Sound stuttering/hickups VLC 0.94 SPDIF

[flaago]

Hi.
I am using Vista 32 bit, AMD 4800 dual core, Spdif out to a surround receiver.
After 0.92 I got the surroundsound to work, as that was totally broken before, BUT still the sound is broken, and makes it impissible to watch mkv files in surround.

After ca 20-30 sek it comes a little hickup, and that comes in smaler and smaller intervals. After a min, I have sound hickups every 2 sek, and that makes it impossible to watch.

I have tried many many nightly builds also, but no luck. I have tryed to hurry up everything I can in the menu's but still hickups.

Anybody else having this? Havent seen any threads about it.

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

Are you using Waveout ?

[flaago]

yes ofcourse

[VLC_help]

Tools -> Messages... (set verbosity to 2) and start playback. When stuttering occurs, you see anything in log?

[flaago]

I doesnt see anything in messages when these stutterings occur, but I can post the log anyway. I just cut out parts of filename and my username.

ain debug: resyncing on Aliens.mkv
main debug: Aliens.mkv is at 0
main debug: creating new input thread
main debug: Creating an input for 'Aliens.mkv'
main debug: waiting for thread initialization
main debug: thread started
main debug: thread 5740 (input) created at priority 1 (input/input.c:370)
main debug: `C:\Users\\Desktop\Aliens.mkv' gives access `' demux `' path `C:\Users\\Desktop\Aliens.mkv'
qt4 debug: Updating the stream status: 3
main debug: creating demux: access='' demux='' path='C:\Users\\Desktop\Aliens.mkv'
main debug: looking for access_demux module: 1 candidate
main debug: TIMER module_Need() : 0.000 ms - Total 0.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.000 ms)
main debug: creating access '' path='C:\Users\\Desktop\Aliens..mkv'
main debug: looking for access module: 5 candidates
vcd debug: trying .cue file: C:\Users\Desktop\Aliens.cue
vcd debug: could not find .cue file
access_file debug: opening file `C:\Users\Desktop\Aliens..mkv'
main debug: using access module "access_file"
main debug: TIMER module_Need() : 1.000 ms - Total 1.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 1.000 ms)
main debug: Using AStream*Stream
main debug: pre-buffering...
main debug: received first data for our buffer
main debug: pre-buffering done 1408981 bytes in 0s - 687635 kbytes/s
main debug: creating demux: access='' demux='' path='C:\Users\Desktop\Aliens.mkv'
main debug: looking for demux module: 59 candidates
mkv debug: | + Seek head
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - info at 4135
mkv debug: | + Information
mkv debug: | | + TimecodeScale=1000000
mkv debug: | | + Muxing Application=libebml v0.7.7 + libmatroska v0.8.0
mkv debug: | | + Writing Application=mkvmerge v1.7.0 ('What Do You Take Me For') built on Apr 28 2006 17:20:19
mkv debug: | | + Duration=8227845
mkv debug: | | + Unknown (N11libmatroska10KaxDateUTCE)
mkv debug: | | + UID=1800859034
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - tracks at 4299
mkv debug: | + Tracks
mkv debug: | | + Track Entry
mkv debug: | | | + Track Number=1
mkv debug: | | | + Track UID=1
mkv debug: | | | + Track Type=video
mkv debug: | | | + Unknown (N11libmatroska19KaxTrackFlagEnabledE)
mkv debug: | | | + Track Default=1
mkv debug: | | | + Unknown (N11libmatroska18KaxTrackFlagForcedE)
mkv debug: | | | + Track Lacing=0
mkv debug: | | | + Track MinCache=1
mkv debug: | | | + Track TimeCodeScale=1.000000
mkv debug: | | | + Unknown (N11libmatroska21KaxMaxBlockAdditionIDE)
mkv debug: | | | + Track CodecId=V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC
mkv debug: | | | + Unknown (N11libmatroska17KaxCodecDecodeAllE)
mkv debug: | | | + Track CodecPrivate size=130
mkv debug: | | | + Track Default Duration=41708332
mkv debug: | | | + Track Language=`eng'
mkv debug: | | | + Track Video
mkv debug: | | | | + width=1280
mkv debug: | | | | + height=720
mkv debug: | | | | + Unknown (N11libmatroska22KaxVideoFlagInterlacedE)
mkv debug: | | | | + display width=16
mkv debug: | | | | + display height=9
mkv debug: | | + Track Entry
mkv debug: | | | + Track Number=2
mkv debug: | | | + Track UID=657350054
mkv debug: | | | + Track Type=audio
mkv debug: | | | + Unknown (N11libmatroska19KaxTrackFlagEnabledE)
mkv debug: | | | + Track Default=1
mkv debug: | | | + Unknown (N11libmatroska18KaxTrackFlagForcedE)
mkv debug: | | | + Track Lacing=1
mkv debug: | | | + Track MinCache=0
mkv debug: | | | + Track TimeCodeScale=1.000000
mkv debug: | | | + Unknown (N11libmatroska21KaxMaxBlockAdditionIDE)
mkv debug: | | | + Track CodecId=A_AC3
mkv debug: | | | + Unknown (N11libmatroska17KaxCodecDecodeAllE)
mkv debug: | | | + Track Default Duration=32000000
mkv debug: | | | + Track Language=`eng'
mkv debug: | | | + Track Audio
mkv debug: | | | | + afreq=48000
mkv debug: | | | | + achan=6
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - chained seekhead at 8199824347
mkv debug: | + Seek head
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 5644
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 1140393
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 2693807
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 4195249
