The VideoLAN Forums

I did some googling on this issue, but did not come up with a solution that worked.

When I am playing any type of video (avi, mpg, etc), the audio will skip every few seconds. This issue is extremely irritating and I've had to start using WMP. I would much rather keep using VLC (I've been using it for years) for my video player needs. If anyone can help me I would be very grateful.

I tried bumping up the file buffer, but to no avail.

My computer specs:
Intel 3.0Ghz Core Duo
8Gb of DDR3
Saphire ATi 4850 512mb
Creative SBLive

Does Waveout audio output module work any better?
http://wiki.videolan.org/WindowsFAQ-1.0 ... _anomalies

No, that actually made it worse.

And you have latest drivers for you audio device?

That also did not fix the issue. This is only an issue with VLC. I can play the exact same videos with Windows Media Player with absolutely no audio issues.

VLC doesn't use DirectShow, so the quality of the audio between VLC and WMP won't be same.

You see any warnings/errors in Tools -> Messages... (set Verbosity to 2)?

main debug: processing request item House MD 504 - Birthmarks.avi node Playlist skip 0
main debug: resyncing on House MD 504 - Birthmarks.avi
main debug: House MD 504 - Birthmarks.avi is at 1
main debug: starting new item
main debug: creating new input thread
main debug: Creating an input for 'House MD 504 - Birthmarks.avi'
main debug: thread (input) created at priority 1 (../.././src/input/input.c:230)
qt4 debug: IM: Setting an input
main debug: thread started
main debug: using timeshift granularity of 50 MBytes
main debug: using timeshift path 'F:\DOCUME~1\CURBDA~1\LOCALS~1\Temp'
main debug: `I:\TV\House MD Complete Season 5\House MD 504 - Birthmarks.avi' gives access `' demux `' path `I:\TV\House MD Complete Season 5\House MD 504 - Birthmarks.avi'
main debug: creating demux: access='' demux='' path='I:\TV\House MD Complete Season 5\House MD 504 - Birthmarks.avi'
main debug: looking for access_demux module: 3 candidates
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 1.000 ms - Total 1.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 1.000 ms)
main debug: creating access '' path='I:\TV\House MD Complete Season 5\House MD 504 - Birthmarks.avi'
main debug: looking for access module: 5 candidates
vcd debug: trying .cue file: I:\TV\House MD Complete Season 5\House MD 504 - Birthmarks.cue
vcd debug: could not find .cue file
access_file debug: opening file `I:\TV\House MD Complete Season 5\House MD 504 - Birthmarks.avi'
main debug: using access module "access_file"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 0.000 ms - Total 0.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.000 ms)
main debug: Using AStream*Stream
main debug: pre buffering
main debug: received first data after 0 ms
main debug: pre-buffering done 1024 bytes in 0s - 1000000 kbytes/s
main debug: looking for stream_filter module: 2 candidates
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 0.000 ms - Total 0.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.000 ms)
main debug: looking for stream_filter module: 1 candidate
main debug: using stream_filter module "stream_filter_record"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 0.000 ms - Total 0.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.000 ms)
main debug: creating demux: access='' demux='' path='I:\TV\House MD Complete Season 5\House MD 504 - Birthmarks.avi'
main debug: looking for demux module: 50 candidates
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:46464952 (RIFF) size:366779276 pos:0
avi debug: found LIST chunk: 'AVI '
avi debug: <list 'AVI '>
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:5453494c (LIST) size:306 pos:12
avi debug: found LIST chunk: 'hdrl'
avi debug: <list 'hdrl'>
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:68697661 (avih) size:56 pos:24
avi debug: avih: streams:2 flags: HAS_INDEX IS_INTERLEAVED 624x352
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:5453494c (LIST) size:116 pos:88
avi debug: found LIST chunk: 'strl'
avi debug: <list 'strl'>
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:68727473 (strh) size:56 pos:100
avi debug: strh: type:vids handler:0x44495658 samplesize:0 23.98fps
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:66727473 (strf) size:40 pos:164
avi debug: strf: video:XVID 624x352 planes:1 24bpp
avi debug: </list 'strl'>
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:5453494c (LIST) size:106 pos:212
avi debug: found LIST chunk: 'strl'
avi debug: <list 'strl'>
