No audio when playing some MP4 files

[mandarin]

I'd be very grateful for advice to try to solve a problem I'm experiencing. I have a Panasonic video recorder that came with their proprietary 'Media Go' app that I had to download. MP4 files recorded on the Panasonic will of course work fine when played through Media Go.

However, when I play any MP4 file recorded on the Panasonic video recorder using VLC, the video plays but there is no audio.

I would like to play MP4 files using VLC so I am independent of Media Go.

Can anybody help please? My computer runs on Windows Vista. Thanks!

[Lotesdelere]

Please open Tools -> Messages (set Verbosity to 2) before you start the playback, and then paste the full resulting log here or on Pastebin.com if it's too long.

Also upload a short sample of your original problematic file to Zippyshare.com or to WeTransfer.com and then post the link to the file here.
https://www.zippyshare.com
https://wetransfer.com

If needed cut it with DGsplit and read here about how to do it:
https://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.ph ... 35#p193335
100 MB max should be enough.

[mandarin]

Thanks for your comprehensive reply. I managed to set Verbosity to two and then got lost. I have no idea how to obtain the 'full resulting log', for example. Unfortunately I'm not sufficiently au fait with computer programming to understand most of your instructions. But I appreciate your trying to help.

[Hitchhiker]

Thanks for your comprehensive reply. I managed to set Verbosity to two and then got lost. I have no idea how to obtain the 'full resulting log', for example. Unfortunately I'm not sufficiently au fait with computer programming to understand most of your instructions. But I appreciate your trying to help.

I can help you with that part.

1. So first step is to set Verbosity to 2 and then leave the message box on screen where it will stay in the background after you start your mp4.
2. Next step is to play your video albeit without any audio. Since we need the whole log you'll have to allow it to play all the way through.
3. Once it finishes click Tools ---> Messages again. The message box should now be full of text. If it's empty, leave it for a minute or so and it will eventually fill with the log file.
4. Place the cursor anywhere in the message box and then hit Ctrl + A to highlight everything.
5. Next, right click the highlight and click Copy from the menu.
6. Now go to https://pastebin.com/
7. Right click in the New Paste section at the top and click Paste. This will cause the New Paste window to fill with text (which is your log file).
8. Scroll down to near the bottom of the Pastebin site until you see "Paste Name / Title". Type a name for your log file and then click the "Create New Paste" button below that description field. You'll see the URL at the top change to a link such as https://pastebin.com/f9eCUzZ5 (this is an actual log file I've just uploaded myself called "Cannot play youtube videos").
9. Copy that URL and then come back here and paste it into your next post.

Here's a pix of the New Paste window on Pastebin together with the field where you have to type a name to create the URL.


(click to enlarge)

If there's anything you don't understand please don't hesitate to say so.

[mandarin]

Thanks Hitchhiker for the easy-to-follow instructions, much appreciated. I have obtained the log file (and saved it as a Word .docx file). I have tried several times to paste it into pastebin, but each time I did this pastebin became unresponsive and I had to exit after 5 minutes of waiting. Might have something to do with my old laptop. Is there a way I can attach my .docx log file to a post (I've looked but there isn't an immediately apparent way to add attachments). Thanks again.

[Hitchhiker]

It's not necessary to save the log at all. Once you've right clicked the log created in vlc and clicked Copy it will remain in the Windows Clipboard until you copy something else. So just go to Pastebin, right click and click Paste, or if you prefer use Ctrl + V to paste it.

If you really want to save the log to your own machine use Notepad which is included in every version of Windows. Just make sure Word Wrap in the Format menu is unchecked.

[mandarin]

Yes I've already tried that but as mentioned in my previous post, I have tried several times to paste it into pastebin, but each time I did this pastebin became unresponsive and I had to exit after 5 minutes of waiting. So I saved the log as a Word document. Is there a way I can attach my Word document log file to a post (I've looked but there isn't an immediately apparent way to add attachments). Or should I copy the log file to a post (it is very large)? Thanks again.

[Hitchhiker]

Yes I've already tried that but as mentioned in my previous post, I have tried several times to paste it into pastebin, but each time I did this pastebin became unresponsive and I had to exit after 5 minutes of waiting. So I saved the log as a Word document. Is there a way I can attach my Word document log file to a post (I've looked but there isn't an immediately apparent way to add attachments). Or should I copy the log file to a post (it is very large)? Thanks again.

Clear browser cache and cookies if you're experiencing that kind of problem. How you do that depends on the browser. If you're using Firefox right click a blank part of the tab bar and click "Menu bar". Then click History ---> Clear recent history. In the menu which opens checkmark Cache and Cookies and then click OK.
Here's a pix of it.


(click to enlarge).

Alternatively, you can post the log on this forum by using the Code button (fifth button from the left above the forum message box). When you click the Code button it places two of them within squared brackets with the cursor placed between them (you'll see it flashing). All you need do is the right click and paste.

However, there's a limit to the amount of data one code field can contain which means you'll have to split the log into two or possibly three sections. As mentioned already you have to use Notepad to save a log file because applications like Word will wrap the text which isn't acceptable for log files.

[mandarin]

Perseverence pays off - that, and excellent instructions for which I'm very grateful. It seems to have worked, here is the link:

https://pastebin.com/BdpSBJEH

Hope this is of use, and thanks again.

[Lotesdelere]

Code: Select all

wasapi error: unsupported audio format

As requested in post #2, please upload a sample file.

[Hitchhiker]

Judging by what Lotesdelere mentioned your Panasonic recorder creates audio files in a non-standard format which will only play in Media Go.

To be sure though we need a short video to test it. In that respect it will probably easier for you as a non-techie to create a new one which is less than 500MB and then drag & drop it to https://zippyshare.com/ and then post the link to it here.

