VLC doesn't play V_AV1 codec video

[gipsyshadow]

I'm running ubuntu 18.04.1 with 4.18.0-25 kernel (because it's the latest one that doesn't freeze my ubuntu graphics) and I'm running VLC 3.0.8. I've got some MKV files and every time I open them with VLC I can only hear audio but video doesn't play. I tried to watch them with vlc in win10 and they play perfectly.
That's the error message I get


Codec not supported
VLC could not decode the format "av01" (AOMedia's AV1 Video)

These are some MKV file details:


Format : Matroska
Format version : Version 4 / Version 2
File size : 162 MiB
Duration : 1 h 0 min
Overall bit rate : 377 kb/s
Writing application : Lavf58.12.100
Writing library : Lavf58.12.100
ErrorDetectionType : Per level 1

Video
ID : 1
Format : V_AV1
Codec ID : V_AV1
Duration : 1 h 0 min
Width : 848 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 25.000 FPS
Color space : YUV
Title : ISO Media file produced by Google Inc.
Default : Yes
Forced : No
Color range : Limited
Color primaries : BT.709
Transfer characteristics : BT.709
Matrix coefficients : BT.709

How to solve?

[CelticWarrior]

The situation probably is the same since this Q&A: https://askubuntu.com/questions/1061908/how-to-encode-and-playback-video-with-the-av1-codec-on-bionic-beaver-18-04

[gipsyshadow]

Well, I'm very newbie anyway I guess there's a hope with vlc:


vlc: Downloaded from the Bionic Beaver Repository does not support AV1 files. This support could be compiled in from vlc version 3.0 and greater. See screenshot below...

it seems to work but how to compile and especially... what does "compile" mean? :) Could you please tell me what to do step-by-step?

Another question about that:


Going to Firefox's about:config page and setting media.av1.enabled to true. Firefox 63.0 and newer have built-in AV1 support but it's currently disabled by default.

My problem deals with vlc and mkv BUT I wander if it could be possible to play a local mkv file within firefox 75.0, I mean using FF as a player.

[CelticWarrior]

If - and it's a big if - the support was added to versions 3.x you don't need to compile from source and you already have that version. Ubuntu 20.04 has by default 3.0.10. Version 4.0 (dev branch) also available as snap.

According to one of the answers (in 2018) the beta (snap) version has support already. So, you may uninstall the VLC you have now which is probably the standard software in the Ubuntu repositories for 18.04 and then install the beta snap:


sudo snap install vlc --beta
(or replace --beta with --edge if you're brave enough to install the bleeding edge 4.0.x version).


Finally, this thread title is wrong and misleading. The problem has nothing to do with MKV. MKV is just a container. The problem is the proprietary codec used withing the AV streams inside the container.

[gipsyshadow]

Ok, so let's try that "IF". Before that, I mean before removing my standard apt-vlc and installing snap-vlc, I want to ask something. I've just read something about the differences between apt installing and snap installing and these are my questions:
1) will snap installation be as easy as the apt one?
2) (if I've understood all) can I install newer vlc versions release by release via apt to test if they'll play "av01" properly and, if yes, remove snap-installed-vlc and keep the ubuntu standard-apt-vlc?


The problem is the proprietary codec used withing the AV streams inside the container.
Now I see. Unfortunately I can't edit the title itself, sorry.

[DuckHook]

…Unfortunately I can't edit the title itself, sorry.
The owner of a thread (you) can edit the thread title, but you must go into "advanced reply" where title can be edited above the comment window. I have already done this for you for this whole thread.

[SeijiSensei]

Try this. Install mpv and smplayer:


sudo apt install mpv smplayer

In my experience mpv plays everything I throw at it. I don't know why it's not the primary video player (with SMPlayer as the GUI front-end) on Ubuntu.

[monkeybrain20122]

Try this. Install mpv and smplayer:


sudo apt install mpv smplayer

See if they play with that software. It appears that mpv now has support for AV1, but that may be in newer builds.

