VLC slow load from file manager

[dangillmor]

Ubuntu 14.10 (64-bit), VLC 2.2.0-rc1 Weatherwax:

The first time I launch a video from the file manager all is well. But when I close it and launch another, there's a long delay before the new file launches -- 15-20 seconds or so.

Another user posted a video of this behavior: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKYPb7sKzIo

However, if VLC is open and I select another file from the application's menu, it opens immediately.

I ran it from the command line and got this repeated error message (though it didn't seem to interfere with the video):

Failed to open VDPAU backend libvdpau_i965.so: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory

[quillerszasza]

Same thing here. I figured out that if I create a totally irrelevant, empty testfile, and try to delete it after I closed a video in VLC, than nautilus greys out for about 20 seconds before actually deleting the file. This happens with all GTK based file managers under Unity. Deleting from the command line works perfectly.
Totem player seems to not cause this issue, probably a library causes this weird stall.

[monkeybrain20122]

vlc-2.2.0-rc2 works fine here.

[monkeybrain20122]

Failed to open VDPAU backend libvdpau_i965.so: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory

Looks like vlc is somehow configured to use vdpau but it is not supported by your grapic driver. Turn of vdpau in vlc from Tools > Preferences > Input/Codecs > hardware acceleration decoding and Tools > Preferences > Video > Output

What is your graphic card? It is kind of weird error as i965 is intel and uses vaapi for hardware decoding rather than vdpau.

[dangillmor]

$ lspci | grep VGA

VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Haswell-ULT Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 09)

How can I get it to use vaapi instead of vdpau? Is there a way to uninstall vdpau?

Thanks for your help!

[monkeybrain20122]

In Tools > Preferences > Input/Codecs > hardware acceleration decoding and Tools > Preferences > Video > Output both choose automatic should use vaapi if you have i965-va-driver installed

[dangillmor]

It does appear to be doing that, but is still looking for VDPAU. The super-slow load time has not changed.

Terminal output:

$ vlc
VLC media player 2.2.0-rc1 Weatherwax (revision 2.2.0~pre2+git20141011+r57575+24+12~ubuntu14.10.1)
[0000000001f18118] core libvlc: Running vlc with the default interface. Use 'cvlc' to use vlc without interface.
libva info: VA-API version 0.35.1
libva info: va_getDriverName() returns 0
libva info: Trying to open /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/dri/i965_drv_video.so
libva info: Found init function __vaDriverInit_0_35
libva info: va_openDriver() returns 0
[00007f0ddf70e578] avcodec decoder: Using Intel i965 driver for Intel(R) Haswell Mobile - 1.3.2 for hardware decoding.
Failed to open VDPAU backend libvdpau_i965.so: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
libva info: VA-API version 0.35.1
libva info: va_getDriverName() returns 0
libva info: Trying to open /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/dri/i965_drv_video.so
libva info: Found init function __vaDriverInit_0_35
libva info: va_openDriver() returns 0
[00007f0ddf70e578] avcodec decoder: Using Intel i965 driver for Intel(R) Haswell Mobile - 1.3.2 for hardware decoding.
libva info: VA-API version 0.35.1
libva info: va_getDriverName() returns 0
libva info: Trying to open /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/dri/i965_drv_video.so
libva info: Found init function __vaDriverInit_0_35
libva info: va_openDriver() returns 0
[00007f0ddf70e578] avcodec decoder: Using Intel i965 driver for Intel(R) Haswell Mobile - 1.3.2 for hardware decoding.
libva info: VA-API version 0.35.1
libva info: va_getDriverName() returns 0
libva info: Trying to open /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/dri/i965_drv_video.so
libva info: Found init function __vaDriverInit_0_35
libva info: va_openDriver() returns 0
[00007f0ddf70e578] avcodec decoder: Using Intel i965 driver for Intel(R) Haswell Mobile - 1.3.2 for hardware decoding.
libva info: VA-API version 0.35.1
libva info: va_getDriverName() returns 0
libva info: Trying to open /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/dri/i965_drv_video.so
libva info: Found init function __vaDriverInit_0_35
libva info: va_openDriver() returns 0
[00007f0da9008398] avcodec decoder: Using Intel i965 driver for Intel(R) Haswell Mobile - 1.3.2 for hardware decoding.
dan@dan-T440s:~$ vlc
VLC media player 2.2.0-rc1 Weatherwax (revision 2.2.0~pre2+git20141011+r57575+24+12~ubuntu14.10.1)
[0000000001463118] core libvlc: Running vlc with the default interface. Use 'cvlc' to use vlc without interface.
Failed to open VDPAU backend libvdpau_i965.so: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
Failed to open VDPAU backend libvdpau_i965.so: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory

[monkeybrain20122]

Hmm.. Instead of using 'automatic' maybe just choose vaapi explicitly in Tools > Preferences > Input/Codecs > hardware acceleration decoding (both x11 and DRM should work) and choose xvideo in Tools > Preferences > Video > Output

I think the slow load time of the second video maybe due to vlc not quite quitting the first one when you stop it. Try disable hd acceleration if the above doesn't fix it (or you can try update your graphic driver with a ppa)

[dangillmor]

Done (changed settings).

Re load time, VLC is still running in system monitor after I close the window. If I kill the process, I can immediately start a new file. What I can't figure out is why is hangs on for so long. This isn't happening to everyone, apparently, but for some of us it's pretty annoying. The workaround -- not closing the window and doubleclicking on a different file in the file manager -- is fine for now, however.

[monkeybrain20122]

Maybe try updating vlc to 2.2.0-rc2 if you don't mind compiling it.

The latest nightly tarball for 2.2.0 http://nightlies.videolan.org/build/source/?C=M;O=D