video skips

[acornrevolution]

I am having a problem with videos (avis, dvds) skipping when the audio goes to high (music, dialog, etc.). I mostly use VLC and did not have this problem on my old XP laptop, however I am getting it with my new Vista one. Is it a driver problem, a codec one, a software one? Please help!

[VLC_help]

Press ctrl+m while playback and look for warnings or errors when skipping starts and paste those lines here.

[nickhk]

I've got exactly the same problem. So I tried to use Ctrl m, noting happened. As acornrevolution, I'd really like to solve this, it annoys the hell out of me.

I'm using XP SP2, so I don't think the problem is linked to vista.

[VLC_help]

So message dialog doesn't open at all or doesn't print any messages?
(View -> Messages (Ctrl+m))

[nickhk]

(Sorry for my English)
Here is what I got:

main warning: computed PTS is out of range (30160000), clearing out
main warning: PTS is out of range (30160000), dropping buffer
main warning: output PTS is out of range (30184000), clearing out
main debug: audio output is starving (239167), playing silence
main warning: output date isn't PTS date, requesting resampling (-42480)
main warning: buffer is 42480 in advance, triggering downsampling
main warning: computed PTS is out of range (67960), clearing out
main warning: timing screwed, stopping resampling
main warning: PTS is out of range (34000), dropping buffer
main warning: output PTS is out of range (76480), clearing out
main warning: PTS is out of range (10000), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (-14000), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (-38000), dropping buffer
main warning: input PTS is out of range (67960), trashing
main warning: computed PTS is out of range (43793), clearing out
main warning: late picture skipped (146000)
main warning: late picture skipped (106000)
main warning: late picture skipped (66000)
main warning: late picture skipped (26000)
main warning: computed PTS is out of range (25000), clearing out
main warning: PTS is out of range (25000), dropping buffer
main warning: output PTS is out of range (39000), clearing out
main warning: PTS is out of range (1000), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (-23000), dropping buffer
main warning: late picture skipped (105000)
main warning: late picture skipped (97000)
main warning: late picture skipped (57000)
main warning: late picture skipped (17000)
main warning: output date isn't PTS date, requesting resampling (50041)
main warning: buffer is 50041 late, triggering upsampling

Those messages showed up during an action scene of the silver surfer. The video and audio skipped at the exact same time as the message 'main warning: late picture skipped (#######)'. showed up.

Any ideas? Thx for the help by the way

[Arite]

What version of VLC are you using, and what are the video/audio codecs used in the file you are trying to play (press "Ctrl + I" and click on "Advanced options")?

Cheers, Arite.

[nickhk]

Codecs: XIVD
Resolution: 640x272
Frame rate: 25.0000000
Stream 1
Codec: mpga
Chanels: 2
Sample rate: 48000 Hz
Bitrate: 119 kb/s

Meta information:
Setting: HAS_INDEX IS_INTERLEAVED

Vlc version: 0.8.6c

Thx.

[VLC_help]

How high is you CPU usage while you play that file? If it is near 100% then it the problem is in there.

[nickhk]

The CPU usage is stable: 8 to 11% with some spikes at 15% (not during the 'video skip')

The really strange part of this is that it happens only when there's an action sequence playing. Basically when the audio becomes higher in volume, the video skips

And believe me guys, it really is annoying. Every time a movie gets interesting, the darn video skips
Oh and btw, I asked my brother in law yesterday and he has the exact the same problem but he thought that it was a hardware issue (with a brand new DELL desktop ).

More specs about my PC.

PCU: Pentium dual-core 2.2GHz
RAM: 2GB
Video card: ATI with 256MB cache

Thx again for the kind attention.

PS: please ignore the topic I've posted a few weeks back, it's about the same pb but I hadn't noticed then that it was linked to the audio, thx to acornrevolution for pointing that out

[acornrevolution]

My CPU is running at between 20-30%, and spikes to 40 when the volume seems to get higher. I think its running high because I have Norton AntiVirus, Skype, Gizmo, Comodo Firewall, uTorrent, etc. running, however even with these services off, I still have the same problem. I've had it since I first got my computer and had very little software and services running.

