15.36.21.4222 causing Chrome to freeze when playing YouTube videos using HTML5.

[GChen33]

Having a problem with this driver causing Chrome to freeze when playing YouTube videos using HTML5. System is:

Windows 8.1 64-bit

Chrome 43.0.2357.81 64-bit (not the more common 32-bit version)

Core M processor

Intel graphics driver 4222

YouTube with the HTML5 player and VP9 codec (the default YouTube settings for Chrome)

When trying to play a video, the video never starts and Chrome freezes. I believe this is a hardware acceleration issue. Going into chrome://flags and disabling hardware decode acceleration allows the video to play fine. Previous 4170 driver worked fine and didn't have this problem.

[MBalt1]

I have the same problem.

Windows 8.1 64 bit

Chrome 43.0.2357.81 32-bit

Core i5 5200U

Intel HD 5500 w/ 4222 driver.

Youtube works in IE, works after disabling HW acceleration in Chrome, and works after downgrading back to 4170.

[Kevin_M_Intel]

Thank you for sharing this information. I will check this from my side and I will be back with more information. In the meantime, I appreciate if you can attach here your system reports.

How to get it?

Dxdiag Report: Type dxdiag in Start Menu> open> Save> Attach using Advanced Editor Options.

System Information: Click Start> Type System Information> Click File> Export> Save File> Attach using Advanced Editor Options.

Graphics Report: Right click on desktop> Graphics Properties> Options> Drop Down Menu> Information Center> Save> Attach using Advanced Editor Options.

Kevin M

[GChen33]

Requested system reports are attached. As far as I can tell, this is an issue with Broadwell chips that have GPU accelerated decode for VP9 when played using Chrome and HTML5 (tested on YouTube). There aren't many videos that don't use VP9 on YouTube, but the ones that still use only h.264 worked fine. The bug only seems to be when VP9 codec is used and only on the models of Broadwell that have VP9 acceleration. Workaround is currently to disable hardware decode in chrome flags or to revert to the 4170 driver.

[MCowa2]

I also have this issue using Chrome Version 43.0.2357.134 m.

[Anonymous]

GreenNerve,

Try with the latest graphics driver provided by your laptop manufacturer version V10.18.14.4170

https://www.asus.com/us/Notebooks_Ultrabooks/ASUS_ZENBOOK_UX305FA/HelpDesk_Download/ Notebooks & Ultrabooks | ASUS ZENBOOK UX305FA | ASUS USA

Intel provides with generic drivers and computer manufacturers customize them according to their specifications. Please double check if you are using the latest BIOS version and latest chipset driver.

MoonPhases

Check with your computer manufacturer which the latest graphics driver is available on their website.

Mike C

[MCowa2]

Thanks for the reply. I am using the most recent version - 10.18.14.4206

[GChen33]

While I initially thought the 4243 drivers fixed the problem, it seems the drivers improved but didn't completely fix the problem. While it wouldn't freeze immediately upon the video starting, it would if you seeked around the video and changed resolutions and sometimes randomly after the video played for awhile.

I think the problem is finally solved with this updated driver (https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/24947/Graphics-Intel-HD-Graphics-Driver-for-Intel-NUC https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/24947/Graphics-Intel-HD-Graphics-Driver-for-Intel-NUC). I just tested with stable Chrome 44.0.2403.89 64-bit with this new driver on Windows 8.1. You must run Chrome with the --enable-accelerated-vpx-decode switch to enable VP9 decoding since Chrome 44 disabled accelerated VP9 by default due to this issue. Loaded a VP9 YouTube video and was able to seek, change resolutions, and play video for several minutes with no freezing so far. Will have to test more, but so far so good.

[LBust2]

McChen, can you please review the link you provided? it's for 4243 which in certain cases still crashes the browser, not often though. Is this what you're using?

[GChen33]

That is odd, the page has reverted back to the 4243 drivers. Earlier in the day it was linked to 15.40.3.4248 which I downloaded. If you go to the main NUC download page (https://downloadcenter.intel.com/search?keyword=Intel%C2%AE+NUC+Kit+NUC5i3RYH Intel® Download Center), the driver is still listed as 7/17/2015 and version 15.40.3.4248, but the page takes you to the old driver. Not sure if this is just a web page error or if Intel has pulled the driver. Anyways, you can still download the new driver directly from this link, https://downloadcenter.intel.com/downloads/eula/24947/Graphics-Intel-HD-Graphics-Driver-for-Intel-NUC?httpDown=http://downloadmirror.intel.com/24947/a08/GFX_Win7_8.1_10_64_15.40.3.4248.zip Intel® Download Center

[GChen33]

After more testing, the 4248 drivers still freeze randomly after playing VP9 video for some time. It does seem to fix the freezing while seeking and changing resolutions, but even not doing that and just playing the video straight through will cause a freeze eventually, sometimes letting the video play longer or shorter before freezing.