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:68727473 (strh) size:56 pos:224
avi debug: strh: type:auds handler:0x00000000 samplesize:0 41.67fps
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:66727473 (strf) size:30 pos:288
avi debug: strf: audio:0x0055 channels:2 48000Hz 16bits/sample 125kb/s
avi debug: </list 'strl'>
avi debug: </list 'hdrl'>
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:5453494c (LIST) size:28 pos:326
avi debug: found LIST chunk: 'INFO'
avi debug: <list 'INFO'>
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:54465349 (ISFT) size:16 pos:338
avi debug: ISFT: software : transcode-0.6.9
avi debug: </list 'INFO'>
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:4b4e554a (JUNK) size:1666 pos:362
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:5453494c (LIST) size:364054672 pos:2036
avi debug: skipping movi chunk
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:31786469 (idx1) size:2722560 pos:364056716
qt4 debug: Updating the geometry
qt4 debug: Updating the geometry
avi debug: idx1: index entry:170160
avi debug: </list 'AVI '>
avi debug: * LIST-root size:366779284 pos:0
avi debug: + RIFF-AVI size:366779276 pos:0
avi debug: | + LIST-hdrl size:306 pos:12
avi debug: | | + avih size:56 pos:24
avi debug: | | + LIST-strl size:116 pos:88
avi debug: | | | + strh size:56 pos:100
avi debug: | | | + strf size:40 pos:164
avi debug: | | + LIST-strl size:106 pos:212
avi debug: | | | + strh size:56 pos:224
avi debug: | | | + strf size:30 pos:288
avi debug: | + LIST-INFO size:28 pos:326
avi debug: | | + ISFT size:16 pos:338
avi debug: | + JUNK size:1666 pos:362
avi debug: | + LIST-movi size:364054672 pos:2036
avi debug: | + idx1 size:2722560 pos:364056716
avi debug: AVIH: 2 stream, flags HAS_INDEX IS_INTERLEAVED
avi debug: stream[0] rate:23976024 scale:1000000 samplesize:0
avi debug: stream[0] video(XVID) 624x352 24bpp 23.976024fps
main debug: selecting program id=0
avi debug: stream[1] rate:48000 scale:1152 samplesize:0
avi debug: stream[1] audio(0x55) 2 channels 48000Hz 16bits
qt4 debug: Updating the geometry
qt4 debug: Updating the geometry
qt4 debug: Updating the geometry
qt4 debug: Updating the geometry
qt4 debug: Updating the geometry
qt4 debug: Updating the geometry
avi debug: stream[0] created 62151 index entries
avi debug: stream[1] created 108009 index entries
avi debug: stream[0] length:2592 (based on index)
avi debug: stream[1] length:2592 (based on index)
main debug: using demux module "avi"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 37.000 ms - Total 37.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 37.000 ms)
main debug: looking for a subtitle file in I:\TV\House MD Complete Season 5\
main debug: looking for decoder module: 35 candidates
avcodec debug: libavcodec already initialized
avcodec debug: using direct rendering
avcodec debug: ffmpeg codec (MPEG-4 Video) started
main debug: using decoder module "avcodec"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 2.000 ms - Total 2.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 2.000 ms)
main debug: thread (decoder) created at priority 0 (../.././src/input/decoder.c:315)
main debug: thread started
main debug: looking for decoder module: 35 candidates
main debug: using decoder module "mpeg_audio"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 0.000 ms - Total 0.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.000 ms)
main debug: thread (decoder) created at priority 2 (../.././src/input/decoder.c:315)
main debug: thread started
main debug: `I:\TV\House MD Complete Season 5\House MD 504 - Birthmarks.avi' successfully opened
main debug: Buffering 0%
main debug: Buffering 8%
main debug: Buffering 16%
main debug: no usable vout present, spawning one
main debug: looking for text renderer module: 2 candidates
freetype debug: using fontsize: 2
main debug: using text renderer module "freetype"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 1.000 ms - Total 1.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 1.000 ms)
main debug: looking for video filter2 module: 20 candidates
swscale debug: 32x32 chroma: YUVA -> 16x16 chroma: YUVA with scaling using Bicubic (good quality)
main debug: using video filter2 module "swscale"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 1.000 ms - Total 1.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 1.000 ms)
main debug: looking for video filter2 module: 20 candidates
yuvp debug: YUVP to YUVA converter
main debug: using video filter2 module "yuvp"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 0.000 ms - Total 0.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.000 ms)
