Video lag (youtube for example)

Vuccappella

I'm getting a lot of sync issues between audio and video in video playback.

Mostly I use youtube however it's universal across all videos when using Vivaldi.

Issue is mot apparent when I have say 10-15+ tabs open and a few videos and playback speed is set to 2 or 2.5 times. Typical watch quality is 1080p.

It becomes almost unwatchable, in general the browser starts feeling very slow.

There's 0 chance it's on my computer as:

When using Chrome I have 0 such issues.
I have a 6800 and 5900 CPU with 32gb ram
GPU drivers up to date and no such issues in any other application.

Version: Vivaldi 4.2.2406.44 (Stable channel) (64-bit)

What I have tried so far:

Clear Cookies/Cache/App Cache/Storage
Test on a guest profile (same result after opening a few tabs and a few videos among them, set speed to 2 and quality to 1080p)

Here's some debug info:

From vivaldi://system (extensions):

abkfbakhjpmblaafnpgjppbmioombali : WorldBrain's Memex : version 2_19_2
ahfgeienlihckogmohjhadlkjgocpleb : Web Store : version 0_2
cjpalhdlnbpafiamejdnhcphjbkeiagm : uBlock Origin : version 1_37_2
clngdbkpkpeebahjckkjfobafhncgmne : Stylus : version 1_5_22
eimadpbcbfnmbkopoojfekhnkhdbieeh : Dark Reader : version 4_9_34
ekhagklcjbdpajgpjgmbionohlpdbjgc : Zotero Connector : version 5_0_91
jffbochibkahlbbmanpmndnhmeliecah : Vivaldi Picture-In-Picture : version 1_0
kbmfpngjjgdllneeigpgjifpgocmfgmb : Reddit Enhancement Suite : version 5_22_5
khncfooichmfjbepaaaebmommgaepoid : Unhook - Remove YouTube Recommended Videos : version 1_5_2
kmendfapggjehodndflmmgagdbamhnfd : CryptoTokenExtension : version 0_9_74
ldgfbffkinooeloadekpmfoklnobpien : Raindrop.io : version 6_4_7
mhjfbmdgcfjbbpaeojofohoefgiehjai : Chromium PDF Viewer : version 1
mlomiejdfkolichcflejclcbmpeaniij : Ghostery – Privacy Ad Blocker : version 8_5_8
mnjggcdmjocbbbhaepdhchncahnbgone : SponsorBlock for YouTube - Skip Sponsorships : version 3_1_2
mpognobbkildjkofajifpdfhcoklimli : Vivaldi : version 1_5
nffaoalbilbmmfgbnbgppjihopabppdk : Video Speed Controller : version 0_6_5
nkeimhogjdpnpccoofpliimaahmaaome : Google Hangouts : version 1_3_16
ohcpnigalekghcmgcdcenkpelffpdolg : ColorPick Eyedropper : version 0_0_2_36
pganeibhckoanndahmnfggfoeofncnii : Cold Turkey Blocker : version 4_2_5
ponfpcnoihfmfllpaingbgckeeldkhle : Enhancer for YouTube™ : version 2_0_106

Note that half of these extensions are actually disabled and I tested in a guest profile where all of them were disabled and it didn't make a difference. In chrome I have a simillar list of extensions enabled as well but no lag.

From vivaldi://media-internals: https://pastebin.com/0hsB68ph

From vivaldi://gpu: https://pastebin.com/X5cMhPfm

vivaldi://flags/#ignore-gpu-blocklist --> This is disabled
vivaldi://flags/#disable-accelerated-video-decode --> This is enabled

mib2berlin

@vuccappella
Hi, it seams there are two GPU on your system but I am not sure which one is used from Vivaldi.
Can you check the Windows task manager and/or Vivaldi task manager (Shift+Esc) about GPU usage?
Even with my GTX 2060 I have to set some flags to get max hardware acceleration what is a mess:

To make it clear, you have 15 tabs open and run multiple HD videos in background?
How many videos?

Cheers, mib

Vuccappella

@mib2berlin said in Video lag (youtube for example):

Even with my GTX 2060 I have to set some flags to get max hardware acceleration what is a mess:

Hey mib2berlin,

Thanks for trying to help.

