Unable to play MythTV recordings

[raaboof]

Until lately, I have been able to play my MythTV recordings via VLC without problems. With MythTV, I use a DVB-T card, so the recordings are of MPEG2 TS format. Without any obvious reason, about couple of weeks ago the new recordings stopped to work. I'm not sure if the broadcasted stream has been changed somehow, or if MythTV has started to break the recordings somehow. Recordings recorded earlier still work ok. But because MythTV itself, and MPlayer and GOM Player are able to play the recorded files, I would think that there might be also something wrong with VLC. I have also tested this with both Linux and Windows versions of VLC. On both, the symptoms are the same: only first frame is shown, after which the playback freezes.

Below is the output of the VLC messages window when trying to open one such a file. Has anyone else noticed this kind of behavior with MPEG 2 TS files?

-Petteri Heinonen

main debug: adding item `toht.ts' ( file:///C:/Users/heipet/Desktop/toht.ts )
qt4 debug: Adding a new MRL to recent ones: file:///C:/Users/heipet/Desktop/toht.ts
main debug: rebuilding array of current - root Playlist
main debug: rebuild done - 1 items, index -1
main debug: processing request item: toht.ts, node: null, skip: 0
main debug: resyncing on toht.ts
main debug: toht.ts is at 0
main debug: starting playback of the new playlist item
main debug: creating new input thread
main debug: Creating an input for 'toht.ts'
main debug: using timeshift granularity of 50 MiB, in path 'C:\Users\heipet\AppData\Local\Temp'
main debug: `file:///C:/Users/heipet/Desktop/toht.ts' gives access `file' demux `' path `/C:/Users/heipet/Desktop/toht.ts'
main debug: creating demux: access='file' demux='' location='/C:/Users/heipet/Desktop/toht.ts' file='C:\Users\heipet\Desktop\toht.ts'
main debug: looking for access_demux module: 3 candidates
main debug: no access_demux module matching "file" could be loaded
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 0.253 ms - Total 0.253 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.253 ms)
main debug: creating access 'file' location='/C:/Users/heipet/Desktop/toht.ts', path='C:\Users\heipet\Desktop\toht.ts'
main debug: looking for access module: 3 candidates
filesystem debug: opening file `C:\Users\heipet\Desktop\toht.ts'
main debug: using access module "filesystem"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 0.141 ms - Total 0.141 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.141 ms)
main debug: Using stream method for AStream*
main debug: starting pre-buffering
main debug: received first data after 0 ms
main debug: pre-buffering done 1024 bytes in 0s - 62500 KiB/s
main debug: looking for stream_filter module: 4 candidates
main debug: no stream_filter module matching "any" could be loaded
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 0.063 ms - Total 0.063 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.063 ms)
main debug: looking for stream_filter module: 1 candidate
main debug: using stream_filter module "stream_filter_record"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 0.053 ms - Total 0.053 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.053 ms)
main debug: creating demux: access='file' demux='' location='/C:/Users/heipet/Desktop/toht.ts' file='C:\Users\heipet\Desktop\toht.ts'
main debug: looking for demux module: 55 candidates
qt4 debug: IM: Setting an input
main debug: Creating an input for 'toht.ts'
ts debug: eof ?
ts warning: lost synchro
ts debug: skipping 76 bytes of garbage
ts debug: Force Seek Per Percent: Seeking failed at 10%.
ts debug: PATCallBack called
ts debug: new PAT ts_id=4097 version=12 current_next=1
ts debug: * number=1 pid=256
ts debug: PMTCallBack called
ts debug: new PMT program number=1 version=24 pid_pcr=512
ts debug: * descriptor : unknown (0xc)
ts debug: * descriptor : unknown (0xe)
ts debug: * es pid=512 type=2 dr->i_tag=0x52
ts debug: * es pid=512 type=2 dr->i_tag=0x2
ts debug: * es pid=512 type=2 dr->i_tag=0xe
ts debug: * es pid=512 type=2 dr->i_tag=0x6
ts debug: * es pid=512 type=2 fcc=mpgv
main debug: selecting program id=1
ts debug: * es pid=650 type=4 dr->i_tag=0xa
ts debug: * es pid=650 type=4 dr->i_tag=0x52
ts debug: * es pid=650 type=4 dr->i_tag=0x3
ts debug: * es pid=650 type=4 dr->i_tag=0xe
ts debug: found language: eng
ts debug: * es pid=650 type=4 fcc=mpga
ts debug: * es pid=652 type=4 dr->i_tag=0xa
ts debug: * es pid=652 type=4 dr->i_tag=0x52
ts debug: * es pid=652 type=4 dr->i_tag=0x3
ts debug: * es pid=652 type=4 dr->i_tag=0xe
ts debug: found language: dut