In my experience mpv plays everything I throw at it. I don't know why it's not the primary video player (with SMPlayer as the GUI front-end) on Ubuntu.

The stock build is probably too old or crippled. I recommend mc3man's ppa (https://launchpad.net/~mc3man/+archive/ubuntu/mpv-tests).

[gipsyshadow]

I've just tried with smplayer and I've got the following error:


/usr/bin/mpv --no-config --no-quiet --terminal --no-msg-color --input-file=/dev/stdin --no-fs --hwdec=no --sub-auto=fuzzy --no-input-default-bindings --input-vo-keyboard=no --no-input-cursor --cursor-autohide=no --no-keepaspect --wid=60817446 --monitorpixelaspect=1 --osd-level=1 --osd-scale=1 --osd-bar-align-y=0.6 --sub-ass --embeddedfonts --sub-ass-line-spacing=0 --sub-scale=1 --sub-font=Arial --sub-color=#ffffffff --sub-shadow-color=#ff000000 --sub-border-color=#ff000000 --sub-border-size=0.75 --sub-shadow-offset=2.5 --sub-font-size=50 --sub-bold=no --sub-italic=no --sub-codepage=ISO-8859-1 --sub-pos=100 --volume=55 --cache=auto --screenshot-template=cap_%F_%p_%02n --screenshot-format=jpg --screenshot-directory=/home/master/Immagini/smplayer_screenshots --audio-pitch-correction=yes --volume-max=110 --term-playing-msg=MPV_VERSION=${=mpv-version:}
INFO_VIDEO_WIDTH=${=width}
INFO_VIDEO_HEIGHT=${=height}
INFO_VIDEO_ASPECT=${=video-aspect}
INFO_VIDEO_FPS=${=container-fps:${=fps}}
INFO_VIDEO_FORMAT=${=video-format}
INFO_VIDEO_CODEC=${=video-codec}
INFO_AUDIO_FORMAT=${=audio-codec-name}
INFO_AUDIO_CODEC=${=audio-codec}
INFO_AUDIO_RATE=${=audio-params/samplerate}
INFO_AUDIO_NCH=${=audio-params/channel-count}
INFO_LENGTH=${=duration:${=length}}
INFO_DEMUXER=${=current-demuxer:${=demuxer}}
INFO_SEEKABLE=${=seekable}
INFO_TITLES=${=disc-titles}
INFO_CHAPTERS=${=chapters}
INFO_TRACKS_COUNT=${=track-list/count}
METADATA_TITLE=${metadata/by-key/title:}
METADATA_ARTIST=${metadata/by-key/artist:}
METADATA_ALBUM=${metadata/by-key/album:}
METADATA_GENRE=${metadata/by-key/genre:}
METADATA_DATE=${metadata/by-key/date:}
METADATA_TRACK=${metadata/by-key/track:}
METADATA_COPYRIGHT=${metadata/by-key/copyright:}
INFO_MEDIA_TITLE=${=media-title:}
INFO_STREAM_PATH=${stream-path}
--audio-client-name=SMPlayer --term-status-msg=STATUS: ${=time-pos} / ${=duration:${=length:0}} P: ${=pause} B: ${=paused-for-cache} I: ${=core-idle} VB: ${=video-bitrate:0} AB: ${=audio-bitrate:0} /media/master/STORAGE/XYZ.mkv

Playing: XYZ.mkv
[mkv] Unknown/unsupported CodecID (V_AV1) or missing/bad CodecPrivate data (track 1).
(+) Video --vid=1 (*) ( 848x480 25.000fps)
(+) Audio --aid=1 --alang=eng (*) (opus 2ch 48000Hz)
Failed to initialize a video decoder for codec ''.
Video: no video
Exiting... (Errors when loading file)

in particular "Unknown/unsupported CodecID (V_AV1)".


