Flash Videos in Opera Laggy/Choppy/Stuttering... How to Fix?

[bqureshi21]

bqureshi21 last edited by

I love Opera, just started using it a couple weeks ago, but I recently noticed all Flash videos, such as those on YouTube and other sites, pale in comparison to the performance on even IE11 or Chrome. I have tried so many things to fix this issue, but none have solved it. It is the only thing causing me to not use Opera at the moment.

I've tried reinstalling Flash, disabling hardware acceleration, and a number of other things; nothing is working. Even when I use HTML5 player in YouTube, I find the same stuttering and choppy video performance. I am wondering if anyone else is having this issue and how to fix it...

Thanks.

[bqureshi21]

bqureshi21 last edited by

Additional Comments:

I had AdBlock Plus as my only extension and I experienced the stuttering performance even after disabling and removing the extensions. I disabled all plug-ins that were available, restarted the browser, restarted the computer, and still I've been experiencing this issue.

[lem729]

lem729 last edited by

I'm assuming for this discussion you are using Opera Blink (the latest stable version is version 22, so if not, let us know. What Operating system are you using. Does your computer meet the minimum requirements for Opera 22? I use Windows 7, with 8 ram, 64 bits system, and I have no problem at all with flash videos. No stuttering or choppy video performance. I assume the issue isn't broadband speed, because YouTube is playing fine in other browsers. Also, make sure you don't have a lot of tabs open when you are playing YouTube. Perhaps, you are straining the computer performance. I just wanted to be suggest four additional points for consideration:

A. Did you go to the Flash website "in the Opera browser," and install the latest version that way. If not, I suggest you do that. Otherwise, the latest version of Flash may be operating on the other browsers, but not for Opera.

B. Open a new tab and go to "Opera://flags"

Find "Disable hardware-accelerated video decode" and click "Enable" Restart Opera (I'm using by analogy, something I saw from discussion in this thread. http://forum.videohelp.com/threads/358584-Problems-with-choppy-video-on-Youtube-and-Vimeo
If this doesn't help, you can restore the setting to what was. I'm not an expert on it, but in this thread, it seemed to make a difference, so I'm passing it along as something to try. (fyi my setting in Opera://flags is not "enabled" and I'm having no problem with YouTube videos, but we may well have different operating systems, computer resources, etc.).

C. Also, make sure turbo mode is not activated (in your menu).

D. Do a virus and malware scan? Let's rule out that something like that is affecting Opera's video playback performance.

[bqureshi21]

bqureshi21 last edited by

Thank you for your reply.

I was on the latest stable version of Opera downloaded from http://www.opera.com/. I use Windows 8.1, 8 GB RAM, 64-bit system. Yes, my broadband speed is no issue, as the video playback in IE11 is flawless, as well as in Chrome. Only in Opera am I experiencing this stuttering. I have this issue regardless of number of tabs open (I have tested using a single tab).

A. Yes, I downloaded Flash from within the Opera browser.
B. I tried that once before, but I'll try it again.
C. Turbo mode was not activated. I tried using that separately as a response to this issue, but the video was still stuttering.
D. I reformatted my computer yesterday and there are no viruses or malware on the system.

I had read somewhere on a different website that other users may have been experiencing this issue on Windows 8.1. I don't see why this would occur only on Windows 8/8.1, but that is the OS I have and I am experiencing this issue, so it's possible.

[lem729]

lem729 last edited by

In that thread I cited in my last post, James C. March had jerky vimeo video, and he said his problem was solved as a result of advice given at: http://vimeo.com/forums/help/topic:112861
He was using Windows 7.

The approach for him that worked was finding in Chrome://flags "Disable hardware-accelerated video decode" and enabling.

So I though maybe you should go to Opera://flags and enable that feature, to see if it makes a difference for you. You can always reset it to "disable," after trouble-shooting -- if the change doesn't help you.

There may be an issue with Windows 8.1 and YouTube for Opera. Since I use Windows 7, I just haven't focused on it. Perhaps, someone else will comment on this thread -- if they use Windows 8.1, whether they have YouTube problems. It's my recollection that generally the YouTube problems have related to simple things, such as the person not having the latest update (gotten by going to the flash website in the Opera browser), or through having turbo mode enabled. I don't believe Windows 8.1 should be an impediment to enjoing YouTube in Opera. But it's best if others who have Windows 8.1 comment on that aspect.

[bqureshi21]

bqureshi21 last edited by

Thank you for your help. I enabled the "Disable hardware-accelerated video decode" feature, but I am still running into the same stuttering. To note, this issue occurs only with Flash videos. I had uninstalled Flash and watched videos on YouTube that worked on the HTML5 video player, and those ran smoothly. Unfortunately several sites and videos don't also use that, so I have to have Flash. After I reinstalled Flash, I experienced the same jerky videos.

Thank you again, though. I hope I can get this issue corrected.

[sgunhouse]

sgunhouse Moderator Volunteer last edited by

If you right-click on a Flash video, does it say that hardware acceleration in Flash is enabled or disabled?

[bqureshi21]

bqureshi21 last edited by

It is disabled. I disabled it from the right-click menu on Flash videos as well as through Opera://flags. As an additional update, some videos are now loading with the error: "An error occurred. Please try again later. Learn more."

[A Former User]

A Former User last edited by

Are you using the latest Avast anti-virus version?

