No Video when playing a h264 network stream

[richardkfk]

I am using VLC086C on my Intel Pentium4 2.8G with 512M memory running Windows XP SP1.

I use VLC086c to encode a DVD MPEG2 movie with Video being encoded in 2048kbps H264 format and
Audio being encoded in 192kbps MP3 format and the stream is encapsulated in TS. File name of the
movie is "movie1(h264)"

I can play the MPEG TS file "movie1(h246)" using VLC086c without any problem.

Then I stream the file onto a multicast address using command line :

vlc -vvv "movie1(h264)" --sout udp:233.233.233.233 --ttl 12 --loop

then there is ts stream running on the ethernet port which is connected to an eth. switch.

I use another computer connected to the same eth swithc and
use VLC086c player to Open Network Stream 233.233.233.233 port 1234.

I can hear the sound but no video.

The following are the debug message :
=========================================
main debug: creating new input thread
main debug: waiting for thread completion
main debug: thread 3952 (input) created at priority 1 (input/input.c:265)
main debug: `udp://@233.233.233.233' gives access `udp' demux `' path `@233.233.233.233'
main debug: creating demux: access='udp' demux='' path='@233.233.233.233'
main debug: looking for access_demux module: 0 candidates
main warning: no access_demux module matched "udp"
main debug: creating access 'udp' path='@233.233.233.233'
main debug: looking for access2 module: 6 candidates
access_udp debug: opening server=:0 local=233.233.233.233:1234
main debug: net: connecting to '[]:0@[233.233.233.233]:1234'
main debug: looking for network module: 1 candidate
ipv6 debug: 233.233.233.233: Host or service not found
main debug: using network module "ipv6"
main debug: removing module "ipv6"
main debug: looking for network module: 1 candidate
ipv4 debug: resolving 233.233.233.233:1234...
ipv4 debug: resolving :0...
ipv4 debug: Winsock best interface is 65539
ipv4 debug: using interface 0x02fea8c0
ipv4 debug: IP_ADD_MEMBERSHIP multicast request
main debug: using network module "ipv4"
main debug: removing module "ipv4"
main debug: using access2 module "access_udp"
main debug: creating access filter 'timeshift'
main debug: looking for access_filter module: 1 candidate
main debug: thread 4180 (timeshift thread) created at priority 0 (timeshift.c:175)
main debug: using access_filter module "access_filter_timeshift"
main debug: pre buffering
access_udp debug: detected TS over raw UDP
main debug: received first data for our buffer
main debug: prebuffering done 32900 bytes in 0s - 292 kbytes/s
main debug: creating demux: access='udp' demux='' path='@233.233.233.233'
main debug: looking for demux2 module: 45 candidates
main debug: using demux2 module "ts"
main debug: looking for a subtitle file in C:\movie_tools\Videolan\vlc086c\
ts debug: DEMUX_SET_GROUP 0 00000000
main debug: `udp://@233.233.233.233' successfully opened
ts debug: pid[69] unknown
ts debug: pid[68] unknown
ts debug: PATCallBack called
ts debug: new PAT ts_id=20501 version=26 current_next=1
ts debug: * number=1 pid=66
ts debug: PMTCallBack called
ts debug: new PMT program number=1 version=9 pid_pcr=69
ts debug: * es pid=68 type=3 fcc=mpga
main debug: selecting program id=1
main debug: looking for decoder module: 28 candidates
main debug: using decoder module "mpeg_audio"
main debug: thread 4696 (decoder) created at priority 2 (input/decoder.c:159)
ts debug: * es pid=69 type=27 fcc=h264