mpeg_audio debug: MPGA channels:2 samplerate:48000 bitrate:128
main debug: Buffering 25%
main debug: Buffering 33%
main debug: Buffering 41%
main debug: Buffering 50%
main debug: Buffering 58%
main debug: Buffering 66%
main debug: Buffering 75%
main debug: Buffering 83%
main debug: Buffering 91%
main debug: Buffering 100%
main debug: Stream buffering done (325 ms in 4 ms)
main debug: window size: 624x352
main debug: looking for video output module: 7 candidates
vout_directx debug: creating DirectXEventThread
main debug: thread (Vout Events Thread) created at priority 0 (../../../.././modules/video_output/msw/directx.c:282)
main debug: thread started
vout_directx debug: DirectXCreateWindow
main debug: looking for hwnd module: 3 candidates
qt4 debug: requesting video...
qt4 debug: Video was requested -1, -1
qt4 debug: Updating the geometry
qt4 debug: Updating the geometry
qt4 debug: Updating the geometry
qt4 debug: Updating the geometry
qt4 debug: Video is resizing to: 624 352
main debug: using hwnd module "qt4"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 107.000 ms - Total 107.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 107.000 ms)
vout_directx debug: created video sub-window
vout_directx debug: Vout EventThread running
vout_directx debug: DirectXInitDDraw
vout_directx debug: directx-device:
vout_directx debug: DirectXEnumCallback: Primary Display Driver, display
vout_directx debug: DirectXEnumCallback: ATI Radeon HD 4800 Series , \\.\DISPLAY1
vout_directx debug: selecting ATI Radeon HD 4800 Series , \\.\DISPLAY1
vout_directx debug: screen dimensions (0x0,1920x1080)
vout_directx debug: DirectDraw Capabilities: overlay=1 yuvoverlay=1 can_deinterlace_overlay=1 colorkey=1 stretch=1 bltfourcc=1
vout_directx debug: End DirectXInitDDraw
vout_directx debug: DirectXCreateDisplay
vout_directx debug: DirectXCreateClipper
vout_directx debug: disabling screen saver
main debug: using video output module "vout_directx"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 117.000 ms - Total 117.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 117.000 ms)
main debug: Deinterlacing available
vout_directx debug: NewPictureVec overlay:yes chroma:YV12
vout_directx debug: YUV overlay created successfully
vout_directx debug: End NewPictureVec (succeeded)
main debug: got 1 direct buffer(s)
main debug: pic render sz 624x352, of (0,0), vsz 624x352, 4cc I420, ar 382909:216000, sar 1:1, msk r0x0 g0x0 b0x0
main debug: pic in sz 624x352, of (0,0), vsz 624x352, 4cc I420, ar 382909:216000, sar 1:1, msk r0x0 g0x0 b0x0
main debug: pic out sz 624x352, of (0,0), vsz 624x352, 4cc I420, ar 382909:216000, sar 1:1, msk r0x0 g0x0 b0x0
main debug: direct render, mapping render pictures 0-14 to system pictures 1-15
main debug: reusing aout
main debug: looking for audio output module: 3 candidates
waveout debug: Drivername: Microsoft Sound Mapper
waveout debug: Driver Version: 5.0
waveout debug: Manufacturer identifier: 0x1
waveout debug: Product identifier: 0x2
waveout debug: device supports 2 channels
waveout debug: device supports 1 channel
waveout debug: OpenWaveDevice-ID: 4294967295
waveout debug: waveformat.Format.cbSize = 0
waveout debug: waveformat.Format.wFormatTag = 3
waveout debug: waveformat.Format.nChannels = 2
waveout debug: waveformat.Format.nSamplesPerSec = 48000
waveout debug: waveformat.Format.nAvgBytesPerSec = 384000
waveout debug: waveformat.Format.nBlockAlign = 8
waveout debug: waveformat.Format.wBitsPerSample = 32
waveout debug: waveformat.Samples.wValidBitsPerSample = 32
waveout debug: waveformat.Samples.wSamplesPerBlock = 32
waveout debug: waveformat.dwChannelMask = 3
main debug: End of video preroll
main debug: Received first picture
freetype debug: using fontsize: 22
qt4 debug: Updating the geometry
main debug: looking for video blending module: 1 candidate
blend debug: chroma: YUVA -> I420
main debug: using video blending module "blend"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 0.000 ms - Total 0.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.000 ms)
main debug: thread (waveOut Notification Thread) created at priority 1 (../../.././modules/audio_output/waveout.c:436)
main debug: using audio output module "waveout"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 10.000 ms - Total 10.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 10.000 ms)
main debug: output 'fl32' 48000 Hz Stereo frame=1 samples/8 bytes
main debug: mixer 'fl32' 48000 Hz Stereo frame=1 samples/8 bytes
main debug: no need for any filter
main debug: looking for audio mixer module: 3 candidates
