Screen Flickering and Flash

[Guest]

I have been having an issue with only one computer for the last few months where there is really bad intermittent screen flickering, specifically under the following conditions: Streaming Xfinity/Comcast programs (Which I am told uses Adobe Flash) and with Hardware Acceleration enabled. The entire screen flickers, not just the browser. Disabling Hardware Acceleration permanently stops the flickering, but makes streaming unusable because of the stutter and lag. The same issue exists with both Chrome and Microsoft Edge. The problem does not exist when streaming from other sites (YouTube, Twitch, etc.).

Here is a video of the screen flickering:

https://youtu.be/snlB186EcpM

Operating System = Windows 10 Home 64 bit (All updates applied)

Laptop = HP Stream 11 (All drivers current including Video)

[jeromiec83223024]

This indicates a bug in the graphics driver or hardware.

See the information in the video troubleshooting guide about updating your graphics drivers:

https://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/video-playback-issues.html

If you're still stuck, please follow the directions in the guide on providing the dxdiag report.

[Guest]

I am currently working with Intel support and they had me update my Video driver to the latest, but it did not help.  Furthermore they can not replicate the issue on their end because they don't have access to Xfinity, which uses Flash, nor do they have the exact same hardware.  They are seeing the same thing I am, that non-flash sites are working without the screen flicker.  Per your request I will file a report to the bug database.

[jeromiec83223024]

It's possible that we need to do something to accommodate a specific Intel chipset.  Usually we get that sorted out with Intel way in advance, though. The output of dxdiag will give us a bunch of useful information.  You can either open a bug, or just paste the contents of the dxdiag output here.  If it's too long for the forums, you can break it up over a couple posts, or just put it up on Adobe Send / Dropbox / Pastebin / etc. and post a public link.  Either way is fine.  I just need all the gory details about that particular chipset and driver combination, at which point I'll need to go find comparable hardware to see if we can reproduce it.

[Guest]

Here you go...

dxdiag - Pastebin.com

[jeromiec83223024]

Thanks.  This is old enough that if there were widespread issues in the field with that chipset, that we'd already know about it.

According to dxdiag, the GPU driver that you have installed is from September 2015.  There are definitely newer drivers available, but you may need to use the Intel ones and not the ones provided by HP.    You should also install any firmware updates available.

What's the actual model number on this laptop?

Also, is this a problem with a specific browser, or do you see this only in a specific browser (Chrome, Edge, IE, Firefox)?  It would be useful in understanding where the problem is.

[Guest]

1) According to dxdiag, the GPU driver that you have installed is from September 2015.  There are definitely newer drivers available, but you may need to use the Intel ones and not the ones provided by HP.

I apologize, that report was from a couple days ago, before Intel had me install the latest drivers that are newer than HP's.  It did not solve the flicker problem.  Here is today's report:

dxdiag 10-26-2017 - Pastebin.com

2) You should also install any firmware updates available.

The Laptop's BIOS is current.  I am unaware of any other firmware.

3) What's the actual model number on this laptop?

Model Name = HP Stream 11

Part # = 11-r010nr (This is probably what you are looking for)

Product# = N5X86UA#ABA

4) Also, is this a problem with a specific browser, or do you see this only in a specific browser (Chrome, Edge, IE, Firefox)?  It would be useful in understanding where the problem is.

I have only tested with Chrome and Edge, and as long as Hardware Acceleration is enabled on either browser the flickering will start.  There is never flickering on those browsers with Hardware Acceleration disabled. Also, as i mentioned the only time I have flickering is with the Xfinity site. One thing I discovered is that to enable hardware acceleration in Microsoft Edge, you actually have to enable it in Internet Explorer.

Also, Intel had me run streaming from the Twitch website for the last 4 days and the flickering never started.  I made sure I only tested with streams running at the highest resolution on that site to fully stress things (1080p @ 60).  I then tested streaming with Xfinity again and the flicker started within 10 minutes of me testing.

[jeromiec83223024]

That's helpful, thanks.

Do you see flashing here too? 

http://wwwns.akamai.com/hdnetwork/demo/flash/default.html

I'm tyring to figure out if this is specific to DRM-protected streams like xfinity, or more general Flash video.

[Guest]

There is nothing on that page but a header that says Akamai HD.

[jeromiec83223024]

Okay, thanks.  I ordered one of these machines.  We'll take a look.

[Guest]

OK.

[Guest · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the help, but due to no space left on the laptop for Windows Updates I replaced Windows with Linux Mint 18.3.  No more screen flickering, no buffering, and the laptop is much faster.  This thread can be closed.