Intel has also pulled the 4248 driver completely now for some reason, it is no longer listed, though the direct link still works. I also found that 4248 has issues with Quick Sync, maybe that is why.

[CPric5]

Hello. I am also finding that Chrome (Version 43.0.2357.130 m) freezes whenever HTML5 video (Youtube, Vimeo etc.) is played after updating my graphics drivers to version 15.36.21.64.4222. This does not occur when using Internet Explorer.

Lenovo X1 Carbon

Windows 8.1 Pro 64-bit

Core i7-5500U

Intel HD Graphics 5500

For information, Lenovo's "System Update" software is pushing graphics driver version 10.18.14.4206 (not .4222) on to machines and this is causing the same issue (that's how I first discovered the problem). Lenovo support have been no help and advised re-installing Windows. Reverting to graphics driver version 15.36.19.64.4170 resolves the issue. This further supports the theory that the problem occurs specifically with Broadwell.

Please resolve this issue in the next version of the graphics driver, thank you.

[Kevin_M_Intel]

Thank you for providing all this information. I will check this from my side and I will be back soon with another input.

Kevin M

[LBust2]

Kevin, I am experiencing the same problem. I am attaching my log files as requested.

EDIT: Please notice 15.36.19.64.4170 fixes the issue.

[MMi7c]

I'm experiencing YouTube videos hanging along with Chrome browser at a specific point in the video even with driver 4170. This does appear to be related to VP8/VP9 decoding because if I use h264ify extension (see link below) to force YouTube to play in H.264 it does seem to play without issue even with 4222 driver. This is a work-around but the VP8/VP9 decoding issue needs to be fixed.

As a side note, h264ify extension also helps if you have performance issues playing YouTube 60 fps videos.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/h264ify/aleakchihdccplidncghkekgioiakgal h264ify - Chrome Web Store

[Kevin_M_Intel]

All,

Can you please provide me with the link of any HTML5 video you are having problems with?

[MMi7c]

Kevin, this YouTube video hangs consistently on me at about 11:58 on Thinkpad Helix2 with 4170 driver on Windows 8.1 64-bit and both Chrome release 32-bit or 64-bit without h264ify extension. Once it hangs if I attempt to forward or rewind video Chrome hangs where I have to end Chrome tasks in task manager. On newer video driver versions it hangs much sooner in the video.

https://youtu.be/kOIe1kjl9BE?t=701 One Touch Idol 3 5.5" VS OnePlus One - Speed & Camera Test! - YouTube

[MMi7c]

Here's another that hangs early on with 4222 driver.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UeE1peA_Fg Secrets Of The Pickpockets - YouTube

The issue seems to all go away if I enable h264ify Chrome extension to force H.264 decoding instead of VP8/VP9.

[LBust2]

For me pretty much every video hangs on 4222 in YouTube.

This video https://youtu.be/kOIe1kjl9BE?t=701 One Touch Idol 3 5.5" VS OnePlus One - Speed & Camera Test! - YouTube even hangs on 4170 exactly at 11:58.

My system is a Thinkpad X1 Carbon (2015), Windows 8.1 64 bit, Chrome 32 bit. No issues playing x264 videos at all with h264ify.

Please let me know if you require any further info to debug this.

[Kevin_M_Intel]

Hello All,

Thank you for providing me with this information. I have to say that I am testing it and I do not see the problem. I even enabled an extension (HTML5 Player for youtube) in Chrome but I cannot replicate the problem.

However, I will pass this information to engineering to take a look at it and see if there is an issue but I really need you to attach your system reports here.

How to get it?

Dxdiag Report: Type dxdiag in Start Menu> open> Save> Attach using Advanced Editor Options.

System Information: Click Start> Type System Information> Click File> Export> Save File> Attach using Advanced Editor Options.

Graphics Report: Right click on desktop> Graphics Properties> Options> Drop Down Menu> Information Center> Save> Attach using Advanced Editor Options.

[GChen33]

Kevin,

I attached my system reports in an earlier post. You shouldn't need an extension for YouTube, the default for Chrome is the HTML5 player with VP9 codec.

What CPU are you using in your test system? You must use a Broadwell chip that has VP9 acceleration, which I believe is limited to:

5th Generation Intel Core Processors w/ HD graphics 5500, HD graphics 6000, Iris graphics 6100

Intel Core M with HD graphics 5300

Pentium/Celeron 3805U 3755U 3205U