The stock build is probably too old or crippled. I recommend mc3man's ppa (https://launchpad.net/~mc3man/+archive/ubuntu/mpv-tests).
if I understood well, I've to paste that in my terminal


sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mc3man/mpv-tests
sudo apt-get update

have I to do something else or just that?

[SeijiSensei]

Yes, after you've installed the repository and updated you need to run

sudo apt install mpv
It will replace your current version with the one in the repository.

[gipsyshadow]

The latest mpv (version 2:0.32.0+git4~bionic1) and smplayer (version 18.2.2~ds0-1) failed too. I've just removed them via ubuntu software and then their repos.
Now I'm going to try to install vlc via snap along with my "stock" vlc, I hope not to do a mess :)

[SeijiSensei]

See if it works by forcing mpv to use its av1 codec. It could be a problem arising from the naming scheme used by the video:


mpv -vd libaom-av1 /path/to/video/file

To see all the codecs available in mpv, use the command "mpv -vd help".

[gipsyshadow]

it works! thank you SeijiSensei :)
the codec was available for mpv


~$ mpv -vd help
Video decoders:
aasc - Autodesk RLE
aic - Apple Intermediate Codec
alias_pix - Alias/Wavefront PIX image
agm - Amuse Graphics Movie
amv - AMV Video
anm - Deluxe Paint Animation
ansi - ASCII/ANSI art
apng - APNG (Animated Portable Network Graphics) image
arbc - Gryphon's Anim Compressor
asv1 - ASUS V1
asv2 - ASUS V2
aura - Auravision AURA
aura2 - Auravision Aura 2
avrp - Avid 1:1 10-bit RGB Packer
avrn - Avid AVI Codec
avs - AVS (Audio Video Standard) video
avui - Avid Meridien Uncompressed
ayuv - Uncompressed packed MS 4:4:4:4
bethsoftvid - Bethesda VID video
bfi - Brute Force & Ignorance
binkvideo - Bink video
bitpacked - Bitpacked
bmp - BMP (Windows and OS/2 bitmap)
bmv_video - Discworld II BMV video
brender_pix - BRender PIX image
c93 - Interplay C93
cavs - Chinese AVS (Audio Video Standard) (AVS1-P2, JiZhun profile)
cdgraphics - CD Graphics video
cdtoons - CDToons video
cdxl - Commodore CDXL video
cfhd - Cineform HD
cinepak - Cinepak
clearvideo - Iterated Systems ClearVideo
cljr - Cirrus Logic AccuPak
cllc - Canopus Lossless Codec
cpia - CPiA video format
camstudio (cscd) - CamStudio
cyuv - Creative YUV (CYUV)
dds - DirectDraw Surface image decoder
dfa - Chronomaster DFA
dirac - BBC Dirac VC-2
dnxhd - VC3/DNxHD
dpx - DPX (Digital Picture Exchange) image
dsicinvideo - Delphine Software International CIN video
dvvideo - DV (Digital Video)
dxa - Feeble Files/ScummVM DXA
dxtory - Dxtory
dxv - Resolume DXV
eacmv (cmv) - Electronic Arts CMV video
eamad (mad) - Electronic Arts Madcow Video
eatgq (tgq) - Electronic Arts TGQ video
eatgv (tgv) - Electronic Arts TGV video
eatqi (tqi) - Electronic Arts TQI Video
8bps - QuickTime 8BPS video
escape124 - Escape 124
escape130 - Escape 130
exr - OpenEXR image
ffv1 - FFmpeg video codec #1
ffvhuff - Huffyuv FFmpeg variant
fic - Mirillis FIC
fits - Flexible Image Transport System
flashsv - Flash Screen Video v1
flashsv2 - Flash Screen Video v2
flic - Autodesk Animator Flic video
flv (flv1) - FLV / Sorenson Spark / Sorenson H.263 (Flash Video)
fmvc - FM Screen Capture Codec
