The VideoLAN Forums

When playing an MPEG4 (i.e. XviD or DivX), the following happens:
- at first, playback runs smoothly
- after some time, every once in a while the video&audio freeze for a sec.
- later, there are many freezes

I think the problem is NOT the file - if I start VLC again, the freezes are at other places in the timeline.

It also appears to be worse if I turn subtitles on.

It looks like VLC takes memory, but doesn't give it back to Windows during playback: so that after some time, the computer is out of RAM and glitches appear in playback. <-- just a random guess, don't know if it's true

But please fix this, because watching videos with glitches/freezes is very irritating.

I'm using version 0.8.1

*bump*

I can't believe I'm the only one having these problems...

I'm having a similar problem running VLC 0.8.1 on Mac OSX 10.2.8 on a 400MHZ G4. Generally about halfway through any given ten minute mp4 video file (specifically downloads from http://www.archive.org) I lose audio. If I re-open the file and skip to the spot where I lost audio, the audio is there. But it drops out again after a minute or so. No synch problems, no glitches, just a total dropout.

The machine is slow, but there's plenty of CPU% left over and plenty of memory.

Thoughts? Anybody?

I'm having a similar problem. I get a few seconds into rather large clips and consistently the picture freezes. Audio continues for a few seconds and then VLC crashes completely. I'm trying it with the latest beta, and will post again if it works. I'm on OSX 10.3.8

Downloaded the latest beta and it did the trick. If anyone is having this problem, just check out the latest VLC and it will hopefully do the trick for you, too.

I have exactly the same problem as Troy. Upgrading to 0.8.2 does not help

I am having the same problem also.

These avi files, especially Xvid for me, are clearly an issue for old machines + VLC.
Can staff please comment at least, even if there is no fix yet.

My error message:" ffmpeg: more than 5 seconds of late video -> droppping frame (computer to slow?) "

BTW! Using other players ie. QT does play the Xvid file Perfect! (Xvid codec req'd thou) and computer speed not a prob!
Playing other avi's also no prob. Have isolated the prob to Xvid's, I thuink.

These avi files, especially Xvid for me, are clearly an issue for old machines + VLC.
Can staff please comment at least, even if there is no fix yet.

My error message:" ffmpeg: more than 5 seconds of late video -> droppping frame (computer to slow?) "

BTW! Using other players ie. QT does play the Xvid file Perfect! (Xvid codec req'd thou) and computer speed not a prob!
Playing other avi's also no prob. Have isolated the prob to Xvid's, I thuink.

I'm using MacOS10.3 and has now found VLC 0.62 plays these files, however subtitles now crook.
Anyone with the same prob try going back to previous versions of VLC,

Developers = obviously to busy on newer versions, rather than make sure what's released actually compatible/works......
why do i think of Microsoft all of a sudden?

could you upload samples as well as small descriptions of the problem to ftp://streams.videolan.org/incoming ?

I have the same problems also. I had heard that the DivX 5.2.1 codec was causing problems in Tiger so I removed it. However, that didn't help. Might it be a problem with ffmpeg, the mpeg4 decoder that VLC uses?

server: p4 3.4 1 gig ram VLC 0.8.2
client : p3 3.4 1 gig ram VLC 0.8.2

both wired (cat 5) to 100 megabit linkys wrt54g router.

server settings: everything default,
UDP:1234,
Video Codec mp4v @ 1
audio Codec mpga @192 : channels 2

Client settings: everything default



Having same problem here with a mp4 (divx) movie. Plays fine for about 10 mins, then a few pauses every 30 sec for about 1-2 sec. Then about 15 mins the picture totally freezes but sound still plays. During the first 10 mins of playback the cpu usage hangs around a constant 5% . After it freezes its at max cpu @ 50% (not 100% due to hyperthreading).


Have to close vlc.exe with task manager because closing it normally still leaves it hanging in the process list.

Restarting and reconnecting to the server resumes normal play for another 10-15 mins.