VLC keeps crashing whenever I try to play an mkv file

[theocascades]

I hav trie so far to completely uninstall VLC. Both the easy way (deleting the app from the applications folder) and the advanced way (removing any files in the /library/preferences folder etc.). Unfortunately nothing seems to fix the issue. I installed another video app (GOM player) and it plays the video files without issues.
I am running Sonoma 14.1.1 on a M3 MacBook pro.

Any ideas would, be appreciated.

[wonshu]

Same here.

Came here just to report this.

MacStudio M1 Ultra, Ventura 13.6.1

Thanks for the tip of GOM - I hope it's not spying on me like crazy, but so far it doesn't seem to connect much. Fingers crossed.

[jggorman]

Me too on Macos Monterey! 3.0.16 does not crash. Others before the crashing 3.0.20 do not seem available to download.

[MystiqueWanderer]

Today, I faced this issue when I wanted to re-watch some old videos from my phone. They just couldn't run. I thought the problem was in the files, not VLC. But your post made me doubt the idea that files are wrong.

[fkuehne]

Hello,

Do you guys use more than stereo speakers to play your videos?

Thanks!

[MystiqueWanderer]

I ordered myself a portable speaker to watch videos. Sometimes, you can barely hear what a person on video says, especially when it comes to tutorials. But a friend of mine began using a portable speaker, and it works just fine.
If that's what you are asking about.

[fkuehne]

No, I was wondering whether the setup you were using where VLC crashed when playing videos that previously played fine involved an audio setup that is not just the speaker(s) included within your Mac.

[MystiqueWanderer]

To be honest, when everything works fine for me, then I don't play with setups and settings. I think my issue was with the video format itself. I wanted to re-watch videos saved on the portable HDD, which was made in 2006.

[mail4bharane]

same issue keeps crashing in macos sonoma. macbook pro hdmi connected to tv. following is the error log i got when i restarted my. machine from vlc.