4xm - 4X Movie
fraps - Fraps
frwu - Forward Uncompressed
g2m - Go2Meeting
gdv - Gremlin Digital Video
gif - GIF (Graphics Interchange Format)
h261 - H.261
h263 - H.263 / H.263-1996, H.263+ / H.263-1998 / H.263 version 2
h263i - Intel H.263
h263p - H.263 / H.263-1996, H.263+ / H.263-1998 / H.263 version 2
h263_v4l2m2m (h263) - V4L2 mem2mem H.263 decoder wrapper
h264 - H.264 / AVC / MPEG-4 AVC / MPEG-4 part 10
h264_v4l2m2m (h264) - V4L2 mem2mem H.264 decoder wrapper
hap - Vidvox Hap
hevc - HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding)
hnm4video - HNM 4 video
hq_hqa - Canopus HQ/HQA
hqx - Canopus HQX
huffyuv - Huffyuv / HuffYUV
hymt - HuffYUV MT
idcinvideo (idcin) - id Quake II CIN video
iff (iff_ilbm) - IFF ACBM/ANIM/DEEP/ILBM/PBM/RGB8/RGBN
imm4 - Infinity IMM4
imm5 - Infinity IMM5
indeo2 - Intel Indeo 2
indeo3 - Intel Indeo 3
indeo4 - Intel Indeo Video Interactive 4
indeo5 - Intel Indeo Video Interactive 5
interplayvideo - Interplay MVE video
jpeg2000 - JPEG 2000
jpegls - JPEG-LS
jv - Bitmap Brothers JV video
kgv1 - Kega Game Video
kmvc - Karl Morton's video codec
lagarith - Lagarith lossless
loco - LOCO
lscr - LEAD Screen Capture
m101 - Matrox Uncompressed SD
magicyuv - MagicYUV video
mdec - Sony PlayStation MDEC (Motion DECoder)
mimic - Mimic
mjpeg - MJPEG (Motion JPEG)
mjpegb - Apple MJPEG-B
mmvideo - American Laser Games MM Video
motionpixels - Motion Pixels video
mpeg1video - MPEG-1 video
mpeg2video - MPEG-2 video
mpeg4 - MPEG-4 part 2
mpeg4_v4l2m2m (mpeg4) - V4L2 mem2mem MPEG4 decoder wrapper
mpegvideo (mpeg2video) - MPEG-1 video
mpeg1_v4l2m2m (mpeg1video) - V4L2 mem2mem MPEG1 decoder wrapper
mpeg2_v4l2m2m (mpeg2video) - V4L2 mem2mem MPEG2 decoder wrapper
msa1 - MS ATC Screen
mscc - Mandsoft Screen Capture Codec
msmpeg4v1 - MPEG-4 part 2 Microsoft variant version 1
msmpeg4v2 - MPEG-4 part 2 Microsoft variant version 2
msmpeg4 (msmpeg4v3) - MPEG-4 part 2 Microsoft variant version 3
msrle - Microsoft RLE
mss1 - MS Screen 1
mss2 - MS Windows Media Video V9 Screen
msvideo1 - Microsoft Video 1
mszh - LCL (LossLess Codec Library) MSZH
mts2 - MS Expression Encoder Screen
mvc1 - Silicon Graphics Motion Video Compressor 1
mvc2 - Silicon Graphics Motion Video Compressor 2
mvdv - MidiVid VQ
mvha - MidiVid Archive Codec
mwsc - MatchWare Screen Capture Codec
mxpeg - Mobotix MxPEG video
nuv - NuppelVideo/RTJPEG
paf_video - Amazing Studio Packed Animation File Video
pam - PAM (Portable AnyMap) image
pbm - PBM (Portable BitMap) image
pcx - PC Paintbrush PCX image
pgm - PGM (Portable GrayMap) image
pgmyuv - PGMYUV (Portable GrayMap YUV) image
pictor - Pictor/PC Paint
pixlet - Apple Pixlet
png - PNG (Portable Network Graphics) image
ppm - PPM (Portable PixelMap) image
prores - ProRes (iCodec Pro)
prosumer - Brooktree ProSumer Video
psd - Photoshop PSD file
ptx - V.Flash PTX image
qdraw - Apple QuickDraw
qpeg - Q-team QPEG
qtrle - QuickTime Animation (RLE) video
r10k - AJA Kona 10-bit RGB Codec
r210 - Uncompressed RGB 10-bit
rasc - RemotelyAnywhere Screen Capture
rawvideo - raw video
rl2 - RL2 video
roqvideo (roq) - id RoQ video
rpza - QuickTime video (RPZA)
rscc - innoHeim/Rsupport Screen Capture Codec
rv10 - RealVideo 1.0