I have no idea what these settings mean but I can for sure say that I only have 1 GPU in this computer. My processor also does not have an integrated GPU so I'm not sure where that would be coming from.

If you can tell me what flags I can try enabling/disabling to see if there's a performance boost - I can do that.

As for the tabs I'm running and videos:

I almost never have videos running simultaneously, however the issue seems to get worse the more tabs I have opened, especially if some of them are video content. So i might have 3 youtube pages opened, 2 of them would be paused in the background and I might be watching one in the main window and the one I'm actively watching would be lagging, especially if I'm increasing its speed (which I almost always do when watching information heavy content..the video and audio start to desync).

Very identical setup in chrome doesn't have these issues.

mib2berlin

@vuccappella
Hi, I struggle over:

GPU0	VENDOR= 0x1002, DEVICE=0x73bf, SUBSYS=0x0e3a1002, REV=195, LUID={0,64921} *ACTIVE*
GPU1	VENDOR= 0x1414, DEVICE=0x008c, LUID={0,73128}
Optimus	false
AMD switchable	false

It seams the VENDOR= 0x1002 is a Windows device which makes trouble, there are a lot of error results if you search for it.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/windows-seems-to-disable-displays-or-renderers/a6b30a23-c4e9-43fc-a33a-ebe8c7d1a3e2

I will check the next time back on Windows but I am using Windows 11 at moment.

Cheers, mib
EDIT: I use only the two flags showing in my screen shot but I guess this will not help here.

Vuccappella

I have an update on how to replicate this issue semi-reliably. Would be great if someone can look in to this.

Open youtube
Open a few videos in background tabs (my video default quality is 1080p so keep that in mind, the higher the quality the more lag you'll get as per usual)
Open a video in the main tab.
Play the video in the main tab - it will stutter, especially noticable desync between audio and video when sped up as well.

Note that the background tabs are actually not autoplaying all at the same time by default, they were just opened as background tabs, Vivaldi will only play 1 tab at a time automatically, usually that's your main opened tab.

If I then go and click on all the background tabs and 'activate' them even for just a split second and return to the main tab the issue is suddenly gone.

No, it's not a network issue as my internet is very good and because after I click on them for just a second they're all pre-loading as well.

Now sometimes this does not replicate it and I might need to open some extra tabs as well, sometimes it just goes away randomly and video starts working without previewing the other tabs either but most of the time the video would lag if I have some opened background tags that I haven't actauly previewed as the main window.

Vuccappella

another update: if you open a high res video it starts lagging but then if you switch to another tab and back it's suddenly fine so it's not even about having other background videos loading.

mib2berlin

@vuccappella
Hi, I test again and have no lag at HD or even 4K videos.
How do you set up HD view automatically, if I watch a low resolution video it always switch back to Auto setting.

Cheers, mib

Vuccappella

@mib2berlin . Usually in youtube in autoplays at 1080p but other websites are different and I manually change it but same result.

mib2berlin

@vuccappella
Hm, I cant reproduce it. I start several tabs including Youtube tabs, start a 4K video, start another HD video in a new tab open a third tab with a 4K video and so forth.
They all play simultaneously without lag.
I have two flags enabled:
#disable-accelerated-video-encode
#disable-accelerated-2d-canvas

Windows 11
i5 3570K 16 GB Ram
RTX 2060 Driver 471.41

Cheers, mib

Vuccappella

@mib2berlin said in Video lag (youtube for example):

disable-accelerated-2d-canvas

I have both of those enabled as well so seems to not be the root cause.

DrunkenDonkey

Hey I want to drop in here to say "me too". I watch videos in 480p that are barely watchable so vivaldi can play them without lagging, 1080 or even 720 is unbearable. Firefox, chrome, edge, all play them perfectly, this started couple of months ago.