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 5702490
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 7125595
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 8655516
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 10084508
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 10849748
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 11744702
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 12804024
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 13930477
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 14994118
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 15821664
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 17154718
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 18576208
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 19825211
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 20589239
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 21846095
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 23251096
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 24450678
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 25461520
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 26508816
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 27763805
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 28984424
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 30152633
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 31448878
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 32612107
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 34032338
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 35026676
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 36424248
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 37604717
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 38867403
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 40383061
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 41278803
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 42251665
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 43468744
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 44974225
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 46488887
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 48025777
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 49338685
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 50741259
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 52168561
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 53586842
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 54854510
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 56035137
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 56989656
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 58302310
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 59330372
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 60734815
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 61743593
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 62916857
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 64075493
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 65319644
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 66517687
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 67718763
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 69196177
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 70426650
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 71605633
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 72773755
mkv debug: | | + Seek
qt4 debug: New Event: type 1103
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 74083270
mkv debug: | | + Seek
qt4 debug: Updating the stream status: 2
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 75331670
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 76857322
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 78334516
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 79845355
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 81363777
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 82885074
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 84406465
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 85821448
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 87108359
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 88382243
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 89729714
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 91065042
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 92423041
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 93720289
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 94968311
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 96479492
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 97987361
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 99504455
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 101017797
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 102227930
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 103777674
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 105303594
mkv debug: | | + Seek
mkv debug: | - unknown seekhead reference at 106592005
