The VideoLAN Forums

Firstly, just want to say a big thanks to those who contributed to VLC... It's my favourite player of choice since I'd switched from Windows to MacOS.

I upgraded to MacOS Snow Leopard yesterday, and found that somehow, VLC 1.01 (Intel 32 bit) loading MKV files took a long time. Before this, it worked fine. Now, the same file (720p, if I'm not wrong) takes 1 minute to load.

Does anyone have the same problem?

Every run or just the first one?

This is the problem I have described in: viewtopic.php?f=12&t=64273

It doesn't have anything to do with MKV's, it has to do with subtitles... As soon as SSA subtitles are loaded you get that 1 minute delay in playback. Can we close this thread and refer people to my thread since it is a lot more informative regarding the issue.

We are not sure that this person has the same issue as you have.

We are not sure that this person has the same issue as you have.

Yes we are, I am 100% sure it is the exact same issue.

Compare his findings to mine:
1) I upgraded to MacOS Snow Leopard yesterday
So did I, that's when my MKV's started to take a minute to load as well.
2) found that somehow ... loading MKV files took a long time.
Exactly what I noticed as well.
3) Before this, it worked fine. Now, the same file (720p, if I'm not wrong) takes 1 minute to load.
Again, the same as what I've noticed, and I created a clone of my Leopard installation so I can confirm that MKV's load fine under Leopard and take ages under Snow Leopard.

This is where my research comes in though, I've been narrowing down the problem and it is actually the subtitles rather than the MKV container that's the problem. If you have SSA subtitles in an MP4 file the same 1 minute load occurs (this is extremely rare though, people tend to hardsub the subtitles in MP4s for some reason).

I created MKVs without subtitles in them but with the same video/audio streams as the ones that took a minute or more to load, they all load within 3 seconds with the subtitles removed, normal speed in other words. Add the subtitles back in and the MKV takes a minute to load. I further confirmed this by figuring out that even if you open a subtitle file after starting to play any video (even an avi or whatever), VLC stops responding for about a minute before continuing to play...

No matter how you look at it, this is definitely the problem I described in my post. I am both a software engineer and an expert in the multimedia field, so please trust my ability to narrow down basic problems, I do this every day of my life and know what I'm talking about. It is a bug that only occurs if you're running Snow Leopard, on the surface it looks like a bug with the MKV format, but that's only because most MKVs have SSA subtitles embedded in them, it is actually the subtitles causing the problem...

All mkv don't have ssa. The problem might be in mkv, not in the ssa.

Can you please read my posts properly before replying? I really don't want to be mean, but I've already posted all the information you need to understand that it isn't an MKV issue, but a subtitle loading issue. I've reposted the same information several times now and you keep arguing with pointless facts that make no sense. I am just going to repost what I said earlier, but I'll highlight the important bits - please read them.

All mkv don't have ssa.

I never said that all MKVs have SSA subtitles, read my post properly: "I created MKVs without subtitles in them but with the same video/audio streams as the ones that took a minute or more to load, they all load within 3 seconds with the subtitles removed" - so what I'm saying is that MKVs without subtitles load instantly, MKVs with subtitles take 1 minute to load.

The problem might be in mkv, not in the ssa.

Again, that is not possible, read my post properly: "if you open a subtitle file after starting to play any video (even an avi or whatever), VLC stops responding for about a minute before continuing to play" - so what I'm saying is, if you start playing an AVI file, AND THEN load subtitles for it manually by clicking Video->Subtitles Track->Open File, select an SSA subtitle file, the exact same bug occurs - VLC freezes for 1 minute and then starts responding again and continues playing the video. That is proof that the bug occurs regardless of file container since we opened an AVI, it also proves that the bug occurs when a subtitle file is loaded. Whether it is loaded as part of another file or separately is irrelevant, the fact is, that is the point at which the bug occurs.

The people running into this bug will mostly be anime fans who watch subtitled anime (Japanese language voice, English subtitles) - anime fansubs are almost always distributed as MKVs with SSA subtitles - I therefore concluded that it would create the illusion that it is an MKV loading problem, but as I've stated more than once, MKVs without subtitles doesn't run into the loading issue and I've proven that this problem has nothing to do with the file container since loading subtitles separately while a video is playing makes the same bug occur.

