VLC BUG - No time code processing for DVB-T .ts files

[3guesses]

VLC has had this problem for a LONG time. I have not gotten round to reporting it until now in the expectation that it would eventually be noticed and fixed, but it is still a problem in v1.1.0 so I've bitten the bullet and decided to report it.

I use VLC to playback video files created by my Humax PVR9200T. This is a personal video recorder that captures digital DVB-T broadcasts. However, when these are played back in VLC the app does not seem to process the time code - the time elapsed and total time of the video both always read 00:00/00:00 in the bottom right hand corner of the video control panel. This is very annoying because it means that the skip forward/back functionality does not work. I usually edit these .ts files in VideoReDo, and that seems to have no problem processing the time code for the video files, so I assume that the information is present. However, VLC has the same problem even with the files after editing. I would really like this fixed if possible

Also, occasionally a video file recorded by the PVR9200T plays almost as snow in VLC - you can hear the audio and see a very small part of the video but mainly it appears massively corrupted. Again, when loaded into VideoReDo the video is fine. I have noticed that if I edit the video on the PVR9200T (it has very rudimentary editing features) and cut off a bit of the recorded video at the start I never get the problem with the (remaining) video file, so that is what I tend to do now. Again, I meant to report this a long time ago but never got round to it I don't know if this is in any way related?

[VLC_help]

VLC cannot parse .(m2)ts timecodes. This is known issue.

[3guesses]

Ah, thanks. Just one point though: when editing using VideoReDo it has the option to save in "Transport Stream (*.ts)" format or "M2TS File (*.m2ts)" format - I always select the former, which suggests it is not saving in m2ts format? I'm a very long way from an expert in the field of video formats so apologies if I haven't fully understood your previous reply.

[VLC_help]

.ts and .m2ts are basically exact same container format. VLC cannot parse times codes from .ts nor from .m2ts files.

[3guesses]

OK, thanks.

[peter_h]

Also, the shift/ctrl-left & right arrow keys don't work because of this issue.
I also have DVB-T .TS files that I'd like this to work with.

.ts and .m2ts are basically exact same container format. VLC cannot parse times codes from .ts nor from .m2ts files.

Does this means it's on the "TO DO" list, or are there no plans to implement it?

[VLC_help]

Somebody said he was working with this, but the problem isn't trivial one.

[tex8031]

I also have been trying to find a way to work with this exact same issue. Transport stream files (dumped from a SiliconDust HDHomeRun HD Tuner) don't work with skip forward / backward / rewind and time always shows as 0:00:00.

Does anyone know if there is a way to skip forward / backward based on a "relative" byte position from current playback ? (as a workaround). The bookmarks setting looks promising but positions are relative to beginning of file only. If we could skip forward / backward "x" number of bytes from the "current" location, this might be more useful.

Someone pleassssssse work on fixing the time code problem for transport stream files !!!!

[saunatonttu]

Does anyone know if there is a way to skip forward / backward based on a "relative" byte position from current playback ? (as a workaround). The bookmarks setting looks promising but positions are relative to beginning of file only. If we could skip forward / backward "x" number of bytes from the "current" location, this might be more useful.

Someone pleassssssse work on fixing the time code problem for transport stream files !!!!

Seconded.

If TS timecodes cannot be parsed, please make a workaround. The logic could be just this simple: "if there's no positional data on a video file, then skip/rewind bytes instead of seconds."

[patniemeyer]

First of all, isn't the whole point of M2TS that it adds a timecode to every packet of the TS? But VLC doesn't parse timecode info in that case either. I'm tempted to look at this myself but I see that someone has posted a patch that was never adopted for some reason... there must be some deeper issue... would like to know what it is.

Second, the real problem with no timecode is that you can't use subtitles...

[rababitzky]

Hi all,

Is there any news regarding this issue?
I've checked latest version 1.1.10 features and it is not implemented yet.

VLC would be perfect if it could parse ".ts" file timecodes as it's really important in my research tasks to know the exact timecode of specific moment of the file
Let everybody know if you have estimated time to develop this on the upcoming builds. Thanks!

pd: regarding subtitles...if they're DVB subtitles or coming on page 888 of TXT of the .ts file you can play it frame accurately but if you add them as i.e .stl file doesn't work.

