Using Playlists without flashes back to the desktop

[Mark Booth]

Hi! New to the forum and also relatively new to VLC. I have a Intel dual-core Mac Mini that I am using as a home theater PC. I have been experimenting with VLC's playlist feature to play a couple custom home theater intros (one a QuickTime .mov file and the other a .TS file), as well as a couple of movie trailers from Apple's site. This is the "pre-movie" entertainment prior to the start of the main attraction (which is playing from a stand-alone DVD player). All of the pre-movie files are either 720 or 1080i (hi def).

VLC plays them just fine. The playlist feature works just fine to automatically sequence them in the order I chose. Unfortunately, most of the time I'll get a quick flash of the Mini's desktop image BETWEEN each trailer of intro. Just a quick flash and then right back to full screen for the next video. (Once in awhile, the VLC player also ends up in FRONT of the image that is playing too but this seems pretty random.)

Other than actually putting each of the clips together in a big file using QuickTime Pro (or iMovie HD), is there a way to turn off the flash back to the computer desktop between files that VLC is playing via the playlist?

FWIW, I get the flashing about 95% of the time. Every once in a while, two trailers will play back to back seemlessly. But, later, the same two trailers (in the same order) will exhibit the flashing between.

The Mac Mini has 2GB of matched RAM. I'm running from the internal hard drive. I've also tried an external Firewire drive, as well as from a USB Pen Drive. The display is a JVC LCoS set and the Mini is pushing it at 1920x1080 via a DVI to HDMI cable.

Any help anyone can provide would be GREATLY appreciated! Thanks in advance!

Mark

[g2]

exactly!! it's the same issue i've been having since 0.8.5 came out if i remember correctly...
it's just as Mark described, and this really annoys the hell out of me, so if there's a workaround for this thing, we will really appreciate it

thanks

[Mark Booth]

I've eliminated the speed of my Mac Mini as the culprit. I just tried the pre-movie VLC playlist feature on my Dual-processor 2.7GHz PowerMac G5. Same flashes to the desktop. In fact, I can't seem to get it to NOT flash back to the desktop between clips. On the Mini, every once in awhile the gap would be seamless.

I've fiddled around inside of VLC's preferences and I can't find any setting that fixes it. I did find that I can keep the VLC controler from sometimes ending up on top full-screen video by turning on the "Always on top" feature. But that creates another problem... My pre-movie show also contains some Coca-Cola trivia slides that are displayed (with music) while the guests are arriving and the popcorn is popping. I run those slides in iPhoto. But if I have VLC all queued up (paused) ready for the intros and trailers, it insists on being on TOP of the iPhoto slides.

I'm trying to make the presentation as seamless as possible. You know, like going to the real movie theater. I am eternally grateful for such a fine fine program as VLC and its very powerful features. I just wish I could eliminate the flashes back to the desktop between video clips. That would solve my problems.

FWIW, I have already tried lower res versions of the trailers so that all files are the same resolution (720p). That didn't help.

g2's comment seems to indicate this is a fairly new problem with VLC. I am encouraged by that because it seems like it would be a "bug" that can be squashed. I anxiously await a newer version with my fingers crossed!

In the meantime... can anyone recommend another universal player that can play Quicktime (.mov) files and MPEG-2 (.ts) files in a seamless fashion? We will be showing off the new home theater setup to some friends on June 3 and I'd like to have as seamless a presentation as possible.

Thanks,

Mark

[g2]

why don't you try using quicktime player Mark?
AFAIK, it can (of course) play .mov files, and MPEG2 movies too if you have the QuickTime MPEG2 Playback Component installed.
but from what i understood, what you actually need is a player that can actually manage played movies using a playlist, as VLC does, but i'm afraid quicktime doesn't offer that yet, does it?

[Mark Booth]

Unfortunately, Quicktime doesn't support AC3 audio without a plug-in. And I believe the plug-in that folks have been using has been broken under Quicktime 7.1+. And I'm not sure if Quicktime supports VOB (.ts) files at all.

In addition to my custom home theater intro, all of my THX and Dolby Digital trailers are in VOB (.ts) format. I ripped them from the original DVDs or use on the HTPC.

Fingers still crossed that the flashing between videos is fixed in the next version of VLC.