I am extremely ill and trying to recover, so can someone else please back me up here, I really need my rest.

Take care,
Raz.

Can you please read my posts properly before replying?

No.

You write posts too long and you assume everyone has the same issue while they might have not.

I've already posted all the information you need to understand that it isn't an MKV issue, but a subtitle loading issue.

YOUR issue is linked to libass fontconfig rebuild.

naushan's issue, YOU have NO idea what it is. It might be the same, it might NOT be the same.
You are hijacking HIS thread with YOUR issue, thinking that this is the same issue. But maybe his issue is about MKV preloading chapters, that can make VLC slow to start MKV files. Maybe it is the same.

Your issue is because VLC libass tries to rebuild the cache, because fontconfig isn't working correctly on SL and the issue is even bigger, because it doesn't seem to save the fontconfig cache. This is a bug, but maybe not naushan's one.

I'm currently experiencing this problem as well.
I'm trying to watch the Planet Earth mkv files that I downloaded from the 25GB torrent on ThePirateBay (just for reference).

Unfortunately, after I did a clean install of Snow Leopard, I am unable to watch them at all. Trying to quit VLC after trying to open a file causes it to hang, requiring a Force Quit.

naushan's issue, YOU have NO idea what it is. It might be the same, it might NOT be the same.

Yes I do, you're just being stupid right now. It is obvious to me that you have not seen this problem first-hand. Naushan and myself are seeing the same problem after we both upgraded to Snow Leopard. If you haven't upgraded to Snow Leopard yet, then please be quiet because you have no idea what's going on here and I'm hoping that you will understand once naushan answers the following two questions:

So then, naushan, can you please tell us, does your MKV files have subtitles or not?
If the answer is 'Yes they do', then do you have any MKV files that do not have subtitles that you can try and play?

Please answer the first question, and if you have an MKV without subtitles, then post your findings so we can stop this pointless argument about whether your MKVs taking 1 minute to load is the same reason my MKVs are taking 1 minute to load after we both upgraded to Snow Leopard. Geez, I don't even know why the hell we're having this stupid argument.

I have the same problem and it also only occurs on files with subtitles. With no subtitles, files open fine.

naushan's issue, YOU have NO idea what it is. It might be the same, it might NOT be the same.

Yes I do, you're just being stupid right now.

No, I am not. There are at least 3 majors things that can slow down MKV start.

It is obvious to me that you have not seen this problem first-hand. Naushan and myself are seeing the same problem after we both upgraded to Snow Leopard.

Same symptoms don't mean same cause.

If you haven't upgraded to Snow Leopard yet, then please be quiet because you have no idea what's going on here and I'm hoping that you will understand once naushan answers the following two questions:

So then, naushan, can you please tell us, does your MKV files have subtitles or not?
If the answer is 'Yes they do', then do you have any MKV files that do not have subtitles that you can try and play?

Please answer the first question, and if you have an MKV without subtitles, then post your findings so we can stop this pointless argument about whether your MKVs taking 1 minute to load is the same reason my MKVs are taking 1 minute to load after we both upgraded to Snow Leopard. Geez, I don't even know why the hell we're having this stupid argument.

It is not stupid. There might be more than one issue... Sorry to want to diagnose it correctly.

Anyway, I am quite sure I know how to fix the SSA one.

Anyway, I am quite sure I know how to fix the SSA one.

I'll ignore the rest of your post since we obviously won't agree on that point . I'm sure once naushan replies to my questions we'll be able to confirm my suspicions that he's seeing the same problem. As for you being able to fix the subtitle issue, that's awesome...

HI guys, so i'm having the same problems with naushan. I installed snow leopard and noticed the incredibly slow load times for VLC on mkv files. I found a fix for this though...its kinda bad. Install mplayer extended and mkv's load instantly. I am a very big fan of vlc for many reasons, but i can't deal with the lag time on loading. i really hope that vlc fixes this soon. does anybody know why this problem is coming up...and no its not subtitles

Every run or just the first one?

Every run on the few MKV files I have.

Oddly, I also cannot fast forward in those MKV files by clicking on the playing progress bar... something that I swear I could prior to Snow Leopard.

So then, naushan, can you please tell us, does your MKV files have subtitles or not?
If the answer is 'Yes they do', then do you have any MKV files that do not have subtitles that you can try and play.

