[solved] vlc playback odds and ends

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audio playback gaps

Several forums describe buffering issues with VLC audio. For me, it was during playback of files on my HDD. For example, in the previous post, I described using VLC with .m3u files to play with WAV ordering prior to burning a CD (assuming anyone still uses CD's). Playing M3U's which contain nothing but WAV's through VLC would trigger the audio gaps.

The symptom is a one second gap in playback, a simultaneous spike in CPU use, and generation of a two-line error. Subbing in some variables for actual numbers:

[0000x7f5d030f7df8] core input error: ES_OUT_SET_(GROUP_)PCR is called too late (pts_delay increased to 2232 ms)
[0000x7f5d030f7df8] core input error: ES_OUT_RESET_PCR called

Apparently a Program Clock Reference is called too late and, in response, VLC increases the delay for the Presentation Time Stamp delay. PCR and PTR are supposed to be related to MPEG playback, but this error appears in audio-only playback of WAV's, for example.

Most of the solution for me was found here, except for 1) which value to change, 2) increase or decrease and, 3) how much.

Since each setting has a pop-up, I read them. It appeared the item to change was "File Caching". On a guess, I adjusted the delay to near the pts_delay value noted in the error message above. Once set at 2000ms, I did not experience cut-outs during file playback.

the orange cone

Some don't like the cone at all; I dislike it during audio-only playback. It sits conspicuously where album art would go. I noted how to get rid of it in a previous post, but it bears repetition. During playback, to disable the orange cone when there is no album art: Tools, Preferences, Select All (Bottom), Interface, Main interface, Qt, unselect "Display background cone or art".