A52 (AC3) Codec not supported

[Wiglet]

I get a codec not supported error and no audio when playing an mkv file.

I've tried changing the time zone to Canada and Mexico and restarting the app, but this seems to have no effect.

Using 2.4.1 via Testflight on an iPhone 6, running iOS 8.1.2

Is this expected? Is there anyway around this?

[Schein_Toter]

VLC iOS not support AC3/E-AC3 audio codec!!

[rigorkrad]

This is nothing new. Ever since getting this new Vic for iOS i never been able to get audio working with videos I encoded myself using handbrake.

The old , very first version of Vic for iOS, the one that you had to sync video worked fine
The newer versions do not work.

Dragnet , pill popper episode with MPEG AAC audio mp4a plays fine
Quincy, with 2 Audio tracks. MP4a and a52 audio, neither of them has sound

Hd home run UPNP server. The last 2.3 version did not connect
New version ,2.4.1 connects plays video, no audio becuse of no a52 support
Last nights family guy, wtv file, recorded off a hd home run, no audio
Plex server playing recorded tv files ( wtv ) , no audio becuse of no a53 support

[yairmarx]

VLC iOS not support AC3/E-AC3 audio codec!!

In the past we could change the timezone to canada and it would work. Now, that doesnt even work.

[fkuehne]

This is expected because the codec is no longer part of the installed app.

[Opa114]

did we get AC3 Support back in next version of VLC?

[tpsflipper]

AC3 support is no long in the new versions of VLC for IOS. The last version it worked in was 2.3.0 . Dolby Digital has demanded Licencing of the AC3 format, so VLC is not allowed to keep it in their app without paying licensing fees.

Hopefully you have a copy of the old version on your iTunes computer that you can restore. Remember to check in the trash can for the older VLC 2.3.0 IPA file, and if you successfully restore it, remember to disable automatic app updates on your device if you have them enabled.
Settings > iTunes & App Store > (un-check automatic downloads of updates)

If you don't have a old copy, unfortunately you are S-O-L!

[Opa114]

how could i restore the downloaded old ipa in itunes? i tried it but the icon did not appear right and could not open the app..
i have not bought or downloaded it before version 2.4. is it possible without jailbreak?

[satori425]

for what it's worth, I ran into this problem (VLC for iOS automatically updated on my wife's iPad) -- and was able to fix it by finding the old version 2.3.0 ipa. I deleted the updated ipa from the iTunes library and installed the previous version. I did the same on the iPad, and now it is playing videos with AC3 audio like normal (with the location on the iPad set to Tahiti, just because it matches our Maui time zone while allowing the AC3 codec to function, seemingly outside of the US).

if anyone needs the 2.3.0 ipa PM me, I assume it'd work universally.

update: I did this on an iPad Air 2 and MacBook air, all running current legit OS's, no jailbreak, etc involved.

[mattack]

Is there any chance for a 99 cent version of VLC with this reenabled?

I use(d) VLC very often to play recordings downloaded from my Tivo. I used VLC because it would play the raw recordings AND I could play them faster than realtime (which I like for things like news & reality shows -- the non-competition part of the reality show I play faster than realtime)..

Since the new version, I can't play ANYTHING because of this issue.. Making the new version (which I know fixed several bugs I reported in previous versions) COMPLETELY useless for me. (I also can't convert them with Quicktime player, that takes FOREVER.) I also was looking forward to the streaming from Google Drive, since that would have worked around my almost-full iPad issue (low capacity orig mini).

Are there any other iOS apps that will play 'raw' MPEG2 files, faster than realtime?

again, I'd be willing to pay a small amount for this to be restored to VLC.

[fkuehne]

We are trying to find a solution for this issue right now, please stay tuned.

[Opa114]

We are trying to find a solution for this issue right now, please stay tuned.

hope this will be really soon. It sucks to convert every movie for playing on iphone..

[Angolaover]

I got the 2.3.0 version, and it works smoooth as hell! .mvk files sings like a baby! I can provide you the IPA

[dfuhrmann]

Giving around any IPA file will not work for the normal user. For users with jailbroken devices you can download the ipa from our website.

