Files not Working

[Sarah123]

Hello all,

I am having problems playing files with the following parameters:
https://imgur.com/89mXYPt


I am using 3.0.12 Vetinari. I sent it to someone for testing, and they said it worked on their old version of VLC - 2.2.4 (from 2016!). Is there anything about the video parameters that is glaringly obvious?

Thank you for any advice!

[Hitchhiker]

I'm not sure what you mean by "play". Your link takes me to a still image.

[Sarah123]

That is an image from MediaInfo, to show the parameters of the video file that I am having problems with. Unfortuantely I couldn't find a way to get the image into the post.

[Hitchhiker]

That is an image from MediaInfo, to show the parameters of the video file that I am having problems with. Unfortuantely I couldn't find a way to get the image into the post.

OK, understand.

What you can do here is to upload about 100MB to either https://zippyshare.com/ or https://wetransfer.com/ and then provide a link to it here assuming it's not private. We can download it and determine what the problem might be. You don't need to create an account to either site.

You can also create a log file by clicking Tools ---> Messages. Set Verbosity to "2" at the bottom, leave it open and then start your video. It usually only takes a second or two to populate the log after which you should select the contents and then paste the resulting file to https://pastebin.com/ and post the link to that here. Again it's not necessary to create an account there.

You can't upload images to the forum unless you have permission from the developers. Instead upload them to https://postimages.org/ and use one of the options to display the image here. That site is much more user-friendly than Imgur.

If the file is private, then just post the log here.

[Sarah123]

Hitchhiker, thanks a lot for explaining all of that to me.

Here is the output from the messages window: https://pastebin.com/uPYNgANB

The video is from an external CCTV camera. The software records in blocks of 1GB, and allows these blocks to be downloaded. So, the filesize is quite large, but I have uploaded one here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/8nf49ml3ywsl8 ... 0.mp4?dl=0

The video actually seems to play ok in the dropbox player, albeit with some lag. But if you download the file, it doesn't play properly in VLC media player. Another thing I noticed about the file, is that some attributes are not shown in windows. So, in a folder with 'details' view, the length of the files can be displayed, but this field is empty for files that I get from the CCTV box.

Thanks again for helping me!

[Hitchhiker]

I sliced a chunk off and uploaded it to zippyshare to make it easier to work with: https://www118.zippyshare.com/v/wSMo1TPA/file.html

What seems to be happening is that the video freezes and stops producing new frames even though the audio continues normally in the background. I could hear voices and the wind blowing in the background etc.

This might be related to NVIDIA driver 27.21.14.5671 which has been causing playback issues according to posts on their forum.

Code: Select all

direct3d11 debug: NVIDIA WDDM driver 27.21.14.5671

I suggest doing the same thing NVIDIA advises - last post in the thread - which is to install a different driver. There's a link to it there, but your graphics card might not be a Geforce GTX 1050 so adjust as necessary.

Wagnard's Display Driver Uninstaller is safe to use and I've used it myself in fact. But if you're unsure about what to do they have a forum: https://www.wagnardsoft.com/forums/

You can also hang on a bit to see if anyone else, possible one of the developers has an alternative suggestion.

[Sarah123]

I couldn't get the zippyshare link to work. I wasn't sure how to chop up the video, but thanks for doing that.

My graphics card is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 Ti. You are aright about my driver, it's 27.21.14.5671, I will try changing that and see if it helps!

But, just to confirm, you also had issues playing the video file? Everything else I throw at VLC works perfectly, it's only the files from the CCTV NVR that seem to have an issue.

[Sarah123]

I checked with NVIDIA, and there is actually a newer driver available, so I got that. I am now using 27.21.14.6589 but the video has the same issues. I will try doing it again with the uninstaller!

[Lotesdelere]

Yes, I can reproduce the issue.
First I'm getting a black screen for several seconds then a frozen image.

The container is in fact an MPEG PS, not an MP4. And the video stream is a 20 FPS HEVC 3840x2160p.