Code: Select all

panic(cpu 0 caller 0xfffffe00324103b4): DCPEXT0 PANIC - IOMFB int_handler_gated: failure: axi_rd_err [0x40310400] - iomfb_driver(10) IOMFB int_handler_gated: failure: axi_rd_err [0x40310400] RTKit: RTKit-2413.1.1.release - Client: local-t600xdcp.release !UUID: 4bcc7a73-3ced-3fd9-a1c7-3238cf8e94ac Time: 0x0000001c30a5ecc0 Faulting task 10 Call Stack: 0x000000000001dfc4 0x000000000001d9c8 0x000000000001d7d8 0x00000000000209a8 0x00000000001cd1d4 0x00000000000fd6c0 0x000000000001e434 0x00000000000126d4 000000000000000000 RTKit Task List: name | pri | stack use | status | resource | warning 0 rtk_background | 007 | 880/2048 | SEMWAIT | 0x860770 | 0x000000000000e6e4 0x0000000000012b6c 0x000000000001e3c8 0x00000000000126d4 1 rtk_ep_work | 057 | 928/2048 | SEMWAIT | 0x85d810 | 0x0000000000011be0 0x0000000000012b6c 0x000000000001e3c8 0x00000000000126d4 2 log_tx | 007 | 384/2048 | SEMWAIT | 0x84a360 | 0x0000000000011be0 0x0000000000012b6c 0x000000000001e3c8 0x00000000000126d4 3 log_flush | 015 | 304/4096 | SEMWAIT | 0x8496f0 | 0x0000000000011be0 0x0000000000012b6c 0x0000000000023dbc 0x00000000000126d4 4 tracekit_work | 007 | 592/4096 | SEMWAIT | 0x847220 | 0x000000000000e6e4 0x0000000000012b6c 0x000000000001e3c8 0x00000000000126d4 5 Terminator | 015 | 432/2048 | SEMWAIT | 0x845d90 | 0x0000000000011be0 0x0000000000012b6c 0x000000000001e3c8 0x00000000000126d4 6 main | 015 | 6800/40960 | RUNNABLE | 0 | 0x000000000000e6e0 0x0000000000012b6c 0x000000000001e3c8 0x000000000000ce74 0x000000000000efd8 7 dcpexpert | 015 | 384/16384 | SEMWAIT | 0x842d80 | 0x0000000000011be0 0x0000000000012b6c 0x000000000001e3c8 0x00000000000126d4 8 power | 000 | 1504/65536 | RUNNABLE | 0x62d160 | 0x0000000000011be0 0x000000000001d2a4 0x000000000001cfe4 0x00000000000126d4 9 rtkitpmgr | 015 | 384/16384 | SEMWAIT | 0x83ddb0 | 0x0000000000011be0 0x0000000000012b6c 0x000000000001e3c8 0x00000000000126d4 10 iomfb_driver | 016 | 4304/16384 | RUNNABLE | 0 | [Faulting task] Compressor Info: 0% of compressed pages limit (OK) and 0% of segments limit (OK) with 0 swapfiles and OK swap space Panicked task 0xfffffe24dcf31048: 0 pages, 606 threads: pid 0: kernel_task Panicked thread: 0xfffffe24dd232060, backtrace: 0xfffffe5fc028b810, tid: 952 lr: 0xfffffe002f649288 fp: 0xfffffe5fc028b8a0 lr: 0xfffffe002f7a2074 fp: 0xfffffe5fc028b8c0 lr: 0xfffffe002f792bcc fp: 0xfffffe5fc028b930 lr: 0xfffffe002f791040 fp: 0xfffffe5fc028ba20 lr: 0xfffffe002f5f7aa4 fp: 0xfffffe5fc028ba30 lr: 0xfffffe002f648b64 fp: 0xfffffe5fc028bde0 lr: 0xfffffe002fe5a8c0 fp: 0xfffffe5fc028be00 lr: 0xfffffe00324103b4 fp: 0xfffffe5fc028be90 lr: 0xfffffe0031e46ab8 fp: 0xfffffe5fc028bec0 lr: 0xfffffe002fd574bc fp: 0xfffffe5fc028bef0 lr: 0xfffffe002fd5806c fp: 0xfffffe5fc028bf20 lr: 0xfffffe002f600ed8 fp: 0x0000000000000000 Kernel Extensions in backtrace: com.apple.driver.IOSlaveProcessor(1.0)[BFD8D86E-6E2B-3FDE-8CAF-9015DF04D919]@0xfffffe0031e45940->0xfffffe0031e472f3 