Topic: Unable to play video files locally (Read 1647 times)

tWreCK · « **on:** March 24, 2020, 01:18:33 pm »

After upgrading to MC 26 I can't play any video files locally anymore (mp4, mkv, dvd's, bluray) etc. I can however stream to my smart tv. Sometimes it says "something went wrong with playback". With certain types of files it says" invalid audio decoder filter or output pin". I've never experienced this specific problem before so something must have changed from version 25 to 26. Any ideas?

JimH · « **Reply #1 on:** March 24, 2020, 01:26:48 pm »

Try rebooting and reinstalling.

You must have an Internet connection.

Antivirus could block MC.

tWreCK · « **Reply #2 on:** March 24, 2020, 01:30:40 pm »

I did reinstall MC but no change. As for antivirus - I don't have any antivirus programs on the machine at present and I've inactivated windows defender etc.

JimH · « **Reply #3 on:** March 24, 2020, 01:51:01 pm »

Please read the Windows Defender thread here. You can't disable it.

Is the machine connected to the Internet?

tWreCK · « **Reply #4 on:** March 24, 2020, 02:20:25 pm »

Well I've inactivated all the things I can on the machine. Windows defender is problematic for sure. The pc is connected to the internet. I'm not having any connection/networking problems on this machine at this time.

JimH · « **Reply #5 on:** March 24, 2020, 02:29:45 pm »

Did you configure Windows Defender?

tWreCK · « **Reply #6 on:** March 24, 2020, 02:58:18 pm »

I haven't really done anything with windows defender more than disabling the service in group policy but that didn't have any effect - it's still running.

This was done way back when I re-installed windows 10 a couple of years ago. I've been running several different versions of MC during that period without problems. The video playback problems has been an issue since I installed MC 26.

JimH · « **Reply #7 on:** March 24, 2020, 03:12:38 pm »

It would be a good idea.

tWreCK · « **Reply #8 on:** March 24, 2020, 05:42:28 pm »

First of all - are you talking about windows defender firewall or the virus & threat protection?

Secondly, are you implying that MC26 video playback is dependant on whether or not windows defender firewall / virus & threat protection are enabled?

I've used MC since version 22 and have had both of the above disabled since the very beginning (though there are some services related to both that are active anyway). I've never experienced any local video playback problems until now.

JimH · « **Reply #9 on:** March 24, 2020, 05:47:10 pm »

MC downloads some components when you first try to play a video. Windows Defender may be blocking that. Did you read the Windows Defender thread and make the suggested changes?

tWreCK · « **Reply #10 on:** March 24, 2020, 06:13:00 pm »

I have read the tutorial and added the exceptions for MC26 - still not playing video files.

Why aren't the files needed to play the various formats/file types not included in the install? As I mentioned earlier - I've never needed to do any of this before with earlier MC versions.

BigSpider · « **Reply #11 on:** March 24, 2020, 06:29:25 pm »

You might check that windows security firewall has the setting for notifying when an app is asking for permission to go onto the internet is checked. Uninstalling and then reinstalling MC26 should give you a popup saying do you want this program to go about it's business. I have found that doing this alleviates most of the problems associated with windows defender.

RoderickGI · « **Reply #12 on:** March 24, 2020, 06:30:18 pm »

Which specific version of MC26 are you using? MC26.0.35?

Did MC26 download additional components when you first tried to play video? It would probably be the firewall that blocked those downloads.

Make sure UAC is active and ask permission to do stuff. Also make sure Defender isn't in Silent mode (I think it can do that, like other security software). You need to see the questions the firewall asks, and allow connections. The reboot the PC and reinstall MC26 again, then try to play video again.

JimH, buffer issue? I don't know when that started. No indication in the MC26 Release Notes.

EDIT: We are on the same page BigSpider!

Hendrik · « **Reply #13 on:** March 24, 2020, 06:34:24 pm »

Quote from: RoderickGI on March 24, 2020, 06:30:18 pm

JimH, buffer issue? I don't know when that started. No indication in the MC26 Release Notes.

Only one build, which was never public.

tWreCK · « **Reply #14 on:** March 24, 2020, 06:48:11 pm »

I'm using MC26.0.35

I have tried all of the above suggestions - UAC > active, Windows Security notifications > all active. Reinstalled MC26 - still a no go.

JimH · « **Reply #15 on:** March 24, 2020, 07:38:10 pm »

Quote from: JimH on March 24, 2020, 05:47:10 pm

MC downloads some components when you first try to play a video. Windows Defender may be blocking that. Did you read the Windows Defender thread and make the suggested changes?

tWreCK · « **Reply #16 on:** March 24, 2020, 10:11:55 pm »

I didn't notice MC downloading anything when I played the different video files. To be honest, I've never noticed anything in the past either - it just worked.

I read the tutorial and made the changes - rebooted. I still got the same error message. I reinstalled MC26 and tried again - nothing.

RoderickGI · « **Reply #17 on:** March 24, 2020, 10:47:30 pm »

Okay:

Run Windows Update until nothing new happens. Reboot after each update. If no new updates are installed, reboot anyway.
Update your video driver to the latest stable version.

The "something went wrong with playback" message is usually associated with audio issues, and the "invalid audio decoder filter or output pin" is obviously an audio Direct Show problem. So update your audio drivers as well.

