VLC does not play any media

[klepzers]

VLC is not playing any media at all! It opens file, shows how long is the video, shows it's name and shows that it is playing video (Play button is not available, in it's place is Pause button).

I tried to reinstall different versions, delete its directory, reset all settings, disable/enable audio/video and so on. Nothing happens. Stream and media information does not show file info too.

What should I do???

[mars]

I have exactly the same problem.
I also tried to install / uninstall several versions, delete everything, reset all...
But without any success.

[VLC_help]

Could you open View -> Messages and then open the file and check for errors?

[Black_Mamba]

Hi, my english isn't good, but here is the message from VLC, when i start a video.

I think, that I have the same problem with VLC since two days. I haven't changed anythink, but at once it didn't play any media.



main debug: creating new input thread
main debug: waiting for thread completion
main warning: drive letter F: found in source
main debug: `F:\..\.. .avi' gives access `' demux `' path `F:\..\.. .avi'
main debug: thread 3940 (input) created at priority 1 (input/input.c:261)
main debug: creating demux: access='' demux='' path='F:\..\.. .avi'
main debug: looking for access_demux module: 1 candidate
main debug: creating access '' path='F:\..\.. .avi'
main debug: looking for access2 module: 5 candidates
vcd debug: trying .cue file: F:\..\.. .cue
access_file debug: opening file `F:\..\.. .avi'
main debug: using access2 module "access_file"
main debug: pre-buffering...
main debug: received first data for our buffer
main debug: pre-buffering done 1408981 bytes in 0s - 298213 kbytes/s
main debug: creating demux: access='' demux='' path='F:\..\.. .avi'
main debug: looking for demux2 module: 44 candidates
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:46464952 (RIFF) size:1172862 pos:0
avi debug: found LIST chunk: 'AVI '
avi debug: <list 'AVI '>
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:5453494c (LIST) size:65434 pos:12
avi debug: found LIST chunk: 'hdrl'
avi debug: <list 'hdrl'>
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:68697661 (avih) size:56 pos:24
avi debug: avih: streams:2 flags: HAS_INDEX IS_INTERLEAVED 512x384
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:5453494c (LIST) size:196 pos:88
avi debug: found LIST chunk: 'strl'
avi debug: <list 'strl'>
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:68727473 (strh) size:56 pos:100
avi debug: strh: type:vids handler:0x64697678 samplesize:0 25.00fps
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:66727473 (strf) size:40 pos:164
avi debug: strf: video:XVID 512x384 planes:1 24bpp
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:78646e69 (indx) size:72 pos:212
avi debug: indx: type=0 subtype=0 entry=3
avi debug: </list 'strl'>
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:5453494c (LIST) size:204 pos:292
avi debug: found LIST chunk: 'strl'
avi debug: <list 'strl'>
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:68727473 (strh) size:56 pos:304
avi debug: strh: type:auds handler:0x00000000 samplesize:0 38.28fps
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:66727473 (strf) size:30 pos:368
avi debug: strf: audio:0x0055 channels:2 44100Hz 0bits/sample 126kb/s
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:6e727473 (strn) size:10 pos:406
avi debug: strn: stream name : scrcuttet
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:78646e69 (indx) size:72 pos:424
avi debug: indx: type=0 subtype=0 entry=3
avi debug: </list 'strl'>
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:5453494c (LIST) size:260 pos:504
avi debug: found LIST chunk: 'odml'
avi debug: <list 'odml'>
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:686c6d64 (dmlh) size:248 pos:516
avi warning: unknown chunk (not loaded)
avi debug: </list 'odml'>
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:4b4e554a (JUNK) size:64674 pos:772
avi debug: </list 'hdrl'>
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:5453494c (LIST) size:62 pos:65454
avi debug: found LIST chunk: 'INFO'
avi debug: <list 'INFO'>
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:54465349 (ISFT) size:41 pos:65466