Sorry for the late reply; work has been hell this week. Alright, I try to shed more light BUT please bear with me. I have no technical knowledge in this.

My MKV files have subtitles. After the VLC loads the file for 1 minute, the video plays and shows subtitle. Oddly, when I use Mplayer (which I believe is phased out?), the file plays immediately and it does not show any subtitle when playing. I'm not sure if this is somehow conclusive to the same issue as Raziel mentioned.

I do have some AVI files but I have subtitles in .srt format and not ssa. When I open the AVI file and then later load the .srt subtitle file, the video does not slow or lag. Again, not sure if this information is relevant at all.

In case you're wondering, I was trying to play Valkyria Chronicles (I only have 2 epidodes - 4 and 6). Unfortunately I do not have any MKV files that does not have subtitle.

Edit: I tried out Mplayer Extended (rev 11) as suggested above, and found the following:
- First time I played a MKV file, it took 40s - 1 minute to load too, but subsequently it loads MKV files immediately
- I was able to fast forward by clicking on the play bar (unlike VLC).

Thanks. We know where the problem is and we are working on a fix.

To fix the slow MKV load problem which is due to subtitles, open up a terminal window and run the following command:
sudo chmod a+w /usr/X11/var/cache/fontconfig

The first time you load an MKV after that it will take about 1 minute to load, but then it should be fixed and all future MKV loads should be as quick as it used to be in Leopard.

OMG that code worked!!! i have no more problems with mkv's!

THANK YOU FOR THE HELP!

OMG that code worked!!! i have no more problems with mkv's!

So I'm assuming we can ignore your "no its not subtitles" comment from your earlier post, right? Because that terminal command will only fix the subtitle loading issue. Even naushan's confirmed that all his MKVs have subtitles, so I'm guessing this means case closed for the time being...

This does bring up an additional question though, what will the developers do for the next release, how will it be fixed so people don't run into this issue in the future?

We are not sure that this person has the same issue as you have.

All mkv don't have ssa. The problem might be in mkv, not in the ssa.

@raziel2001au: I really don't mean to start a stupid internet fight. But he didn't say it was only subtitles, he said dont jump to conclusions. Maybe you should learn to appreciate the work that they do instead of being condescending.

Thanks. We know where the problem is and we are working on a fix.

Thanks, and looking forward to the fixed version. As this is a free software, I really appreciate the time and efforts you put into this.

@All others who had helped give suggestions and remedies, thanks too! At least I can now watch MKV while waiting for the fix. Cheers!

@raziel2001au: I really don't mean to start a stupid internet fight. But he didn't say it was only subtitles, he said dont jump to conclusions. Maybe you should learn to appreciate the work that they do instead of being condescending.

To me it sounds exactly like you want to start a stupid internet fight... There is just one major problem, you've completely misinterpreted the whole argument, so I don't think you stand on very thick ground here. On top of that, I was correct with my analysis, but fine, I'll reply to your pointless post:
1) "But he didn't say it was only subtitles" <- okay, this statement doesn't even make sense, he never said it was only subtitles, that is what I was saying from the very beginning - also, I'd like to point out that I was right (as proven by the fix I posted above).
2) "he said dont jump to conclusions." <- he sort of did, but not for the reason you believe he did. His argument was that the reason naushan's MKVs are taking 1 minute to load might not be the same as mine, despite the fact that it happened for both of us right after upgrading to Snow Leopard. I analysed the problem further and figured out the cause was the subtitles. Naushan has, in a recent post, confirmed all of his MKVs have subtitles, so what I've said was again entirely correct.
3) "Maybe you should learn to appreciate the work that they do instead of being condescending" <- I never said I don't appreciate the work they do, in fact, j-b was very helpful in getting the problem resolved, so don't put words in my mouth.
4) And by the way, "don't" has an apostrophe in it. The second I spotted such a big mistake, your post already seemed like a joke to me.

If I was mistaken with my analysis, then you have a base for starting this argument, but I was completely right on the mark with my analysis. On top of that, this problem has been solved, it's done and dusted, why are you being an idiot by posting this crap now? If you're going to start an argument, do it with proper facts.

On a more positive note, naushan, has the fix I posted above fixed the problem for you?

Thread lock ...

Discussion is pointless and stupid.