main debug: looking for decoder module: 28 candidates
ffmpeg debug: libavcodec already initialized
ffmpeg debug: postprocessing disabled
ffmpeg debug: ffmpeg codec (h264) started
main debug: using decoder module "ffmpeg"
main debug: looking for packetizer module: 17 candidates
main debug: using packetizer module "packetizer_h264"
main debug: thread 4684 (decoder) created at priority 0 (input/decoder.c:159)
ts warning: first packet for pid=69 cc=0x7
ts warning: first packet for pid=68 cc=0xa
mpeg_audio debug: MPGA channels:2 samplerate:48000 bitrate:128
main debug: looking for audio output module: 3 candidates
aout_directx debug: OpenAudio
aout_directx debug: found device: Primary Sound Driver
aout_directx debug: found device: SoundMAX Digital Audio
aout_directx debug: device supports 2 channels
aout_directx debug: device supports 1 channel
aout_directx debug: creating DirectSoundThread
main debug: thread 4732 (DirectSound Notification Thread) created at priority 15 (directx.c:372)
aout_directx debug: DirectSoundThread ready
main debug: using audio output module "aout_directx"
main debug: output 's16l' 48000 Hz Stereo frame=1 samples/4 bytes
main debug: mixer 'fl32' 48000 Hz Stereo frame=1 samples/8 bytes
main debug: filter(s) 'fl32'->'s16l' 48000 Hz->48000 Hz Stereo->Stereo
main debug: looking for audio filter module: 24 candidates
main debug: using audio filter module "float32tos16"
main debug: found a filter for the whole conversion
main debug: looking for audio mixer module: 3 candidates
main debug: using audio mixer module "trivial_mixer"
main debug: input 'mpga' 48000 Hz Stereo frame=1152 samples/969 bytes
main debug: filter(s) 'mpga'->'fl32' 48000 Hz->48000 Hz Stereo->Stereo
main debug: looking for audio filter module: 24 candidates
main debug: using audio filter module "mpgatofixed32"
main debug: found a filter for the whole conversion
main debug: filter(s) 'fl32'->'fl32' 52800 Hz->48000 Hz Stereo->Stereo
main debug: looking for audio filter module: 24 candidates
main debug: using audio filter module "bandlimited_resampler"
main debug: found a filter for the whole conversion
packetizer_h264 warning: waiting for SPS/PPS
packetizer_h264 warning: waiting for SPS/PPS
packetizer_h264 warning: waiting for SPS/PPS
packetizer_h264 warning: waiting for SPS/PPS
mpgatofixed32 debug: libmad error: bad main_data_begin pointer
packetizer_h264 warning: waiting for SPS/PPS
mpgatofixed32 debug: libmad error: bad main_data_begin pointer
packetizer_h264 warning: waiting for SPS/PPS
packetizer_h264 warning: waiting for SPS/PPS
packetizer_h264 warning: waiting for SPS/PPS
packetizer_h264 warning: waiting for SPS/PPS
packetizer_h264 warning: waiting for SPS/PPS
packetizer_h264 warning: waiting for SPS/PPS
packetizer_h264 warning: waiting for SPS/PPS
packetizer_h264 warning: waiting for SPS/PPS
packetizer_h264 warning: waiting for SPS/PPS
packetizer_h264 warning: waiting for SPS/PPS
packetizer_h264 warning: waiting for SPS/PPS
packetizer_h264 warning: waiting for SPS/PPS
packetizer_h264 warning: waiting for SPS/PPS
packetizer_h264 warning: waiting for SPS/PPS
packetizer_h264 warning: waiting for SPS/PPS
packetizer_h264 warning: waiting for SPS/PPS
packetizer_h264 warning: waiting for SPS/PPS
packetizer_h264 warning: waiting for SPS/PPS
packetizer_h264 warning: waiting for SPS/PPS
packetizer_h264 warning: waiting for SPS/PPS
===========================================