avi debug: ISFT: software : AVI-Mux GUI 1.17.2, Sep 6 2005 16:37:57
avi debug: </list 'INFO'>
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:4b4e554a (JUNK) size:0 pos:65516
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:5453494c (LIST) size:1098386 pos:65524
avi debug: skipping movi chunk
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:31786469 (idx1) size:8944 pos:1163918
avi debug: idx1: index entry:559
avi debug: </list 'AVI '>
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:46464952 (RIFF) size:184550538 pos:1172870
avi debug: found LIST chunk: 'AVIX'
avi debug: <list 'AVIX'>
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:5453494c (LIST) size:184550526 pos:1172882
avi debug: skipping movi chunk
avi debug: </list 'AVIX'>
avi debug: * LIST-root size:185723416 pos:0
avi debug: + RIFF-AVI size:1172862 pos:0
avi debug: | + LIST-hdrl size:65434 pos:12
avi debug: | | + avih size:56 pos:24
avi debug: | | + LIST-strl size:196 pos:88
avi debug: | | | + strh size:56 pos:100
avi debug: | | | + strf size:40 pos:164
avi debug: | | | + indx size:72 pos:212
avi debug: | | + LIST-strl size:204 pos:292
avi debug: | | | + strh size:56 pos:304
avi debug: | | | + strf size:30 pos:368
avi debug: | | | + strn size:10 pos:406
avi debug: | | | + indx size:72 pos:424
avi debug: | | + LIST-odml size:260 pos:504
avi debug: | | | + dmlh size:248 pos:516
avi debug: | | + JUNK size:64674 pos:772
avi debug: | + LIST-INFO size:62 pos:65454
avi debug: | | + ISFT size:41 pos:65466
avi debug: | + JUNK size:0 pos:65516
avi debug: | + LIST-movi size:1098386 pos:65524
avi debug: | + idx1 size:8944 pos:1163918
avi debug: + RIFF-AVIX size:184550538 pos:1172870
avi debug: | + LIST-movi size:184550526 pos:1172882
avi warning: multiple riff -> OpenDML ?
avi warning: detected OpenDML file
avi debug: AVIH: 2 stream, flags HAS_INDEX IS_INTERLEAVED
avi debug: stream[0] rate:25 scale:1 samplesize:0
avi debug: stream[0] video(XVID) 512x384 24bpp 25.000000fps
main debug: selecting program id=0
avi debug: stream[1] rate:44100 scale:1152 samplesize:0
avi debug: stream[1] audio(0x55) 2 channels 44100Hz 0bits
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:30307869 (ix00) size:1768 pos:1159382
avi debug: indx: type=1 subtype=0 entry=218
avi debug: loading subindex(0x1) 218 entries
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:30307869 (ix00) size:118376 pos:105986500
avi debug: indx: type=1 subtype=0 entry=14794
avi debug: loading subindex(0x1) 14794 entries
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:30307869 (ix00) size:113696 pos:185435688
avi debug: indx: type=1 subtype=0 entry=14209
avi debug: loading subindex(0x1) 14209 entries
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:31307869 (ix01) size:2752 pos:1161158
avi debug: indx: type=1 subtype=0 entry=341
avi debug: loading subindex(0x1) 341 entries
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:31307869 (ix01) size:181256 pos:106104884
avi debug: indx: type=1 subtype=0 entry=22654
avi debug: loading subindex(0x1) 22654 entries
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:31307869 (ix01) size:174016 pos:185549392
avi debug: indx: type=1 subtype=0 entry=21749
avi debug: loading subindex(0x1) 21749 entries
avi debug: stream[0] created 29221 index entries
avi debug: stream[1] created 44744 index entries
avi debug: stream[0] length:1168 (based on index)
avi debug: stream[1] length:1168 (based on index)
main debug: using demux2 module "avi"
main debug: looking for a subtitle file in F:\..\..
main debug: looking for decoder module: 27 candidates
ffmpeg debug: libavcodec already initialized
ffmpeg debug: postprocessing disabled
ffmpeg debug: using direct rendering
ffmpeg debug: ffmpeg codec (MPEG-4 Video) started
main debug: using decoder module "ffmpeg"
main debug: thread 3824 (decoder) created at priority 0 (input/decoder.c:159)
main debug: looking for decoder module: 27 candidates
main debug: using decoder module "mpeg_audio"
main debug: thread 3888 (decoder) created at priority 2 (input/decoder.c:159)
main debug: meta information:
main debug: - 'Einstellung' = ' HAS_INDEX IS_INTERLEAVED'
main debug: `F:\..\.. .avi' successfully opened
avi debug: old:0 < new 0
avi debug: old:0 < new 0

