000090cf37d
and the USB camera starts playing.
This goes back and forth each time a capture device is opened. Both MRLs are in the playlist now, and I can choose either one to open, so its an issue with the "Open Source" dialog

Attach a USB HDMI capture device
options are now
"USB 2.0 Camera"
"FaceTime HD Camera"
"USB Camera"
Similar behavior in that the MRL doesn't change depending on what is currently selected, but if you choose one device and tell it to open, it will not necessarily open that device, but the next time you bring up the Open Source dialog the device you previously chose is what will be populated in the MRL and will open this time.


I've uploaded a log file in which I try to open the "USB 2.0 Camera" (but the facetime camera plays), so I try again to open "USB 2.0 Camera" and this time it does and I let it play for a minute, with all the delays and freezes.
http://www.nielsblack.com/images/VLC%20Log.txt