[pulseaudio-tickets] [PulseAudio] #226: Issues with ALSA output in VLC

[PulseAudio]

#226: Issues with ALSA output in VLC
--------------------+-------------------------------------------------------
 Reporter:  coling  |       Owner:  lennart
     Type:  defect  |      Status:  new    
 Priority:  normal  |   Milestone:         
Component:  daemon  |    Severity:  normal 
 Keywords:          |  
--------------------+-------------------------------------------------------
 This could easily be a VLC issue but posting here for comment from those
 more knowledgeable than me.

 Originally reported via [Mandriva Bugzilla
 http://qa.mandriva.com/show_bug.cgi?id=36706].

 When trying to play something in VLC I get significant lag. I am using the
 ALSA output with the !default device set to the pulse plugin for ALSA.

 When playing a video, the audio lags by several seconds. The output from
 the pulse daemon is along the lines of:

 {{{
 D: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Sink
 alsa_output.pci_8086_27d8_alsa_playback_0 becomes idle.
 D: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Sink
 alsa_output.pci_8086_27d8_alsa_playback_0 becomes idle.
 I: sink-input.c: Freeing output 4 "ALSA Playback"
 I: module-volume-restore.c: Restoring sink for <pulsecore/protocol-
 native.c$ALSA plug-in [vlc]>
 I: module-volume-restore.c: Restoring volume for <pulsecore/protocol-
 native.c$ALSA plug-in [vlc]>
 D: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Sink
 alsa_output.pci_8086_27d8_alsa_playback_0 becomes busy.
 I: resampler.c: Using resampler 'speex-float-3'
 I: resampler.c: Using float32le as working format.
 I: resampler.c: Choosing speex quality setting 3.
 I: sink-input.c: Created input 5 "ALSA Playback" on
 alsa_output.pci_8086_27d8_alsa_playback_0 with sample spec float32le 2ch
 48000Hz and channel map front-left,front-right
 D: memblock.c: Memory block too large for pool: 19200 > 16368
 D: memblockq.c: memblockq requested: maxlength=3145728, tlength=2097152,
 base=8, prebuf=2088960, minreq=8192
 D: memblockq.c: memblockq sanitized: maxlength=3145728, tlength=2097152,
 base=8, prebuf=2088960, minreq=8192
 D: memblock.c: Pool full
 D: memblock.c: Pool full
 D: memblock.c: Pool full
 D: memblock.c: Pool full
 D: memblock.c: Pool full
 }}}

 This repeats for a long time. If I hit pause I continue to get several
 more. The video stops immediately but the sound keeps playing until it has
 caught up with itself.

 The pa output continues:
 {{{
 D: memblock.c: Pool full
 D: memblock.c: Pool full
 D: memblock.c: Pool full
 D: memblock.c: Pool full
 D: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Sink
 alsa_output.pci_8086_27d8_alsa_playback_0 becomes idle.
 D: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Sink
 alsa_output.pci_8086_27d8_alsa_playback_0 becomes idle.
 I: sink-input.c: Freeing output 5 "ALSA Playback"
 I: module-volume-restore.c: Restoring sink for <pulsecore/protocol-
 native.c$ALSA plug-in [vlc]>
 I: module-volume-restore.c: Restoring volume for <pulsecore/protocol-
 native.c$ALSA plug-in [vlc]>
 D: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Sink
 alsa_output.pci_8086_27d8_alsa_playback_0 becomes busy.
 I: resampler.c: Using resampler 'speex-float-3'
 I: resampler.c: Using float32le as working format.
 I: resampler.c: Choosing speex quality setting 3.
 I: sink-input.c: Created input 6 "ALSA Playback" on
 alsa_output.pci_8086_27d8_alsa_playback_0 with sample spec float32le 2ch
 48000Hz and channel map front-left,front-right
 D: memblock.c: Memory block too large for pool: 19200 > 16368
 D: memblockq.c: memblockq requested: maxlength=3145728, tlength=2097152,
 base=8, prebuf=2088960, minreq=8192
 D: memblockq.c: memblockq sanitized: maxlength=3145728, tlength=2097152,
 base=8, prebuf=2088960, minreq=8192
 D: module-hal-detect.c: dbus: interface=org.freedesktop.Hal.Device,
 path=/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/acpi_BAT0, member=PropertyModified
 }}}


 I can then hit the stop button and get the following.
 {{{
 D: module-hal-detect.c: dbus: interface=org.freedesktop.Hal.Device,
 path=/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/acpi_BAT0, member=PropertyModified
 D: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Sink
 alsa_output.pci_8086_27d8_alsa_playback_0 becomes idle.
 D: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Sink
 alsa_output.pci_8086_27d8_alsa_playback_0 becomes idle.
 I: sink-input.c: Freeing output 6 "ALSA Playback"
 I: client.c: Freed 7 "ALSA plug-in [vlc]"
 I: protocol-native.c: connection died.
 I: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Sink
 alsa_output.pci_8086_27d8_alsa_playback_0 idle for too long, suspending
 ...
 I: module-alsa-sink.c: Device suspended...
 }}}

 I've had pulse freeze up under certain circumstances when using VLC too.

 This is with pulseaudio 0.9.9 + some patches and vlc-0.8.6d

 Any thoughts on the issue appreciated.

-- 
Ticket URL: <http://www.pulseaudio.org/ticket/226>
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