I have 3 computes running vivaldi with same account, they sync, s same extensions, same everything and very few extensions:

ahfgeienlihckogmohjhadlkjgocpleb : Web Store : version 0_2
bmnlcjabgnpnenekpadlanbbkooimhnj : Honey : version 13_12_0
gokgophibdidjjpildcdbfpmcahilaaf : Download Plus : version 1_6_7
hdokiejnpimakedhajhdlcegeplioahd : LastPass: Free Password Manager : version 4_81_0_2
jlipbpadkjcklpeiajndiijbeieicbdh : The Great Discarder : version 0_1_2
kmendfapggjehodndflmmgagdbamhnfd : CryptoTokenExtension : version 0_9_74
mhjfbmdgcfjbbpaeojofohoefgiehjai : Chromium PDF Viewer : version 1
mpognobbkildjkofajifpdfhcoklimli : Vivaldi : version 1_5
neebplgakaahbhdphmkckjjcegoiijjo : Keepa - Amazon Price Tracker : version 3_88

Running nvidia 3060Ti with latest drivers, hardware acceleration on, I fail to see how this can happen. The playback is like that (assuming video is pre-cached and fully downloaded even, does not make a difference):

Play starts
GPU process stays at ~15%, tab process stays at ~2%
Few seconds later GPU process drops to ~3-5%, tab process maxes at 30-50%, video starts lagging like being played at 1/2 of the speed, audio stays normal
Some 10 seconds later GPU process hops to 30-40% for a split second, tab process drops to 5%, video "hops" to the current time and synchronizes with the audio with a short drop
All that repeats

Trying to investigate, I found that if I switch out to another program, like task manager or internal task manager (shift+esc) the video plays much much smoother. Also moving the mouse inside the youtube window making the controls show up makes DRASTIC difference for the worse, immediately starts lagging and tab process shoots up into the sky.
I have tried guest account too, with 0 difference, restarting does not help too, it is just like that. It happens at my work computer actually and I blamed something in windows/system until trying other browsers which work perfectly.

mib2berlin

@drunkendonkey
HI, Chrome and Firefox use own video codecs, Vivaldi use system codecs.
I can watch two 4K videos on two Displays simultaneously on Windows 10/11 without any lag, GPU model is RTX 2060, driver 471.41.
I have a flag enabled,video decode.
Search for GPU in chrome://flags.

Cheers mib

DrunkenDonkey

Woah! Thanks MIB, that flag video decode, which I had enabled in vivaldi - disabled it and it is now working great! Both CPU and GPU dropped sharply when playing youtube and it is not lagging anymore! It is a miracle!
Also, before, when I close a tab that is playing youtube video it continued to "play" for about 5 seconds while vivalid is completely unresponsive, now it is instant!

DrunkenDonkey

Spoke out too soon... but with this video decode flag disabled my main news site videos are crashing right on trying to play with dead canary or something Turning it back to enabled fixes the crashing and ofc youtube starts lagging again...

Any other idea?

gragz

@drunkendonkey

Hello I have the same problem I think.
Haven't done much testing yet but it seems its the same as you.
Since a week all videos on my Vivaldi (last patch) are put automatically on 480p and if I chose 720p or 1080p its just not watchable. Video is slow and get desync with audio, then audio stops for a sec and video goes back to being sync but still slow and desync right away
No problem on firefox
I have a RTX 3060 with last driver.

Tried out disabling the Hardware-accelerated video decode and it seems to work normally again.

Or1i

Okay, I figured it out!
Switch the "Choose ANGLE Graphics Backend" setting from Default to OpenGL at vivaldi://flags. Now, I can play videos at 4K 60 fps in full screen without lag.
I disabled lazy load as well, but I don't think it matters.

MooseMountedMage

@Or1i

@Or1i said in Video lag (youtube for example):

Okay, I figured it out!
Switch the "Choose ANGLE Graphics Backend" setting from Default to OpenGL at vivaldi://flags. Now, I can play videos at 4K 60 fps in full screen without lag.
I disabled lazy load as well, but I don't think it matters.

I got a new video card (big upgrade from 760 to 4070) and I started getting this issue - video on twitch, youtube etc was very choppy. Thankfully google led me to this post and going to vivaldi://flags and changing the option you stated to OpenGL completely fixed my issue! No more choppy video. Thanks a ton!