Arch Linux

brando56894

Member

From: NYC

Registered: 2008-08-03

Posts: 681

[Solved] Really Odd Behavior for VLC

I've been having trouble playing videos for about the past month but I've just dealt with it, but this is really odd. VLC has been really slow when trying to seek through a video so I decided to install vlc-git, which has the same problem. Mplayer will play videos fine but doesn't have any controls, just the video window. SMplayer usually says "Filling cache" but never plays the video until I go to close it.

VLC always opens the video in a separate window than the rest of the program (controls/menus) but I just noticed now that the video is showing through multiple windows as a background! A video will play under my background (replaces the black) and will play as the background of Dolphin, it's even showing through certain parts of chrome!! Like I can see shades of the video showing through the text as I'm typing this up right now. I never seen anything like this before.

picture: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5ma-a … sp=sharing

video driver: nvidia 325.15-10
VLC: vlc-git 2.2.r55068.g0697e18-1
Smplayer: smplayer 0.8.6-1
Mplayer: mplayer 36498-2

Last edited by brando56894 (2013-11-11 03:55:02)

WonderWoofy

Member

From: Los Gatos, CA

Registered: 2012-05-19

Posts: 8,414

Re: [Solved] Really Odd Behavior for VLC

Not entirely sure what your issue may be, and I think you need to provide much more info to really get assistance with the issue.

But you say that mplayer doesn't have any controls.  This is not actually true.  It can be controlled with the keyboard quite extensively, as well as with a fifo.  But if you want on-screen controls for something like mplayer, the new version of mpv (which is a fork of mplayer2, which is a fork of mplayer) has this.  Use it just like mplayer, and when the video starts, move the mouse and you'll see a very minimal OSD pop up.  IMO, mpv is far superior to mplayer, and its development is incredibly active.

icepacks

Member

Registered: 2013-11-10

Posts: 1

Re: [Solved] Really Odd Behavior for VLC

A few things you can check out...

- Is "Set as Wallpaper" enabled in under the Video menu?

- Try manually changing the video output module, setting is located under Video in Simple settings mode, or "Output modules" in All mode.
You will have to stop and re-play the video to see any changes.

The fact it's not replacing the entire wallpaper and showing through windows sounds like it's more a video output issue, not the wallpaper feature.

Other than that, I'd recommend trying out mpv as well, or Dragon Player since you're on KDE.

brando56894

Member

From: NYC

Registered: 2008-08-03

Posts: 681

Re: [Solved] Really Odd Behavior for VLC

mpv seemed to work fine so I uninstalled all the others. Thanks!

WonderWoofy

Member

From: Los Gatos, CA

Registered: 2012-05-19

Posts: 8,414

Re: [Solved] Really Odd Behavior for VLC

I don't know that I would mark the thread as [solved].  It would seem that the original issue still stands, you have just worked around it by using mpv.  I'm not saying that mpv isn't an awesome player, as this is also what I use.  But I think that the issues with the other players might be an indication problems that might pop up in the future.

Maybe you should unmark it, and maybe someone who has experienced these issues as well might come across this thread and drop some hints as to what the issue might be. 

I think you should at the very least, create a fresh (disposable) username, run vlc, mplayer, etc from that account and see if the issues persist.  If they don't then you know that it is something to do with a configuration within your user's $HOME.  If they continue, then you might have greater issues to deal with.

brando56894

Member

From: NYC

Registered: 2008-08-03

Posts: 681

Re: [Solved] Really Odd Behavior for VLC

I've been having odd problems with KDE for ages (screen will go to sleep at random intervals, slow at installing packages on my SSD, K menu takes a second or two to pop up, etc...) and I think I have too much leftover crap on my box so I think I'm just going to finish my Arch respin that I'm making and do a reinstall.