the VLC player keep on waiting H264 SPS/PPS without showing any video.


The only way to solve this problem is to :
a . Stop the Video streaming server
b. Start the Video Streaming server from the beginning again.

then I can get both Audio and Video from the Client with the following debug messages :

================================================
ts debug: PATCallBack called
ts debug: new PAT ts_id=16540 version=19 current_next=1
ts debug: * number=1 pid=66
ts debug: PMTCallBack called
ts debug: new PMT program number=1 version=29 pid_pcr=68
ts debug: * es pid=68 type=3 fcc=mpga
ffmpeg debug: ffmpeg codec (h264) stopped
main debug: removing module "ffmpeg"
main debug: thread times: real 0m33.687500s, kernel 0m0.000000s, user 0m0.000000s
main debug: thread 4076 joined (input/decoder.c:191)
main debug: killing decoder fourcc `h264', 0 PES in FIFO
main debug: removing module "packetizer_h264"
main warning: computed PTS is out of range (7372923), clearing out
main warning: PTS is out of range (7343212), dropping buffer
main warning: output PTS is out of range (7405923), clearing out
main debug: audio output is starving (366116), playing silence
ts debug: PMTCallBack called
ts debug: new PMT program number=1 version=30 pid_pcr=69
ts debug: * es pid=68 type=3 fcc=mpga
ts debug: * es pid=69 type=27 fcc=h264
main debug: looking for decoder module: 28 candidates
ffmpeg debug: libavcodec already initialized
ffmpeg debug: postprocessing disabled
ffmpeg debug: ffmpeg codec (h264) started
main debug: using decoder module "ffmpeg"
main debug: looking for packetizer module: 17 candidates
main debug: using packetizer module "packetizer_h264"
main debug: thread 4052 (decoder) created at priority 0 (input/decoder.c:159)
packetizer_h264 debug: found NAL_SPS
packetizer_h264 debug: found NAL_PPS
ts warning: first packet for pid=68 cc=0xf
ts warning: discontinuity received 0xe instead of 0xa (pid=69)
ts warning: discontinuity received 0x4 instead of 0x1 (pid=68)
main warning: computed PTS is out of range (1234489), clearing out
main warning: PTS is out of range (1225234), dropping buffer
main warning: output PTS is out of range (1244489), clearing out
main warning: PTS is out of range (519834), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (-4166), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (-28166), dropping buffer
main warning: PTS is out of range (-36166), dropping buffer
mpgatofixed32 debug: libmad error: bad main_data_begin pointer
ffmpeg debug: concealing 1350 DC, 1350 AC, 1350 MV errors
(h264@00B26580)
ffmpeg warning: top block unavailable for requested intra mode at 28 2
(h264@00B26580)
ffmpeg warning: error while decoding MB 28 2, bytestream (10403)
(h264@00B26580)
ffmpeg warning: top block unavailable for requested intra mode at 42 2
(h264@00B26580)
ffmpeg warning: error while decoding MB 42 2, bytestream (9907)
(h264@00B26580)
ffmpeg warning: top block unavailable for requested intra mode at 5 7
(h264@00B26580)
ffmpeg warning: error while decoding MB 5 7, bytestream (3925)
(h264@00B26580)
ffmpeg warning: top block unavailable for requested intra4x4 mode -1 at 6 4
(h264@00B26580)
ffmpeg warning: error while decoding MB 6 4, bytestream (8895)
(h264@00B26580)
ffmpeg warning: left block unavailable for requested intra mode at 6 13
(h264@00B26580)
ffmpeg warning: left block unavailable for requested intra4x4 mode -1 at 2 3
(h264@00B26580)
ffmpeg warning: error while decoding MB 2 3, bytestream (9519)
(h264@00B26580)
ffmpeg warning: top block unavailable for requested intra mode at 41 3
(h264@00B26580)
(h264@00B26580)
ffmpeg warning: top block unavailable for requested intra mode at 35 2
(h264@00B26580)
ffmpeg warning: error while decoding MB 35 2, bytestream (10828)
(h264@00B26580)
ffmpeg warning: top block unavailable for requested intra mode at 13 6
ffmpeg warning: error while decoding MB 10 2, bytestream (3680)
(h264@00B26580)
ffmpeg warning: top block unavailable for requested intra mode at 4 2
(h264@00B26580)
ffmpeg warning: error while decoding MB 4 2, bytestream (9033)
(h264@00B26580)
ffmpeg warning: top block unavailable for requested intra mode at 42 4
(h264@00B26580)
ffmpeg warning: error while decoding MB 42 4, bytestream (4204)
(h264@00B26580)
)
ffmpeg warning: error while decoding MB 5 2, bytestream (3898)
(h264@00B26580)
ffmpeg warning: top block unavailable for requested intra mode at 43 2
(h264@00B26580)
ffmpeg warning: error while decoding MB 43 2, bytestream (5368)
(h264@00B26580)
main warning: late picture skipped (930834)
main warning: late picture skipped (897478)
main warning: late picture skipped (895112)
main warning: late picture skipped (861734)
main warning: late picture skipped (859378)
main warning: buffer is 40300 late, triggering upsampling
main warning: resampling stopped after 10860000 usec (drift: 1755)

========================================================
Can someone advice me how to fix this problem ?
Currently, I would like to use VLC to put some multicast streaming videos continuously onto the network using H264 video codec for testing.

thanks !

