Transcoding/conversion problems

[Rhainor]

It used to work wonderfully, but lately, when I try to convert videos (usually FLV's from YouTube, but not always) to MP4, the output file will have audio but no video.

OS: Windows 7 RC (7100) x64
AMD 2.5GHz dual-core CPU
8GB RAM

VLC Media Player v0.9.9
Using default h.264 profile w/ .MP4 container for encoding.

Don't remember exactly when the problem cropped up, but I think it was when I updated. Don't remember which version I was using before, either.

[VLC_help]

Does VLC 1.0.0-RC2 work any better?

[Rhainor]

I wasn't aware it was available. Gimme a while to install and test, and I'll get back to ya.

[Rhainor]

The problem persists with v1.0.0 RC2. In addition, video playback in the new version causes Windows to disable Aero and switch to a basic theme, which did not happen with 0.9 (or any other version, for that matter).

[VLC_help]

In addition, video playback in the new version causes Windows to disable Aero and switch to a basic theme, which did not happen with 0.9 (or any other version, for that matter).

Then the 1.0.0-RC2 uses different video output module. Direct3D one should work with Aero.

Could you open Tools -> Messages... (set Verbosity to 2) before transcoding and after it paste messages here?

[Rhainor]

Thanks, setting video rendering from Default to Direct 3D fixed the Aero problem.

Here's the message output:

qt4 debug: MRL passed to the Sout: C:\Users\Rhainor\Desktop\This_is_how_I_play_Nova_Prospekt.flv
qt4 warning: Transcode MRL: sout=#transcode{vcodec=h264,vb=800,scale=1,acodec=mp4a,ab=128,channels=2,samplerate=11250}:duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=mp4,dst='C:\Users\Rhainor\Desktop\novaprospekt.mp4'}
qt4 debug: Adding option: sout=#transcode{vcodec=h264,vb=800,scale=1,acodec=mp4a,ab=128,channels=2,samplerate=11250}:duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=mp4,dst='C:\Users\Rhainor\Desktop\novaprospekt.mp4'}
main debug: adding item `Streaming' ( C:\Users\Rhainor\Desktop\This_is_how_I_play_Nova_Prospekt.flv )
qt4 debug: Adding a new MRL to recent ones: C:\Users\Rhainor\Desktop\This_is_how_I_play_Nova_Prospekt.flv
main debug: rebuilding array of current - root Playlist
main debug: rebuild done - 1 items, index -1
main debug: processing request item Streaming node null skip 0
main debug: resyncing on Streaming
main debug: Streaming is at 0
main debug: starting new item
main debug: creating new input thread
main debug: Creating an input for 'Streaming'
main debug: thread (input) created at priority 1 (../.././src/input/input.c:230)
qt4 debug: IM: Setting an input
main debug: thread started
main debug: stream=`transcode'
main debug: looking for sout stream module: 1 candidate
qt4 debug: Updating the geometry
qt4 debug: Updating the geometry
main debug: stream=`duplicate'
main debug: looking for sout stream module: 1 candidate
stream_out_duplicate debug: creating 'duplicate'
stream_out_duplicate debug: * adding `std{access=file,mux=mp4,dst='C:\Users\Rhainor\Desktop\novaprospekt.mp4'}'
main debug: stream=`std'
main debug: looking for sout stream module: 1 candidate
main debug: set config option: sout-standard-access to file
main debug: set config option: sout-standard-mux to mp4
main debug: set config option: sout-standard-dst to C:\Users\Rhainor\Desktop\novaprospekt.mp4
stream_out_standard debug: creating `file/mp4://C:\Users\Rhainor\Desktop\novaprospekt.mp4'
stream_out_standard debug: extension is mp4
stream_out_standard debug: extension -> mux=mp4
stream_out_standard debug: using `file/mp4://C:\Users\Rhainor\Desktop\novaprospekt.mp4'
main debug: looking for sout access module: 1 candidate
access_output_file debug: file access output opened (C:\Users\Rhainor\Desktop\novaprospekt.mp4)
main debug: using sout access module "access_output_file"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 16.000 ms - Total 16.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 16.000 ms)
stream_out_standard debug: access opened
main debug: looking for sout mux module: 1 candidate
mux_mp4 debug: Mp4 muxer opened
main debug: using sout mux module "mux_mp4"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 18.000 ms - Total 18.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 18.000 ms)
stream_out_standard debug: mux opened
main debug: using sout stream module "stream_out_standard"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 75.000 ms - Total 75.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 75.000 ms)
main debug: using sout stream module "stream_out_duplicate"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 89.000 ms - Total 89.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 89.000 ms)
main debug: set config option: sout-transcode-vcodec to h264
main debug: set config option: sout-transcode-vb to 800
main debug: set config option: sout-transcode-scale to 1
main debug: set config option: sout-transcode-acodec to mp4a
main debug: set config option: sout-transcode-ab to 128
main debug: set config option: sout-transcode-channels to 2
main debug: set config option: sout-transcode-samplerate to 11250
stream_out_transcode debug: codec audio=mp4a 11250Hz 2 channels 128Kb/s
stream_out_transcode debug: codec video=h264 0x0 scaling: 1.000000 800kb/s
main debug: using sout stream module "stream_out_transcode"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 164.000 ms - Total 164.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 164.000 ms)
main debug: using timeshift granularity of 50 MBytes
main debug: using timeshift path 'C:\Users\Rhainor\AppData\Local\Temp'
main debug: `C:\Users\Rhainor\Desktop\This_is_how_I_play_Nova_Prospekt.flv' gives access `' demux `' path `C:\Users\Rhainor\Desktop\This_is_how_I_play_Nova_Prospekt.flv'
main debug: creating demux: access='' demux='' path='C:\Users\Rhainor\Desktop\This_is_how_I_play_Nova_Prospekt.flv'
main debug: looking for access_demux module: 3 candidates
qt4 debug: New caching: 0
qt4 debug: New caching: 0
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 30.000 ms - Total 30.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 30.000 ms)
main debug: creating access '' path='C:\Users\Rhainor\Desktop\This_is_how_I_play_Nova_Prospekt.flv'
main debug: looking for access module: 5 candidates
vcd debug: trying .cue file: C:\Users\Rhainor\Desktop\This_is_how_I_play_Nova_Prospekt.cue
vcd debug: could not find .cue file
access_file debug: opening file `C:\Users\Rhainor\Desktop\This_is_how_I_play_Nova_Prospekt.flv'
main debug: using access module "access_file"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 15.000 ms - Total 15.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 15.000 ms)
main debug: Using AStream*Stream
main debug: pre buffering
main debug: received first data after 0 ms
main debug: pre-buffering done 1024 bytes in 0s - 1000000 kbytes/s
main debug: looking for stream_filter module: 2 candidates
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 1.000 ms - Total 1.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 1.000 ms)
main debug: looking for stream_filter module: 1 candidate
main debug: using stream_filter module "stream_filter_record"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 1.000 ms - Total 1.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 1.000 ms)
main debug: creating demux: access='' demux='' path='C:\Users\Rhainor\Desktop\This_is_how_I_play_Nova_Prospekt.flv'
main debug: looking for demux module: 49 candidates
lua debug: Trying Lua scripts in C:\Users\Rhainor\AppData\Roaming\vlc\lua\playlist
lua debug: Trying Lua scripts in C:\Program Files (x86)\VideoLAN\VLC\\lua\playlist
lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files (x86)\VideoLAN\VLC\\lua\playlist\anevia_streams.lua
lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files (x86)\VideoLAN\VLC\\lua\playlist\appletrailers.lua
lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files (x86)\VideoLAN\VLC\\lua\playlist\bbc_co_uk.lua
lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files (x86)\VideoLAN\VLC\\lua\playlist\break.lua
lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files (x86)\VideoLAN\VLC\\lua\playlist\canalplus.lua
lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files (x86)\VideoLAN\VLC\\lua\playlist\cue.lua
lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files (x86)\VideoLAN\VLC\\lua\playlist\dailymotion.lua
lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files (x86)\VideoLAN\VLC\\lua\playlist\france2.lua
lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files (x86)\VideoLAN\VLC\\lua\playlist\googlevideo.lua
lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files (x86)\VideoLAN\VLC\\lua\playlist\joox.lua
lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files (x86)\VideoLAN\VLC\\lua\playlist\koreus.lua
lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files (x86)\VideoLAN\VLC\\lua\playlist\lelombrik.lua
lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files (x86)\VideoLAN\VLC\\lua\playlist\megavideo.lua
lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files (x86)\VideoLAN\VLC\\lua\playlist\metacafe.lua
lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files (x86)\VideoLAN\VLC\\lua\playlist\youtube.lua
lua debug: Trying Lua playlist script C:\Program Files (x86)\VideoLAN\VLC\\lua\playlist\youtube_homepage.lua
lua debug: Trying Lua scripts in C:\Program Files (x86)\VideoLAN\VLC\\share\lua\playlist
avformat debug: detected format: flv
main debug: selecting program id=0
avformat debug: adding es: video codec = h264
avformat debug: adding es: audio codec = mp4a
avformat debug: AVFormat supported stream
avformat debug: - format = flv (FLV format)
avformat debug: - start time = 0
avformat debug: - duration = 203314000
main debug: using demux module "avformat"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 426.000 ms - Total 426.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 426.000 ms)
main debug: looking for a subtitle file in C:\Users\Rhainor\Desktop\
main debug: looking for packetizer module: 21 candidates
qt4 debug: Updating the geometry
qt4 debug: Updating the geometry
qt4 debug: Updating the geometry
qt4 debug: Updating the geometry
qt4 debug: Updating the geometry
qt4 debug: Updating the geometry
main debug: using packetizer module "packetizer_h264"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 158.000 ms - Total 158.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 158.000 ms)
main debug: thread (decoder) created at priority 0 (../.././src/input/decoder.c:315)
main debug: thread started
main debug: looking for packetizer module: 21 candidates
packetizer_mpeg4audio debug: running MPEG4 audio packetizer
packetizer_mpeg4audio debug: AAC 44100Hz 1024 samples/frame
main debug: using packetizer module "packetizer_mpeg4audio"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 2.000 ms - Total 2.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 2.000 ms)
main debug: thread (decoder) created at priority 2 (../.././src/input/decoder.c:315)
main debug: thread started
main debug: starting in sync mode
main debug: looking for meta reader module: 1 candidate
qt4 debug: Updating the geometry
qt4 debug: Updating the geometry
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 17.000 ms - Total 17.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 17.000 ms)
main debug: `C:\Users\Rhainor\Desktop\This_is_how_I_play_Nova_Prospekt.flv' successfully opened
main debug: switching to async mode
main debug: Buffering 0%
main debug: adding a new sout input (sout_input:0x3698a38)
stream_out_transcode debug: creating audio transcoding from fcc=`mp4a' to fcc=`mp4a'
main debug: looking for decoder module: 36 candidates
main debug: Buffering 7%
main debug: Buffering 15%
main debug: Buffering 23%
main debug: Buffering 31%
main debug: Buffering 38%
main debug: Buffering 46%
main debug: Buffering 54%
main debug: Buffering 62%
main debug: Buffering 69%
main debug: Buffering 77%
main debug: Buffering 85%
main debug: Buffering 93%
main debug: Stream buffering done (302 ms in 3 ms)
qt4 debug: Updating the geometry
qt4 debug: Updating the geometry
quicktime debug: failed loading QuickTime.qts
quicktime error: cannot initialize QT
qt4 debug: New caching: 100
qt4 debug: New caching: 100
main debug: using decoder module "faad"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 111.000 ms - Total 111.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 111.000 ms)
main debug: looking for encoder module: 12 candidates
avcodec debug: libavcodec initialized (interface 0x341c00)
avcodec debug: found encoder MPEG AAC Audio
main debug: using encoder module "avcodec"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 139.000 ms - Total 139.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 139.000 ms)
stream_out_transcode debug: Looking for filter (fl32->s16l, channels 2->2, rate 44100->11250)
main debug: looking for audio filter2 module: 8 candidates
bandlimited_resampler debug: fl32/44100KHz/2->fl32/11250KHz/2
main debug: using audio filter2 module "bandlimited_resampler"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 75.000 ms - Total 75.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 75.000 ms)
main debug: Filter 'bandlimited_resampler' (0x71dc3f4) appended to chain
main debug: looking for audio filter2 module: 8 candidates
audio_format debug: fl32->s16l, bits per sample: 32->16
main debug: using audio filter2 module "audio_format"
main debug: TIMER module_need() : 47.000 ms - Total 47.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 47.000 ms)
main debug: Filter 'audio_format' (0x2ed121c) appended to chain
stream_out_transcode debug: Got complete audio filter chain
stream_out_duplicate debug: duplicated a new stream codec=mp4a (es=1 group=0)
main debug: adding a new input
mux_mp4 debug: adding input
stream_out_duplicate debug: - added for output 0
main debug: Decoder buffering done in 369 ms
faad warning: decoded zero sample
main debug: EOF reached
main debug: waiting decoder fifos to empty
main debug: finished input
main debug: thread times: real 0m11.233642s, kernel 0m0.000000s, user 0m0.234001s
main debug: removing module "packetizer_h264"
main debug: killing decoder fourcc `h264', 0 PES in FIFO
main debug: thread times: real 0m11.229642s, kernel 0m0.140400s, user 0m10.452067s
main debug: removing module "packetizer_mpeg4audio"
main debug: killing decoder fourcc `mp4a', 0 PES in FIFO
main debug: removing a sout input (sout_input:0x3698a38)
main debug: TIMER encoding audio frame : 0.000 ms - Total 2758.000 ms / 8755 intvls (Avg 0.315 ms)
main debug: removing module "faad"
main debug: removing module "avcodec"
main debug: Filter 'bandlimited_resampler' (0x71dc3f4) removed from chain
main debug: removing module "bandlimited_resampler"
main debug: Filter 'audio_format' (0x2ed121c) removed from chain
main debug: removing module "audio_format"
mux_mp4 debug: removing input
main warning: no more input streams for this mux
main debug: removing module "avformat"
main debug: removing module "stream_filter_record"
main debug: removing module "access_file"
main debug: Program doesn't contain anymore ES
main debug: thread ended
main debug: dead input
main debug: destroying useless sout
main debug: destroying chain... (name=transcode)
main debug: destroying chain... (name=duplicate)
stream_out_duplicate debug: closing a duplication
main debug: destroying chain... (name=std)
mux_mp4 debug: Close
mux_mp4 debug: movie duration 202s
mux_mp4 debug: created 1 chunks (stco)
main debug: removing module "mux_mp4"
access_output_file debug: file access output closed
main debug: removing module "access_output_file"
main debug: removing module "stream_out_standard"
main debug: destroying chain done
main debug: removing module "stream_out_duplicate"
main debug: destroying chain done
main debug: removing module "stream_out_transcode"
main debug: destroying chain done
main debug: thread times: real 0m12.041688s, kernel 0m0.124800s, user 0m0.327602s
main debug: changing item without a request (current 0/1)
main debug: nothing to play
qt4 debug: IM: Deleting the input
qt4 debug: Updating the geometry
qt4 debug: Updating the geometry
main debug: TIMER input launching for 'Streaming' : 868.000 ms - Total 868.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 868.000 ms)