[v5point0]

We are trying to find a solution for this issue right now, please stay tuned.

Your sample file includes an A52 audio track. This codec is not supported in some regions. Due to implementations details of the region lock, no audio playback is supported as long as an A52 audio track is present in a given media. This might change in a later release. Sorry about that.

Felix you mentioned this before - https://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.php?t=112521 I believe it is still the case. What I don't understand is why PlayerXtreme https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/playerx ... 84471?mt=8 - is able to play these just fine if this is a legal thing.

Hope VLC is able to fix this soon.

[TheBigTime001]

Checking out the in-app purchases for this app, most of them are total crap, IMHO (seriously, they want you to pay a dollar a piece for both subs AND net file access?). So, here's the real kicker. Does purchasing this "Pro" addon at US$ 2.99 get you the fabled AC3 playback, or is it available for free to begin with? Your response could be interesting to VideoLAN's legal department (if they're getting away with offering the playback for free, we might be able to make hefty legal claims against both Apple and Dolby).

[v5point0]

Checking out the in-app purchases for this app, most of them are total crap, IMHO (seriously, they want you to pay a dollar a piece for both subs AND net file access?). So, here's the real kicker. Does purchasing this "Pro" addon at US$ 2.99 get you the fabled AC3 playback, or is it available for free to begin with? Your response could be interesting to VideoLAN's legal department (if they're getting away with offering the playback for free, we might be able to make hefty legal claims against both Apple and Dolby).

It was free from the start - I didn't pay a dime for this app but just by leaving a review they unlocked pro version. Many reviewers on the App Store claim the same.

[TheBigTime001]

Hmm, if this app is offering AC3 playback for free, from the beginning (and neither Apple nor Dolby is doing anything about it), we may be able to file a counterargument under the DMCA, and warn them that if this company is getting away with this and they hit us legally, they acted with dirty hands (legal term meaning they stopped us maliciously or acted outside of the law). This could give us a big edge in re-including AC3 playback, if they SELECTIVELY ditched apps from the App Store that were offering this for free. Not a legal expert, just have read a LOT of techie legal stuff online (for a while, I wanted to take on the MPAA and RIAA myself).

[Lalaiandro]

Hmm, if this app is offering AC3 playback for free, from the beginning (and neither Apple nor Dolby is doing anything about it), we may be able to file a counterargument under the DMCA, and warn them that if this company is getting away with this and they hit us legally, they acted with dirty hands (legal term meaning they stopped us maliciously or acted outside of the law).

Is the method from playerxtreme successfully and legal?? Why the app since 2011 in App-Store!!

something else. Playerxtreme is really bad. Fak design/interface,no features,bad decoder etc...

[fkuehne]

IIRC, PlayerXtreme licensed the patents from Dolby so a large part of their income will be directly passed through. Further, PlayerXtreme used to be a different front-end to a very old version of VLC, but that may have changed, no idea.

[leokon]

Hi. Has someone old version of VLC player for iPhone (2.3.0 ipa)? Could you please give it to me because I updated my player and now it doesn't support AC3 codec? I want to restore it through iTunes.

Thank you in advance for your help.

[johndixie]

Is it still possible to get version 2.3.0 for ipad. Have an ipad 1 - ios5 and iPad air2 ios9. Seems this will help get around the current codec problem on ios devices

[ruzzmasta]

Come on guys the answer is pretty obvious. You have to convert the file into a format that doesn't have A52 (AC3) codec. The best software I've seen that is supported on both Mac and PC is Handbrake. It is completely free and it already has presets for each device and it will usually convert it into AAC.

[ruzzmasta]

I just did it for a movie

[GodKingThoth]

Guys seriously just freaking use Opus audio codec when you re-encode your stuff, that+265 make really good perf per byte. Opus is as good at 64 bit as 128b of other codecs.. Try it out on a few you handbrake guys, I wanna know what y'all think. It's my personal favorite and would solve the problem with this wretched legal bulls#!t