-richard-

[paul_ca]

The problem is that the client VLC can not get the SPS/PPS of video, which includes the information about the video sequence(for example, the size of the image), it can not decode the video for sure. This is caused by the server, I think.
the VLC stream server generates the transporst stream which include H264 video, It just puts the SPS/PPS NAL of video into the beginning packet, the following one does not include such information. So if you start streaming, and use VLC as client to get the stream, you will lose the beginning packets most of time. However, if you start the client first to listen the server, you can get the packets with SPS/PPS most of time when the server starts streaming.

[richardkfk]

The problem is that the client VLC can not get the SPS/PPS of video, which includes the information about the video sequence(for example, the size of the image), it can not decode the video for sure. This is caused by the server, I think.
the VLC stream server generates the transporst stream which include H264 video, It just puts the SPS/PPS NAL of video into the beginning packet, the following one does not include such information. So if you start streaming, and use VLC as client to get the stream, you will lose the beginning packets most of time. However, if you start the client first to listen the server, you can get the packets with SPS/PPS most of time when the server starts streaming.

Dear Paul,

I used the VLC086c to encode the original MPEG2 movie in h264 and encapsulated in Transport Stream (TS) format.

If I just use VLC086c client to play the encoded file. It has NO PROBLEM. Everything works fine. Video and sound is excellent.

But if I use VLC086c to stream the file onto the Network (no matter it is unicast or multicast). Then I use another VLC086c to play the network stream.
I do have this " waiting for SPS/PPS" problem.

Does that mean the VLC streaming server has stripped off all the SPS/PPS info. from the file before sending it onto the network ?

thanks and regards,

-richard-

[richardkfk]

I do observe that
after u use VLC to transcode a video source and output a file in H264 video TS format.
The NAL_PPS and NAL_SPS infomation only recorded at the beginning of the file.

If u stream this file , it means there will be no peroidic SPS / PPS sending out.

Is it a normal behaviour or a BUG ??

[paul_ca]

>>Does that mean the VLC streaming server has stripped off all the SPS/PPS info. from the file before sending it onto the network ?

I don't think so, since you can watch the video if you start the client VLC first, which means the server just put the SPS/PPS NAL into the starting transport stream packets.

>>after u use VLC to transcode a video source and output a file in H264 video TS format.
>>The NAL_PPS and NAL_SPS infomation only recorded at the beginning of the file.
>> If u stream this file , it means there will be no peroidic SPS / PPS sending out.
The server need send the SPS/PPS packets periodic so that the client can decode the video. However, the VLC didn't do like that from our observations.

>>Is it a normal behaviour or a BUG ??
I don't think it is a bug or not normal, since the VLC just get the data from the H.264 file, which only has the SPS/PPS at the beginning of the file. If the H.264 file has SPS/PPS NAL periodically, then the problem is solved, In fact, a lot of H.264 codec can easily put SPS/PPS periodically into the stream.

[richardkfk]

This time , I use the VLC081 to play the h264 file. the video works fine,
the debug message did report the NAL_PPS and NAL_SPS
regularly (eg. 6 - 10s ).
It means the VLC086c can transcode the MPEG2 movie file
to MP4 part10 (h264) properly with peroidic PPS / SPS.

Then I use the VLC 081 to stream the transcoded H264 file onto
the network with MPEG TS encapsulation and RTP over UDP over IP
using network addr. 233.233.233.233 .

I use the VLC086c client to play this network stream.
It works fine and it can detect the PPS/SPS every time
I stop and start the client.
The video quality is extremely good with a 3mbps avg bit rate.

I would like to report to the Software Developer that
the VLC086c has a problem to stream the PPS/SPS periodically
when it streams a H264 encoded file.

Hopefully , this minor bug can be fixed on the next release.