rv20 - RealVideo 2.0
rv30 - RealVideo 3.0
rv40 - RealVideo 4.0
sanm - LucasArts SANM/Smush video
scpr - ScreenPressor
screenpresso - Screenpresso
sgi - SGI image
sgirle - Silicon Graphics RLE 8-bit video
sheervideo - BitJazz SheerVideo
smackvid (smackvideo) - Smacker video
smc - QuickTime Graphics (SMC)
smvjpeg - SMV JPEG
snow - Snow
sp5x - Sunplus JPEG (SP5X)
speedhq - NewTek SpeedHQ
srgc - Screen Recorder Gold Codec
sunrast - Sun Rasterfile image
svq1 - Sorenson Vector Quantizer 1 / Sorenson Video 1 / SVQ1
svq3 - Sorenson Vector Quantizer 3 / Sorenson Video 3 / SVQ3
targa - Truevision Targa image
targa_y216 - Pinnacle TARGA CineWave YUV16
tdsc - TDSC
theora - Theora
thp - Nintendo Gamecube THP video
tiertexseqvideo - Tiertex Limited SEQ video
tiff - TIFF image
tmv - 8088flex TMV
truemotion1 - Duck TrueMotion 1.0
truemotion2 - Duck TrueMotion 2.0
truemotion2rt - Duck TrueMotion 2.0 Real Time
camtasia (tscc) - TechSmith Screen Capture Codec
tscc2 - TechSmith Screen Codec 2
txd - Renderware TXD (TeXture Dictionary) image
ultimotion (ulti) - IBM UltiMotion
utvideo - Ut Video
v210 - Uncompressed 4:2:2 10-bit
v210x - Uncompressed 4:2:2 10-bit
v308 - Uncompressed packed 4:4:4
v408 - Uncompressed packed QT 4:4:4:4
v410 - Uncompressed 4:4:4 10-bit
vb - Beam Software VB
vble - VBLE Lossless Codec
vc1 - SMPTE VC-1
vc1image - Windows Media Video 9 Image v2
vc1_v4l2m2m (vc1) - V4L2 mem2mem VC1 decoder wrapper
vcr1 - ATI VCR1
vmdvideo - Sierra VMD video
vmnc - VMware Screen Codec / VMware Video
vp3 - On2 VP3
vp4 - On2 VP4
vp5 - On2 VP5
vp6 - On2 VP6
vp6a - On2 VP6 (Flash version, with alpha channel)
vp6f - On2 VP6 (Flash version)
vp7 - On2 VP7
vp8 - On2 VP8
vp8_v4l2m2m (vp8) - V4L2 mem2mem VP8 decoder wrapper
vp9 - Google VP9
vp9_v4l2m2m (vp9) - V4L2 mem2mem VP9 decoder wrapper
vqavideo (ws_vqa) - Westwood Studios VQA (Vector Quantized Animation) video
webp - WebP image
wcmv - WinCAM Motion Video
wrapped_avframe - AVPacket to AVFrame passthrough
wmv1 - Windows Media Video 7
wmv2 - Windows Media Video 8
wmv3 - Windows Media Video 9
wmv3image - Windows Media Video 9 Image
wnv1 - Winnov WNV1
xan_wc3 - Wing Commander III / Xan
xan_wc4 - Wing Commander IV / Xxan
xbm - XBM (X BitMap) image
xface - X-face image
xl (vixl) - Miro VideoXL
xpm - XPM (X PixMap) image
xwd - XWD (X Window Dump) image
y41p - Uncompressed YUV 4:1:1 12-bit
ylc - YUY2 Lossless Codec
yop - Psygnosis YOP Video
yuv4 - Uncompressed packed 4:2:0
012v - Uncompressed 4:2:2 10-bit
zerocodec - ZeroCodec Lossless Video
zlib - LCL (LossLess Codec Library) ZLIB
zmbv - Zip Motion Blocks Video
libdav1d (av1) - dav1d AV1 decoder by VideoLAN
libvpx (vp8) - libvpx VP8
libvpx-vp9 (vp9) - libvpx VP9
bintext - Binary text
xbin - eXtended BINary text
idf - iCEDraw text
h264_cuvid (h264) - Nvidia CUVID H264 decoder
hevc_cuvid (hevc) - Nvidia CUVID HEVC decoder
mjpeg_cuvid (mjpeg) - Nvidia CUVID MJPEG decoder
mpeg1_cuvid (mpeg1video) - Nvidia CUVID MPEG1VIDEO decoder
mpeg2_cuvid (mpeg2video) - Nvidia CUVID MPEG2VIDEO decoder
mpeg4_cuvid (mpeg4) - Nvidia CUVID MPEG4 decoder
vc1_cuvid (vc1) - Nvidia CUVID VC1 decoder
vp8_cuvid (vp8) - Nvidia CUVID VP8 decoder
vp9_cuvid (vp9) - Nvidia CUVID VP9 decoder