mkv debug: | | + Seek
message warning: message queue overflowed
qt4 debug: New Event: type 1108
qt4 debug: New Event: type 1103
qt4 debug: Updating the stream status: 3
qt4 debug: Video is resizing to: 1280 720
qt4 debug: Qt FS: Attaching Vout
qt4 debug: Qt: Changing Fullscreen Mode
main debug: using vout window module "qt4"
main debug: TIMER module_Need() : 79.000 ms - Total 79.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 79.000 ms)
direct3d debug: created video sub-window
main debug: thread 5404 (Vout Events Thread) created at priority 0 (direct3d.c:206)
direct3d debug: Vout EventThread running
direct3d debug: disabling screen saver
main debug: using video output module "direct3d"
main debug: TIMER module_Need() : 100.000 ms - Total 100.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 100.000 ms)
main debug: waiting for thread initialization
main debug: thread started
qt4 debug: Updating the geometry
a52 info: A/52 channels:6 samplerate:48000 bitrate:448000
main debug: no aout present, spawning one
main debug: looking for audio output module: 5 candidates
waveout debug: Drivername: Digital utdataenhet (SPDIF) (Hi
waveout debug: Driver Version: 6.0
waveout debug: Manufacturer identifier: 0x1
waveout debug: Product identifier: 0x64
waveout debug: channel reordering needed
waveout debug: device supports 5.1 channels
waveout debug: device supports 4 channels
waveout debug: device supports 2 channels
waveout debug: device supports 1 channel
waveout debug: device supports A/52 over S/PDIF
waveout debug: OpenWaveDevice-ID: 0
waveout debug: waveformat.Format.cbSize = 0
waveout debug: waveformat.Format.wFormatTag = 146
waveout debug: waveformat.Format.nChannels = 2
waveout debug: waveformat.Format.nSamplesPerSec = 48000
waveout debug: waveformat.Format.nAvgBytesPerSec = 192000
waveout debug: waveformat.Format.nBlockAlign = 4
waveout debug: waveformat.Format.wBitsPerSample = 16
waveout debug: waveformat.Samples.wValidBitsPerSample = 16
waveout debug: waveformat.Samples.wSamplesPerBlock = 16
waveout debug: waveformat.dwChannelMask = 3
main debug: thread 5724 (waveOut Notification Thread) created at priority 1 (waveout.c:437)
main debug: using audio output module "waveout"
main debug: TIMER module_Need() : 31.000 ms - Total 31.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 31.000 ms)
main debug: output 'spdi' 48000 Hz 3F2R/LFE frame=1536 samples/6144 bytes
main debug: mixer 'a52 ' 48000 Hz 3F2R/LFE frame=1536 samples/6144 bytes
main debug: filter(s) 'a52 '->'spdi' 48000 Hz->48000 Hz 3F2R/LFE->3F2R/LFE
main debug: looking for audio filter module: 24 candidates
main debug: using audio filter module "a52tospdif"
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 mixer module: 3 candidates
main debug: using audio mixer module "spdif_mixer"
main debug: TIMER module_Need() : 1.000 ms - Total 1.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 1.000 ms)
main debug: input 'a52 ' 48000 Hz 3F2R/LFE frame=1536 samples/1792 bytes
waveout debug: Wakeup sleeping output thread.
main debug: thread started
waveout debug: will start to play in 257000 us
direct3d debug: Direct3D device adapter successfully initialized
direct3d debug: selected surface pixel format is YUY2
direct3d debug: 1 Direct3D pictures created successfully
direct3d debug: Direct3D scene created successfully
main debug: got 1 direct buffer(s)
main debug: picture in 1280x720 (0,0,1280x720), chroma I420, ar 16:9, sar 1:1
main debug: picture user 1280x720 (0,0,1280x720), chroma I420, ar 16:9, sar 1:1
main debug: picture out 1280x720 (0,0,1280x720), chroma YUY2, ar 16:9, sar 1:1
main debug: looking for video filter2 module: 19 candidates
main debug: using video filter2 module "i420_yuy2_sse2"
main debug: TIMER module_Need() : 0.000 ms - Total 0.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.000 ms)
main debug: indirect render, mapping render pictures 0-7 to system pictures 1-8
main debug: thread 5328 (video output) created at priority 1 (video_output/video_output.c:504)
qt4 debug: New Event: type 1109
main warning: late picture skipped (373000)
main warning: late picture skipped (331000)
main warning: late picture skipped (289000)
main warning: late picture skipped (267000)
main debug: looking for text renderer module: 2 candidates
main debug: thread 5192 (fontlist builder) created at priority 0 (freetype.c:477)
freetype debug: using fontsize: 45
main debug: using text renderer module "freetype"
main debug: TIMER module_Need() : 2.000 ms - Total 2.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 2.000 ms)
freetype debug: using fontsize: 45
main debug: thread started
freetype debug: Building font database...
freetype debug: Finished building font database.
freetype debug: Took 0 seconds
main debug: thread ended
main debug: looking for video blending module: 1 candidate
blend debug: chroma: YUVA -> YUY2
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 warning: late picture skipped (173000)
main warning: late picture skipped (131000)
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The late picture skippings are not related to the audio problems, just happened when I was changing from vlc to this window etc.

