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Solved: Snapshot not Working

Posted: 28 Oct 2015 08:00
by RelaX
Hi,
I am using VLC2.2.1 on OpenSuse Linux (rolling release). The snapshot feature is not working. I checked every directory mentioned in the different Wiki articles and tried to set one myself in the settings. Also tried .jpg and .png as default output. As far as I remember VLC displays a message on screen when a screenshot is taken? also not happening here. The player does just not react at all. Below I posted the console output of what's happening when it tries to take a screenshot. Can you point me in a direction what's going wrong here? (and maybe suggest a solution, too? ;)

Code: Select all

[00007f312411af38] core video output error: Failed to convert image for snapshot [VS] Software VDPAU backend library initialized libva info: VA-API version 0.37.0 libva info: va_getDriverName() returns 0 libva info: Trying to open /usr/lib64/dri/i965_drv_video.so libva info: Found init function __vaDriverInit_0_37 libva info: va_openDriver() returns 0

Re: Snapshot not Working

Posted: 28 Oct 2015 09:49
by Rémi Denis-Courmont
You can't do snapshot with hardware acceleration so far.

Re: Snapshot not Working

Posted: 28 Oct 2015 10:09
by RelaX
Thank you for your quick reply! Mixed results here. I deactivated hardware acceleration, could take a snap from an webm video, but not from mpeg4 or mov:

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[00007fdc604ecec8] vdpau_chroma filter error: corrupt VDPAU video surface 0x7fdc0c590630 [00007fdc2c0fdcc8] core video output error: Failed to convert image for snapshot

Re: Snapshot not Working

Posted: 28 Oct 2015 10:35
by Rémi Denis-Courmont
You did not disable hardware acceleration.

Re: Snapshot not Working

Posted: 28 Oct 2015 11:00
by RelaX
Tools (Werkzeuge) - Settings (Einstellungen) - Video - Accelerated Video (Beschleunigte Videoausgabe Overlay) <- This is what I switched off. I quit VLC and started it again and looked, the check-mark is gone. Is there some other point in the settings where I have to switch it off?

EDIT: There is a setting hidden under "codec", where the default for hardware acceleration is "automatic" (and automatic does not seem to care about the settings in "Accelerated video". switched that to "deactivated", snaps working now. You have to change both settings.

If I am watching a whole movie now and then, is it worth switching hardware acceleration back on, on my laptop to conserve battery?

Re: Solved: Snapshot not Working

Posted: 02 Jul 2017 04:41
by wayward4now
Changing both locations did the trick!! Thanx! :D

Re: Solved: Snapshot not Working

Posted: 25 Sep 2017 23:48
by pabra
Not really a solution, though, is it. A workaround at best. How is your average user supposed to know that:
a) Snapshots are disabled when hardware acceleration is on.
b) Video acceleration is not disabled when Accelerated Video is turned off. :?

This is quite an old problem, too, now. I think at the very least an attempt to take a snapshot should pop up a message explaining what is going on.

Re: Solved: Snapshot not Working

Posted: 26 Sep 2017 17:35
by Rémi Denis-Courmont
Snapshots work in VLC 3.0. We are not going to add an error message for a problem that no longer exists.

Re: Solved: Snapshot not Working

Posted: 08 Feb 2018 22:39
by lyonbra
Snapshots work in VLC 3.0. We are not going to add an error message for a problem that no longer exists.
How does one get VLC 3.0 cause the snapshot function still isn't working in 2.2.8?

Re: Solved: Snapshot not Working

Posted: 26 Jan 2019 18:17
by Tboneator64
Snapshots work in VLC 3.0. We are not going to add an error message for a problem that no longer exists.
I'm currently experiencing this problem on VLC 3.0.6 Vetinari! Also tried the "Reset Preferences" trick to resolve my Snapshot issue without any success.

By the way, I am on Ubuntu 18.04 in case this has anything to do with my current VLC Snapshot problem. This feature did work for me at first, though.

CHEERS! :)

Re: Solved: Snapshot not Working

Posted: 21 Apr 2019 17:51
by d0ugparker
Snapshot had been working in 3.0.6 win32 on Windows 10. It had been working, then stopped. I don't recall changing anything in the OS, and it... just... stopped working. Odd.

I read through the workarounds noted above—the hardware acceleration settings in two locations. I changed only one setting: the HW acceleration under Prefs, Input & Codecs, changed it to Disabled, quit, restarted, and this has stopped the crashing.

Dr Doug

Re: Solved: Snapshot not Working

Posted: 23 Apr 2019 08:15
by InTheWings
Snapshot had been working in 3.0.6 win32 on Windows 10. It had been working, then stopped. I don't recall changing anything in the OS, and it... just... stopped working. Odd.

I read through the workarounds noted above—the hardware acceleration settings in two locations. I changed only one setting: the HW acceleration under Prefs, Input & Codecs, changed it to Disabled, quit, restarted, and this has stopped the crashing.

Dr Doug
Whatever, that should not crash.
Without details/driver/file, we can't do nothing.

Re: Snapshot not Working

Posted: 13 Aug 2019 20:41
by DarseZ
Here I am years later, with the same issue. I couldn't find a setting called "codec" that you mentioned RelaX, although all the settings have likely changed since 2015.

I suddenly can't screen cap, I don't know what version killed it. But turning hardware acceleration off, as you found, didn't fix it. Attempts to screen cap fail silently.

Has anyone experienced this with the latest 3x versions?

edit: In the meantime, I see MPC takes snapshots just fine. not thrilled to switch from VLC but hey, what can you do.


Tools (Werkzeuge) - Settings (Einstellungen) - Video - Accelerated Video (Beschleunigte Videoausgabe Overlay) <- This is what I switched off. I quit VLC and started it again and looked, the check-mark is gone. Is there some other point in the settings where I have to switch it off?

EDIT: There is a setting hidden under "codec", where the default for hardware acceleration is "automatic" (and automatic does not seem to care about the settings in "Accelerated video". switched that to "deactivated", snaps working now. You have to change both settings.

Re: Solved: Snapshot not Working

Posted: 18 Jan 2020 15:47
by DarseZ
I found a solution!

I had a custom folder set for snapshots. In this case F:

In the file path you must add a \ afterward, even if browsing to that folder

So that it is F:\

Snapshots work perfectly now.

Re: Solved: Snapshot not Working

Posted: 13 Sep 2021 15:13
by pat255
Thank you DarseZ !
Like many others I tried to tweak the gigantic list of options in Preferences to no avail. We get so overran by complexity nowadays that we can't fix the most simple problems. Thanks again.

Re: Solved: Snapshot not Working

Posted: 05 Mar 2023 19:47
by army1959
If you are using windows 10 you will need to turn off windows defender
here’s what you need to do
Click Start.
Type “Windows Security” and click the option under “Best match”.
In the new window that opens, click Virus & threat protection.
Under the Virus & threat protection heading, click Manage settings.
Set the Tamper Protection toggle to the Off position
this worked for me ,i could not get snaps or the record feature to work
after doing this it worked just fine for me , also disable the hardware acceleration

hope this works for you