[SOLVED] Video playback stutters/lag in cinnamon

[ironhak]

Hello everyone.
So, this is the THIRD laptop this happens so it must be a Cinnamon problem.

Basically EVERY video playback (youtube, vlc, mpv, vimeo) lags/stutter, sometimes more noticiable and sometimes less noticeable. It's like the video halts for a few millisecs. every few seconds. The point is that to me it always starts to happen like a month after a clear installation.
This happened on a Lenovo Legion 5 with nvidia RTX (2020 model), a Thinkpad T14 gen 4 ryzen 5 and with a Thinkpad T490 i7. Everytime a fresh reinstallation of Linux Mint fixed everything.

Now it has started to happen a couple of days ago on my T490 and now that I reinstalled Mint, the problem went away. This happens in Mint 22 and previous version. You can find another topic where I mention this here: viewtopic.php?t=423239 Here I was on the Legion.

I'm opening this thread as a preventive way. Is there a way I can find out what is the root cause before it actually ienvitably happens again? I don't want to resintall mint again. This time I'm also keeping Timeshift snapshots, but the main problem with this is that I watch videos on my pc maybe once a week or every 2 weeks.

I saw that others also had this problem.

Any idea?

[ironhak]

... aaand here it goes. Now video playback lags and stutter. Please help somehow.

[ironhak]

I have a timeshift backup from the day I posted about this (22 nov 24) and on that day videos where playing smoothly.

Does anyone knows what to potentially look for inside that snapshot?

[Hoser Rob]

I have a timeshift backup from the day I posted about this (22 nov 24) and on that day videos where playing smoothly.

Does anyone knows what to potentially look for inside that snapshot?

I don't think so. A better way would be to run the update manager and select one update at a time. One of them quite possibly caused the problem. If you do one at a time you can see which one broke video playback. Kernel or mesa updates are obvious suspects.

Or you may have changed a setting or installed a driver?

It's hard to say of your problem is really similar to others you've seen here with no system info posted (the make/model isn't nearly good enough). Go to system reports ? system information and post the text here.

[ironhak]