[DJ]

What's inside the AVI container? Press ctrl i while trying to play the video and go to the Advanced tab.

I didn't see a problem in the messages file you posted. Perhaps you didn't post enough of it. but when VLC mediately goes into pause or stops is an indication of either an unsupported format or a bad file. Get a second opinion by trying another player.

[klepzers]

There are no messages at all! AVI container is empty too! And file is not broken - in WinMediaplayer it is played, only the audio codecs are missing there. But some time ago VLC played theese files normally. Now it does not play ANY files, even mp3, wav.

[DJ]

VLC will always show Messages even when there are no problems. Select the View tab and then Messages before playing the video. Also the formats menu is almost never empty even for formats VLC does not recognize. Press ctrl i while playing a media file and then select the Advanced Info.... tab.

[Black_Mamba]

I thank for your opinions, but my VLC don't work with this words. I will have an functionable VLC. I have tried one or more other Players, and they play this files, which VLC don't play (I'm not an idiot)


with regards

Black Mamba

[mboyaj]

I am having the same problem but I can open the file if I open it from the File-->Open File option but if I double click the file I get the following message:

Unable to open 'D:\Usenet\The'
Unable to open 'Breakup\dmd-tbup.avi'

This is the message from VLC while the file is playing:

main error: no suitable access module for `D:\Usenet\The'
main error: no suitable access module for `Breakup\dmd-tbup.avi'
main error: no suitable access module for `D:\Usenet\The Breakup\dmd-tbup.sub'
vobsub error: couldn't open .sub Vobsub file: D:\Usenet\The Breakup\dmd-tbup.sub
subtitle error: failed to recognize subtitle type
main error: no suitable demux module for `/subtitle://D:\Usenet\The Breakup\dmd-tbup.idx'

[VLC_help]

you have space in file path
D:\Usenet\The Breakup\dmd-tbup.avi
so VLC cuts the path to two parts. You should be able to open file from directory like d:\something\ but not from d:\more spaces for me\
hopefully it will be fixed on 0.8.6 or at least at 0.9.0

[klepzers]

So, if my VLC does not shows any messages, what does it mean??? It does not works at all, but reinstall don't helps.
Os = Win2k.

[trotskysghost]

I've had thsi problem several times in the past year or so on both my windowsXP pro desktop and my windows 2kpro laptop and I have resolved it before, but I have no idea how. Currently, while trying to open a known good file of any type that I usually use VLC for, it acts as if it is ready to play, but then doesn't open the video section and there is no scroll tab. The progress timer just blinks. When I hit stop it briefly flashes to the video track and then returns to normal idle size.

