On some computers, the video driver can become unstable when decoding videos, causing player crashes or failures that can only be resolved by restarting the machine. OnSign offers different video decoding strategies that can be adjusted directly in the Player settings to work around this type of incompatibility.
How It Works
Video decoding is directly related to the graphics card and the driver installed on the device. OnSign supports multiple decoding modes, each offering a different balance between performance and compatibility. By default, the Automatic option is selected and OnSign chooses the best strategy based on the graphics card and driver version.
Platform Compatibility
The Video playback mode option is available on the following platforms:
- Windows
- Linux
- macOS
- Android – On some Android devices, the option appears as a checkbox labeled Use native mode for video playback instead of the standard dropdown. When enabled, it supports HDR 10+ video playback but does not support rotation or transitions.
Configuration
- Access the Player you want to change the video playback decoder.
- Go to the Settings tab.
- Under Player Settings, locate the Video playback mode field (or the Use native mode for video playback checkbox on Android devices).
- Select the desired mode from the dropdown menu, or check/uncheck the checkbox depending on the device.
- Save the changes. The Player will apply the new setting on the next cycle.
Windows, Linux and Mac Players:
Android Players:
Available Options
The available options in the Video playback mode field are:
| Mode | Description | Recommended for |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic | OnSign automatically selects the decoder that best matches the device hardware. On some graphics drivers, this mode may cause instability and crashes after hours of operation. | Most modern hardware. Not recommended for devices with outdated or unstable drivers. |
| Hardware Decoder (faster, less compatible) | Uses the GPU's hardware acceleration for video decoding. Offers better performance but may be incompatible with certain drivers or resolutions beyond the chip's support. | Devices with stable, up-to-date graphics drivers. |
| Standard Decoder | Default decoding mode, balancing compatibility and performance. | General-purpose deployments. |
| Safe Decoder (slower, more compatible) | The most conservative and compatible mode. Slower, but prevents crashes caused by driver incompatibilities. | Devices experiencing playback instability or crashes. |
| Legacy Windows Decoder | Uses the legacy Windows decoding pipeline. May improve compatibility on older versions of Windows. | Machines running older versions of Windows. |
| Native Window Hardware Decoder (does not support overlays) | Uses hardware decoding with the system's native window. Does not support overlays. | Devices where overlays are not used. |
| Native Window Software Decoder (does not support overlays) | Uses software decoding with the system's native window. Does not support overlays. | Devices where overlays are not used. |
Note: The list above corresponds to a Windows Player. On Linux and macOS, not all of the options listed will be available.
Troubleshooting
- The player crashes after several hours and only recovers after a reboot: This is commonly caused by unstable Intel graphics drivers when using Automatic mode. Change the Video playback mode to Safe Decoder. If additional performance is required, test Hardware Decoder and compare the results.
- Videos stutter or playback is slow even when using Hardware Decoder: The graphics hardware may not support hardware decoding for the media resolution (for example, resolutions above 4K on certain Intel integrated GPUs). Verify that the Intel graphics driver is up to date. If the issue persists, consider reducing the media resolution or using a system with a dedicated GPU.
- Overlays are no longer displayed after changing the playback mode: The Native Window Hardware Decoder and Native Window Software Decoder modes do not support overlays. Switch to Standard Decoder or Safe Decoder if your content uses overlay regions or overlay applications.