v3.0 periodic frame drops/stuttering

[snix]

playing an mkv with h.264 video, the video freezes for a fraction of a second periodically at certain points in the video. playback of same file/scene in v2.2.8 looks fine. tried various h264/mkv files and they all freeze/stutter at one point or another in v3.0, but they all playback fine in v2.2.8.

os x 10.11.6

Code: Select all

main debug: VLC media player - 3.0.0 Vetinari main debug: Copyright © 1996-2018 the VideoLAN team main debug: revision 3.0.0-3-g7821ebf808 main debug: configured with /Users/d-fu/vlc-3.0/extras/package/macosx/../../../configure '--prefix=/Users/d-fu/vlc-3.0/release-3.0.0/vlc_install_dir' '--enable-macosx' '--enable-merge-ffmpeg' '--enable-osx-notifications' '--enable-faad' '--enable-flac' '--enable-theora' '--enable-shout' '--enable-ncurses' '--enable-twolame' '--enable-realrtsp' '--enable-libass' '--enable-macosx-qtkit' '--enable-macosx-avfoundation' '--disable-skins2' '--disable-xcb' '--disable-caca' '--disable-pulse' '--disable-sdl-image' '--disable-vnc' '--build=x86_64-apple-darwin17' '--host=x86_64-apple-darwin17' '--with-macosx-version-min=10.7' '--with-macosx-sdk=/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.13.sdk' '--with-breakpad=https://mac.crashes.videolan.org' 'build_alias=x86_64-apple-darwin17' 'host_alias=x86_64-apple-darwin17' 'CC=/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Toolchains/XcodeDefault.xctoolchain/usr/bin/clang' 'CFLAGS=-g' 'LDFLAGS=' 'CXX=/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Toolchains/XcodeDefault.xctoolchain/usr/bin/clang++' 'CXXFLAGS=-g' 'OBJC=/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Toolchains/XcodeDefault.xctoolchain/usr/bin/clang' 'OBJCFLAGS=-g' main debug: auto hiding mouse cursor main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 2628 ms) main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 54 ms) main debug: picture might be displayed late (missing 13 ms) main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 793 ms) main debug: incoming request - stopping current input main debug: killing decoder fourcc `mp4a' main debug: removing module "faad" main debug: removing module "normvol" main debug: removing module "compressor" main debug: removing module "simple_channel_mixer" auhal debug: Stopping the auhal module main debug: removing module "float_mixer" main debug: keeping audio output main debug: killing decoder fourcc `h264' main debug: removing module "videotoolbox" main debug: saving a free vout main debug: reusing provided vout main debug: removing module "subtitle" main debug: removing module "record" main debug: removing module "cache_read" main debug: removing module "filesystem" main debug: removing module "mkv" mkv debug: Stopping the UI Hook main debug: removing module "record" main debug: removing module "cache_read" main debug: removing module "filesystem" main debug: Program doesn't contain anymore ES main debug: dead input main debug: nothing to play main debug: destroying useless vout main debug: removing module "macosx" main debug: removing module "glconv_cvpx" main debug: removing module "freetype" main debug: removing module "yuvp" main debug: removing module "swscale" macosx debug: Playback has been ended macosx debug: Releasing IOKit monitor sleep blocker (9539)

[InTheWings]

videotoolbox related;

was working before because it was software only decoding

[billgates]

videotoolbox related;

was working before because it was software only decoding

Is there a nightly build to fix it?

[snix]

if i understand correctly, h.264 plays fine in v2.2.8 due to software decoding, but now it's stuttering due to hardware decoding?

is there some config setting to revert back to software decoding in v3? or is this a bug that will be fixed?

[fkuehne]

We will provide further refinements to the VideoToolbox based hardware decoding in the 3.0.1 shortly, which should improve playback performance.

[snix]

doesn't appear to be fixed in 3.0.1. :cry:

[fkuehne]

Please re-try in 3.0.2 once it is out. Thomas fixed a lot more issues with the hardware decoder for the next update.

[snix]

i've tried some of the latest 3.0.2 nightlies and this issue does not appear to be resolved. playback still stutters/freezes momentarily at the same point in the videos. the same scenes play smoothly in 2.2.8.

i wonder if something fundamental on the decoding side is being missed because these are h.264 video files that have played fine for years on vlc 2.x.x.

