mplayer lags at high resolutions

plus_M · 2008-10-18 20:59:19

Setup information: Up-to-date Arch x86_64, Nvidia 8800GT with up-to-date closed source drivers, E6750 @ 3.2 GHz, Asus Xonar DX (which I only mention because in the outputs below you'll see "AUDIO: 48000 Hz, 2 ch, s16le, 128.0 kbit/8.33% (ratio: 16000->192000)", and this sound card does support 192kHz audio).

I recently bought a new monitor, which change my setup from one 1280x1024 screen and one 1024x768 screen to one 1920x1200 screen and one 1280x1024 screen, and now when I try to play content fullscreened it lags much more than it did before. I used to be able to watch h.264 encoded 720p content fullscreened on my larger monitor, but now It's slower even in a window than it used to be fullscreen. And fullscreened it's unbearably slow, unless I use -vo gl2 in which case it is slightly less but still glitchy and jumpy. Normally I use -vo xv, and I tried to use -vo xvidix but I wasn't able to get that to work at all. I even went so far as to buy CoreAVC Pro and was able to get that to work with mplayer, but it doesn't make anything better.

Here is my mplayer config file:

[default]
ass=1
embeddedfonts=1
vo=xv
fontconfig=1
sid=0
alang=jpn

Here is my output when I try to use -vo xv (with -vc coreserve):

MPlayer dev-SVN-r27799-4.3.2 (C) 2000-2008 MPlayer Team
CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU     E6750  @ 2.66GHz (Family: 6, Model: 15, Stepping: 11)
CPUflags:  MMX: 1 MMX2: 1 3DNow: 0 3DNow2: 0 SSE: 1 SSE2: 1
Compiled with runtime CPU detection.
127 audio & 254 video codecs
mplayer: could not connect to socket
mplayer: No such file or directory
Failed to open LIRC support. You will not be able to use your remote control.

Playing [m.3.3.w] Chaos Head - 01 (H.264) [462A8A3A].mkv.
[mkv] Track ID 1: video (V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC), -vid 0
[mkv] Track ID 2: audio (A_AAC), -aid 0, -alang und
[mkv] Track ID 3: subtitles (S_TEXT/ASS), -sid 0, -slang und
[mkv] Will play video track 1.
Matroska file format detected.
VIDEO:  [avc1]  1280x720  24bpp  23.976 fps    0.0 kbps ( 0.0 kbyte/s)
[ass] auto-open
[ass] Init
==========================================================================
Forced video codec: coreserve
Opening video decoder: [dshowserver] DirectShowServer video codecs
shm:/dshow_shm.5db627b0
sem1:/dshow_sem1.5db627b0
sem2:/dshow_sem2.5db627b0
Opening device
Called unk_IsDebuggerPresent
len: 992
ProductVersion: 1.7.0
Decoder supports the following YUV formats: YUY2 UYVY YV12 I420 
Decoder is capable of YUV output (flags 0x2b)
Setting fmt
Starting
Initialization is complete
VDec: vo config request - 1280 x 720 (preferred colorspace: Packed YUY2)
[PP] Using codec's postprocessing, max q = 4.
VDec: using Planar YV12 as output csp (no 0)
Movie-Aspect is 1.78:1 - prescaling to correct movie aspect.
VO: [xv] 1280x720 => 1280x720 Planar YV12 
Found DirectShow filterSelected video codec: [coreserve] vfm: dshowserver (CoreAVC DShow H264 decoder 1.3 for x86 - http://corecodec.org/)
==========================================================================
==========================================================================
Opening audio decoder: [faad] AAC (MPEG2/4 Advanced Audio Coding)
FAAD: compressed input bitrate missing, assuming 128kbit/s!
AUDIO: 48000 Hz, 2 ch, s16le, 128.0 kbit/8.33% (ratio: 16000->192000)
Selected audio codec: [faad] afm: faad (FAAD AAC (MPEG-2/MPEG-4 Audio) decoder)
==========================================================================
[AO OSS] audio_setup: Can't open audio device /dev/dsp: No such file or directory
AO: [alsa] 48000Hz 2ch s16le (2 bytes per sample)
Starting playback...
pts value <= previous: -0.292 ct:  0.000   0/  0 ??% ??% ??,?% 0 0 
************ 17.3 A-V:  0.001 ct: -0.021   0/  0 14%  3%  0.5% 1 0 
framecount=415
************
Destroying filter
Exiting... (Quit)