in particular "libdav1d (av1) - dav1d AV1 decoder by VideoLAN"
and that's what i get running your command


~$ mpv -vd libaom-av1 /media/...../XYZ.mkv
(+) Video --vid=1 (*) (av1 848x480 25.000fps)
(+) Audio --aid=1 --alang=eng (*) (opus 2ch 48000Hz)
AO: [pulse] 48000Hz stereo 2ch float
VO: [gpu] 848x480 yuv420p
AV: 00:00:04 / 01:00:00 (0%) A-V: 0.000 Cache: 1771s/150MB

i've just tried also with


smplayer -vd libaom-av1 /media/...../XYZ.mkv

but i've got this error message


/usr/bin/mpv --no-config --no-quiet --terminal --no-msg-color --input-file=/dev/stdin --no-fs --hwdec=no --sub-auto=fuzzy --no-input-default-bindings --input-vo-keyboard=no --no-input-cursor --cursor-autohide=no --no-keepaspect --wid=58720275 --monitorpixelaspect=1 --osd-level=1 --osd-scale=1 --osd-bar-align-y=0.6 --sub-ass --embeddedfonts --sub-ass-line-spacing=0 --sub-scale=1 --sub-font=Arial --sub-color=#ffffffff --sub-shadow-color=#ff000000 --sub-border-color=#ff000000 --sub-border-size=0.75 --sub-shadow-offset=2.5 --sub-font-size=50 --sub-bold=no --sub-italic=no --sub-codepage=ISO-8859-1 --sub-pos=100 --volume=55 --cache=auto --screenshot-template=cap_%F_%p_%02n --screenshot-format=jpg --screenshot-directory=/home/master/Immagini/smplayer_screenshots --audio-pitch-correction=yes --volume-max=110 --ytdl --term-playing-msg=MPV_VERSION=${=mpv-version:}
INFO_VIDEO_WIDTH=${=width}
INFO_VIDEO_HEIGHT=${=height}
INFO_VIDEO_ASPECT=${=video-aspect}
INFO_VIDEO_FPS=${=container-fps:${=fps}}
INFO_VIDEO_FORMAT=${=video-format}
INFO_VIDEO_CODEC=${=video-codec}
INFO_AUDIO_FORMAT=${=audio-codec-name}
INFO_AUDIO_CODEC=${=audio-codec}
INFO_AUDIO_RATE=${=audio-params/samplerate}
INFO_AUDIO_NCH=${=audio-params/channel-count}
INFO_LENGTH=${=duration:${=length}}
INFO_DEMUXER=${=current-demuxer:${=demuxer}}
INFO_SEEKABLE=${=seekable}
INFO_TITLES=${=disc-titles}
INFO_CHAPTERS=${=chapters}
INFO_TRACKS_COUNT=${=track-list/count}
METADATA_TITLE=${metadata/by-key/title:}
METADATA_ARTIST=${metadata/by-key/artist:}
METADATA_ALBUM=${metadata/by-key/album:}
METADATA_GENRE=${metadata/by-key/genre:}
METADATA_DATE=${metadata/by-key/date:}
METADATA_TRACK=${metadata/by-key/track:}
METADATA_COPYRIGHT=${metadata/by-key/copyright:}
INFO_MEDIA_TITLE=${=media-title:}
INFO_STREAM_PATH=${stream-path}
--audio-client-name=SMPlayer --term-status-msg=STATUS: ${=time-pos} / ${=duration:${=length:0}} P: ${=pause} B: ${=paused-for-cache} I: ${=core-idle} VB: ${=video-bitrate:0} AB: ${=audio-bitrate:0} -vd

