vlc screen always on top, buggly.

[Jiawen Chen]

I don't know whether it's due to 15.10 or due to my laptop being a very new model "Asus Zenbook 305CA".
The screen is always on top. Even if it is minimized.
The gif below takes may some ten seconds to load.
http://imgur.com/N3AZkiH

And in addition, the video quality is sensibly worse than it should be, compared to Totem video player which functions properly.

vlc revision 2.2.1-0-ga425c42
ubuntu 15.10

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Mart (mart-.r)]

I have exactly the same problem.

vlc --version:
VLC media player 2.1.6 Rincewind (revision 2.1.6-0-gea01d28)
VLC version 2.1.6 Rincewind (2.1.6-0-gea01d28)
Compiled by buildd on brownie.buildd (Mar 26 2015 02:41:27)
Compiler: gcc version 4.8.2 (Ubuntu 4.8.2-19ubuntu1)

I have a freshly installed Ubuntu 14.04 LTS
uname -a:
Linux mart-laptop-ubuntu 3.19.0-49-generic #55~14.04.1-Ubuntu SMP Fri Jan 22 11:24:31 UTC 2016 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

I have a locally branded laptop, here are the specs (Estonian link http://www.ordi.ee/EPood/Product.aspx?Query=i414CS+plus&ItemID=9920-2063&MC=ARVUTID&IC=9920):
Intel Core i3-6100U, 8GB DDR3, 14,0" FHD IPS, SSD 240GB, Intel VGA HD 520

As the video Mr Chen took shows, VLC is always on top, even the right click menu gets hidden behind it.

I hope this gets fixed as I don't feel like moving to another video/media player.

[Mart (mart-.r)]

I forgot to add that I originally installled VLC through apt
sudo apt-get install vlc
when I had the problem, I uninstalled it and tried through Ubuntu Software Center and the problem stayed the same.

I also tried to install
sudo apt-get install vlc-plugin-*
but it didn't help.

It isn't on top if there's no video playing.

[Mart (mart-.r)]

By the way, just tried SMPlayer and had the same result. I don't know if it helps at all.

Most videos work OK with the default player, but VLC seems to be the only one (of the 3 mentioned here, at least) capable of not lagging behind on the 4K video I just downloaded.

[Rémi Denis-Courmont (rdenis)]

Can you check if you have 'libvdpau-va-gl1' package installed, and if so, remove it?

Also, try changing video output in VLC preferences (you might need to restart VLC).

[Mart (mart-.r)]

I don't exactly have the one you described, but I do have "libvdpau1:amd64" installed, it seems. Could removing that help?

As for changing output... To what? There's quite a few to choose from.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/dcguz4a22khrhs6/IMG_20160212_202436.jpg?dl=0
I hope it's unrelated, but my printscreen button doesn't work either (which is why I took the picture with my phone).

[Jiawen Chen (golopot)]

I now come to suspect the problem is caused by the Intel's new graphics processors,which I got the same model as that of Mart, "Intel HD Graphics 520" (Intel Core m3-6Y30 CPU). This hardware rolled out on 2015 August.

I have tried vlc on 14.04 and 15.10 on this laptop, and both shows the bug.

[Mart (mart-.r)]

It is likely I suppose.

I also tried to uninstall "libvdpau1", but it didn't actually improve anything.

[Simon P. (simpre)]

I have exactly the same problem with vlc on my Thinkpad X260 which also uses the Intel HD 520 graphics.

My system:
Ubuntu 14.04.4

Kernel:
Linux x260 4.2.0-30-generic #36~14.04.1-Ubuntu SMP Fri Feb 26 18:49:23 UTC 2016 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

VLC:
2.1.6 Rincewind (2.1.6+git20160115+r54594+20+11~ubuntu14.04.1)

[Simon P. (simpre)]

Today I installed the latest graphics drivers directly from intel with the Intel graphics installer, it did not help to fix the problem.

By the way, the skype video chat is also acting very strange, the video flashes and gets blue sometimes and my new laptop completely freezes frequently. I suspect that the skype videochat problem is connected with the vlc video problem described above.

[Simon P. (simpre)]

It indeed seems to be a problem with the new skylake hardware rather than a vlc- specific problem .
I found a fix on github that worked for me: https://github.com/linuxenko/ubuntu-skylake-i915-video-fix

[Mart (mart-.r)]

Awesome. That helped!

[epoxy (palmqvist-anton)]

Hi,

Any of you who knows if there is any progress here?

I have the same problems mentioned above and on https://github.com/linuxenko/ubuntu-skylake-i915-video-fix. The movie-window inside the vlc application will always block anything else on the screen. Also, videos in Skype flickers between the actual piture and a blue screen.

I am running:
Ubuntu 16.04 Xenial Xerus
Kernel: 4.4.0-24-generic
Lenovo X260
Skylake Intel HD520

I got the Intel Graphics Installer to work after faking that my OS was Wily Werewolf. Drivers installed properly but it did not help.

I tried linuxenko's fix but it lead to that the Xserver could not start. So I had to remove the file 20-intel.conf-file.

It seems that I cannot install a kernel before 4.4 on Xenial(or can I?). And if this is not possible I have no clue what to do.

[Sebastian Ramacher (s-ramacher)]

A bug in the intel X driver.

[epoxy (palmqvist-anton)]

I found a solution in the askubuntu forum that works for me. http://askubuntu.com/questions/736923/vlc-not-displaying-video-properly-in-fullscreen#

In short:
Tools > Preferences > Video > Output change to "OpenGL GLX video output(XCB), save and restart vlc.

This fixed both the blue screen and the occlusion for me!