Code: Select all

System:
  Kernel: 6.8.0-49-generic arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 13.2.0 clocksource: tsc
  Desktop: Cinnamon v: 6.2.9 tk: GTK v: 3.24.41 wm: Muffin v: 6.2.0 vt: 7 dm: LightDM v: 1.30.0
    Distro: Linux Mint 22 Wilma base: Ubuntu 24.04 noble
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: LENOVO product: 20N2S06A00 v: ThinkPad T490 serial: <superuser required>
    Chassis: type: 10 serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: LENOVO model: 20N2S06A00 v: SDK0J40697 WIN serial: <superuser required>
    part-nu: LENOVO_MT_20N2_BU_Think_FM_ThinkPad T490 uuid: <superuser required> UEFI: LENOVO
    v: N2IETA5W (1.83 ) date: 06/20/2024
Battery:
  ID-1: BAT0 charge: 26.5 Wh (52.5%) condition: 50.5/50.5 Wh (100.0%) power: 35.4 W volts: 12.5
    min: 11.6 model: LGC 5B10W13905 type: Li-poly serial: <filter> status: charging cycles: 40
  Device-1: hid-9c:58:3c:ef:e8:d0-battery model: Magic Keybo serial: N/A
    charge: N/A status: charging
  Device-2: hidpp_battery_3 model: Logitech Wireless Mouse MX Master 3 serial: <filter>
    charge: 100% (should be ignored) rechargeable: yes status: discharging
CPU:
  Info: quad core model: Intel Core i7-8565U bits: 64 type: MT MCP smt: enabled
    arch: Comet/Whiskey Lake note: check rev: C cache: L1: 256 KiB L2: 1024 KiB L3: 8 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 2305 high: 2342 min/max: 400/4600 cores: 1: 2298 2: 2301 3: 2300 4: 2301
    5: 2300 6: 2342 7: 2300 8: 2300 bogomips: 31999
  Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel WhiskeyLake-U GT2 [UHD Graphics 620] vendor: Lenovo driver: i915 v: kernel
    arch: Gen-9.5 ports: active: DP-3,DP-4 off: eDP-1 empty: DP-1, DP-2, DP-5, HDMI-A-1, HDMI-A-2
    bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:3ea0 class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: Lite-On Integrated Camera driver: uvcvideo type: USB rev: 2.0 speed: 480 Mb/s
    lanes: 1 bus-ID: 1-8:4 chip-ID: 04ca:7070 class-ID: 0e02
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 21.1.11 with: Xwayland v: 23.2.6 driver: X: loaded: modesetting
    unloaded: fbdev,vesa dri: iris gpu: i915 display-ID: :0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 3840x1080 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 1016x286mm (40.00x11.26")
    s-diag: 1055mm (41.55")
  Monitor-1: DP-4 mapped: DP-1-1 pos: primary,left model: LG (GoldStar) FHD serial: <filter>
    res: 1920x1080 dpi: 93 size: 527x296mm (20.75x11.65") diag: 604mm (23.8") modes: max: 1920x1080
    min: 640x480
  Monitor-2: DP-3 mapped: DP-1-2 pos: right model: LG (GoldStar) FHD serial: <filter>
    res: 1920x1080 hz: 100 dpi: 93 size: 527x296mm (20.75x11.65") diag: 604mm (23.8") modes:
    max: 1920x1080 min: 640x480
  Monitor-3: eDP-1 note: disabled model: ChiMei InnoLux 0x14d4 res: 1920x1080 dpi: 158
    size: 309x173mm (12.17x6.81") diag: 354mm (13.9") modes: 1920x1080
  API: EGL v: 1.5 hw: drv: intel iris platforms: device: 0 drv: iris device: 1 drv: swrast
    surfaceless: drv: iris x11: drv: iris inactive: gbm,wayland
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6 compat-v: 4.5 vendor: intel mesa v: 24.0.9-0ubuntu0.2 glx-v: 1.4
    direct-render: yes renderer: Mesa Intel UHD Graphics 620 (WHL GT2) device-ID: 8086:3ea0
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Cannon Point-LP High Definition Audio vendor: Lenovo driver: snd_hda_intel
    v: kernel bus-ID: 00:1f.3 chip-ID: 8086:9dc8 class-ID: 0403
  Device-2: Lenovo ThinkPad USB-C Dock Gen2 USB Audio driver: hid-generic,snd-usb-audio,usbhid
    type: USB rev: 2.0 speed: 12 Mb/s lanes: 1 bus-ID: 1-5.3.3.2:23 chip-ID: 17ef:a396 class-ID: 0300
    serial: <filter>
  API: ALSA v: k6.8.0-49-generic status: kernel-api
  Server-1: PipeWire v: 1.0.5 status: active with: 1: pipewire-pulse status: active
    2: wireplumber status: active 3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin
Network:
  Device-1: Intel Cannon Point-LP CNVi [Wireless-AC] driver: iwlwifi v: kernel bus-ID: 00:14.3
    chip-ID: 8086:9df0 class-ID: 0280
  IF: wlp0s20f3 state: up mac: <filter>
  Device-2: Intel Ethernet I219-V vendor: Lenovo driver: e1000e v: kernel port: N/A
    bus-ID: 00:1f.6 chip-ID: 8086:15be class-ID: 0200
  IF: enp0s31f6 state: down mac: <filter>
  Device-3: Lenovo USB-C Dock Ethernet driver: r8152 type: USB rev: 3.0 speed: 5 Gb/s lanes: 1
    bus-ID: 4-1.1:11 chip-ID: 17ef:a387 class-ID: 0000 serial: <filter>
  IF: enx482ae376da17 state: down mac: <filter>
  IF-ID-1: wwan0 state: down mac: <filter>
Bluetooth:
  Device-1: Intel Bluetooth 9460/9560 Jefferson Peak (JfP) driver: btusb v: 0.8 type: USB rev: 2.0
    speed: 12 Mb/s lanes: 1 bus-ID: 1-10:5 chip-ID: 8087:0aaa class-ID: e001
  Report: hciconfig ID: hci0 rfk-id: 6 state: up address: <filter> bt-v: 5.1 lmp-v: 10 sub-v: 100
    hci-v: 10 rev: 100 class-ID: 7c010c
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 1.14 TiB used: 519.89 GiB (44.4%)
  ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 vendor: SK Hynix model: HFS256GD9TNI-L2B0B size: 238.47 GiB speed: 31.6 Gb/s