Windows 10 updates have broken many things in the past, and MC26 has fixes for much of that. However, maybe in this case, the MC26 changes are in conflict with something on your PC. Or just your drivers need updates to work with the combination of Windows 10 and MC26 updates.

If still a no-go, back up your MC26 Library and completely uninstall MC26, including settings, reboot, and then reinstall.

tWreCK · « **Reply #18 on:** March 25, 2020, 12:37:36 pm »

OK - I have done everything you mention including a clean install of MC26. Since I have an older machine there are no "updated" drivers to download. I have the latest drivers for all hardware. They haven't been updated in a few years.

I opened a .mp4 video file and MC did say it was "adding required components". First time I have really noticed that. It started to play but with no video (a black screen) - just audio.

Same thing with .mkv files - audio but no video.

Bluray - no video but the audio is really choppy.

DVD played fine - both video and audio.

I also have another question related to the installation of MC. I backed up the library and also the cover art folder. I restored the library and replaced the cover art folder with the backup. When I look at album/artist under Audio, almost no cover art is presented. Before the install every artist/album had cover art. Why is that?

JimH · « **Reply #19 on:** March 25, 2020, 01:00:49 pm »

Maybe you're not on the display screen. Type ctrl-1, 2, up to 5 to switch modes.

tWreCK · « **Reply #20 on:** March 25, 2020, 01:08:50 pm »

I'm aware of the display switch. I've tried playing the files on the native display as well as external. Same result.

JimH · « **Reply #21 on:** March 25, 2020, 03:22:00 pm »

Do you have another machine you can test with? It might give you a useful clue.

RoderickGI · « **Reply #22 on:** March 25, 2020, 06:23:54 pm »

Quote from: tWreCK on March 25, 2020, 01:08:50 pm

I'm aware of the display switch. I've tried playing the files on the native display as well as external. Same result.

Perhaps you had better describe your setup and PC more.

We know from earlier that you can stream to your smart tv, which sounds like you are using DLNA for that, rather than an HDMI connection.

You mention a native and external display above. Are you referring to the TV as the external display?

You have also said that you have an older machine. Specifications? What sort of PC is it? Desktop or laptop? What is the CPU, GPU, sound card, Windows build/version, etc.

You aren't using any Registry cleaner application, are you? Or a Driver Manager or Cleaner? One that stays resident and "fixes" things on the fly, or at regular intervals?

A back video screen with audio is often fixed with a video driver update, but caused by a Windows Update. As a DVD played fine with video, that implies the issue is video format related, which implies video driver. Try playing using Red October Standard rather than RO HQ. If that works but you want to use RO HQ, try the "Best Performace" Quality setting under "Options > Video > General Video Settings. If that works, try the "Balanced" Quality setting.

Search the forum for "black screen" and you will find more things to try, including backing out some Windows Update packages.

But as MC25 still works, it could still be a security software problem.

tWreCK · « **Reply #23 on:** March 25, 2020, 11:02:49 pm »

I'm running windows 10 (v1909) on a Dell laptop (2012) with an external 24" monitor (HDMI). It was a top-of-the-line Studio-XPS model at the time but of course it's showing it's age now. Radeon gpu and mb integrated IDT HD sound chip. Intel dual band wireless AC. I've never had problems with driver incompatibilities/windows updates in the past. It has also worked flawlessly with earlier versions of MC. I have a smart tv that I stream content to (DNLA).

No registry cleaners or AV programs of any sort apart from the built-in windows apps.

I tried your suggestions in all possible combinations. RO HQ / best quality / hardware acceleration checked / optimized hardware decoding unchecked. Those are the settings I was finally able to get video playback working for all file types. Unchecking optimized hardware decoding was the setting that "unbroke" video playback.

Thx for all the help and suggestions

wer · « **Reply #24 on:** March 25, 2020, 11:26:34 pm »

"Hardware accelerate video decoding" and "Optimize hardware decoding" should come with giant warning labels.

"Hardware accelerate video decoding" actually has the opposite effect with MC26 than it did with earlier versions of MC for me, on the exact same hardware.

Lots of people have lost lots of time to those two options.

RoderickGI · « **Reply #25 on:** March 25, 2020, 11:28:41 pm »

Excellent, and thanks for reporting what fixed the problem.

Hendrik or someone else from JRiver would have to comment on why unchecking the optimized hardware decoding setting fixed the issue. It could be because MC26 uses different Windows functionality to MC25. Perhaps making use of newer updates. Perhaps the madVR update in MC26.0.29.

Anyway, working now. Good.

Hendrik · « **Reply #26 on:** March 26, 2020, 03:55:18 am »

Video decoding works pretty much the same as it did in MC25, its not exactly a field that changes much anymore.

But crappy/broken graphics drivers will ruin your day any day of the week. If you want a recommendation, don't get AMD graphics hardware for anything video related. Even more so not old AMD graphics. Your life will be much better after.

Either way none of those options are on by default, exactly because they are at the mercy of potentially crappy drivers, I would *always* recommend everyone to start with default settings and see if stuff works, then start changing things. Then you know what might have broken it.

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Author Topic: Unable to play video files locally (Read 1647 times)