ts debug: * es pid=652 type=4 fcc=mpga
ts debug: * es pid=1027 type=6 dr->i_tag=0x59
ts debug: * es pid=1027 type=6 fcc=dvbs
ts debug: * es pid=5000 type=6 dr->i_tag=0x56
ts debug: * es pid=5000 type=6 dr->i_tag=0x52
ts debug: * ttxt type=Teletext lan=fin page=100
ts debug: * Stream Component Identifier: 10
ts debug: * es pid=5000 type=6 fcc=telx
filesystem warning: unimplemented query 4097 in control
main debug: using demux module "ts"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 310.980 ms - Total 310.980 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 310.980 ms)
main debug: looking for a subtitle file in C:\Users\heipet\Desktop
main debug: looking for decoder module: 31 candidates
main debug: no fetch required for (null) (art currently (null))
avcodec debug: libavcodec initialized (interface 0x360a64)
avcodec debug: trying to use direct rendering
avcodec debug: allowing 4 thread(s) for decoding
avcodec debug: ffmpeg codec (MPEG-1/2 Video) started
avcodec debug: using slice thread mode with 4 threads
main debug: using decoder module "avcodec"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 5.156 ms - Total 5.156 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 5.156 ms)
main debug: looking for packetizer module: 21 candidates
main debug: using packetizer module "packetizer_mpegvideo"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 1.854 ms - Total 1.854 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 1.854 ms)
main debug: looking for decoder module: 31 candidates
main debug: using decoder module "mpeg_audio"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 0.155 ms - Total 0.155 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.155 ms)
ts debug: DEMUX_SET_GROUP 0 00000000
main debug: looking for meta reader module: 2 candidates
lua debug: Trying Lua scripts in C:\Users\heipet\AppData\Roaming\vlc\lua\meta\reader
lua debug: Trying Lua scripts in C:\Program Files (x86)\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\reader
lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files (x86)\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\reader\filename.luac
main debug: no meta reader module matching "any" could be loaded
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 0.717 ms - Total 0.717 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.717 ms)
main debug: `file:///C:/Users/heipet/Desktop/toht.ts' successfully opened
ts warning: first packet for pid=650 cc=0x2
ts warning: first packet for pid=652 cc=0xd
ts warning: first packet for pid=512 cc=0x5
mpeg_audio debug: MPGA channels:2 samplerate:48000 bitrate:224
main debug: creating audio output
packetizer_mpegvideo debug: waiting for sequence start
packetizer_mpegvideo debug: waiting for sequence start
packetizer_mpegvideo debug: waiting for sequence start
packetizer_mpegvideo debug: waiting for sequence start
packetizer_mpegvideo debug: waiting for sequence start
packetizer_mpegvideo debug: waiting for sequence start
packetizer_mpegvideo debug: waiting for sequence start
packetizer_mpegvideo debug: waiting for sequence start
packetizer_mpegvideo debug: waiting for sequence start
packetizer_mpegvideo debug: waiting for sequence start
ts warning: first packet for pid=1027 cc=0x5
main debug: looking for audio output module: 2 candidates
aout_directx debug: Opening DirectSound Audio Output
packetizer_mpegvideo debug: waiting for sequence start
packetizer_mpegvideo debug: size 720x576 fps=25.000
main debug: looking for text renderer module: 2 candidates
freetype debug: Using Arial as font from file C:\Windows\Fonts\arial.ttf
freetype debug: using fontsize: 2
main debug: using text renderer module "freetype"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 1.785 ms - Total 1.785 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 1.785 ms)
main debug: looking for video filter2 module: 18 candidates
swscale debug: 32x32 chroma: YUVA -> 16x16 chroma: RGBA with scaling using Bicubic (good quality)
main debug: using video filter2 module "swscale"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 1.363 ms - Total 1.363 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 1.363 ms)
main debug: looking for video filter2 module: 18 candidates
aout_directx debug: found device: Primary Sound Driver
aout_directx debug: found device: Speakers / HP (IDT High Definition Audio CODEC)
aout_directx debug: using device: Speakers / HP (IDT High Definition Audio CODEC)
yuvp debug: YUVP to YUVA converter
main debug: using video filter2 module "yuvp"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 3.195 ms - Total 3.195 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 3.195 ms)