I tried the messages thing and I am pasting everything that showed up after I hit play.
<Begin Excerpt>
-------------------------------------------------------------------
main debug: creating new input thread
main debug: waiting for thread completion
main debug: thread 3980 (input) created at priority 1 (input/input.c:261)
main warning: drive letter C: found in source
main debug: `C:\DOCUME~1\JOSHKA~1\Desktop\DOWNLO~1\BATTLE~1.AVI' gives access `' demux `' path `C:\DOCUME~1\JOSHKA~1\Desktop\DOWNLO~1\BATTLE~1.AVI'
main debug: creating demux: access='' demux='' path='C:\DOCUME~1\JOSHKA~1\Desktop\DOWNLO~1\BATTLE~1.AVI'
main debug: looking for access_demux module: 1 candidate
main debug: creating access '' path='C:\DOCUME~1\JOSHKA~1\Desktop\DOWNLO~1\BATTLE~1.AVI'
main debug: looking for access2 module: 5 candidates
vcd debug: trying .cue file: C:\DOCUME~1\JOSHKA~1\Desktop\DOWNLO~1\BATTLE~1.cue
access_file debug: opening file `C:\DOCUME~1\JOSHKA~1\Desktop\DOWNLO~1\BATTLE~1.AVI'
main debug: using access2 module "access_file"
main debug: pre-buffering...
main debug: received first data for our buffer
main debug: pre-buffering done 1408981 bytes in 0s - 169976 kbytes/s
main debug: creating demux: access='' demux='' path='C:\DOCUME~1\JOSHKA~1\Desktop\DOWNLO~1\BATTLE~1.AVI'
main debug: looking for demux2 module: 44 candidates
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:46464952 (RIFF) size:365620018 pos:0
avi debug: found LIST chunk: 'AVI '
avi debug: <list 'AVI '>
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:5453494c (LIST) size:8830 pos:12
avi debug: found LIST chunk: 'hdrl'
avi debug: <list 'hdrl'>
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:68697661 (avih) size:56 pos:24
avi debug: avih: streams:2 flags: HAS_INDEX IS_INTERLEAVED 640x352
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:5453494c (LIST) size:4244 pos:88
avi debug: found LIST chunk: 'strl'
avi debug: <list 'strl'>
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:68727473 (strh) size:56 pos:100
avi debug: strh: type:vids handler:0x44697658 samplesize:0 23.98fps
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:66727473 (strf) size:40 pos:164
avi debug: strf: video:XVID 640x352 planes:1 12bpp
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:4b4e554a (JUNK) size:4120 pos:212
avi debug: </list 'strl'>
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:5453494c (LIST) size:4234 pos:4340
avi debug: found LIST chunk: 'strl'
avi debug: <list 'strl'>
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:68727473 (strh) size:56 pos:4352
avi debug: strh: type:auds handler:0x00000000 samplesize:0 41.67fps
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:66727473 (strf) size:30 pos:4416
avi debug: strf: audio:0x0055 channels:2 48000Hz 0bits/sample 132kb/s
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:4b4e554a (JUNK) size:4120 pos:4454
avi debug: </list 'strl'>
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:5453494c (LIST) size:260 pos:8582
avi debug: found LIST chunk: 'odml'
avi debug: <list 'odml'>
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:686c6d64 (dmlh) size:248 pos:8594
avi warning: unknown chunk (not loaded)
avi debug: </list 'odml'>
avi debug: </list 'hdrl'>
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:5453494c (LIST) size:28 pos:8850
avi debug: found LIST chunk: 'INFO'
avi debug: <list 'INFO'>
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:54465349 (ISFT) size:15 pos:8862
avi debug: ISFT: software : Nandub v1.0rc2
avi debug: </list 'INFO'>
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:4b4e554a (JUNK) size:1346 pos:8886
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:5453494c (LIST) size:362829802 pos:10240
avi debug: skipping movi chunk
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:31786469 (idx1) size:2779968 pos:362840050
avi debug: idx1: index entry:173748
avi debug: </list 'AVI '>
avi debug: found Chunk fourcc:4b4e554a (JUNK) size:1214 pos:365620026
avi debug: * LIST-root size:365621248 pos:0
avi debug: + RIFF-AVI size:365620018 pos:0
avi debug: | + LIST-hdrl size:8830 pos:12
avi debug: | | + avih size:56 pos:24
avi debug: | | + LIST-strl size:4244 pos:88
avi debug: | | | + strh size:56 pos:100
avi debug: | | | + strf size:40 pos:164
avi debug: | | | + JUNK size:4120 pos:212
avi debug: | | + LIST-strl size:4234 pos:4340
avi debug: | | | + strh size:56 pos:4352
avi debug: | | | + strf size:30 pos:4416
avi debug: | | | + JUNK size:4120 pos:4454
avi debug: | | + LIST-odml size:260 pos:8582
avi debug: | | | + dmlh size:248 pos:8594
avi debug: | + LIST-INFO size:28 pos:8850
avi debug: | | + ISFT size:15 pos:8862
avi debug: | + JUNK size:1346 pos:8886
avi debug: | + LIST-movi size:362829802 pos:10240
avi debug: | + idx1 size:2779968 pos:362840050
avi debug: + JUNK size:1214 pos:365620026
avi debug: AVIH: 2 stream, flags HAS_INDEX IS_INTERLEAVED
avi debug: stream[0] rate:2997 scale:125 samplesize:0
avi debug: stream[0] video(XVID) 640x352 12bpp 23.976000fps
main debug: selecting program id=0
avi debug: stream[1] rate:48000 scale:1152 samplesize:0
avi debug: stream[1] audio(0x55) 2 channels 48000Hz 0bits
avi debug: stream[0] created 63462 index entries
avi debug: stream[1] created 110286 index entries
avi debug: stream[0] length:2646 (based on index)
avi debug: stream[1] length:2646 (based on index)
main debug: using demux2 module "avi"
main debug: looking for a subtitle file in C:\DOCUME~1\JOSHKA~1\Desktop\DOWNLO~1\
main debug: looking for decoder module: 27 candidates
ffmpeg debug: libavcodec already initialized
ffmpeg debug: postprocessing disabled
ffmpeg debug: using direct rendering
ffmpeg debug: ffmpeg codec (MPEG-4 Video) started
main debug: using decoder module "ffmpeg"
main debug: thread 3812 (decoder) created at priority 0 (input/decoder.c:159)
main debug: looking for decoder module: 27 candidates
main debug: using decoder module "mpeg_audio"
main debug: thread 3912 (decoder) created at priority 2 (input/decoder.c:159)
main debug: meta information:
main debug: - 'Setting' = ' HAS_INDEX IS_INTERLEAVED'
main debug: `C:\DOCUME~1\JOSHKA~1\Desktop\DOWNLO~1\BATTLE~1.AVI' successfully opened
avi debug: old:0 < new 0
avi debug: old:0 < new 0