com.apple.driver.RTBuddy(1.0)[2130B2A7-6939-309D-B935-45A52B6A3293]@0xfffffe00323ec670->0xfffffe003242bd17 dependency: com.apple.driver.AppleA7IOP(1.0.2)[0A128D7B-2DB2-3538-A28A-C14E921D8D47]@0xfffffe002ff55410->0xfffffe002ff66f87 dependency: com.apple.driver.AppleARMPlatform(1.0.2)[46E2D12C-E153-3DD2-999C-FFF05EC8A75E]@0xfffffe002fffb940->0xfffffe003004e227 dependency: com.apple.driver.IOSlaveProcessor(1)[BFD8D86E-6E2B-3FDE-8CAF-9015DF04D919]@0xfffffe0031e45940->0xfffffe0031e472f3 dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOReportFamily(47)[33EBDCB5-9A17-329E-8C87-F4ED89130494]@0xfffffe0031d9e120->0xfffffe0031da11b3 dependency: com.apple.kec.corecrypto(14.0)[56DAE22C-E793-3A85-8375-EE4F194FBDAF]@0xfffffe003273e680->0xfffffe003278e853 last started kext at 378752855: com.apple.filesystems.autofs 3.0 (addr 0xfffffe002eab8b10, size 5912) loaded kexts: com.apple.filesystems.autofs 3.0 com.apple.driver.AppleTopCaseHIDEventDriver 7400.26 com.apple.driver.AppleBiometricServices 1 com.apple.driver.CoreKDL 1 com.apple.driver.DiskImages.ReadWriteDiskImage 493.0.0 com.apple.driver.DiskImages.UDIFDiskImage 493.0.0 com.apple.driver.DiskImages.RAMBackingStore 493.0.0 com.apple.driver.DiskImages.FileBackingStore 493.0.0 com.apple.driver.BCMWLANFirmware4387.Hashstore 1 com.apple.driver.SEPHibernation 1 com.apple.driver.AppleUSBDeviceNCM 5.0.0 com.apple.driver.AppleFileSystemDriver 3.0.1 com.apple.nke.l2tp 1.9 com.apple.filesystems.tmpfs 1 com.apple.filesystems.nfs 1 com.apple.filesystems.lifs 1 com.apple.filesystems.apfs 2235.0.13 com.apple.IOTextEncryptionFamily 1.0.0 com.apple.filesystems.hfs.kext 650.0.2 com.apple.security.BootPolicy 1 com.apple.BootCache 40 com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeZlib 1.0.0 com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeDataless 1.0.0d1 com.apple.driver.AppleSmartBatteryManager 161.0.0 com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltIP 4.0.3 com.apple.driver.AppleCS42L84Audio 700.46 com.apple.driver.AppleAVD 732 com.apple.driver.AppleSmartIO2 1 com.apple.driver.ApplePMP 1 com.apple.driver.AppleSN012776Amp 700.46 com.apple.AppleEmbeddedSimpleSPINORFlasher 1 com.apple.AGXG13X 275.6 com.apple.driver.AppleT6000SOCTuner 1 com.apple.driver.AppleT6000CLPCv3 1 com.apple.driver.AppleM68Buttons 1.0.0d1 com.apple.driver.AppleMCDP29XXUpdateSupport 1 com.apple.driver.AppleJPEGDriver 6.1.1 com.apple.driver.AppleALSColorSensor 1.0.0d1 com.apple.driver.usb.AppleSynopsysUSB40XHCI 1 com.apple.driver.AppleSamsungSerial 1.0.0d1 com.apple.driver.AppleSerialShim 1 com.apple.driver.AppleAOPVoiceTrigger 300.7 com.apple.driver.AppleS5L8960XNCO 1 com.apple.driver.AppleEventLogHandler 1 com.apple.driver.ApplePMPFirmware 1 com.apple.driver.AppleProResHW 325.0.0 com.apple.driver.AppleAVE2 703.6.9 com.apple.driver.AppleMobileDispT600X-DCP 140.0 ** Stackshot Succeeded ** Bytes Traced 444382 (Uncompressed 1136784) **