[mandarin]

Each MP4 file comes with an associated .cont, .pmpd and .tmb file. It seems to be proprietary Panasonic HD video recorder software, which is probably why it plays on VLC without audio. I also think my Vista operating system is too old to play MP4 files properly and why it does not like zippyshare or wetransfer. I will probably have to buy a new laptop. I'm grateful for your help though - thanks for trying!

[mederi]

What do you mean by "it does not like zippyshare or wetransfer"? They work fine on Vista SP2. Are they blocked in your country? What web browser do you use? Google Chrome 49 is the latest for Vista.

[Hitchhiker]

Each MP4 file comes with an associated .cont, .pmpd and .tmb file. It seems to be proprietary Panasonic HD video recorder software, which is probably why it plays on VLC without audio. I also think my Vista operating system is too old to play MP4 files properly and why it does not like zippyshare or wetransfer. I will probably have to buy a new laptop. I'm grateful for your help though - thanks for trying!

As you already surmised all three file types are associated with Panasonic software. Here's DuckDuckGo's list of results which includes all three.

But what happens exactly when you try to upload content to zippyshare or wetransfer? Do you get an error message?
Also, rather than drag & drop you can use the Browse option to navigate to the file location on your machine and then upload it that way too.

If you decide to purchase a new laptop or PC you can install O&O ShutUp10 to prevent Microsoft from tracking you all the time. However, be aware that Windows 10 Home is little more than an adserver which will bombard you with them continually unless you upgrade to Windows 10 Pro. To do that you need the product key. This little tool will reveal what that is: https://neosmart.net/OemKey/

[mandarin]

My Windows Vista has not had any updates supplied due to its age for a couple of years now. I use Google Chrome and ditto for that, no updates available for several years. I haven't got past trying to sign on for wetransfer, the page freezes when I try that. Pretty clear I need a new laptop.

[Hitchhiker]

My Windows Vista has not had any updates supplied due to its age for a couple of years now. I use Google Chrome and ditto for that, no updates available for several years. I haven't got past trying to sign on for wetransfer, the page freezes when I try that. Pretty clear I need a new laptop.

You don't need to sign on to either site. On the Wetransfer site click the "No thanks" button below the option to create an account and then click the '+' button to navigate to the file you want to upload. Click that and then click "Open".

[Lotesdelere]

You just need an up-to-date browser and Wetransfer will work. I suggest to use Mozilla Firefox.
You also need to allow cookies for Wetransfer.com.

[g_m_1990]

Sorry I'm not sure if it's better to reply here or opening a new post, but I'm trying VLC media player (3.0.12 Vetinali, x64) on my Windows Vista SP2 x64 VMWare virtual machine (VMWare Workstation 16 Player 16.1.0). Windows Vista was patched up-to-date and even updated with Server 2008 original patches up until Feb 2021.

It turns out that VLC is having issues playing audio streams (i.e. any audio files, and audio tracks in some video format files) in general on Windows Vista. I even tried to play an audio CD (connected virtually via VMWare Workstation) and it didn't work. Only time VLC works with full audio is playing sample videos (in .wmv formart) that comes with Windows Vista's installation by default.

Medium I've tested are a sample .mp3 file, a sample .mp4 file, and a CDDA (virtually connected via VMWare Player). They played fine without issues on WMP11 (except for .mp4 as not supported) and MPC-BE.

I checked tools > codec information while playing .mp3, .mp4 and CDDA. Under statistcs tab, Audio -> Played is always 0 buffers.

I also tried to play those sample music in .wma format that comes with Windows Vista, surprisingly, no luck at all.

These issues are presented even on a nightly build (3.0.12.1, x64 and x86).

.mp3 files log: https://pastebin.com/TwM4kfty (after 2 crashes) Downloaded from file-examples.com/index.php/sample-audio-files/sample-mp3-download/ (that 5MB one)

.mp4 files log: https://pastebin.com/vdz2TQQg Downloaded from www.appsloveworld.com/download-sample-m ... st-videos/ (the first one)

CDDA log: https://pastebin.com/gXjY5Gby (Please ignore that "cannot read sector" error as it's a mixed-mode CD! Sorry for that. The useful logs should go pass them as real CDDA starts from track 2.)

[Lotesdelere]

Hm, there might be an issue with Vista then.
Can you try with an older version ? Say v3.0.10 or v3.0.9.2.
https://get.videolan.org/vlc/

[mederi]

Provided samples (mp3, mp4) play fine in VLC-3.0.12-win32 on 32-bit Vista.

[g_m_1990]

Hmm... So it seems like it's either Vista x64's problem or, maybe, settings of my virtual machine?

I tried VLC 3.0.12 (32-bit), 3.0.10 (32-bit) and 3.0.9.2 (64-bit) on my Vista x64 and they are not working as expected and they are having the same issue.

I may try update VMWare tools to the latest one Vista can use and see how it goes. Current version (10.3.10) is outdated for VMWare Workstation 16 Player, but updating to the latest one (11.0.6) will break some OpenGL functionalities which renders one game application not functioning (yeah VMWare is so careless on Vista; they ignore OS environment and use Windows 7 function calls directly).

Oh one more thing, some Windows Vista users may get version bumped (unofficially? semi-officially?) to 6.0.6003.20491. I'm having that 6.0.6003 settings as well as I got Server 2008 (original) patches installed and it may break some applications. (https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/top ... 5bd1909ca8 )

If a user installed bluekeep patch (out-of-support patch, available for Vista users) and also installed the servicing stack patch (KB4493730) mentioned ("recommended by MS") in the article (https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/top ... fcece4325a ) that user will also get a 6003.