[Randy Olive (randy-jr-olive)]

The fix at #5 https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xserver-xorg-video-intel/+bug/1537053/comments/15 worked for me. I am using a laptop with the same intel drivers, and Ubuntu 16.04

[Marco B. (boro3k)]

I can confirm this bug, and that changing the video output to "OpenGL GLX video output(XCB)" as per comment #15 appears to work around the issue (thanks epoxy!).

My system:
Ubuntu 16.04
Kernel 4.4.0-31-generic
Acer Aspire F15 laptop
CPU Intel i7-6500U (Skylake)
Nvidia GeForce 940M (probably not in use)
VLC media player 2.2.2 Weatherwax (revision 2.2.2-0-g6259d80)
VLC version 2.2.2 Weatherwax (2.2.2-0-g6259d80)

[Jonathan Polak (jpolak)]

same here. Xenial 16.04 / Thinkpad T460 i5-6200 integrated intel 520 graphics

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Jiawen Chen, thank you for reporting this and helping make Ubuntu better.

Could you please run the following command once from a terminal by ensuring you have the package xdiagnose installed, and that you click the Yes button for attaching additional debugging information:
apport-collect -p xserver-xorg-video-intel 1537053

When reporting xorg related bugs in the future, please do so via the above method. You can learn more about this functionality at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ReportingBugs.

[Alexey (alexey-muranov)]

I also had such problems with VLC on Intel HD 520, Ubuntu Gnome 16.04.1, and setting video output to GLX solved it.

[Alexey (alexey-muranov)]

ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.1
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: No value set for `/apps/compiz-1/general/screen0/options/active_plugins'
CompositorRunning: None
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: xenial
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
DistroVariant: ubuntu
ExtraDebuggingInterest: Yes
GraphicsCard:
 Intel Corporation Sky Lake Integrated Graphics [8086:1916] (rev 07) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Skylake Integrated Graphics [1043:1c1d]
InstallationDate: Installed on 2016-08-24 (18 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-GNOME 16.04.1 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Release amd64 (20160720)
Lsusb:
 Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
 Bus 001 Device 005: ID 138a:0010 Validity Sensors, Inc. VFS Fingerprint sensor
 Bus 001 Device 003: ID 058f:9540 Alcor Micro Corp. AU9540 Smartcard Reader
 Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0bda:57d2 Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
 Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
MachineType: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. BU403UA
Package: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.99.917+git20160325-1ubuntu1.1
PackageArchitecture: amd64
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-4.4.0-36-generic.efi.signed root=UUID=4844f5ce-60b0-4b8b-a266-74c1faecf470 ro acpi_osi= acpi_backlight=native
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-36.55-generic 4.4.16
Tags: xenial ubuntu
Uname: Linux 4.4.0-36-generic x86_64
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
UserGroups:

_MarkForUpload: True
dmi.bios.date: 06/27/2016
dmi.bios.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
dmi.bios.version: BU403UA.303
dmi.board.asset.tag: ATN12345678901234567
dmi.board.name: BU403UA
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
dmi.board.version: 1.0
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Tag
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
dmi.chassis.version: 1.0
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:bvrBU403UA.303:bd06/27/2016:svnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:pnBU403UA:pvr1.0:rvnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:rnBU403UA:rvr1.0:cvnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:ct10:cvr1.0:
dmi.product.name: BU403UA
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
version.compiz: compiz N/A
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs N/A
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.67-1ubuntu0.16.04.2
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 11.2.0-1ubuntu2.2
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 11.2.0-1ubuntu2.2
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.18.3-1ubuntu2.3
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.10.1-1ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:7.7.0-1
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.99.917+git20160325-1ubuntu1.1
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:1.0.12-1build2

[Alexey (alexey-muranov)]

apport information

[Alexey (alexey-muranov)]

apport information

[Alexey (alexey-muranov)]

apport information

[Alexey (alexey-muranov)]

apport information

[Alexey (alexey-muranov)]

apport information

[Alexey (alexey-muranov)]

apport information

[Alexey (alexey-muranov)]

apport information

[Alexey (alexey-muranov)]

apport information

[Alexey (alexey-muranov)]

apport information

[Alexey (alexey-muranov)]

apport information

[Alexey (alexey-muranov)]

apport information

[Alexey (alexey-muranov)]

apport information

[Alexey (alexey-muranov)]

apport information

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Alexey (alexey-muranov), it will help immensely if you filed a new report with Ubuntu by ensuring you have the package xdiagnose installed, and that you click the Yes button for attaching additional debugging information running the following from a terminal:
ubuntu-bug xorg

Also, please feel free to subscribe me to it.

For more on why this is helpful, please see https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ReportingBugs.

[Leo Lee (leojts)]

I have the same problem on my laptop with 16.04
CPU i5-6600
GPU HD 530

but the situation is fixed after canceled the option
"Accelerated video output(Overlay)"

in Preference > Video > Display

[Alexey (alexey-muranov)]

Indeed, this works for me too. Thanks, Leo Lee.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Leo Lee, it will help immensely if you filed a new report with Ubuntu by ensuring you have the package xdiagnose installed, and that you click the Yes button for attaching additional debugging information running the following from a terminal:
ubuntu-bug xorg

Also, please feel free to subscribe me to it.

For more on why this is helpful, please see https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ReportingBugs.

[Leo Lee (leojts)]

Thanks, Christopher.
here is the new report
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xorg/+bug/1625877

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for xserver-xorg-video-intel (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]

[harshit xsh (harsh21)]

Had the same problem, https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xserver-xorg-video-intel/+bug/1537053/comments/15 solved the problem. Is there any permanent fix available from OS side in the new version?

I am using Ubuntu 16.04 LTS

[Alexey (alexey-muranov)]

For me, the bug permanently disappeared a few months ago. Ubuntu 16.04.

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xserver-xorg-video-intel/+bug/1622955