    lanes: 4 tech: SSD serial: <filter> fw-rev: 11720C10 temp: 44.9 C scheme: GPT
  ID-2: /dev/sda vendor: Western Digital model: WD10SMZW-11Y0TS0 size: 931.48 GiB type: USB
    rev: 3.0 spd: 5 Gb/s lanes: 1 tech: HDD rpm: 5400 serial: <filter> fw-rev: 1019 scheme: GPT
Partition:
  ID-1: / size: 155.88 GiB used: 113.34 GiB (72.7%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2
  ID-2: /boot/efi size: 511 MiB used: 31.8 MiB (6.2%) fs: vfat dev: /dev/nvme0n1p1
Swap:
  ID-1: swap-1 type: file size: 2 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: -2 file: /swapfile
USB:
  Hub-1: 1-0:1 info: hi-speed hub with single TT ports: 12 rev: 2.0 speed: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1
    chip-ID: 1d6b:0002 class-ID: 0900
  Device-1: 1-1:2 info: Alcor Micro AU9540 Smartcard Reader type: smart card driver: N/A
    interfaces: 1 rev: 2.0 speed: 12 Mb/s lanes: 1 power: 50mA chip-ID: 058f:9540 class-ID: 0b00
  Hub-2: 1-5:19 info: Lenovo USB2.0 Hub ports: 4 rev: 2.1 speed: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1
    chip-ID: 17ef:a392 class-ID: 0900
  Hub-3: 1-5.3:20 info: Lenovo USB2.0 Hub ports: 4 rev: 2.1 speed: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1
    chip-ID: 17ef:a394 class-ID: 0900
  Hub-4: 1-5.3.3:21 info: Lenovo USB2.0 Hub ports: 4 rev: 2.0 speed: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1
    power: 100mA chip-ID: 17ef:a395 class-ID: 0900
  Device-1: 1-5.3.3.1:24 info: Cypress USB-I2C Bridge type: <vendor specific> driver: N/A
    interfaces: 2 rev: 2.0 speed: 12 Mb/s lanes: 1 power: 100mA chip-ID: 04b4:521a class-ID: 0000
  Device-2: 1-5.3.3.2:23 info: Lenovo ThinkPad USB-C Dock Gen2 USB Audio type: audio,HID
    driver: hid-generic,snd-usb-audio,usbhid interfaces: 4 rev: 2.0 speed: 12 Mb/s lanes: 1
    power: 100mA chip-ID: 17ef:a396 class-ID: 0300 serial: <filter>
  Device-3: 1-7:26 info: Fibocom L830-EB-00 LTE WWAN Modem
    type: communication,CDC-data,abstract (modem) driver: cdc_acm,cdc_mbim interfaces: 4 rev: 2.0
    speed: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1 power: 100mA chip-ID: 2cb7:0210 class-ID: 0a00 serial: <filter>
  Device-4: 1-8:4 info: Lite-On Integrated Camera type: video driver: uvcvideo interfaces: 2
    rev: 2.0 speed: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1 power: 500mA chip-ID: 04ca:7070 class-ID: 0e02
  Device-5: 1-10:5 info: Intel Bluetooth 9460/9560 Jefferson Peak (JfP) type: bluetooth
    driver: btusb interfaces: 2 rev: 2.0 speed: 12 Mb/s lanes: 1 power: 100mA chip-ID: 8087:0aaa
    class-ID: e001
  Hub-5: 2-0:1 info: super-speed hub ports: 6 rev: 3.1 speed: 10 Gb/s lanes: 1 chip-ID: 1d6b:0003
    class-ID: 0900
  Hub-6: 3-0:1 info: hi-speed hub with single TT ports: 2 rev: 2.0 speed: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1
    chip-ID: 1d6b:0002 class-ID: 0900
  Hub-7: 4-0:1 info: super-speed hub ports: 2 rev: 3.1 speed: 10 Gb/s lanes: 1 chip-ID: 1d6b:0003
    class-ID: 0900
  Hub-8: 4-1:10 info: Lenovo USB3.1 Hub ports: 4 rev: 3.1 speed: 10 Gb/s lanes: 1
    chip-ID: 17ef:a391 class-ID: 0900
  Device-1: 4-1.1:11 info: Lenovo USB-C Dock Ethernet type: Network driver: r8152 interfaces: 1
    rev: 3.0 speed: 5 Gb/s lanes: 1 power: 288mA chip-ID: 17ef:a387 class-ID: 0000 serial: <filter>
  Hub-9: 4-1.3:12 info: Lenovo USB3.1 Hub ports: 4 rev: 3.1 speed: 10 Gb/s lanes: 1
    chip-ID: 17ef:a393 class-ID: 0900
  Device-1: 4-1.3.4:13 info: Western Digital Elements 25A2 type: mass storage driver: usb-storage
    interfaces: 1 rev: 3.0 speed: 5 Gb/s lanes: 1 power: 896mA chip-ID: 1058:25a2 class-ID: 0806
    serial: <filter>
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 57.0 C mobo: N/A
  Fan Speeds (rpm): fan-1: 3525
Repos:
  Packages: 2050 pm: dpkg pkgs: 2029 pm: flatpak pkgs: 21
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/brave-browser-release.list
    1: deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/brave-browser-archive-keyring.gpg] https: //brave-browser-apt-release.s3.brave.com/ stable main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list
    1: deb http: //packages.linuxmint.com wilma main upstream import backport
    2: deb http: //archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble main restricted universe multiverse
    3: deb http: //archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble-updates main restricted universe multiverse
    4: deb http: //archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble-backports main restricted universe multiverse
    5: deb http: //security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ noble-security main restricted universe multiverse
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/vscode.list
    1: deb [arch=amd64,arm64,armhf] https: //packages.microsoft.com/repos/code stable main
Info:
  Memory: total: 24 GiB note: est. available: 23.13 GiB used: 4.67 GiB (20.2%)
  Processes: 327 Power: uptime: 12h 24m states: freeze,mem,disk suspend: deep wakeups: 3
    hibernate: platform Init: systemd v: 255 target: graphical (5) default: graphical
  Compilers: gcc: 13.2.0 Client: Unknown python3.12 client inxi: 3.3.34