[wonshu]

The crashes are still happening here.

I went back to 3.0.18 which seems to work fine.

Still on Ventura 13.6.1, updating now to 13.6.3.

I'll report back if it still happens... if I remember to do so...

[wonshu]

Updated macOS to 13.6.3

Crashes are still happening.

[MystiqueWanderer]

Perhaps it's worth trying to erase the VLC completely, delete all the files, and install it again. That's all I can suggest.

[wonshu]

Yeah, I thought I tried that - perhaps I'll try once more.

[Anirog]

Same here on macOS Sonoma, I installed a previous version of VLC version 3.0.18 and .MKV files open again.

Download VLC version 3.0.18:
https://download.videolan.org/pub/video ... 18/macosx/

[Ardentist]

No, I was wondering whether the setup you were using where VLC crashed when playing videos that previously played fine involved an audio setup that is not just the speaker(s) included within your Mac.

This is exactly what ist true for me! Almost all .mkvs I open with VLC immediately crash the app, except when I chose the Mac Studio Speakers as an audio playback destination for VLC. Then the video plays and everything works as it used to. I will try loading an older version, however, do you know the solution to this problem?

edit: I just figured out a workaround on my own. Actually, the app only crashed with my professional RME audio interface as destination selected. I then routed it to a virtual audio interface installed via software. This routes back to the RME audio interface and I don't get crashes any longer. It would be great to know, if there is some way of totally fixing this issue. And it would be great to know, if the other reported crashes are also related to audio interfaces or drivers.

[thetraintomars]

No, I was wondering whether the setup you were using where VLC crashed when playing videos that previously played fine involved an audio setup that is not just the speaker(s) included within your Mac.

This is exactly what ist true for me! Almost all .mkvs I open with VLC immediately crash the app, except when I chose the Mac Studio Speakers as an audio playback destination for VLC. Then the video plays and everything works as it used to. I will try loading an older version, however, do you know the solution to this problem?

edit: I just figured out a workaround on my own. Actually, the app only crashed with my professional RME audio interface as destination selected. I then routed it to a virtual audio interface installed via software. This routes back to the RME audio interface and I don't get crashes any longer. It would be great to know, if there is some way of totally fixing this issue. And it would be great to know, if the other reported crashes are also related to audio interfaces or drivers.

Thanks for posting your solution! I had the same crashing issue appear randomly, and I have an RME Digiface. I used Loopback to make a virtual output device and now the crashes are gone.

[smackaroni]

So I am running an Avid Carbon interface and if it is selected for audio, VLC WILL crash upon any attempt to play an MKV file. If its any other video file, no problem, but an MKV file will crash it when audio is running via the ethernet port/Avid Carbon IO. When I select audio in Mac System Settings and choose built-in speakers or HDMI, mkv files will play without incident. FWIW

It seems that any professional-level audio interface can not be used by VLC when an MKV file is in play.

[baward]

Hello,

Do you guys use more than stereo speakers to play your videos?

Thanks!

Yes, I do! Switching off my USB interface immediately let me play my mkv's and mp4's, no crashes. Hopefully there will be a fix for this at some point:-)

[dmsaudio]

Same issue as many...latest version of VLC, Mac Studio running Ventura 13.6.1 with pro audio interfaces and VLC crashes every time when trying to play am Atmos encode MP4 file. This file plays if the Mac audio is selected but not if the multichannel interface or even if Loopback is selected. Trying to test and listen to Atmos mixes in my studio. Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks!

[mibit]

This is exactly what ist true for me! Almost all .mkvs I open with VLC immediately crash the app, except when I chose the Mac Studio Speakers as an audio playback destination for VLC. Then the video plays and everything works as it used to. I will try loading an older version, however, do you know the solution to this problem?

edit: I just figured out a workaround on my own. Actually, the app only crashed with my professional RME audio interface as destination selected. I then routed it to a virtual audio interface installed via software. This routes back to the RME audio interface and I don't get crashes any longer. It would be great to know, if there is some way of totally fixing this issue. And it would be great to know, if the other reported crashes are also related to audio interfaces or drivers.

Thanks for the circumvention method. This only happens with a specific mkv video for me. It contains a 5.1 track with 3F2M/LFE encoded as A/52 B Audio, "which essentially the same thing as AC-3 (AC3)". I get the crash whenever I choose an output with more than two channels. What's strange is that I think I've played other videos with multi-channel audio before and this just mixed down to stereo. But I don't have those around now.

Here's a more direct workaround that performed at first try:

• In menu Audio select Stereo Image Mode
• Change from Original to Stereo

This likely mixes down the 5.1 to stereo. Be careful when setting this up and don't have the multi-output device selected beforehand as you cannot change this before you have started the movie.
I think the problem is the multi-output devices disagree with how VLC presents the many channels to it. I had a look at Configure Speakers for 5.1 in Audio MIDI Setup for these devices, but they looked perfectly usable to me.

VLC 3.0.20 under macOS 14.7 Sonoma on M1 MacBook.