main debug: using audio mixer module "float32_mixer"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 0.000 ms - Total 0.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.000 ms)
main debug: input 'mpga' 48000 Hz Stereo frame=1152 samples/969 bytes
main debug: looking for audio filter module: 1 candidate
scaletempo warning: bad input or output format
main warning: no audio filter module matching "scaletempo" could be loaded
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 0.000 ms - Total 0.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.000 ms)
main debug: looking for audio filter module: 1 candidate
scaletempo debug: format: 48000 rate, 2 nch, 4 bps, fl32
scaletempo debug: params: 30 stride, 0.200 overlap, 14 search
scaletempo debug: 1.000 scale, 1440.000 stride_in, 1440 stride_out, 1152 standing, 288 overlap, 672 search, 2400 queue, fl32 mode
main debug: using audio filter module "scaletempo"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 0.000 ms - Total 0.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.000 ms)
main debug: filter(s) 'mpga'->'fl32' 48000 Hz->48000 Hz Stereo->Stereo
main debug: looking for audio filter module: 24 candidates
main debug: using audio filter module "mpgatofixed32"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 0.000 ms - Total 0.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.000 ms)
main debug: found a filter for the whole conversion
main debug: looking for audio filter module: 1 candidate
spatializer debug: Opening filter spatializer ../../../.././modules/audio_filter/spatializer/spatializer.cpp Open 135
spatializer debug: room callback 1.0 ../../../.././modules/audio_filter/spatializer/spatializer.cpp RoomCallback 284
spatializer debug: width callback 10.0 ../../../.././modules/audio_filter/spatializer/spatializer.cpp WidthCallback 295
spatializer debug: wet callback 3.0 ../../../.././modules/audio_filter/spatializer/spatializer.cpp WetCallback 305
spatializer debug: dry callback 2.0 ../../../.././modules/audio_filter/spatializer/spatializer.cpp DryCallback 315
spatializer debug: damp callback 1.0 ../../../.././modules/audio_filter/spatializer/spatializer.cpp DampCallback 325
spatializer debug: 1.050000
main debug: using audio filter module "spatializer"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 0.000 ms - Total 0.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.000 ms)
main debug: looking for audio filter module: 1 candidate
equalizer debug: equalizer loaded for 48000 Hz with 10 bands 1 pass
equalizer debug: 60 Hz -> factor:0.000000 alpha:0.002769 beta:0.994462 gamma:1.994400
equalizer debug: 170 Hz -> factor:0.000000 alpha:0.007806 beta:0.984388 gamma:1.983897
equalizer debug: 310 Hz -> factor:0.000000 alpha:0.014143 beta:0.971714 gamma:1.970091
equalizer debug: 600 Hz -> factor:0.000000 alpha:0.027011 beta:0.945978 gamma:1.939979
equalizer debug: 1000 Hz -> factor:0.000000 alpha:0.044203 beta:0.911595 gamma:1.895241
equalizer debug: 3000 Hz -> factor:0.000000 alpha:0.121223 beta:0.757553 gamma:1.623767
equalizer debug: 6000 Hz -> factor:0.000000 alpha:0.212888 beta:0.574224 gamma:1.113145
equalizer debug: 12000 Hz -> factor:0.000000 alpha:0.331347 beta:0.337307 gamma:0.000000
equalizer debug: 14000 Hz -> factor:0.000000 alpha:0.355263 beta:0.289473 gamma:-0.333740
equalizer debug: 16000 Hz -> factor:0.000000 alpha:0.371900 beta:0.256201 gamma:-0.628100
main debug: using audio filter module "equalizer"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 1.000 ms - Total 1.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 1.000 ms)
main debug: filter(s) 'fl32'->'fl32' 52800 Hz->48000 Hz Stereo->Stereo
main debug: looking for audio filter module: 24 candidates
main debug: using audio filter module "bandlimited_resampler"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 0.000 ms - Total 0.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.000 ms)
main debug: found a filter for the whole conversion
main debug: End of audio preroll
main debug: Decoder buffering done in 135 ms
main warning: PTS is out of range (-10000), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (-34000), dropping buffer
mpgatofixed32 debug: libmad error: bad main_data_begin pointer
waveout debug: Wakeup sleeping output thread.
main debug: thread started
waveout debug: will start to play in 43000 us
qt4 debug: Qt: Entering Fullscreen
main debug: Post-processing available
main warning: late picture skipped (8876 > -1757)


That's all I got.

Does it help if you disable spatializer audio filter?

No affect. Still skipping.