[VLC_help]

Same problem with other AC3 files also or just with MKV ones?

[flaago]

I dunno really, will look for files with ac3 and try

[RandyVanF]

I have the same trouble with SPDIF no matter what file type I use (DVD, .mk4, etc). It stutters from the very begginning. It sounds like it is playing the same thing over and over again in small increments of about 250 ms. Like uh, uh, uh, ee, ee, ee, and so on.

I have not been successfull in using the SDIF audio on any version of VLC that I have used. I have resorted to just listening in stereo..

I have an ASUS P5E-VM HDMI motherboard running all the latest drivers. I run Vista Ultimate x64. I have 4 GB of Ram and Intel E8400 CPU.

Note, I have tried the older drivers from ASUS's site as well.

I would be glad to help test in any way I can.

Thanks
Randy

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

I have the same trouble with SPDIF no matter what file type I use (DVD, .mk4, etc). It stutters from the very begginning. It sounds like it is playing the same thing over and over again in small increments of about 250 ms. Like uh, uh, uh, ee, ee, ee, and so on.

I have not been successfull in using the SDIF audio on any version of VLC that I have used. I have resorted to just listening in stereo..

I have an ASUS P5E-VM HDMI motherboard running all the latest drivers. I run Vista Ultimate x64. I have 4 GB of Ram and Intel E8400 CPU.

Note, I have tried the older drivers from ASUS's site as well.

I would be glad to help test in any way I can.

Thanks
Randy

Use Waveout audio output module.

[RandyVanF]

Yes, that did it..

Thanks
Randy

[flaago]

I tried a MKV file with DTS and then it was no problem, so it looks like its only AC3 that have those mini lags on my machine. ( still havent found another ac3 file without it beeing MKV )

Im new to this, is it possible to use an external codec that can handle the ac3 without too much hazzle?

[VLC_help]

VLC can't use external decoders.

http://www.diatonis.com/downloads_dts_ac3.html
there are some AC3 samples, try Structure of Ambient Life - Dolby Digital AC-3 File or Currents - Dolby Digital AC-3 File.

[flaago]

Thanks.
I now tried the ac3 sample you provided, and it went smoothly for ca 60-90 sec... then the hickups start, ca once every 1-2 seconds. When I press pause, and start again, then the sound is good for another 60 seconds before the hickups start again.
When I watch mkv movies, this happens faster, already after 20-40 seconds.

[VLC_help]

Does the AC3 file playback give any errors/warnings to message log when problems show up?

[bowa]

Hi All and many thanks to the Dev Team for VLC!

HOWEVER - the stuttering problem when playing AC3 files through SPDIF seems as old as VLC!!! It has never been solved! I have run VLC on W2000, XP and Vista32/64, I have four differnet machines around me now with differnet HW, all with the same problem. I have read every post on the subject I could find, Googled a lot, but I have never ever managed to get Dolby Digital output through SPDIF from VLC without the horrible stuttering!

I get out Dolby/SPDIF nicely on Windows Media Player, Zoom Player, PowerDVD, WindDVD, but NEVER on VLC. Regardless of setting, "WaveOut", "Use SPDIF when available", etc, etc.

SO PLEASE, PLEASE, DEV TEAM, please address this ETERNAL BUG with some priority!

My very best
BoWa

[VLC_help]

There aren't any Win devs in VLC project that can fix it. I don't have S/PDIF hardware around for testing and atmo is very busy with other stuff. And what soundcard you use?

[vlacct3]

I second "Bowa." I have Realtek AC888, and no matter if I use DirectX or Waveout, there is a big stuttering problem with SPDIF. Since I like to use my external Dolby and DTS decoder, this lack of good SPDIF is the only reason I'm still using Media Player Classic.

[flaago]

Well it is 100 times better than it was before, when U only had a 0.2 sec loop, now its close to the real thing, but still very very annoying.
Do you two guys only have it in ac3 also?

[dolezelt]

solution> viewtopic.php?f=14&t=52182&p=169602&hilit=spdif#p174078