You should create a new ticket on the VLC Trac with your above report, the link to your sample file and the link to this thread:
https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/-/issues

[Hitchhiker]

But, just to confirm, you also had issues playing the video file? Everything else I throw at VLC works perfectly, it's only the files from the CCTV NVR that seem to have an issue.

Yes, the stream is frozen although the audio plays in the background.

But as Lotesdelere remarked it's not an mp4 container but rather an MPEG PS. I missed that I'm afraid. But there was mention in your log of a clock gap which might be relevant here.

Code: Select all

main warning: clock gap, unexpected stream discontinuity

An MPEG PS container contains a program clock reference (PCR) to create a system timing clock in the decoder and that may not be working correctly on vlc. Explanation here if you're interested: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MPEG_transport_stream#PCR

So as per Lotesdelere's suggestion you should file a bug at https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/-/issues and the devs should be able to sort it out.

The link to the 100MB file I uploaded to zippyshare is working by the way. Clear cache and cookies if you can't load it.

[Sarah123]

Thanks guys, for the information and assistance. I shall post a new issue at the link provided.

About the container, does this mean that the CCTV software has assigned the wrong file extension for the type of container, and that it shouldn't be an mp4 file, but should have a different extension?

[Hitchhiker]

Thanks guys, for the information and assistance. I shall post a new issue at the link provided.

About the container, does this mean that the CCTV software has assigned the wrong file extension for the type of container, and that it shouldn't be an mp4 file, but should have a different extension?

In your original screenshot on imgur it mentions MPEG-PS as the container format, but on the right hand side seems to give the impression that the file extension is invalid. In the Codec Information window (Ctrl + J to open) vlc identifies it as MPEG-4 which is what I was going by. As such the mp4 container would be correct.

It's always possible that the MediaInfo tool misidentified the codec.

There may be more info in the user manual for the CCTV. Which model is it?

[Hitchhiker]

Looking at the problem from a different perspective this afternoon I decided to convert the clip I sliced off to MPEG-PS but didn't proceed after discovering that it isn't streamable.

So the MediaInfo tool might be correct in identifying MPEG-PS as invalid for CCTV.


(click to enlarge)

[Sarah123]

The CCTV box is the Hikvision DS-7608NI-I2-8P. I've been in touch with the manufacturers about this, but haven't had any solution from them. I figured that it could be a VLC issue, but not sure.

I'm still trying to post a bug issue, but I cannot get into the Videolan issues board. I try to sign up, but the verification E-mail doesn't get sent to me! I'll try it again today.

[Lotesdelere]

In your original screenshot on imgur it mentions MPEG-PS as the container format, but on the right hand side seems to give the impression that the file extension is invalid. In the Codec Information window (Ctrl + J to open) vlc identifies it as MPEG-4 which is what I was going by. As such the mp4 container would be correct.
It's always possible that the MediaInfo tool misidentified the codec.

The header of the file is definitely not an MP4 header.

[Hitchhiker]

The CCTV box is the Hikvision DS-7608NI-I2-8P. I've been in touch with the manufacturers about this, but haven't had any solution from them. I figured that it could be a VLC issue, but not sure.

I'm still trying to post a bug issue, but I cannot get into the Videolan issues board. I try to sign up, but the verification E-mail doesn't get sent to me! I'll try it again today.

I checked through the user manual this morning, but there isn't much in the way of troubleshooting I'm afraid. The only relevant info I could find re: the frozen image is this one.


(click to enlarge)

But the fact that it's there at all implies that it's a regular occurring instance to my way of thinking. Here's the link to the manual.

Here's how to run CHKDSK on the HDD to eliminate the drive as the cause of the problem. If you're going to run it from an elevated command prompt just run chkdsk /f which will fix any errors found. If there's a bad sector on the drive run chkdsk /f /r

The videoland issues site changed recently and the new one is a pain in the posterior I regret to say. It uses 2FA, but my phone which admittedly is a bit dated doesn't support QR codes. So although I registered username and password I couldn't go any further with it. You might be in the same boat.

