Constant tearing while watching multimedia

Hardware Hub
1

Ive noticed this, I dont know if this is common or something but on my laptop (Lenovo T440S) running Arch and on my main rig (running both Win7 and Arch) when I watch anime (I dont know about other multimedia because I only really watch anime) I get ridiculous screen tearing, especially during action scenes. Should I be doing something with the refresh rate of my monitors (laptop built in display, desktop 3 Benq 1080p displays over DVI I cant remember the name of)

This happens both if I download media and use VLC or if I watch on sites as Kissanime.

Should I just suck it up?

2

What is it like with a simple youtube video?

3

I will check now and get back to you

Even a simple video like this:

clips in the opening scene

4

Well if it is on both your laptop AND desktop, and it happens on two different OSes, then IDK what to tell you.

Try downloading the video or try a different browser? Maybe your internet packages are just getting messed up?

5

It happens on multiple network connections....

Im not sure if Im just being sensitive? Or I somehow fuck up all my devices? :D

Doesnt happen on my mobile though.

6

See on any linux distro, screen tearing is a normal issue. But on windows 7 too?

Is the screen tearing on windows 7 any different from arch? Are you sure both your screens are at 60hz?

This HAS to be something simple.

7

Depending on your hardware (mainly GPU) and DE (desktop enviroment), you could be able to fix it.

8

Ive never checked to be honest, I dont even know if my laptop panel refresh rate can be modified (well never mind everything can be modified)...

@spidernet my laptop has an intel integrated and my desktop has a GTX 760

9

desktop enviroment?

10

Openbox on my laptop and whatever Trisqel uses on my desktop (and Windows 7 too)

11

OpenBox is one of the worst when it comes to screen tearing (and I use it).
For your laptop try https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Intel_graphics#Tear-free_video or you can try using compton https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Compton

12

"Error when reading configuration file "/home/wolfela/.config/compton.conf", line 16: duplicate setting name
Another composite manager is already running"

Love it when my box runs something I wasnt expecting.

13

you have another composite manager running. Disable the other first.

1 Like
14

I gathered that, I just dont know what one or how to check

[wolfela@eofe ~]$ env
XDG_VTNR=7
XDG_SESSION_ID=c1
XDG_GREETER_DATA_DIR=/var/lib/lightdm-data/wolfela
SHELL=/bin/bash
TERM=xterm
GTK_MODULES=canberra-gtk-module
USER=wolfela
XDG_SESSION_PATH=/org/freedesktop/DisplayManager/Session0
XDG_SEAT_PATH=/org/freedesktop/DisplayManager/Seat0
MOZ_PLUGIN_PATH=/usr/lib/mozilla/plugins
PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/bin/site_perl:/usr/bin/vendor_perl:/usr/bin/core_perl
DESKTOP_SESSION=openbox
MAIL=/var/spool/mail/wolfela
LC_COLLATE=en_GB.UTF-8
PWD=/home/wolfela
XDG_SESSION_TYPE=x11
EDITOR=/usr/bin/nano
LANG=en_GB.UTF-8
GDMSESSION=openbox
SHLVL=1
XDG_SEAT=seat0
HOME=/home/wolfela
LOGNAME=wolfela
XDG_SESSION_DESKTOP=openbox
DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=unix:path=/run/user/1000/bus
BROWSER=/usr/bin/chromium
DISPLAY=:0
XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/1000
XAUTHORITY=/home/wolfela/.Xauthority
_=/usr/bin/env

Im assuming its one of these values?

15

openbox alone doesn't provide compositing, so you probably installed one of these before:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Xorg#Composite

17

Oki, I already have compton!

18

:D eheh
Is it correctly configured? Do you have the TearFree option in your xorg.conf?
For an example of a compton.conf look here: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2144468&p=12644745#post12644745

19

As y'all seem to both be having issues with VLC and Linux, I thought I would link both threads. https://forum.teksyndicate.com/t/vlc-slow-performance/94603

20

My problem is very different to that one though?

21

Okay sorry, just thought it may help.

1 Like