VLC skips under OS X on older hardware

[waterbug]

I'm running VLC on Mac OS X on an iBook 600 MHz G3. When playing DivX files from CD, the stream skips/hiccups every 10-15 seconds.

The interval is too long for this to be a CPU issue, so my guess is that it's i/o or caching behavior.

I'm currently running VLC 0.6.2 on 10.3.1, but this behavior has been consistent going back as far as I can remember.

[BigBen]

Could you please open the message box, in the window menu and send us the result ?

[voodoo]

This happens to me too on my iBook 600 MHz.

Same file plays without hicups from the HD. It only hics when played from CD. (24x CDROM drive) and 384MB RAM.

[The DJ]

And that's because cdrom's suck

[philendrick]

Actually; With OS 10.1.something , my VLC 6.1 worked very well & ultra smooth for a while. I upgraded some video drivers for my ati radeon and my cache software for sonnett processer, and it didn't perform well. I tried rolling back versions of these to no avail

Interestingly enough, I had some problems with my system and formatted / upgraded to 10.2 and 6.2 works just as bad. Seems to be CPU, not video lag. I think I will try using other L2 cache software if I can find it.

I hope, however that this program can be optimized some more; the moments of not booting into OS9 to watch DVDs were bliss!!

Config: 8500 with Sonnet G3 Processor 1MB L2 Cache; 50MHz Bus; 512 MB SDRAM; ATI Radeon Mac Edition PCI; OS 10.2.8; 3 10 GB Seagate Barracuda 10k rpm.

[The DJ]

Both the MacOS and VLC have grown substantially since than.
It has better and more superior playback than ever now, but that comes at a price. a complete and more accurate implementation is by definition larger and slower.

[waterbug]

Could you please open the message box, in the window menu and send us the result ?

Sorry this is so late!!