-richard-

[saulo]

Hi all!
I am trying to use VLC as a client of a RTP H264 video streamer. VLC is able to detect the NAL_PPS and NAL_SPS information (it is necessary to start the client before the streamer so as to receive the first NAL unit). However, there are some errors while decoding the streams. The logs are:

main debug: pre buffering
access_udp debug: detected H264 video over RTP
access_udp debug: RTP: prebuffered 2 packets
main debug: creating demux: access='udp' demux='h264' path='@239.255.42.42:50000'
main debug: looking for demux2 module: 1 candidate
h264 error: this doesn't look like a H264 ES stream, continuing anyway
h264 debug: using 25.00 fps
main debug: looking for packetizer module: 17 candidates
main debug: using packetizer module "packetizer_h264"
main debug: using demux2 module "h264"
main debug: looking for a subtitle file in D:\u\sbm\vlc-0.8.6e2-source\
access_udp warning: unimplemented query in control
main debug: `udp://@239.255.42.42:50000' successfully opened
packetizer_h264 debug: found NAL_SPS
packetizer_h264 debug: found NAL_PPS
main debug: selecting program id=0
main debug: looking for decoder module: 26 candidates
ffmpeg debug: estamos en ffmpeg.c
ffmpeg debug: libavcodec initialized (interface 3349504 )
ffmpeg error: estamos en ffmpeg/video.c
ffmpeg debug: postprocessing disabled
ffmpeg debug: ffmpeg codec (h264) started
main debug: using decoder module "ffmpeg"
main debug: thread 7176 (decoder) created at priority 0 (input/decoder.c:159)
ffmpeg warning: top block unavailable for requested intra4x4 mode -1 at 2 0
(h264@01083B70)
ffmpeg warning: error while decoding MB 2 0, bytestream (41)
(h264@01083B70)
ffmpeg warning: error while decoding MB 37 13, bytestream (-4)
(h264@01083B70)
ffmpeg warning: error while decoding MB 7 14, bytestream (-6)
(h264@01083B70)
ffmpeg warning: error while decoding MB 39 13, bytestream (-4)
(h264@01083B70)
ffmpeg warning: error while decoding MB 2 15, bytestream (-362)
(h264@01083B70)
ffmpeg warning: error while decoding MB 29 4, bytestream (-3)
(h264@01083B70)
ffmpeg warning: cabac decode of qscale diff failed at 35 3
(h264@01083B70)
ffmpeg warning: error while decoding MB 35 3, bytestream (513)
(h264@01083B70)
ffmpeg warning: top block unavailable for requested intra4x4 mode -1 at 5 0
(h264@01083B70)
ffmpeg warning: error while decoding MB 5 0, bytestream (810)
(h264@01083B70)
ffmpeg warning: error while decoding MB 10 9, bytestream (-5)
(h264@01083B70)
[...]
ffmpeg debug: concealing 426 DC, 426 AC, 426 MV errors
(h264@01083B70)
main debug: no usable vout present, spawning one
main debug: Registering subpicture channel, ID: 2
main debug: Registering subpicture channel, ID: 3
main debug: Registering subpicture channel, ID: 4
main debug: Registering subpicture channel, ID: 5
main debug: window size: 632x256
main debug: looking for video output module: 6 candidates
vout_directx debug: creating DirectXEventThread
main debug: waiting for thread completion
vout_directx debug: DirectXCreateWindow
vout_directx debug: created video sub-window
main debug: thread 7324 (DirectX Events Thread) created at priority 0 (directx.c:278)
vout_directx debug: DirectXEventThread running
vout_directx debug: DirectXInitDDraw
vout_directx debug: directx-device:
vout_directx debug: DirectXEnumCallback: Controlador de pantalla primaria, display
vout_directx debug: DirectXEnumCallback: RADEON X700 SE, \\.\DISPLAY1
vout_directx debug: selecting RADEON X700 SE, \\.\DISPLAY1
vout_directx debug: screen dimensions (0x0,1280x1024)
vout_directx debug: DirectDraw Capabilities: overlay=1 yuvoverlay=1 can_deinterlace_overlay=1 colorkey=1 stretch=1 bltfourcc=1
vout_directx debug: End DirectXInitDDraw
vout_directx debug: DirectXCreateDisplay
vout_directx debug: DirectXCreateClipper
vout_directx debug: disabling screen saver
main debug: using video output module "vout_directx"
vout_directx debug: NewPictureVec overlay:yes chroma:YV12