Error parsing option input-file (option not found)
Setting commandline option --input-file=/dev/stdin failed.
Exiting... (Fatal error)


last but not the least important thing: is it possible to do the same job for my current vlc or it works only for mpv?

[mc4man]

it works! thank you SeijiSensei :)
the codec was available for mpv

in particular "libdav1d (av1) - dav1d AV1 decoder by VideoLAN"
and that's what i get running your command


~$ mpv -vd libaom-av1 /media/...../XYZ.mkv
(+) Video --vid=1 (*) (av1 848x480 25.000fps)
(+) Audio --aid=1 --alang=eng (*) (opus 2ch 48000Hz)
AO: [pulse] 48000Hz stereo 2ch float
VO: [gpu] 848x480 yuv420p
AV: 00:00:04 / 01:00:00 (0%) A-V: 0.000 Cache: 1771s/150MB


last but not the least important thing: is it possible to do the same job for my current vlc or it works only for mpv?

To clear up -
My current 18.04 mpv build does not have libaom enabled in ffmpeg, the 20.04 build does. I added it for rare cases where libaom performs better than libdav1d, usually for 10bit encodes. Likely the next 18.04 build will get libaom as an option , note that current ffmpeg defaults to libdav1d.

So, your using -vd libaom-av1 has no effect and is ignored by mpv. While playing a vid go shift+i to get an overlay that would include decoder used.
Using just plain mpv /media/...../XYZ.mkv should work fine.

As far as smplayer or even gnome-mpv they also should work with no issue, no particular config needed, see screen.
In your case the smplayer you have is too old for recent mpv, error is "Error parsing option input-file (option not found)"
This was fixed in latest smplayer release, use the smplayer ppa.

edit: additionally, the snap version of vlc supports av1 thru libdav1d, .deb versions need libavcodecXX to have av1 support..

[SeijiSensei]

To pass parameters like "-vd codec" to mpv in SMPlayer I believe you need to add them via Options > Advanced > Mplayer/mpv. I've never tried using them on the command line.

[gipsyshadow]

So, your using -vd libaom-av1 has no effect and is ignored by mpv. [...] Using just plain mpv /media/...../XYZ.mkv should work fine.
ok, sorry but i was a bit confused about that. what i can tell is: before the SeijiSensei command mpv didn't play my mkv and after it played. now it plays that mkv without command line ("plain mpv"), i just don't know why.