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
<End Excerpt>

Absolutely nothing shows up in the Stream and Media Info window when I play this file or any other valid file.

I tried a full reset several times of the preferences and I did a full uninstall and a full reinstall.

What do I do now? I do prefer VLC for video files over winamp, which gets all pissy about things sometimes.

[DJ]

I find it interesting that the users having problems don't seem to realize AVI is a container and this says nothing about the format(s) in the container. When I tried to point this out earlier and suggested looking at the formats and posting this info... here, We were told it did not exist and not enough of the Messages file was presented in the examples to see it. So perhaps a third party utility like GSpot may be more helpful in providing the format information.

It has also been suggested to try putting the videos files in another directory off the root of your hard drive. Preferably a directory that has an name with NO spaces or unusual characters.

[klepzers]

As I said, there was nothing to do with formats - any formats, even uncompressed wav audio did not play. But now it is playing and all looks ok. The problem solved by itself.

[DJ]

Perhaps you need a exorcist in stead of technical help. Programs do not change themselves.

If the program used to work and now doesn't, reset or better yet erase VLC's preferences folder.

If the VLC never worked for you, update your audio and video drivers. A recent update for DirectX runtime wouldn't hurt either.

In this particular case I don't care that XYZ player works. If you want VLC to work, your system must be fixed. I have seen this in reverse. My xyz player doesn't work now but VLC works fine. How do I get xyz to work again? The reality is VLC is a stand alone player that uses its own libraries to decode media files. It is highly reliant on the condition of your system to preform. It is not a Direct Show player and it will not use Direct Show codecs nor will it interfere with any of these. By the same token a dshow player will not interfere with VLC. However, there have been a few reports of some programs like Window Blinds that change the way the operating system works and this does cause problems for VLC.

[klepzers]

[quote="DJ"]Perhaps you need a exorcist in stead of technical help. Programs do not change themselves.[/quote]


Did I say it changed?
I don't knof if it was windows problem or something else. But it did not worked, there was no messages in Message window, but now it works. I don't know why, but it is so. I'm glad it works now!