main warning: PTS is out of range (1858051), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (1833181), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (1825275), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (1797897), dropping buffer
main warning: late picture skipped (1797402)
main warning: late picture skipped (1755730)
main warning: late picture skipped (1714024)
main warning: PTS is out of range (1759441), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (1723645), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (1726158), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (1676282), dropping buffer
main warning: late picture skipped (1697980)
main warning: late picture skipped (1656482)
main warning: late picture skipped (1614776)
main warning: PTS is out of range (1660755), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (1624838), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (1628148), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (1578271), dropping buffer
main warning: late picture skipped (1599836)
main warning: late picture skipped (1558146)
main warning: late picture skipped (1516441)
main warning: PTS is out of range (1569393), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (1533344), dropping buffer
main warning: late picture skipped (1499520)
main warning: late picture skipped (1457959)
main warning: late picture skipped (1416255)
main warning: PTS is out of range (1504108), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (1479194), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (1469855), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (1433682), dropping buffer
main warning: late picture skipped (1407228)
main warning: late picture skipped (1365594)
main warning: late picture skipped (1323889)
main warning: late picture skipped (1282183)
main warning: PTS is out of range (1408209), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (1386299), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (1361323), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (1332701), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (1308805), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (1287070), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (1262260), dropping buffer
main warning: late picture skipped (1266756)
main warning: late picture skipped (1225074)
main warning: late picture skipped (1183369)
main warning: PTS is out of range (1227797), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (1199655), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (1177949), dropping buffer
main warning: late picture skipped (1165529)
main warning: late picture skipped (1123892)
main warning: late picture skipped (1082198)
main warning: PTS is out of range (1161514), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (1138792), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (1110535), dropping buffer
main warning: late picture skipped (1068342)
main warning: late picture skipped (1026662)
main warning: PTS is out of range (1100732), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (1050869), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (1041918), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (1013533), dropping buffer
main warning: late picture skipped (1012863)
main warning: late picture skipped (971363)
main warning: late picture skipped (929658)
main warning: PTS is out of range (988082), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (958424), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (933453), dropping buffer
main warning: late picture skipped (913135)
main warning: late picture skipped (871501)
main warning: late picture skipped (829806)
main warning: PTS is out of range (914155), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (883691), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (858829), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (833855), dropping buffer
main warning: late picture skipped (812157)
main warning: late picture skipped (770522)
main warning: PTS is out of range (813161), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (767173), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (742205), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (719933), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (698797), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (652787), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (615513), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (607859), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (557980), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (536669), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (499369), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (492615), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (442733), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (423954), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (386531), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (373770), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (348901), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (329068), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (291513), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (260955), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (236093), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (211123), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (163971), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (141223), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (120855), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (95882), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (51216), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (21801), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (1600), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (-20079), dropping buffer
main debug: audio output is starving (46938), playing silence
main warning: late picture skipped (864061)
main warning: late picture skipped (822436)
main warning: late picture skipped (800866)
main warning: late picture skipped (759217)
main warning: late picture skipped (738212)
main warning: late picture skipped (696567)
main warning: late picture skipped (654864)
main warning: late picture skipped (633276)
main warning: late picture skipped (591629)
main warning: late picture skipped (549934)
main warning: late picture skipped (508230)
main warning: late picture skipped (486678)
main warning: late picture skipped (445039)
main warning: late picture skipped (403345)
main warning: late picture skipped (381792)
main warning: late picture skipped (340154)
main warning: late picture skipped (318587)
main warning: late picture skipped (297080)
main warning: late picture skipped (255453)
main warning: late picture skipped (213746)
main warning: late picture skipped (192113)
main warning: late picture skipped (150485)
main warning: late picture skipped (108781)
main warning: late picture skipped (67077)
main warning: late picture skipped (45416)
main warning: late picture skipped (3789)
main warning: late picture skipped (26525)
main warning: late picture skipped (30075)
main warning: late picture skipped (27408)
main warning: late picture skipped (28390)
main warning: late picture skipped (60180)
main warning: late picture skipped (18548)
main warning: computed PTS is out of range (123500), clearing out
main warning: PTS is out of range (134706), dropping buffer
main warning: output PTS is out of range (131698), clearing out
main warning: PTS is out of range (84799), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (76816), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (36997), dropping buffer
main warning: late picture skipped (11336)
main warning: PTS is out of range (69112), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (19234), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (9987), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (-5995), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (-26204), dropping buffer
main debug: audio output is starving (28235), playing silence
main warning: late picture skipped (135071)
main warning: late picture skipped (93414)
main warning: late picture skipped (51713)
main warning: late picture skipped (10008)
main warning: late picture skipped (10023)
main warning: late picture skipped (1221)
main warning: late picture skipped (6732)
main warning: late picture skipped (8546)
main warning: late picture skipped (3465)
main warning: late picture skipped (2166)
main warning: late picture skipped (13644)
main warning: late picture skipped (118468)
main warning: late picture skipped (97466)
main warning: late picture skipped (55817)
main warning: late picture skipped (54500)
main warning: late picture skipped (53603)
main warning: late picture skipped (32177)
main warning: late picture skipped (30771)
main warning: late picture skipped (9747)
main debug: audio output is starving (11616), playing silence
main warning: late picture skipped (2361)
main warning: late picture skipped (16613)
main warning: late picture skipped (15207)
main warning: late picture skipped (4368)
main warning: late picture skipped (564)
main warning: late picture skipped (7489)
main warning: late picture skipped (2836)
main warning: late picture skipped (16827)
main warning: late picture skipped (667)
main warning: late picture skipped (3031)
main warning: late picture skipped (23258)
main warning: late picture skipped (62336)
main warning: late picture skipped (40929)
main warning: late picture skipped (19512)
main warning: late picture skipped (21183)
main warning: late picture skipped (40139)
main warning: late picture skipped (19398)
main warning: late picture skipped (39893)
main warning: late picture skipped (38554)
main warning: late picture skipped (18823)
main warning: late picture skipped (62461)
main warning: late picture skipped (62383)
main warning: late picture skipped (61436)
main warning: late picture skipped (62035)
main warning: late picture skipped (62307)
main warning: late picture skipped (61000)
main warning: late picture skipped (39538)
main warning: late picture skipped (42493)
main warning: late picture skipped (843)
main debug: toggling pause

[The DJ]

Yep, lack of CPU power

[waterbug]

Yep, lack of CPU power

But if I copy the file to the HD, then it doesn't skip any more. Does reading data from the disc require that much CPU power? Or is this more likely to be a scheduling/buffering problem?