Mark

[g2]

well, there's MPlayer for OS X too Mark, you could try it to see if it can offer what your needs demand in this situation. personally, i keep it as a second alternative for when VLC doesn't do the job right for me, or for when it isn't enough for something i need

http://macupdate.com/info.php/id/18580
http://macupdate.com/info.php/id/10784

btw, it seems we're the only ones talking in this topic, aren't we?
doesn't anyone has an answer for the problem in question?

thanks again

[Mark Booth]

One thought I had on how these flashes to the desktop between video files might be solved is to simply have VLC display a blank (black) screen between files in the playlist. Sort of putting itself on blank (black) pause in between.

BTW, is this forum the best way for the programmers to know about feature requests or bug reports? Or, is there a better way?

Mark

[Guest]

I come here every once in a while just to see if problems are cross platform. Indeed this one is, along with quite a few others.

I first noticed this problem in 0.8.2 and it has been reported by others through to present 0.8.5

I have tried so many things to get a feel as to why this is happening and have found some consistency. If you split a file and play the two pieces back to back there is no interruption and it is difficult to discern where one ends and the other begins. However if you load two files that are the same container and format the interruption may or may not exist. If you load two files of differing container or format the interruption will always exist.

It seems that VLC closes down everything at the end of a file and when it starts a new file reloads everything. If the container and format are exactly the same for the new file it is only what is in memory for the OS that keeps the interruption at a minimum.

I have never seen a developer respond to this issue and it is annoying for many people trying to do a professional presentation.

I'm not sure I have seen this one in feature requests or it may be worth while to try to catch one of the Devs on IRC and try to pin them down.

If what I suspect is true it would be a major rebuild to correct the problem and this may be why the Devs are avoiding the question.

[Mark Booth]

Thank you for the response. I sent a PM to one of the devs but haven't received a reply yet.

Mark

[fkuehne]

hello, I'll answer on thread, so others can see my response as well:

VLC currently closes its video-output-module (called vout in the following) at the end of each clip and opens a new one for the next item. That's why you see the desktop for a second.
It is currently impossible to re-use vouts for multiple playlist items.

We scheduled a re-work on all our vouts a while ago, which will fix this problem, but due to limited developer resources, we couldn't implement these new features yet. This is definitely on our TODO-list, but we keep pushing it to the next release since 0.8.0, because our main vout-developer is MIA at the moment.
This re-work is currently planned for 0.8.6, but please don't be angry if it will happen for a later release, because we are really busy with a brand new playlist these days, which will set up VLC for usage in professional video production environments.

If you know a C-developer (no C++, just plain C) who would be willing to work on this, we would be glad to support him and answer any questions he might have.

[Mark Booth]

Felix,

THANK YOU for the reply!! It is good to know that that the developers are aware of the situation and planning to provide an improvement to eliminate the flashes to the desktop. I'll keep my fingers crossed for 0.8.6!

Question: Would it be easier (or even possible) to put an option in preferences to allow VLC to display a blank (black) screen between videos (display black as one vout is closed and a new clip is opened)? That would be an acceptable work around (if it is possible).

Thanks again!

Mark

[djmegahertz]

WOW! Finally, I see that I am not the only one with the problem, and that there is some light at the end of the tunnel.
Great news!
The flashing issue is not so much of a concern than the player showing up in front of the video problem.
This continues to be a random problem, and will go away on the next video in the playlist.
I have seen this problem with ver 0.8.1 and above, not that I used an early version.
I use divx files in case that makes a difference, but I think I tested this with VOB files and had the same issue.
It is not a specifc file, just random.
If you click on the player window once, then the video comes back to front.
I use full screen mode and have tried toggeling Video on top on and off with no difference.
Thanks for your thoughts on this one.
Lu

[Mark Booth]

Well, I downloaded 0.8.6 with great anticipation. But, unfortunately, the new version still suffers from the flashes to the desktop problem. Very disappointed but I understand the limited developer resources. I sure wish I was a programmer so I could contribute more than money.

That said, in my initial testing, it seems that 0.8.6 might handle the same resolution file types without the flashing to the desktop. If I play multiple 1080p files back to back, I haven't seen any flashes to the desktop (just a few test passes on my dual G5 so far). So, that may be a fix over 0.8.5. I can't be 100% certain because I have had times when 0.8.5 played SOME combination of files without the flashing.