In your case the smplayer you have is too old for recent mpv [...] use the smplayer ppa
ok, i solved "again" and now my mkv plays with smplayer 20.4.2. i ran the following commands:


sudo add-apt-repository ppa:rvm/smplayer
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install smplayer smtube smplayer-themes smplayer-skins

and i've just removed mpv player via sw center and then its repos because one av1 codec player is enough.
by the way: could i remove "smtube smplayer-themes smplayer-skins" now? i just need the "stock" player.



edit: additionally, the snap version of vlc supports av1 thru libdav1d, .deb versions need libavcodecXX to have av1 support..

i don't know if it can be "interesting" to get the latest vlc installed via snap, what do you suggest me? i see only the av1 codec playing advantage but what about drawbacks?

note @SeijiSensei, just for my future knowledge
i've tried to paste "-vd libdav1d" and then "-vd libaom-av1" too within "options" and then within "video filters" in smplayer but that error remained. did you mean to do that?

[mc4man]

ok, sorry but i was a bit confused about that. what i can tell is: before the SeijiSensei command mpv didn't play my mkv and after it played. now it plays that mkv without command line ("plain mpv"), i just don't know why.


ok, i solved "again" and now my mkv plays with smplayer 20.4.2. i ran the following commands:


sudo add-apt-repository ppa:rvm/smplayer
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install smplayer smtube smplayer-themes smplayer-skins

and i've just removed mpv player via sw center and then its repos because one av1 codec player is enough.
by the way: could i remove "smtube smplayer-themes smplayer-skins" now? i just need the "stock" player.



i don't know if it can be "interesting" to get the latest vlc installed via snap, what do you suggest me? i see only the av1 codec playing advantage but what about drawbacks?

note @SeijiSensei, just for my future knowledge
i've tried to paste "-vd libdav1d" and then "-vd libaom-av1" too within "options" and then within "video filters" in smplayer but that error remained. did you mean to do that?

I find this post^ a bit confusing..

smplayer can't play anything by itself, it's just a frontend. It uses either mpv or mplayer. So if you remove ppa mpv it'll use mplayer or repo mpv. In either case there is no support for av1.

Adding -vd libdav1d to options in smplayer is unnecessary, it's the default. Adding -vd libaom-av1 to smplayer in 18.04 is a waste as currently not supported.

The"latest"vlc snap, i.e 4.x is quite a change for vlc, I would never use. The 3.9.2 vlc snap is ok but tedious to browse to files..

screen shows option added to smplayer in 20.04 where it would have the intended effect (though libaom is a poor choice most of the time..

[gipsyshadow]

sorry, it was my fault because i'm very newbie. now i see smplayer's just a frontend and i see my misunderstanding.

now i'd like to understand what a snap installation of 3.9.2 vlc could mean for my personal case, i mean for my graphics issues because sometimes my ubuntu freezes due to that. in other words i've to evaluate if it's better to have stock vlc + smplayer (just to play av1 codec videos) or get only snap 3.9.2 vlc for everything.
so how to install 3.9.2 vlc via snap?

[mc4man]

sorry, it was my fault because i'm very newbie. now i see smplayer's just a frontend and i see my misunderstanding.

now i'd like to understand what a snap installation of 3.9.2 vlc could mean for my personal case, i mean for my graphics issues because sometimes my ubuntu freezes due to that. in other words i've to evaluate if it's better to have stock vlc + smplayer (just to play av1 codec videos) or get only snap 3.9.2 vlc for everything.
so how to install 3.9.2 vlc via snap?You would have to try it and decide for yourself.
To make easier remove the .deb vlc if installed, this will remove all vlc packages, typically 15..


sudo apt-get purge vlc*.
Then install the snap version

sudo snap install vlc
When done open vlc as you've previously done.

To go back,

sudo snap remove vlc

sudo apt install vlc