And here is the output with -vo gl2 (also with -vc coreserve):

MPlayer dev-SVN-r27799-4.3.2 (C) 2000-2008 MPlayer Team
CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU     E6750  @ 2.66GHz (Family: 6, Model: 15, Stepping: 11)
CPUflags:  MMX: 1 MMX2: 1 3DNow: 0 3DNow2: 0 SSE: 1 SSE2: 1
Compiled with runtime CPU detection.
127 audio & 254 video codecs
mplayer: could not connect to socket
mplayer: No such file or directory
Failed to open LIRC support. You will not be able to use your remote control.

Playing [m.3.3.w] Chaos Head - 01 (H.264) [462A8A3A].mkv.
[mkv] Track ID 1: video (V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC), -vid 0
[mkv] Track ID 2: audio (A_AAC), -aid 0, -alang und
[mkv] Track ID 3: subtitles (S_TEXT/ASS), -sid 0, -slang und
[mkv] Will play video track 1.
Matroska file format detected.
VIDEO:  [avc1]  1280x720  24bpp  23.976 fps    0.0 kbps ( 0.0 kbyte/s)
Opening video filter: [scale]
[ass] auto-open
[ass] Init
==========================================================================
Forced video codec: coreserve
Opening video decoder: [dshowserver] DirectShowServer video codecs
shm:/dshow_shm.9a6337b0
sem1:/dshow_sem1.9a6337b0
sem2:/dshow_sem2.9a6337b0
Opening device
Called unk_IsDebuggerPresent
len: 992
ProductVersion: 1.7.0
Decoder supports the following YUV formats: YUY2 UYVY YV12 I420 
Decoder is capable of YUV output (flags 0x2b)
Setting fmt
Starting
Initialization is complete
VDec: vo config request - 1280 x 720 (preferred colorspace: Packed YUY2)
[PP] Using codec's postprocessing, max q = 4.
VDec: using Planar YV12 as output csp (no 0)
Movie-Aspect is 1.78:1 - prescaling to correct movie aspect.
[swscaler @ 0x3269c70]using unscaled yuv420p -> bgr24 special converter
VO: [gl2] 1280x720 => 1280x720 BGR 24-bit 
[gl2] You have OpenGL >= 1.2 capable drivers, GOOD (16bpp and BGR is ok!)
[gl2] antialiasing off
[gl2] bilinear linear
Found DirectShow filterSelected video codec: [coreserve] vfm: dshowserver (CoreAVC DShow H264 decoder 1.3 for x86 - http://corecodec.org/)
==========================================================================
==========================================================================
Opening audio decoder: [faad] AAC (MPEG2/4 Advanced Audio Coding)
FAAD: compressed input bitrate missing, assuming 128kbit/s!
AUDIO: 48000 Hz, 2 ch, s16le, 128.0 kbit/8.33% (ratio: 16000->192000)
Selected audio codec: [faad] afm: faad (FAAD AAC (MPEG-2/MPEG-4 Audio) decoder)
==========================================================================
[AO OSS] audio_setup: Can't open audio device /dev/dsp: No such file or directory
AO: [alsa] 48000Hz 2ch s16le (2 bytes per sample)
Starting playback...
pts value <= previous: -0.265 ct:  0.000   0/  0 ??% ??% ??,?% 0 0 
************ 14.2 A-V:  0.001 ct:  0.005   0/  0  7% 69%  0.4% 6 0 
framecount=342
************
Destroying filter
Exiting... (Quit)

Note that the second one lags less and doesn't seem to vary depending on whether I have it fullscreened or not, whereas the former looks about the same in a window as -vo gl2 but fullscreened skips significantly more.
If necessary I can post more verbose output non-CoreAVC decodes, but I do not think that is the problem as it only skips more when I don't use -vc coreserve.

I have also tried viewing the file with VLC, which does not fare any better.