[The DJ]

Reading from CD is substantially slower than reading from a HD.
It also requires more CPU on OSX.

[waterbug]

Reading from CD is substantially slower than reading from a HD.
It also requires more CPU on OSX.

Why does reading from CD take more CPU? Is Apple not using DMA or something odd like that?

Is this something that an app can attempt to compensate for by buffering more aggressively?

[The DJ]

It's a CD rom player. It does that.

[waterbug]

Reading from CD is substantially slower than reading from a HD.
It also requires more CPU on OSX.

Why does reading from CD take more CPU? Is Apple not using DMA or something odd like that?

Is this something that an app can attempt to compensate for by buffering more aggressively?

Duh. There's an option in VLC player for buffer size

Prefs: Modules: access: access_file.

I set it to 1000 ms (you need to have the Advanced box checked in the lower-left corner) and the skipping went away!!

[The DJ]

but it's not really a good solution. It just means that Apple's CDROM drivers are buggy and picky.

[truthischeap]

Hmmm, now I am running an iBook Dual USB 500MHz G3 640 Mb with a LaCie 4X DVD +/- RW external drive to test the usability of this software for units of my type, and so far, following the instructions listed here, the DVD still skips. Is this software suitable for this unit and stated type of usage ?? I am sure I could run this on my iMac G4 750 MHz, but wanted to check this aspect of the software's functionability on the iBook G3, thus far it is not worth the effort of installation except for its live streaming capabilities, unless of course I have incorrectly installed or set up the preferences. Nonetheless, I think we would all agree that pushing a unit to its outer limits in order to run a piece of software is not advisable.

Now, I am new to this site and this piece of software, and found it in a search to find a means to play DVDs on this iBook which means getting around Apple, Inc.s locking out DVD Player from units not originally shipped with a combo drive, essentially shutting out the external DVD market to folks in my position looking to upgrade withouth shelling out $3,000.00 USD for a new unit (more than likely only to find ourselves obsolete in approx. 15 months or so and repurchasing). So, in this long winded reply, I am seeking advice on any other alternatives for proper functioning of the DVD play capabilites of VLan .7.0 on the G3 ? I will include the error message at the end of this note. Secondly, if we come to a conlusion that 500 MHz G3's are not up to speed, should we ask the folks at VLan to make such information available to potential downloader/users running slightly older systems ? I make this last suggestion in the spirit of well-informed users and hope that such a request will not be viewed as an unnecessary whine, or gripe from someone unable to use this software. It seems to me that one of the key segments of the market VLAn has in mind are precisely folks in my position, yet at this point, I can only say, the software has outrun its intended market. Again, I know this is freeware, but nothing is free, I am sure VideoLAN catches some type of benefit from folks downloading the software, and I only wish to aid if I can by offering opinions as a consumer/user. For given the somewhat recent philosophy of Apple, Inc. to speed up production of its software to near blistering speeds, or, implementing silly software manipulations for greater proprietary control of its post-point of sale porducts so that folks suffer with not so old products suddenly becoming obsolete, consumers will be forced more and more to turn to other sources to make their machines functionable.

