The VideoLAN Forums

Hi to all!
I'm using the latest version of VLC on Windows XP SP3 and I've just realized that MKV are not played "fluid", while for example with Windows Media Player they are.
I don't have the same issue for example with AVI.
Is there any option I can try to change?

Thanks in advance for your help!

What codecs are being used in the MKV? Any messages?

You could try the skip the loop filter trick if it's H.264:
http://wiki.videolan.org/WindowsFAQ#H.2 ... r_laggy.29

Arite.

Hi! Thanks for your answer.

Media Info says writing library is x264 core 112, I made them with HandBrake.

I tried what suggested.
First:

You can speed up the H.264/MPEG-4 AVC playback by disabling loop filter for H.264 decoding. To do this go to Tools -> Preferences and Input / Codecs and in the drop-down box for Skip H.264 in-loop deblocking filter change it to All.

It was already set to "All" in my preferences, I also tried to set it to "none", but nothing.

Then, I tried:

Also if you have multicore CPU (or one with Intel Hyper-Threading), you can lower the FFMPEG thread count. To do this go to Tools -> Preferences (Show settings: All), then Input / Codecs -> Video codecs -> FFmpeg, then locate Threads, and set it to 4 (or to 2, or to 1). Remember to press Save to save VLC settings and restart VLC after that to make sure changes are enabled.

And nothing again.

Actually, unfortunately now I'm compelled to use a netbook with AMD processor single core, but, as I said, MKV are fluid with Windows Media Player, so, I guess there''s an option in VLC I can set/change.

You could also try enabling GPU decoding:
http://wiki.videolan.org/WindowsFAQ#H.2 ... age_errors

If that does nothing what are VLC's messages (go to "Tools >> Messages" and set the "Verbosity" to 2, and then open the MKV file)?

Arite.

Hi again! Sorry for the late reply. Now I have time to try again.
I tried enabling GPU decoding, but nothing. Ok, it's just an integrated graphic card, ATI Radeon X1270. I wish my 17'' notebook worked again...

About the messages, they are all similar:

main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 82 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 42 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 22 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 48 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 104 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 68 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 31 ms)
main debug: picture might be displayed late (missing 17 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 88 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 52 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 78 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 40 ms)
main debug: picture might be displayed late (missing 0 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 26 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 109 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 69 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 29 ms)
main debug: picture might be displayed late (missing 16 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 109 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 116 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 79 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 41 ms)
main debug: picture might be displayed late (missing 1 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 25 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 53 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 20 ms)
main debug: picture might be displayed late (missing 18 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 24 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 102 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 67 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 70 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 36 ms)
main debug: picture might be displayed late (missing 2 ms)
main debug: picture might be displayed late (missing 18 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 114 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 80 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 45 ms)
main debug: picture might be displayed late (missing 5 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 31 ms)
main debug: picture might be displayed late (missing 14 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 67 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 93 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 59 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 87 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 47 ms)
main debug: picture might be displayed late (missing 7 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 127 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 93 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 53 ms)
main debug: picture might be displayed late (missing 13 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 38 ms)
main debug: picture might be displayed late (missing 5 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 27 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 86 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 53 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 86 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 53 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 20 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 33 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 143 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 103 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 63 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 89 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 56 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 30 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 20 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 54 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 21 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 22 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 55 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 21 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 78 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 44 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 49 ms)
main debug: picture might be displayed late (missing 16 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 37 ms)
main debug: picture might be displayed late (missing 3 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 43 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 79 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 45 ms)
main debug: picture might be displayed late (missing 12 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 24 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 90 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 124 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 84 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 44 ms)
main debug: picture might be displayed late (missing 4 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 34 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 121 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 89 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 57 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 25 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 56 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 24 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 180 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 140 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 100 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 60 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 85 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 59 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 23 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 84 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 45 ms)
main debug: picture might be displayed late (missing 5 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 31 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 77 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 37 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 48 ms)
main debug: picture might be displayed late (missing 12 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 38 ms)
main debug: picture might be displayed late (missing 6 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 91 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 57 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 26 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 23 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 23 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 71 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 31 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 58 ms)
main debug: picture might be displayed late (missing 18 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 145 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 114 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 82 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 116 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 83 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 21 ms)
main debug: auto hiding mouse cursor

Try increasing input caching.

Hi!
With "input caching" you mean "file caching"? I increased it to 50000 and I got a notable improvement, but it's still not perfectly fluid as with Windows Media Player.
What's the difference between "file cachiing" and "disc caching"? I can't find any explanation.

Please activate GPU decoding.