P.S.
They do, if it is written in the code ;)

[DJ]

Perhaps you are thinking about malicious code? Today is Tuesday I'm going to screw with Sam's machine all day just to piss him off? No VLC contains NO such code. The user options are provided to assist users find working conditions that suit their tastes and NOT provide automatically changing conditions that cause VLC not to function.

[cdngeek]

As there are so many people reporting the same issue at the same time, I would have to think that there is a bigger issue out there, all due respect. This post began about the same time I too started having issues with VLC not playing any media at all, media that is fine on dozens of other players, from DrectX to Winamp Pro, WMP to Media Player Classic. That tells me that something to do with VLC, or how VLC plays videos, is messed up across a multitude of systems. My PC wasn't changed, upgraded, or anything for awhile before the problem began.

[funman]

Hi

A lot of users have problems with vlc,
and a vast majority of them see their problems resolved when they either erase their preferences or update their drivers

Please understand too that the numbers of windows users providing useful debug reports is very low, because some knowledge of debugging is required.

So if you could provide some additional infos to see exactly where is the problem, that would be helpful:
-windows version
-vlc version
-what file you are playing
-where you get it, if you mind provide this info
-the type, ok it's AVI
-what audio codec is in the AVI
-what video codec is in the AVI
---for this 2, DJ suggested the use of G-Spot
-in which players it runs
-the _full_ debug output of the messages window:
you'll have to go to Settings, Interface, and set Verbosity to 2, then quit and relaunch vlc
-if the message debug log differ when you delete the preferences and launch vlc again
-if the file runs well in an older version of vlc, or a nightly build version of vlc (which you'll find at http://nightlies.videolan.org/build/win32/ : take the latest that begins with "branch"), and which version it is

and i don't forget big thanks to DJ for being so active and helpful !

[trotskysghost]

I've had this problem described in this thread several times and it was driving me nuts. It would just start out of no where and I would try to debug it in a haphazard way and it would eventually come back, but I never figured out what caused it or what the solution was, until now.

It seems that if for whatever reason you kill the svchost.exe (there are often several of them open at any one time) that is associated somehow with VLC, it won't actually allow videos to play, but instead gives this buggy response. Now I have no idea how to restart this particular svchost.exe, but rebooting the machine seems to work.

Now I almost never reboot my computers (desktop runs XP Pro and laptop runs 2k pro) but it has happened to both several times. I've found that if I do a total restart (turn everything off for like 30 seconds) after I restart the problem is resolved.

Can anyone tell me why this is so? What does this svchost.exe have to do with vlc?

[DJ]

Try the Microsoft knowledge data base! The 30 day reboot scenario is a common event that occurs at 29 days for VLC.

This known event has angered and frustrated so many IT professionals that many are moving to Linux.

[cdngeek]

Hi

A lot of users have problems with vlc,
and a vast majority of them see their problems resolved when they either erase their preferences or update their drivers

Please understand too that the numbers of windows users providing useful debug reports is very low, because some knowledge of debugging is required.

So if you could provide some additional infos to see exactly where is the problem, that would be helpful:
-windows version
-vlc version
-what file you are playing
-where you get it, if you mind provide this info
-the type, ok it's AVI
-what audio codec is in the AVI
-what video codec is in the AVI
---for this 2, DJ suggested the use of G-Spot
-in which players it runs
-the _full_ debug output of the messages window:
you'll have to go to Settings, Interface, and set Verbosity to 2, then quit and relaunch vlc
-if the message debug log differ when you delete the preferences and launch vlc again
-if the file runs well in an older version of vlc, or a nightly build version of vlc (which you'll find at http://nightlies.videolan.org/build/win32/ : take the latest that begins with "branch"), and which version it is

and i don't forget big thanks to DJ for being so active and helpful !

First off, I have updated my drivers, rebooted my PC 5 times, and done a variety of levels of reinstall, from upgrade from 0.8.2(when the problem began), to uninstall old and reinstall, to uninstall old, wipe preferences and program files folder followed by reinstall.