error message:
main debug: CPU has capabilities FPU
main debug: looking for memcpy module
main debug: probing 1 candidate
main debug: using memcpy module "memcpy"
main debug: Creating group Normal with id 1 at position 0
main debug: waiting for thread completion
main debug: thread 33656832 (playlist) created at priority -47 (src/playlist/playlist.c:98)
main debug: looking for interface module
main debug: probing 1 candidate
main debug: using interface module "hotkeys"
main debug: interface initialized
main debug: thread 34039808 (interface) created at priority -47 (src/interface/interface.c:161)
main debug: looking for interface module
main debug: probing 2 candidates
main debug: using interface module "macosx"
main debug: interface initialized
main debug: thread 34191872 (manager) created at priority -47 (src/interface/interface.c:145)
main debug: adding playlist item ´ VTS_01_1.VOB ª ( /Volumes/NIGHTMARE/VIDEO_TS/VTS_01_1.VOB )
main debug: creating new input thread
main: playlist item `/Volumes/NIGHTMARE/VIDEO_TS/VTS_01_1.VOB'
main debug: waiting for thread completion
main debug: thread 34276352 (input) created at priority 37 (src/input/input.c:257)
main debug: access `', demux `', name `/Volumes/NIGHTMARE/VIDEO_TS/VTS_01_1.VOB'
main debug: looking for access module
main debug: probing 7 candidates
dvdplay debug: plugin discarded (not a valid source)
dvdread warning: dvdread module discarded (not a valid source)
dvd warning: dvd module discarded (not a valid block device)
vcd debug: trying .cue file: /Volumes/NIGHTMARE/VIDEO_TS/VTS_01_1.cue
vcd warning: could not open /Volumes/NIGHTMARE/VIDEO_TS/VTS_01_1.VOB
cdda debug: trying .cue file: /Volumes/NIGHTMARE/VIDEO_TS/VTS_01_1.cue
cdda warning: could not open /Volumes/NIGHTMARE/VIDEO_TS/VTS_01_1.VOB
access_file debug: opening file `/Volumes/NIGHTMARE/VIDEO_TS/VTS_01_1.VOB'
main debug: using access module "access_file"
main debug: looking for demux module
main debug: probing 18 candidates
mp4 warning: MP4 plugin discarded (not a valid file)
avi warning: avi module discarded (invalid header)
asf warning: ASF plugin discarded (not a valid file)
ts_dvbpsi warning: TS module discarded (no sync)
ts warning: TS module discarded (no sync)
au warning: AU module discarded (not a valid file)
wav warning: WAV module discarded (not a valid file)
main debug: looking for id3 module
main debug: probing 2 candidates
id3tag debug: Checking for ID3 tag
main debug: using id3 module "id3tag"
main debug: unlocking module "id3tag"
a52sys warning: A52 module discarded
main debug: looking for id3 module
main debug: probing 2 candidates
id3tag debug: Checking for ID3 tag
main debug: using id3 module "id3tag"
main debug: unlocking module "id3tag"
mpga warning: mpga module discarded
mpgv warning: ES module discarded (system startcode)
livedotcom warning: SDP module discarded
mkv warning: matroska module discarded (invalid header 0x000001ba)
aac warning: AAC module discarded
main debug: looking for mpeg-system module
main debug: probing 1 candidate
main debug: using mpeg-system module "mpeg_system"
main debug: selecting ES 0xe0
main debug: looking for decoder module
main debug: probing 18 candidates
macosx debug: stream has changed, refreshing interface
main debug: using decoder module "libmpeg2"
main debug: thread 34563072 (decoder) created at priority -47 (src/input/input_dec.c:166)
main debug: dumping stream ID 0x0 [OK:0/D:0]
main debug: seekable stream, position: 0/10240 (-:--:--/-:--:--)
main debug: dumping program 0x0, version 0 (complete)
main debug: ES 0xbf, stream 0xbf, fourcc ` ', not selected [OK:0/ERR:0]
main debug: ES 0xe0, stream 0xe0, fourcc `mpgv', selected [OK:0/ERR:0]
main debug: ES 0xbe, stream 0xbe, fourcc ` ', not selected [OK:0/ERR:0]
main debug: using demux module "ps"
libmpeg2 debug: 720x480, aspect 576000, 29.971 fps
main debug: no usable vout present, spawning one
main debug: looking for video output module
main debug: probing 5 candidates
main: EOF reached
main debug: 1 loops consuming user: 291, system: 98
main debug: dumping stream ID 0x0 [OK:0/D:9]
main debug: seekable stream, position: 10240/10240 (0:00:00/0:00:00)
main debug: dumping program 0x0, version 0 (complete)
main debug: ES 0xbf, stream 0xbf, fourcc ` ', not selected [OK:0/ERR:0]
main debug: ES 0xe0, stream 0xe0, fourcc `mpgv', selected [OK:4/ERR:0]
main debug: ES 0xbe, stream 0xbe, fourcc ` ', not selected [OK:0/ERR:0]
main debug: unlocking module "mpeg_system"
main debug: unlocking module "ps"
main debug: unselecting ES 0xe0
main debug: using video output module "macosx"
main debug: looking for text renderer module
main debug: probing 3 candidates
freetype debug: Using fontsize: 30
main debug: using text renderer module "freetype"
main debug: got 8 direct buffer(s)