I can't help but think I should be able to fix this problem by modifying the configuration, as it used to work much better at the lower resolution, and when I'm in windows playing this with CCCP and MPC-HC it doesn't skip at all, fullscreened or otherwise. Does anyone see anything that could possibly be the problem?

timetrap · 2008-10-18 23:43:40

Well, I know when I tried to watch a 1080p on my poor GM945 it died. Have you tried disabling/detaching one of the monitors? I seem to remember something about dual monitors making graphics heavy apps lag/fail.

This may be a driver/resolution/codec problem. I would upstream this to the mplayer/codec devs.

carlocci · 2008-10-19 01:05:52

Are you using compiz or the like?
Did you try disabling the postprocessing filters?

I must admit I am able to watch heavier videos in windows (CCCP+mpc x11) than in linux (mplayer xv).

plus_M · 2008-10-19 14:13:14

@timetrap: I tried disabling the smaller monitor in nvidia-settings, but this did not make it any better.
@carlocci: I do use compiz, however I have tried both with and without compiz and there is no real change between the too. Also, I'm not entirely sure how to go about disabling the postproccessing filters if I'm even using any.

carlocci · 2008-10-19 14:26:51

these options are usually suggested by mplayer itself

-vfm ffmpeg -lavdopts lowres=1:fast:skiploopfilter=all

you could also try -framedrop

Do you have problems with other hd videos?

plus_M · 2008-10-19 15:07:58

carlocci: I have tried those options, it does not seem to help in the slightest. I do have this problem with any 720p video I try to play. It may be that the videos are h.264 encoded, but I do not have any non-h.264 720p content to test this with, and I am certain my computer is able to play these videos, as I am able to play them fine in Windows.

plus_M · 2008-10-20 02:06:27

I just booted into Windows and I can confirm that I am able to play these same files on the same computer in Windows just fine WITHOUT having to use CoreAVC. I think next I am going to try to play it in the framebuffer, but this will have to wait until I boot back into Linux.

Dheart · 2008-10-20 04:48:01

Try using VLC. For some reason there is one 720p video which lags in mplayer, but runs fine in vlc (no seeking, however)...

atomkarinca · 2008-10-20 19:49:27

More surprisingly, SMPlayer plays them fine while MPlayer lags.

carlocci · 2008-10-21 11:27:20

I just watched the same file in mplayer and I didn't notice any lag whatsoever (athlon XP 2400+).
You might want to look for another culprit (and I'm referring to you, video drivers and xorg!)

plus_M · 2008-10-23 01:00:31

@dheart: I did try using VLC (in fact, I downloaded the new VLC from the repos, realized it didn't have libass support, compiled it myself and sent a feature request in) and it was on the whole worse than mplayer in terms of skipping.
@atomkarinca: I would be very surprised if that were the issue... I can try that, but I believe that any improvement you see in smplayer is likely through config options set for smplayer that it simply passes to mplayer...
@carlocci: Can you give me your setup (mplayer configuration file, videocard model, videocard driver, and possibly xorg.conf)? I do believe you are right, and that the problem isn't with mplayer itself. I believe it has something to do with the scaling, possibly in the videocard drivers, possibly in xorg itself, but also possibly in my mplayer configuration.

Is there any more information I can give on my setup that would be informative?

plus_M · 2008-10-23 01:29:20

I just rebooted into linux, updated everything, configured the framebuffer and rebooted. I had it in 1920x1200x32 with vesa, and when I tried to play the same video with mplayer in the framebuffer two noticeable things happened: 1) the video only took up the upper left corner and I could not maximze it to the full screen size, and 2) it still lagged.
I backed up my xorg.conf and reran nvidia-xconfig, which seems to have changed nothing... it still lags no matter what vo I use. Here is my xorg.conf:

# nvidia-xconfig: X configuration file generated by nvidia-xconfig
# nvidia-xconfig:  version 1.0  (buildmeister@builder58)  Wed Oct  1 15:12:53 PDT 2008

# nvidia-settings: X configuration file generated by nvidia-settings
# nvidia-settings:  version 1.0  (buildmeister@builder58)  Wed Oct  1 15:13:37 PDT 2008

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier     "Layout0"
    Screen      0  "Screen0" 0 0
    InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
    InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
EndSection