vout_directx debug: YUV overlay created successfully
vout_directx debug: End NewPictureVec (succeeded)
main debug: got 1 direct buffer(s)
main debug: picture in 632x256 (0,0,632x256), chroma I420, ar 79:32, sar 1:1
main debug: picture user 632x256 (0,0,632x256), chroma I420, ar 79:32, sar 1:1
main debug: picture out 632x256 (0,0,632x256), chroma I420, ar 79:32, sar 1:1
main debug: direct render, mapping render pictures 0-6 to system pictures 1-7
main debug: waiting for thread completion
main debug: thread 7336 (video output) created at priority 1 (video_output/video_output.c:421)
ffmpeg warning: top block unavailable for requested intra4x4 mode -1 at 0 0
(h264@01083B70)
ffmpeg warning: error while decoding MB 0 0, bytestream (3885)
(h264@01083B70)
ffmpeg debug: concealing 640 DC, 640 AC, 640 MV errors
(h264@01083B70)
ffmpeg debug: concealing 103 DC, 103 AC, 103 MV errors
(h264@01083B70)
ffmpeg warning: left block unavailable for requested intra4x4 mode -1 at 0 3
(h264@01083B70)
ffmpeg warning: error while decoding MB 0 3, bytestream (128)
(h264@01083B70)
ffmpeg debug: concealing 569 DC, 569 AC, 569 MV errors
(h264@01083B70)
main warning: late picture skipped (292650)
main warning: late picture skipped (252903)
main warning: late picture skipped (212917)
main warning: late picture skipped (1314078)
main warning: late picture skipped (1274102)
ffmpeg debug: concealing 273 DC, 273 AC, 273 MV errors
(h264@01083B70)
ffmpeg warning: error while decoding MB 34 3, bytestream (-6)
(h264@01083B70)
ffmpeg debug: concealing 535 DC, 535 AC, 535 MV errors
(h264@01083B70)
main warning: late picture skipped (1254572)
main warning: late picture skipped (1214598)
ffmpeg warning: error while decoding MB 21 14, bytestream (-6)
(h264@01083B70)
ffmpeg debug: concealing 108 DC, 108 AC, 108 MV errors
(h264@01083B70)
ffmpeg warning: error while decoding MB 15 15, bytestream (-4)
(h264@01083B70)
ffmpeg debug: concealing 74 DC, 74 AC, 74 MV errors
(h264@01083B70)
ffmpeg debug: concealing 590 DC, 590 AC, 590 MV errors
(h264@01083B70)
main warning: late picture skipped (1195079)
main warning: late picture skipped (1159875)
main warning: late picture skipped (1119896)
main warning: late picture skipped (1079908)
main warning: late picture skipped (1059489)
ffmpeg debug: concealing 83 DC, 83 AC, 83 MV errors
(h264@01083B70)
main debug: control type=0
main debug: control: stopping input
main debug: closing input
main debug: removing module "packetizer_h264"
main debug: removing module "h264"
main debug: removing module "access_udp"
ffmpeg debug: ffmpeg codec (h264) stopped
main debug: removing module "ffmpeg"
main debug: thread times: real 0m2.202673s, kernel 0m0.046875s, user 0m0.281250s
main debug: thread 7176 joined (input/decoder.c:191)
main debug: killing decoder fourcc `h264', 2 PES in FIFO
main warning: late picture skipped (1342673)
main debug: thread times: real 0m58.425532s, kernel 0m0.000000s, user 0m0.015625s
main debug: thread 7084 joined (input/input.c:412)
main debug: garbage collector destroys 1 vout
vout_directx debug: DirectXCloseSurface
vout_directx debug: DirectXCloseDisplay
vout_directx debug: DirectXCloseDisplay clipper
vout_directx debug: DirectXCloseDisplay display
vout_directx debug: DirectXCloseDDraw
vout_directx debug: CloseVideo
vout_directx debug: DirectXEventThread terminating
vout_directx debug: DirectXCloseWindow
vout_directx debug: WinProc WM_DESTROY
main debug: thread times: real 0m1.734019s, kernel 0m0.000000s, user 0m0.000000s
main debug: thread 7324 joined (directx.c:509)
main debug: removing module "vout_directx"
main debug: thread times: real 0m1.671532s, kernel 0m0.000000s, user 0m0.000000s
main debug: thread 7336 joined (video_output/video_output.c:461)


Does anyone know where the problem is and the part of the source code do I have to modify in order to decode H264 NAL units properly??

Thank you.