But, if I throw a 720p or 480p file in the playlist, I do get the flash to the desktop between files.

Was I just lucky in my 1080p test passes or was there work done on this issue for the 0.8.6 release? Anyone else having any luck?

Mark

[Mark Booth]

Unfortunately, further use of 0.8.6 shows that it really hasn't improved the flashes to the desktop problem at all, even with the same size files (1080p to 1080p) back to back. I guess I just got lucky with the few test passes I did on my dual G5. Not so lucky in further testing, both on my G5 and particularly on my Core 2 Duo Mac Mini.

Fingers still crossed for an eventual version that solves this problem. When stringing together video files in a playlist to emulate the "movie theater" experience of movie trailers and custom home theater intros, it just takes a bit of "polish" off of the presentation to have VLC flash briefly back to the desktop between files.

Felix.... I noticed that VLC 0.9.0 is scheduled for the Spring of '07. Is the flashes to the desktop between playlist files something that might be addressed in 0.9.0?

Fingers crossed!
Mark

[fkuehne]

Regrettably, "might be addressed" is the absolute correct formulation. We don't know yet. If someone volunteers, sure...

[The DJ]

There are a lot of things that influence this:

1: interlaced vs. progressive
2: Aspect ratio
3: width x height
4: visible width x height

If any of these things changes between files, then VLC needs to open a new window atm on OSX.

There is also the problem with the fact that VLC will buffer a file for 300ms before playing it. So before it is finished, there is a small gap in the playback. The video will stay open for about 400ms to catch this. However, if the file is on a disc that needs to sping up, it can just about miss this timeframe.

[Mark Booth]

I am VERY pleased to report that the "flashes back to the desktop" has, apparently, been fixed with the release of VLC 0.8.6e! I've tested it by assembling and playing six different playlists on two different Mac computers (Mac Pro and Mac Mini). Each playlist had varying content... some 720p, some 1080p, some 480i. Various movie trailers, THX intros and custom home theater intros. Some in .mov format, some in .ts format, some in .vob format and some in .mp4 format. Each and every playlist played perfectly, seamlessly playing one video file after the other WITHOUT any flashes back the desktop!

Now, I've had previous versions of VLC do this occasionally. But never this many times in a row. I can only assume the "bug" is fixed!!

Thank you VLC team!!! It is VERY much appreciated by this home theater buff!

Regards!

Mark

[Mark Booth]

Rather than start a new topic, I am bumping an old one. Reason: I'm having, basically, the same problem with VLC 1.1.5.

All this time (since February of 2008), I've stuck with VLC 0.8.6e because it just worked right for my needs. However, I'm now needing to play back some .m2ts mepg video files and VLC 0.8.6e does not play them without the video freezing and pausing. So, I updated to VLC 1.1.5 and, sure enough, it plays back the .m2ts files just fine. But there's a new problem....

My old nemesis, the "white flashes" are back. With VLC 1.1.1 through 1.1.5 (I downloaded the previous versions and tried them), my Mac Mini displays flashes of white between each file in the playlist as it is being played back. This is, basically, the same thing that happened before but, rather than showing the desktop, there's just a white flash.

I also tried some 9.x versions of VLC and they don't display the white flashes, but they won't play continuously in full screen mode. Meaning, as each new video from the playlist is loaded, a new window grows up from the lower left corner of the screen rather than seamless full screen playback.

These new white flashes of light only happen on my Mac Mini (2.4GHz Core 2 duo machine, the newest/current model). They don't happen on my Mac Pro (2.66GHz with four cores).

The Mac Mini is connected to the screen (a large HDTV) through an A/V receiver over HDMI.

I would suspect the A/V receiver or the HDTV but, with VLC 0.8.6e, the videos play back fine (no flashes of white) on the Mac Mini. I'd stick with VLC 0.8.6e if I didn't need to play back these new 1080p .m2ts mpeg files.

Anyone have any suggestions to eliminate the flashes of white? I'm trying to recreate a seamless string of videos played back for home theater purposes (trailers, custom theater intros, etc.).

Mark