... This is driving me crazy. And it happened with this 5 years old laptop, with a legion 5 rtx and with a thinkpad t14 ryzen 5. All the same story: couple of days/week all is fine, and then EVERY video playback (youtube, vlc, mpv,EVERYTHING) stutter and random lag.

[Hoser Rob]

It appears you didn't do the selective update process, which was the important step.

When you say it happens with VLC and mpv. is that file playback or streaming from the web?

[ironhak]

How can it be a problem caused by updated apps?
If now I do a clean resinstall of mint, and I reinstall all apps I have now and I update everything, all will be fine and the problem would presents only in a couple of weeks.
This summer (when I opened the therad mentioned on my first post) I had the same apps I have now and kept everything updated, then the problem appeared. Then I did a fresh install in september on a new machine, same apps, updated all, problem presented after a couple of weeks.

Hope what I'm trying to explain is clear enough.

When you say it happens with VLC and mpv. is that file playback or streaming from the web?

It happens with VLC, celluloi and mpv with local files (never tried to srteam trough those apps) and it happens to every video I watch trough my browser (youtube ec...)

[ThinkerPig]

Hi
These computers are so different. Their common component is the LM22 and you.
Try the LM20 and think about what habits you can use on computers.
Or you've moved some hardware components between computers, such as drives etc.

[ironhak]

... what about helping me find a potential cause of this behaviour so it can be fixed?

Just search on google "linux mint video stutter" or "micro-stutter" and you'll get plenty results.

[Hoser Rob]

Hi
These computers are so different. Their common component is the LM22 and you.
Try the LM20 and think about what habits you can use on computers.
Or you've moved some hardware components between computers, such as drives etc.

That was my thought too. I suspect operator error(s). You argue if asked to do something on the basis of ... I don't know what. It likely has nothing to do with the desktop unless you're using very old hardware, which you apparently don't.

If you search "linux mint video stutter" or "micro-stutter" you will indeed get a ton of results, almost all useless. Web searching is useless if you don't know what terms to use.

[SMG]

... what about helping me find a potential cause of this behaviour so it can be fixed?

Just search on google "linux mint video stutter" or "micro-stutter" and you'll get plenty results.

So according to you because you are experiencing this issue in hardware that is so dissimilar, everyone running Cinnamon should have this problem, but that is not true.

If now I do a clean resinstall of mint, and I reinstall all apps I have now and I update everything, all will be fine and the problem would presents only in a couple of weeks.

If it takes several weeks for the problem to appear, then there is something in how you are using your computer or which you are installing which is contributing to this issue. If it was a Cinnamon problem, it would appear right away. No one waits two weeks to see if a problem appears.

Do you have the sensor applet installed? That has been known to cause problems with micro-freezes in Cinnamon.

[ironhak]

I had the CPU monitor applet installed but not in any panel, uninstalled, reboot and nothing changed.

Please note that my workflow is that on a clean install I install all I need and then I do not add anything else to my system, besides updates.

My workflow is the same on mac, windows and linux. I'm just a university student, I do not code, I do not mess around with system files. I just study and watch lectures. What am I supposed to do wrong that "breaks" video playback?

Anything that can be done to investigate the problem I'm happy to help.