[VLC_help]

video=h264 0x0

Could you try to add width and height parameters to your transcoding line?

[Rhainor]

video=h264 0x0

Could you try to add width and height parameters to your transcoding line?

Never had to do that before, but I'll try that when I get home.

[Rhainor]

Tried manually setting output video dimensions. Still no video in the output file.

[VLC_help]

There message log changes?

[Rhainor]

That line in the log changes to reflect the custom dimensions:

stream_out_transcode debug: codec video=h264 640x480 scaling: 1.000000 800kb/s

...but still no video on output.

Full log for this attempt can be found here:
http://www.far-side-of-reality.net/vlc- ... log-02.log

[VLC_help]

Is there a sample file you could share to us, so I could open a trac ticket for this?

[Rhainor]

The source and failed output files from the above attempt can be found below.

Source file: http://tinyurl.com/n4vdd8
Output file: http://tinyurl.com/nufuz8

[VLC_help]

Thanks. I can replicate this. Trac ticket opened
https://trac.videolan.org/vlc/ticket/2850

[Rhainor]

For the record, this has happened with ANY YouTube-originated FLV file I've tried to convert with either of these versions of VLC; possibly also FLVs from some other locations (don't remember).

[saeed]

I have the exact same problem..
I tried to set width, height, fps, and samplerate manually..but it didnt work

[saeed]

when i opened the codec info menu in vlc i found out that the video codec is h264 and the audio is mp4a..is this really flv file..i downloaded it from youtube using idm manager..does this mean anything?

[VLC_help]

FLV files can contain H.264 video and AAC audio. Better option would be to store them to MP4 container where they belong to.

[saeed]

yeah..i eventually got a firefox plugin that download videos directly into mp4 format..
thanx for your help..

[Rhainor]

Bumpitty-bump-bump BUMP.

Updated to the latest version of VLC (1.0.1), and it's still not working properly.

I tried converting an anime episode from OGM to MP4, and had no video in the output file. Not sure if there was audio or not, as I forgot to turn my speakers back on.

Also tried converting a non-youtube FLV to MP4, and actually had video this time. However, the audio was all garbled.

[VLC_help]

Certain conversions are still broken.