main debug: picture in 720x480, chroma 0x49343230 (I420), aspect ratio 4:3
main debug: picture out 720x480, chroma 0x49343230 (I420), aspect ratio 4:3
main debug: direct render, mapping render pictures 0-6 to system pictures 1-7
main debug: waiting for thread completion
main debug: thread 34576896 (video output) created at priority 37 (src/video_output/video_output.c:471)
main debug: unlocking module "libmpeg2"
main debug: thread 34563072 joined (src/input/input_dec.c:210)
main debug: killing decoder fourcc `mpgv', 13 PES in FIFO
main debug: no more selected ES
access_file: closing `/:///Volumes/NIGHTMARE/VIDEO_TS/VTS_01_1.VOB'
main debug: unlocking module "access_file"
main debug: pes: 1 packets
main debug: data: 1 packets
main debug: buffers: 2 packets
main debug: freeing info structures...
main debug: thread 34276352 joined (src/input/input.c:291)
main debug: vout garbage collector destroying 1 vout
main debug: unlocking module "freetype"
main debug: unlocking module "macosx"
main debug: thread 34576896 joined (src/video_output/video_output.c:496)
main debug: opening config file /Users/michaelmcdaniel/Library/Preferences/VLC/vlcrc
main warning: config file /Users/michaelmcdaniel/Library/Preferences/VLC/vlcrc does not exist yet
main debug: saving config for module "main"
main debug: saving config for module "livedotcom"
main debug: saving config for module "ffmpeg"
main debug: saving config for module "coreaudio"
main debug: saving config for module "macosx"
main debug: saving config for module "a52tofloat32"
main debug: saving config for module "access_file"
main debug: saving config for module "access_ftp"
main debug: saving config for module "access_http"
main debug: saving config for module "access_mms"
main debug: saving config for module "access_output_udp"
main debug: saving config for module "access_tcp"
main debug: saving config for module "access_udp"
main debug: saving config for module "adjust"
main debug: saving config for module "aout_file"
main debug: saving config for module "avi"
main debug: saving config for module "caca"
main debug: saving config for module "cdda"
main debug: saving config for module "clone"
main debug: saving config for module "crop"
main debug: saving config for module "deinterlace"
main debug: saving config for module "demuxdump"
main debug: saving config for module "demuxsub"
main debug: saving config for module "distort"
main debug: saving config for module "dummy"
main debug: saving config for module "dvd"
main debug: saving config for module "freetype"
main debug: saving config for module "gestures"
main debug: saving config for module "headphone_channel_mixer"
main debug: saving config for module "hotkeys"
main debug: saving config for module "http"
main debug: saving config for module "logger"
main debug: saving config for module "mkv"
main debug: saving config for module "motionblur"
main debug: saving config for module "rc"
main debug: saving config for module "sap"
main debug: saving config for module "slp"
main debug: saving config for module "subsdec"
main debug: saving config for module "transform"
main debug: saving config for module "ts_dvbpsi"
main debug: saving config for module "ts"
main debug: saving config for module "visual"
main debug: saving config for module "wall"
main debug: adding playlist item ´ dvdplay/ ª ( dvdplay:// )
main debug: creating new input thread
main: playlist item `dvdplay://'
main debug: waiting for thread completion
main debug: thread 35074048 (input) created at priority 37 (src/input/input.c:257)
main debug: access `dvdplay', demux `', name `'
main debug: looking for access module
main debug: probing 7 candidates
dvdplay warning: cannot stat() source `/dev/dvd' (No such file or directory)
dvdread warning: cannot stat() source `/dev/dvd' (No such file or directory)
dvd warning: cannot stat() device `/dev/dvd' (No such file or directory)
vcd warning: could not open /dev/cdrom
cdda warning: could not open /dev/cdrom
access_file warning: cannot stat() file `' (No such file or directory)
main warning: no access module matching "dvdplay" could be loaded
main debug: looking for access module
main debug: probing 7 candidates
dvdplay warning: cannot stat() source `dvdplay://' (No such file or directory)
dvdread warning: cannot stat() source `dvdplay://' (No such file or directory)
dvd warning: cannot stat() device `dvdplay://' (No such file or directory)
vcd warning: could not open dvdplay://
cdda warning: could not open dvdplay://
access_file warning: cannot stat() file `dvdplay://' (No such file or directory)
main error: no suitable access module for `/://dvdplay://'
main debug: pes: 0 packets
main debug: data: 0 packets
main debug: buffers: 0 packets
main debug: thread 35074048 joined (src/input/input.c:291)