main debug: Deinterlacing available
main debug: deinterlace 1, mode yadif2x, is_needed 0
main debug: Opening vout display wrapper
main debug: looking for vout display module: 6 candidates
direct3d debug: creating Vout EventThread
direct3d debug: DirectXCreateWindow
main debug: looking for vout window hwnd module: 2 candidates
qt4 debug: requesting video...
aout_directx debug: device supports 2 channels (DEFAULT!)
aout_directx debug: device supports 1 channel
aout_directx debug: Windows says your SpeakerConfig is stereo
aout_directx debug: creating DirectSoundThread
main debug: using audio output module "aout_directx"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 48.397 ms - Total 48.397 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 48.397 ms)
main debug: output 's16l' 48000 Hz Stereo frame=1 samples/4 bytes
main debug: mixer 'f32l' 48000 Hz Stereo frame=1 samples/8 bytes
main debug: filter(s) 'f32l'->'s16l' 48000 Hz->48000 Hz Stereo->Stereo
aout_directx debug: DirectSoundThread ready
main debug: looking for audio filter module: 14 candidates
audio_format debug: f32l->s16l, bits per sample: 32->16
main debug: using audio filter module "audio_format"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 2.281 ms - Total 2.281 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 2.281 ms)
main debug: conversion pipeline completed
main debug: looking for audio mixer module: 2 candidates
main debug: using audio mixer module "float32_mixer"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 0.233 ms - Total 0.233 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.233 ms)
main debug: input 'mpga' 48000 Hz Stereo frame=1152 samples/1161 bytes
main debug: looking for audio filter module: 1 candidate
scaletempo debug: format: 48000 rate, 2 nch, 4 bps, fl32
scaletempo debug: params: 30 stride, 0.200 overlap, 14 search
scaletempo debug: 1.000 scale, 1440.000 stride_in, 1440 stride_out, 1152 standing, 288 overlap, 672 search, 2400 queue, fl32 mode
main debug: using audio filter module "scaletempo"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 0.238 ms - Total 0.238 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.238 ms)
main debug: filter(s) 'mpga'->'f32l' 48000 Hz->48000 Hz Stereo->Stereo
main debug: looking for audio filter module: 14 candidates
mpgatofixed32 debug: mpga->f32l, bits per sample: 32
main debug: using audio filter module "mpgatofixed32"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 0.087 ms - Total 0.087 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.087 ms)
main debug: conversion pipeline completed
main debug: filter(s) 'f32l'->'f32l' 48000 Hz->48000 Hz Stereo->Stereo
main debug: conversion pipeline completed
main debug: filter(s) 'f32l'->'f32l' 52800 Hz->48000 Hz Stereo->Stereo
main debug: looking for audio filter module: 14 candidates
main debug: using audio filter module "samplerate"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 0.098 ms - Total 0.098 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.098 ms)
main debug: conversion pipeline completed
main debug: End of audio preroll
qt4 debug: Video was requested 0, 0
main debug: using vout window hwnd module "qt4"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 114.115 ms - Total 114.115 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 114.115 ms)
direct3d debug: created video sub-window
direct3d debug: Vout EventThread running
direct3d debug: disabling screen saver
main debug: VoutDisplayEvent 'resize' 1040x614 window
direct3d warning: trying surface pixel format: YV12
direct3d debug: selected surface pixel format is YV12
direct3d debug: Using D3DTEXF_LINEAR for minification
direct3d debug: Using D3DTEXF_LINEAR for magnification
direct3d debug: Direct3D scene created successfully
direct3d debug: Direct3D device adapter successfully initialized
main debug: using vout display module "direct3d"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 185.882 ms - Total 185.882 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 185.882 ms)
main debug: original format sz 720x576, of (0,0), vsz 720x576, 4cc I420, sar 64:45, msk r0x0 g0x0 b0x0
main debug: Adding 'deinterlace' as static
main debug: looking for video filter2 module: 1 candidate
deinterlace debug: using yadif2x deinterlace method
deinterlace debug: deinterlacing
main debug: using video filter2 module "deinterlace"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 0.540 ms - Total 0.540 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.540 ms)
main debug: Filter 'deinterlace' (0dbf0e80) appended to chain