[Sarah123]

Hitchhiker, I really appreciate all the time and effort you have made to help me with this problem - Thank you!!

Yes, I am in exactly the same boat with the board - got into the site, but now have to use 2 step verification. Downloaded two of the apps they suggested, and still can't get in.

There have been a lot of issues with the CCTV in general, and part of that has involved running 2 NVRs with 2 different HDDs (WD in one & Seagate in the other) with various camera setups. So, for this reason I know that it cannot be an HDD issue. Plus, my problem is the opposite of what it says in the manual - the files play perfectly on the NVR, but not when downloaded via a web browser. I have written (again) to the manufacturer, and haven't had any reply that makes sense yet. I'll let you know if they come back with anything.

[Hitchhiker]

Hitchhiker, I really appreciate all the time and effort you have made to help me with this problem - Thank you!!

Yes, I am in exactly the same boat with the board - got into the site, but now have to use 2 step verification. Downloaded two of the apps they suggested, and still can't get in.

There have been a lot of issues with the CCTV in general, and part of that has involved running 2 NVRs with 2 different HDDs (WD in one & Seagate in the other) with various camera setups. So, for this reason I know that it cannot be an HDD issue. Plus, my problem is the opposite of what it says in the manual - the files play perfectly on the NVR, but not when downloaded via a web browser. I have written (again) to the manufacturer, and haven't had any reply that makes sense yet. I'll let you know if they come back with anything.

I haven't tried it myself yet but a user mentioned that it's possible to avoid 2FA by creating an account on Gitlab and then using that to login to code.videolan. Here's the link to that post: https://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.ph ... 22#p516222

On the subject of using a web browser to download files created on your CCTV maybe you can eliminate that step altogether by using FTP to backup to another medium such as cloud based storage. Maybe downloading files from the cloud won't result in file corruption as seems to be the case now. There's a tutorial on the subject on this site: https://www.securitycameraking.com/secu ... tp-server/

[Stef_An]

I haven't tried it myself yet but a user mentioned that it's possible to avoid 2FA by creating an account on Gitlab and then using that to login to code.videolan. Here's the link to that post: https://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.ph ... 22#p516222

I know, that this is a workaround, but it works: I successfully used oathtool in Linux to create a 6 digit PIN from the long code on the 2FA setup page. The whole article about it is here:

https://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/use-oatht ... ation-2fa/

At the end, all you need is a command like oathtool -b --totp 'N3V3R G0nn4 G1v3 Y0u Up' and it generates your PIN. The only problem - it works just for the current session. So after logoff, on the next logon, one have to repeat the PIN generation. But on the bright side: one don't have to install some extra software on the phone or somewhere else.

On Windows, WinAuth should do the trick.

[Stef_An]

I know, that this is a workaround, but it works:

Afterwards, I found this solution on the wiki.

So now one has 3 possibilities:

1. As in the wiki, just save the long code from the right of the QR code and use it with oathtool to manually generate the PIN every time one needs it.
2. Use some full-GUI solution like OTPClient on Linux or WinAuth on Windows or Linux (here with wine). One can create a local saved database and let the PIN be generated every time one needs it. There is no need to install some extra software on the PC or smartphone and sign-up for another account on another service. And the data is saved locally, not in some cloud. One has to, on the other side, setup such database on every device, where one likes to log in into the GitLab of the VLC.
3. As a deviation from the both other scenarios: one just deactivates 2FA every time before one logs off on the GitLab. This way, next time after the log-in, one would be asked to set up the 2FA again and would be once again shown the long code to create a PIN. There is no need to save any information locally. One just uses some program, GUI or not, to generate the PIN as in the set-up step. But: don't forget to deactivate the 2FA, if you don't save the code(s)!

In any scenario: save the recovery codes, for the case you lose the code or need them otherwise. And: either save the code right to the QR code in some file/program database or on the paper, or don't forget to deactivate the 2FA before logout.