[The DJ]

There are such statements, and it only proves you don't read README files.

[Guest]

There are such statements, and it only proves you don't read README files.

Please see my comments to your reply to my other post, but in short I did read the READ ME.rtf doc prior to installing, and if you will notice in this post, I suggest, and suggest only in the spirit of clear, accurate, explcit wording in terms of specifications to save all of us time and effort that such information be made available prior to dowloading. To get to the READ ME.rtf one has to download it, thus providing marketing data in the form of individual IP addresses of those who have downloaded the software, such addresses are then , or can be, made available to for profit enterprises by selling them for profit. It is not so different than the discount card at the supermarket which grants one free discounts only to have telemarketers hounding them day and night because they bought product X, or fill a demorgaphic model that company Y wishes to exploit.

Even after reading the READ Me file:

"4. The video is choppy! It's like we're dropping frames.
That's the normal behavior when the CPU isn't fast enough to decode all the frames. Though there is some room for improvement, don't ever expect VLC to be able to decode MPEG-2 streams or high resolution DivX on a low-end G3 machine."

The language "low-end G3" is vague, define what a low-end G3 is perhaps, determine a cut-off speed of say 600 MHz or so, and make this available before one downloads the software. Again, I offer this suggestion in good will and emphatically ask that we keep this on an obejective model of discussion.

Sincerely,

Michael

[The DJ]

It has something todo with lack of time......

[waterbug]

Again, I know this is freeware, but nothing is free, I am sure VideoLAN catches some type of benefit from folks downloading the software

I don't know whether or not you intended it, but your post is very close to insulting. The good folks who provide VideoLAN don't even have banner ads on their site, so I seriously doubt they're harvesting IPs or recovering any of the costs they incur to provide all of use with free software. Which, by the way, happens to be very good software and very useful.

On to your specific points, the definition of "low end" cannot be static because things change from release to release. As VLC adds features, it may get slower. As compilers get faster, it may get faster. As OS X adds new APIs or optimizes system libraries, it may get faster again. VLC may, at some point, incorporate the ability to use more of the graphics hardware that's available on some Macs, which may make it much faster.

Or, as silly users like me discover checkboxes and preferences, things can be made to work well that didn't work well before

For example, prior to 48 hours ago I would have claimed that DivX movies won't play on an iBook 600 w/o skipping, but since then I've proved that to be untrue.

But none of this is guaranteed, and none of it is fully documented because most OSS is developed in people's free time, for the good of the community.

Regarding how "useful" VLC is if it won't play DVDs on your machine, VLC is still _very_ useful for playing all sorts of other formats and codecs that are not supported by QuickTime Player.