main debug: removing module "freetype"
main debug: looking for text renderer module: 2 candidates
freetype debug: Using Arial as font from file C:\Windows\Fonts\arial.ttf
freetype debug: using fontsize: 2
main debug: using text renderer module "freetype"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 0.909 ms - Total 0.909 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 0.909 ms)
avcodec debug: using direct rendering
main debug: VoutDisplayEvent 'resize' 1024x576 window
main debug: End of video preroll
main debug: Received first picture
direct3d debug: Created 101x31 texture for OSD
main debug: Post-processing available
main debug: Detected interlaced video
main debug: deinterlace 1, mode yadif2x, is_needed 1
main debug: Filter 0dbf0e80 removed from chain
main debug: removing module "deinterlace"
main debug: Adding 'deinterlace' as static
main debug: looking for video filter2 module: 1 candidate
deinterlace debug: using yadif2x deinterlace method
deinterlace debug: deinterlacing
main debug: using video filter2 module "deinterlace"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 1.416 ms - Total 1.416 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 1.416 ms)
main debug: Filter 'deinterlace' (02d36918) appended to chain
ts debug: eof ?
main debug: EOF reached
main debug: finished input
main warning: early picture skipped
main warning: early picture skipped
main warning: early picture skipped
main warning: early picture skipped
main warning: early picture skipped
main debug: removing module "avcodec"
avcodec debug: ffmpeg codec (MPEG-1/2 Video) stopped
main debug: killing decoder fourcc `mpgv', 9003 PES in FIFO
main debug: saving a free vout
main debug: reusing provided vout
main debug: removing module "packetizer_mpegvideo"
main warning: received buffer in the future
main warning: received buffer in the future
main warning: received buffer in the future
main warning: received buffer in the future
main warning: received buffer in the future
main debug: removing module "mpeg_audio"
main debug: killing decoder fourcc `mpga', 3007 PES in FIFO
main debug: removing module "mpgatofixed32"
main debug: removing module "scaletempo"
main debug: removing module "samplerate"
main debug: removing module "aout_directx"
aout_directx debug: closing audio device
aout_directx debug: DirectSoundThread exiting
main debug: removing module "audio_format"
main debug: removing module "float32_mixer"
main debug: releasing audio output
main debug: removing module "ts"
ts debug: pid list:
ts debug: - pid[0] seen
ts debug: - pid[256] seen
ts debug: - pid[512] seen
ts debug: - pid[650] seen
ts debug: - pid[652] seen
ts debug: - pid[1027] seen
main debug: Program doesn't contain anymore ES
ts debug: - pid[5000] seen
ts debug: - pid[8191] seen
main debug: removing module "stream_filter_record"
main debug: removing module "filesystem"
main debug: dead input
main debug: changing item without a request (current 0/1)
main debug: nothing to play
main debug: destroying useless vout
main debug: removing module "direct3d"
direct3d debug: Direct3D scene released successfully
qt4 debug: IM: Deleting the input
main debug: TIMER input launching for 'toht.ts' : 320.763 ms - Total 320.763 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 320.763 ms)
direct3d debug: DirectXEventThread terminating
direct3d debug: DirectXCloseWindow
direct3d debug: WinProc WM_DESTROY
main debug: Filter 02d36918 removed from chain
main debug: removing module "deinterlace"
qt4 debug: releasing video...
qt4 debug: Video is not needed anymore
main debug: removing module "freetype"
main debug: removing module "yuvp"
main debug: removing module "swscale"

[raaboof]

I also uploaded an example of problematic MPEG 2 TS files here:

http://www.mediafire.com/?jf94v740ulrx5a8

I'd be thankful is someone with better knowledge about MPEG 2 TS could take a quick look at it and give some opinion about why VLC cannot play it. I've tried to compare it with several other MPEG2 TS files with several analyze tools, but haven't found any real difference or reason for this behavior.

-Petteri Heinonen

[Lotesdelere]

Yes, I can reproduce the issue with VLC 2.0.2 NB while it's playing fine with other players and also with FFplay.

You should create a ticket on the VLC Trac with a link to the log and to the non working file.

[nkoriyama]

It's similar to ticket 6714, and these files are broken. No PCR.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=97014

If you want to play the MPEG-TS file that doesn't have PCR, use Avformat demuxer.
I think both FFplay and mplayer2 use it.