[ironhak]

Thought it could help... somehow.
These all are applets I have on my panel:
- Cinnamenu
- Workspace switcher
- Command runner (I run a simple command that calculates difference between two dates, it runs every 8 hours)
- Calendar (default one)
- autohider / drawer
- DDC/CI Multiple monitors (control monitor brithness)
- QRedshift
- xapp status applet

I have no desklets

[SMG]

Anything that can be done to investigate the problem I'm happy to help.

You are running a laptop with two external monitors attached and it appears you have a docking station attached to the laptop.

Code: Select all

Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel WhiskeyLake-U GT2 [UHD Graphics 620] vendor: Lenovo driver: i915 v: kernel
    arch: Gen-9.5 ports: active: DP-3,DP-4 off: eDP-1 empty: DP-1, DP-2, DP-5, HDMI-A-1, HDMI-A-2
    bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:3ea0 class-ID: 0300
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 21.1.11 with: Xwayland v: 23.2.6 driver: X: loaded: modesetting
    unloaded: fbdev,vesa dri: iris gpu: i915 display-ID: :0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 3840x1080 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 1016x286mm (40.00x11.26")
    s-diag: 1055mm (41.55")
  Monitor-1: DP-4 mapped: DP-1-1 pos: primary,left model: LG (GoldStar) FHD serial: <filter>
    res: 1920x1080 dpi: 93 size: 527x296mm (20.75x11.65") diag: 604mm (23.8") modes: max: 1920x1080
    min: 640x480
  Monitor-2: DP-3 mapped: DP-1-2 pos: right model: LG (GoldStar) FHD serial: <filter>
    res: 1920x1080 hz: 100 dpi: 93 size: 527x296mm (20.75x11.65") diag: 604mm (23.8") modes:
    max: 1920x1080 min: 640x480
  Monitor-3: eDP-1 note: disabled model: ChiMei InnoLux 0x14d4 res: 1920x1080 dpi: 158
    size: 309x173mm (12.17x6.81") diag: 354mm (13.9") modes: 1920x1080

• Are you using fractional scaling?
• Do you have the laptop lid closed when you are running these videos?
• Are the external monitors connected directly to the laptop or are you using the ThinkPad USB-C Dock to connect both monitors?
• Have you been using the same dock with all the laptops you listed in your original post?
• Do you always have Brave running when this problem happens?

[ironhak]

• Are you using fractional scaling? No.

• Do you have the laptop lid closed when you are running these videos? Yes, but the problem is present also with lid open, and also if I disconnect my laptop from the monitors/docking (i.e. just watching the video from my laptop without anything attached to it).

• Are the external monitors connected directly to the laptop or are you using the ThinkPad USB-C Dock to connect both monitors? They are connected trough a ThinkPad USB-C dock, the problem persist even if I connect directly the monitors to the laptop with a hdmi cable.

• Have you been using the same dock with all the laptops you listed in your original post? Yes, I tried with all laptops: with docking, without docking but monitors attached directly, without anything attached. Nothing changes.

• Do you always have Brave running when this problem happens? No. The problem happens both when the only running app is mpv/vlc/celluloid and also when I also have brave/firefox opened. And the problem also happens to video played inside brave/firefox.

[SMG]

Do you always have Brave running when this problem happens? No. The problem happens both when the only running app is mpv/vlc/celluloid and also when I also have brave/firefox opened. And the problem also happens to video played inside brave/firefox.[/list]

Others have run into problems when using Brave which is why I specifically mentioned Brave and not web browsers in general.

I believe there are adjustments one can make in vlc specifically that others have said helps with this issue. Topics mentioning that are in the Software & Applications forum. (I do not normally help with those issues and do not recall what the changes are.)

[ironhak]

Ok everyone... at the end the problem was redshift & the applet Qredshift. After uninstalling redshift and the applet qredshift, boom, video playback smooth as butter...
I don't know why the stutter emerges like two weeks after installation... but nonetheless, this was the problem.

Now another question.... what alternative is there to redshift that does not causes lag?

[SMG]

Ok everyone... at the end the problem was redshift & the applet Qredshift. After uninstalling redshift and the applet qredshift, boom, video playback smooth as butter...
I don't know why the stutter emerges like two weeks after installation... but nonetheless, this was the problem.

Now another question.... what alternative is there to redshift that does not causes lag?

I don't use redshift or the Qredshift applet and do not know why it would cause lag so I don't know if other app for the same purpose would also do it.

Others have used sct alternative for Redshift when the underlying program in redshift stopped working.