-XP SP2
-began while using 0.8.2, upgraded to 0.8.5 with no change
-I have tried about 40 different files, from mp3 to wav to mpg to avi
-The files have been from a variety of places, including self created using apps like Audacity and Adobe Audition
-varied
-varied
-wmp, winamp, media player classic, iTunes
-For which file?
-I will try a nightly build

[DJ]

As there are so many people reporting the same issue at the same time,

I don't know about you but I count 5 people here that seem to think they have the same problem or at very least similar problem(s). I know, I always seem to have a problem or two every time I get MS updates. That's about every thirty days. Not all of them revolve around VLC however and oddly enough seem to disappear in a few days. I have often suspected they sneak in the fixes at night when I'm not looking. But I would venture a guess the out of millions of users 5 that are having this seemingly unresolvable problem ain't bad odds.

I would have to think that there is a bigger issue out there, all due respect. This post began about the same time I too started having issues with VLC not playing any media at all,

I suppose that's possible according to a number of resources including CNet and MSNBC there been an up serge of spyware and viruses of close to 400% in the last few months. This type of thing effects different things adversely and many of the programs we normally rely on are having a difficult time keeping up with the new varieties. I had one about a month ago that replicated itself and nothing I used could find anything wrong.

media that is fine on dozens of other players, from DrectX to Winamp Pro, WMP to Media Player Classic.

I didn't know that DirectX was a media player. Mind providing the link on that one? WinAmp does use it's own codecs, but WMP and MPC are Direct Show players so where do you get dozens? MPlayer uses it's own codecs. But most players for Windows use Direct Show. So the reference to dozens of players is very dubious indeed. All players use DirectX differently. If you want to witness this for yourself this try playing a commercial DVD in each player and look at CPU usage.

That tells me that something to do with VLC, or how VLC plays videos, is messed up across a multitude of systems.

I agree, something is messed up. VLC is very system dependent and was designed as a packet based player to stream media files. It does more than any player I have seen to date and supports more formats than anything outside of MPlayer but is has a more user friendly interface than MPlayer.

My PC wasn't changed, upgraded, or anything for awhile before the problem began.

You don't do auto updates for anything? Hmm! I find that invariably the user did something to create the problem. But in the past two months I personally have had VLC stop working. Once was the loss of part of DirectX and the other was the loss or corruption of my AGP driver. Seems that when I don't go on peer to peer networks everything works fine. But when I spend any time with these I have problems generally starting the following day. The RIAA is on an all out kick to stop file sharing at any cost that includes destroying the users machine. I can only assume I was targeted, as there is nothing wrong with my hardware. I even have protections in place to keep them out. But considering the problems lately I have shied away from Peer to Peer networks and had no further incidents. Perhaps you could say the RIAA has won in my case.

[cdngeek]

As there are so many people reporting the same issue at the same time,

I don't know about you but I count 5 people here that seem to think they have the same problem or at very least similar problem(s). I know, I always seem to have a problem or two every time I get MS updates. That's about every thirty days. Not all of them revolve around VLC however and oddly enough seem to disappear in a few days. I have often suspected they sneak in the fixes at night when I'm not looking. But I would venture a guess the out of millions of users 5 that are having this seemingly unresolvable problem ain't bad odds.

I would have to think that there is a bigger issue out there, all due respect. This post began about the same time I too started having issues with VLC not playing any media at all,

I suppose that's possible according to a number of resources including CNet and MSNBC there been an up serge of spyware and viruses of close to 400% in the last few months. This type of thing effects different things adversely and many of the programs we normally rely on are having a difficult time keeping up with the new varieties. I had one about a month ago that replicated itself and nothing I used could find anything wrong.

media that is fine on dozens of other players, from DrectX to Winamp Pro, WMP to Media Player Classic.