[snix]

this issue still exists in v3.0.2 for me. 2.2.8 continues to playback smoothly.

main debug: VLC media player - 3.0.2 Vetinari
main debug: Copyright © 1996-2018 the VideoLAN team
main debug: revision 3.0.2-0-gd7b653cf14
main debug: configured with /Users/d-fu/vlc-3.0/extras/package/macosx/../../../configure '--prefix=/Users/d-fu/vlc-3.0/build/vlc_install_dir' '--enable-macosx' '--enable-merge-ffmpeg' '--enable-osx-notifications' '--enable-faad' '--enable-flac' '--enable-theora' '--enable-shout' '--enable-ncurses' '--enable-twolame' '--enable-realrtsp' '--enable-libass' '--enable-macosx-qtkit' '--enable-macosx-avfoundation' '--disable-skins2' '--disable-xcb' '--disable-caca' '--disable-pulse' '--disable-sdl-image' '--disable-vnc' '--build=x86_64-apple-darwin17' '--host=x86_64-apple-darwin17' '--with-macosx-version-min=10.7' '--with-macosx-sdk=/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.13.sdk' '--with-breakpad=https://mac.crashes.videolan.org' 'build_alias=x86_64-apple-darwin17' 'host_alias=x86_64-apple-darwin17' 'CC=/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Toolchains/XcodeDefault.xctoolchain/usr/bin/clang' 'CFLAGS=-g' 'LDFLAGS=' 'CXX=/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Toolchains/XcodeDefault.xctoolchain/usr/bin/clang++' 'CXXFLAGS=-g' 'OBJC=/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Toolchains/XcodeDefault.xctoolchain/usr/bin/clang' 'OBJCFLAGS=-g'
main debug: auto hiding mouse cursor
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 417 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 2628 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 1628 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 2627 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 1002 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 55 ms)
main debug: picture might be displayed late (missing 14 ms)
main warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 174 ms)
main debug: incoming request - stopping current input
main debug: killing decoder fourcc `mp4a'
main debug: removing module "faad"
macosx debug: Store current playback position of 0.194547
main debug: removing module "compressor"
auhal debug: Stopping the auhal module
main debug: removing module "float_mixer"
main debug: keeping audio output
main debug: killing decoder fourcc `h264'
main debug: removing module "videotoolbox"
main debug: saving a free vout
main debug: reusing provided vout
main debug: removing module "subtitle"
main debug: removing module "record"
main debug: removing module "cache_read"
main debug: removing module "filesystem"
main debug: removing module "mkv"
mkv debug: Stopping the UI Hook
main debug: removing module "record"
main debug: removing module "cache_read"
main debug: removing module "filesystem"
main debug: Program doesn't contain anymore ES
main debug: dead input
main debug: nothing to play
main debug: destroying useless vout
main debug: removing module "macosx"
main debug: removing module "glconv_cvpx"
main debug: removing module "freetype"
main debug: removing module "yuvp"
main debug: removing module "swscale"
macosx debug: Playback has been ended
macosx debug: Releasing IOKit monitor sleep blocker (7163)

[Zombateen]

I am having the same problem. I do not understand any of the above. Any chance someone can explain for a non-tecky?

[snix]

with the latest 3.0.3 nightly, disabling hardware acceleration (under Preferences -> Inputs/Codecs) appears to resolve this issue. however 3.0.3 also crashes a lot, which i will describe in another post.

[Yashar]

I have the same problem. Vlc 3.0.4 does not work on my 4gb early 2010 dual core 2.7ghz Mac mini.it stutters terrible. But 2.2.8 is smooth!
Yet 3.0.3 in my other home was working smoothly on my 8gb late 2010 dual core 2.7ghz Mac mini.
Can somebody tell me a way to sort out my first machine's problem?

[basspig]

I have a diverse experience with 3.0.4.. I installed it on a new PC build whose specs are:

i7-9770K
32GB RAM
GTX1060

I was stunned to see this version of VLC play HEVC 4K video, smoothly with no sign of strain. CPU usage 1%, GPU, 38% peak.

Given that my other machine, a $15,000 NLE with:

dual Xeon E5-2667
128GB RAM
Titan X GPU

...struggled to play HEVC at all on v2.2.8 VLC, but could play h.264 smooth as butter at all resolutions, I figured "good, they finally added HEVC support to VLC" and so I installed it on the dual Xeon.

Boy, was I shocked. The differences could not be more than they are. VLC 3.0.4 cannot play any video above SD resolution! Even h.264 HD video will not play. It freezes for 10 seconds, then a few frames then freezes for ten seconds. Basically unusable. (To their credit, they did FINALLY fix the second monitor full screen bug--it works now.) But something went very wrong with playback on Maxwell GPUs. Even with acceleration disabled, it won't play. 4K or HD h.264, or 4K HEVC--it all behaves the same. Long freezes, then 2-3 frames play, then freezes.

But on the $1500 PC I threw together with Windows 10 Pro, it runs almost too good to be true.

[basspig]

UPDATE: Rebuilt the OS environment to Windows 10 Pro on the dual Xeon and HEVC playback runs almost as smooth as on the i7 machine.