Section "Files"
    RgbPath         "/usr/lib/X11/rgb"
EndSection

Section "Module"
    Load           "dbe"
    Load           "extmod"
    Load           "type1"
    Load           "freetype"
    Load           "glx"
    Load           "fbdevhw"
    Load           "record"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
    Option         "Xinerama" "0"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

    # generated from default
    Identifier     "Mouse0"
    Driver         "mouse"
    Option         "Protocol" "auto"
    Option         "Device" "/dev/psaux"
    Option         "Emulate3Buttons" "no"
    Option         "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

    # generated from default
    Identifier     "Keyboard0"
    Driver         "kbd"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"

    # HorizSync source: edid, VertRefresh source: edid
    Identifier     "Monitor0"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "LEN L220xwC"
    HorizSync       30.0 - 75.0
    VertRefresh     50.0 - 75.0
    Option         "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Videocard0"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "GeForce 8800"
    Option         "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "True"
    Option         "RenderAccel" "True"
    Option         "DamageEvents" "True"
    Option         "TripleBuffer" "True"
    Option         "InitialPixmapPlacement" "2"
    Option         "GlyphCache" "1"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device0"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "GeForce 8800 GT"
EndSection

Section "Screen"

# Removed Option "metamodes" "CRT: 1024x768 +1280+0, DFP: 1280x1024 +0+0; CRT: 800x600 +0+0, DFP: NULL; CRT: 640x480 +0+0, DFP: NULL"
# Removed Option "metamodes" "CRT: 1024x768_75 +1280+0, DFP: 1280x1024 +0+0; CRT: 800x600 +0+0, DFP: NULL; CRT: 640x480 +0+0, DFP: NULL"
# Removed Option "metamodes" "CRT: 1024x768_60 +1280+0, DFP: 1280x1024 +0+0; CRT: NULL +0+0, DFP: 1280x1024"
    Identifier     "Screen0"
    Device         "Device0"
    Monitor        "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "RenderAccel" "True"
    Option         "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "True"
    Option         "TwinView" "1"
    Option         "TwinViewXineramaInfoOrder" "DFP-0"
    Option         "metamodes" "DFP-0: 1920x1200 +0+0, DFP-1: 1280x1024 +1920+0; DFP-0: 1280x1024 +0+0, DFP-1: NULL"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Extensions"
    Option         "Composite" "Enable"
EndSection

This seems to have just changed my previous configuration. I'm going to try mucking around with it a bit to see if it gets any better.

EDIT: I just tried switching from twinview to xinerama with nvidia-settings (just a GUI xorg.conf configurator that comes with nvidia drivers) and now things play FINE when I use -vo gl2. However, compositing no longer works, and things look all-around cruddier. So I think the problem here is twinview... That makes me pessimistic about ever seeing improvement...

EDIT2: I think I just solved the problem. All I did was enable "Sync to VBlank" in the nvidia-settings configuration menus "X ServerXVideo Settings" and "OpenGL Settings". Now when I run with compiz DISABLED, things work fine. If compiz is running, however, it runs as cruddily as before, with all the tearing. This is not a huge issue however, as I am fine with disabling compiz whenever I want to watch HD content. I believe the key point here was that I needed OpenGL to sync to vblank, and XGL does not have this option (as far as I am aware), so it will not work as well when I am using compiz.

Last edited by plus_M (2008-10-23 02:17:20)

Arch Linux

#1 2008-10-18 20:59:19

mplayer lags at high resolutions

#2 2008-10-18 23:43:40

Re: mplayer lags at high resolutions

#3 2008-10-19 01:05:52

Re: mplayer lags at high resolutions

#4 2008-10-19 14:13:14

Re: mplayer lags at high resolutions

#5 2008-10-19 14:26:51

Re: mplayer lags at high resolutions

#6 2008-10-19 15:07:58

Re: mplayer lags at high resolutions

#7 2008-10-20 02:06:27

Re: mplayer lags at high resolutions

#8 2008-10-20 04:48:01

Re: mplayer lags at high resolutions

#9 2008-10-20 19:49:27

Re: mplayer lags at high resolutions

#10 2008-10-21 11:27:20

Re: mplayer lags at high resolutions

#11 2008-10-23 01:00:31

Re: mplayer lags at high resolutions

#12 2008-10-23 01:29:20

Re: mplayer lags at high resolutions

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