[VLC_help]

Possible fix won't most likely land to 1.1.x series. It is more likely that it will be in 1.2.x

[rababitzky]

Thanks for the answer!

So, when 1.2.x series are likely to be released? Is there any workaround in the meantime?

As I told you this is something really important in my research tasks in which we need to register specific timecodes of the .ts file because it matches with the daytime it was recorded.

[VLC_help]

You have to remux those .TS files to other format if you want to see timecodes in VLC. e.g. MP4 works better.

There isn't any release schedule for VLC 1.2.x but hopefully something will happen this summer.

[rababitzky]

I was already remuxing those files to MP4...but then you loose all information coming with the .ts file (audios, subtitles, EPG, Teletext)

But anyway, as long as it happens this summer it should be fine! Please keep us updated.

Here I've another request, since we've recorded tv and sat signal from 7am to 12am and we're creating 3 hours .ts file, it would be great while reviewing them, if we could set up an offset on the timecode to match the real time the program was on-air...so we can easly register the information we're analysing and we avoid calculations.

Do you think this can be implemented too? Thanks!

[VLC_help]

Matroska should work better if you have to keep different subtitles and etc.

I don't think there will be any time offset feature.

[rababitzky]

Hi again,

Got to new questions regarding VLC features.

1- Is there any way to save EPG from the .ts file? By now you can only check it but no chance to copy the info or to save it as a file.
2- Is there any way to save Subtitles from the .ts file? So after compressing we can load as a .stl file.

Kind regards,

[VLC_help]

I haven't tested the EPG features of VLC so I don't know what they can do. For subtitles it is usually easier to demux them out with tsMuxeR, but it might be also possible with VLC if they have their own program-id, e.g.

Code: Select all

vlc mux1.clip.ts --demux=ts --noaudio --novideo --play-and-exit --intf dummy --sout-all --sout '#duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=raw,dst=subtitle.stl}",select="program=213"'

[LateAdopter]

Workaround

Change the demuxer setting from "default" to "FFmpeg demuxer"

Then VLC shows the correct times for most of my TS and M2TS files. (within a few seconds of what MPC gives)

It works for MPEG2 and H.264 content.

Seeking with the keyboard also works.

[lucaberta]

Workaround

Change the demuxer setting from "default" to "FFmpeg demuxer"

Then VLC shows the correct times for most of my TS and M2TS files. (within a few seconds of what MPC gives)

It works for MPEG2 and H.264 content.

Seeking with the keyboard also works.

thanks so much LateAdopter, this timing is simply amazing! I've been doing some Googling and just found your tip dated yesterday, what great serendipity!

Needless to say, your workaround works perfectly!

Ciao, Luca
Milan, Italy

[didoyup]

Workaround

Change the demuxer setting from "default" to "FFmpeg demuxer"

Then VLC shows the correct times for most of my TS and M2TS files. (within a few seconds of what MPC gives)

It works for MPEG2 and H.264 content.

Seeking with the keyboard also works.

Thanks!

[Lucas Malor]

In theory, can't VLC obtain current time from values of FPS?
Since ffplay works, can't VLC use ffmpeg code to calculate total / current time?

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

Sure, but one has to do it correctly, and so far, noone has provided a correct solution.

[LateAdopter]

Would it be possible to amend the score for the FFmpeg demuxer plugin so that it is used by default?

Or would this cause some undesirable side effect, that I haven't found yet.

FFmpeg demuxer seems to do exactly what is wanted.

[rababitzky]

Hi again,

Regarding my questions about Timecode Processing for MPTS files you stated the following:

There isn't any release schedule for VLC 1.2.x but hopefully something will happen this summer.

Is there any news regarding new release VLC 1.2.x? The workaround from LateAdopter doesn't work for me since im working with MultiProgramTransportStream files which has between 6-9 programs multiplexed in each .ts file.

Regarding subtitles demuxing can you please help me with the code you gave me?
Should I only change the program id and run it straightforward on the vlc command line?

Code: Select all

vlc mux1.clip.ts --demux=ts --noaudio --novideo --play-and-exit --intf dummy --sout-all --sout '#duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=raw,dst=subtitle.stl}",select="program=213"'

Many thanks!