[bqureshi21]

bqureshi21 last edited by

I was using Kaspersky before I formatted. Now I just use the built-in Microsoft Security Essentials. I know it's not very thorough, but I guarantee I have no viruses or malware on this system.

[A Former User]

A Former User last edited by

Ok, I was just asking because in my PC Avast was giving me problems. For 480p (and higher) videos NPAPI Flash on Opera uses ~80% of my CPU and if I left Avast enabled the process manager would point to it using +25% of the CPU as the video streamed and that split is impossible of course it means it went above 100% of CPU usage in total, delaying processing causing lag/stutter.

It occurred with NPAPI Flash, it was very bad on Firefox too. While with PPAPI Flash (beta version in the Dev Opera stream) it was normal like other browsers (up to ~10%) and Opera could "breath".
IE uses ActiveX Flash and Chrome uses PPAPI so that's why they were not affected.

I don't know how Avast is behaving now because I just "refreshed" Win8.1 and didn't install additional protection yet.

It's better that you enable the hardware acceleration back for best performance.
Are your graphic card drivers ok?

Another suggestion: maybe you should try Opera Developer with the PPAPI Flash beta.

[bqureshi21]

bqureshi21 last edited by

Thank you for your advice.

I apologize, it would have been helpful to have provided my computer's specs earlier. Here are the basics:

Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-3570K CPU @ 3.40GHz
8.00 GB RAM
64-bit Windows 8.1, x64-based processor
NVidia GeForce GTX 670

I notice that ActiveX seems to have the best performance for me, as well as PPAPI on Chrome. I notice such smooth videos on those browsers, but aside from video playback, I love Opera the most. I like the interface and the aesthetics as well as the speed and performance.

I tried Opera Developer for a bit but I didn't give it much time. I also had tried Opera Next, but I had the same issues on that one. I will try Opera Developer again, and I am very grateful for all your help. I hope I can get videos to play smoothly on Opera.

[A Former User]

A Former User last edited by

When playing videos in Opera what do you see taking up the CPU in the Windows task manager?

My PC is pretty old... I'd think yours would have no problems... Unless you're playing in 1080p.

It might be good to try PPAPI in Opera Dev. You have to make sure to have it enabled in opera:plugins (and the NPAPI one disabled).

[bqureshi21]

bqureshi21 last edited by

I've been using the same video at 720p to test the stuttering issues. Playing at 720p in windowed mode, my CPU went as high as 45%. After enabling PPAPI and removing NPAPI, I am noticing some improvement. Every now and then, there is stuttering, but it's quite a bit less than what I was experiencing before. Also, sometimes when I rewind the video, it plays very smoothly.

Judging by the fact that this is developer mode and the flash plugin is in beta also, I believe this route is the key to solving the problem. To just test, I disabled hardware acceleration not only through Adobe Flash's settings in the context menu, but also in Opera's main settings as well as in opera://flags. I didn't notice any differences, so I re-enabled those.

Thank you for the help, videos are watchable now!

[hojnikb]

hojnikb last edited by

I'm having the same issues.

When hardware accelaration is enabled, i get stuttering, choppy picture. Its not constant, but pretty apperent. Using the latest version (30).

My platform is using Intel Atom Z3735F with Intel HD graphics. I'm using the latest intel drivers.
Disabling accelaration makes the issue go away, but this is not desirable, because CPU on its own isnt all that powerful and quite struggles with higher resolution videos.

Also, HTML5 for some reason doesnt work with youtube.

I tried with firefox and html5 and hardware accelearation work like a charm. But i want to stick with opera.

[freezeware]

freezeware last edited by

I am having the same issue.

I believe we can rule out the possibility that you are having something "unique" wrong with your system. What's happening here is Windows 10 + Flash + Opera. I'll stay tuned until someone finds a fix.

Opera Version: 30.0.1835.125

I'm using Z97X-SOC Force with i5-4690k & GTX970 as my computer.

[tomholland]

tomholland last edited by

I, too, am having the same issue. Only since Windows 10 upgrade. Only on Opera, not Edge, not Firefox, not Chrome. I've reported it to Opera twice and haven't heard anything back. It's still broken as of today 09/13/2015. I've tried the fixes listed here and they don't work. Happens on YouTube as well as embedded videos. I like the speed dial in Opera but it's annoying when an embedded video starts to play and the audio is so choppy. I have to go to another browser.
Opera About = "Version: 31.0.1889.174 - Opera is up to date Update stream: Stable System: Windows 10 64-bit (WoW64)"
Like 'freezeware' above, I'll stay tuned until someone finds a fix.

[ariesgrey]

ariesgrey last edited by

Sounds like everyone's picking on Opera again. Purposely coding their web sites to work well with "mainstream" browsers like Internet Explorer & Firefox & Chrome and not worrying too much if their web sites work properly with anything else.

[digiface]

digiface last edited by

In my system and Opera, i found that disabling 'Media Source API' in opera://flags/ helped with high CPU at the beginning of the videos. This applied at least html5. Then enabling 'Hardware acculator' in settings helped even more to low down CPU.

Btw, in Opera 31 there was some glitches with YT html5 when HWA enabled, but 32 update fixed it.

[seightan]

seightan last edited by

I have the same issues, but funny enough, only when I move my mouse.
Firefox plays fine, but Chrome does the same as Opera.

I have a i7 7700k, Geforce GTX 1080 and 16GB RAM.
My laptop, which is an i7 4600U, Intel on-board GPU and 8GB RAM plays everything fine.

If anyone knows what's going on, please help, as I love Opera.