I didn't know that DirectX was a media player. Mind providing the link on that one? WinAmp does use it's own codecs, but WMP and MPC are Direct Show players so where do you get dozens? MPlayer uses it's own codecs. But most players for Windows use Direct Show. So the reference to dozens of players is very dubious indeed. All players use DirectX differently. If you want to witness this for yourself this try playing a commercial DVD in each player and look at CPU usage.

That tells me that something to do with VLC, or how VLC plays videos, is messed up across a multitude of systems.

I agree, something is messed up. VLC is very system dependent and was designed as a packet based player to stream media files. It does more than any player I have seen to date and supports more formats than anything outside of MPlayer but is has a more user friendly interface than MPlayer.

My PC wasn't changed, upgraded, or anything for awhile before the problem began.

You don't do auto updates for anything? Hmm! I find that invariably the user did something to create the problem. But in the past two months I personally have had VLC stop working. Once was the loss of part of DirectX and the other was the loss or corruption of my AGP driver. Seems that when I don't go on peer to peer networks everything works fine. But when I spend any time with these I have problems generally starting the following day. The RIAA is on an all out kick to stop file sharing at any cost that includes destroying the users machine. I can only assume I was targeted, as there is nothing wrong with my hardware. I even have protections in place to keep them out. But considering the problems lately I have shied away from Peer to Peer networks and had no further incidents. Perhaps you could say the RIAA has won in my case.

Consider my complaint to be comeing from several users, as I have 8 reports of the same activity. The players I have tried are varied. My apologies about DirectX, I meant the DivX player. I agree, VLC is one of the best clients I have ever used, but this is the second time it has stopped working and I am tried of using the lower calibre ones like WMP and MPC. The only thing on my machine that auto updates is my Anti Virus, and I have reinstalled vlc 3 times since it's last update. I might also point out it has found nothing, nor have I found anything in the varied tools I use to monitor my system for issues.

Oh, and the nightly build didn't fix it.

[DJ]

Consider my complaint to be comeing from several users, as I have 8 reports of the same activity.

I'm sorry but the only way I could be sure of your statement is to have access to each one of those machines. I find that most users don't have the patients to follow instructions even when the answer is in front of them.

The players I have tried are varied. My apologies about DirectX, I meant the DivX player. I agree, VLC is one of the best clients I have ever used, but this is the second time it has stopped working and I am tried of using the lower calibre ones like WMP and MPC.

I don't know about you, but I find the only programs that don't occasionally hiccup are the ones I don't use and it has been this way since I was introduced to computers in the late 60s.

The only thing on my machine that auto updates is my Anti Virus, and I have reinstalled vlc 3 times since it's last update. I might also point out it has found nothing, nor have I found anything in the varied tools I use to monitor my system for issues.

No Microsoft updates? No Spyware updates? Nothing except AV? Wow you are secure. You know there is a website that you can check your security http://www.dslreports.com/ like for open ports etc. It seems that more than 75% of computers have things open that anyone (with a little computer experience) can walk through. I'm behind both a hardware and software firewall but I know for a fact that I'm not secure. With a little Java experience I can dance right through it all and do anything I want. Microsoft thinks they have closed the door on this one just recently. But does this really mean your secure? I guess that it kinda depends on what you do with your machine. I mentioned I got a spyware program a couple of months ago. I tried every program out there, well more than a dozen and NON of them found the spyware. I did finally manage to find one that recognized it but wouldn't remove it. Had to do lots of research and finally did get rid of it by hand. It just kept replicating itself. It was effecting the operation of my machine and it had to go. I'm more persistent about backups now as I was growing rather lax.

BTW I can understand reinstalling a program once perhaps even downloading it again just in case the download wasn't good or there was a corrupted file some how. But 3 times? Specially if the end result is always the same. I would begin to look somewhere else for the problem or dump the program.

Oh, and the nightly build didn't fix it.

If you are referring to VLC 0.9.0 it is a long way from being released. There will be a maintenance release before this and VLC 0.8.6 test 1 has just started. From early reports there are problems that didn't exist in 0.8.5. It most definitely shows promise though, just needs some more test versions. But really, I wouldn't expect your problem to be effected.