The last movie I watched had an XVID codec, which I have installed. I pretty much get the same error message that nickhk gets about the audio starving, being skipped, etc. I can guarantee if there is clapping or cheering, or some action scene with music, the movie is going to skip.

Here's info about my computer

1GB RAM (Though System Properties says 864MB)
1.6Gz AMD Turion 64x2
140GB Hardrive
Sigmatel High Definition Audio Codec
ATI Radeon Xpress 1150 IGP (though under Device Manager it says Radeon Xpress 200M Series)

I am hoping this is not a hardware problem, since I bought the computer in the states, and I'm now living in S. Korea.

[Talldog9]

I have the exact same problem. Whenever there is a loud part in the audio, the audio and video skip. Problem remains after 3 or 4 windows reinstalls. Had this problem since at least v0.8.6. up to 0.8.6c. cpu usage is fine during normal playback as well as skipping.

specs:

CPU: Intel Celeron M 420
RAM: 512MB
latest direct-x
latest vid/audio/everything else drivers
win xp pro sp2

[VLC_help]

Have you tried to change video and audio output modules to check if that helps?

[nickhk]

I applied the changes but it didn't change a thing.
Although, I paused the movie while I had the VLCs' message window open and I noticed that the message 'late picture skipped (#####)' kept appearing endlessly. How can a picture be skipped if the movie is paused ?
I'm kinda glad that I'm not the only one with this problem which would have been really embarrassing

Thx for all your efforts, it's appreciated.

[Talldog9]

^^same here. I don't get the late video message while paused, but I do pretty often while playing.

[acornrevolution]

I tried changing the output modules, but it didnt fix the problem.

[acornrevolution]

B U M P

Still no solution!

[d4man]

Bump

[d4man]

There were a couple of more posts like this, but I figured you'd just get annoyed if I kept bumping relatively old threads. Also I'm sorry for double posting.
I was just wondering if this "matter" has at all been looked into as it does pose a problem for several users, including myself. I can watch pretty much everything compatible with windows media player perfectly, but when I use VLC it stutters and then skipps.

Any known solutions?

Thanks

[Arite]

Well if changing the video output modules etc. don't help, then you could try raising the File cache. To do this, go to (in VLC):
Settings >> Preferences... >> Input / Codecs >> Access modules >> File

And tick "Advanced options". Then the "Caching value in ms" text box should appear. Try raising the value from 300 to e.g. 1000, and then press "Save".

That is perhaps a bit of a longshot, as it is not just files which are having the issue but DVDs as well. If changing the cache value makes any difference to video files, then try it on the "DVD with menus" and "DVD without menus" access modules as well.

Also - have you tried changing the Audio output module as well? The default is "DirectX audio output", so try "Win32 waveOUT extension output" instead. To do this, in VLC's preferences, just go to:
Audio >> Output modules

And tick "Advanced options" to see the "Audio output module" drop-down box.

Cheers, Arite.

[Talldog9]

^will try these changes and report back

[nickhk]

Tried the changes, didn't work.
How could the audio getting louder be linked to the video ??
I tried the caching thing (1000ms at first then all the way up to 8000ms), during the first action sequence the HD went nuts and the video skipped. The CPU usage as well as the memory usage remained low as usual.
This is really frustrating.

Thx for the help.

[audacia]

hey guys,

i actually found a solution which worked for me:

as i disabled the reducement of threads in the advanced options i faced no skips anymore
perhaps this works for you too.


cheers,
roger

[nickhk]

hey guys,

i actually found a solution which worked for me:

as i disabled the reducement of threads in the advanced options i faced no skips anymore
perhaps this works for you too.


cheers,
roger

Not helpful !!

[acornrevolution]

Tried this...didnt work.

We need to look outside VLC I think, since this happens with WMP as well. My audio drivers are up to date. All audio mp3s play fine. There must be something with the computer. What could it be?

[Talldog9]

Perhaps a problem with hardware video acceleration?