Skip to content

VLC fails to play certain video formats but the Audio plays fine

VLC plays back video as a black screen (but audio plays fine), when playing certain videos. Here's an example video:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2ox5i0qm3g3o9ep/Day%202-2016-01-27%2020.31%20Core%20Spring%20Training.mp4?dl=0

When I run VLC in verbose mode, I get these messages in the log output:

    VLC_VERBOSE=1 vlc
    VLC media player 2.2.1 Terry Pratchett (Weatherwax) (revision 2.2.1-0-ga425c42)
    [0000000001103148] core libvlc: Running vlc with the default interface. Use 'cvlc' to use vlc without interface.
    [00007fe7c0c01928] mp4 demux warning: STTS table of 1 entries
    [00007fe7c0c01928] mp4 demux warning: STTS table of 1 entries
    [00007fe7c2801178] faad decoder warning: decoded zero sample
    Failed to open VDPAU backend libvdpau_va_gl.so: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
    [00000000011fe018] pulse audio output warning: starting late (-55388 us)
    [00000000011fe018] core audio output warning: playback too early (-72418): down-sampling
    [00007fe7b8252038] core video output warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 168 ms)
    [00007fe7b8252038] core video output warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 160 ms)
    [00007fe7b8252038] core video output warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 152 ms)
    [00007fe7b8252038] core video output warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 144 ms)
    [00007fe7b8252038] core video output warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 136 ms)
    [00007fe7b8252038] core video output warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 192 ms)
    [00007fe7b8252038] core video output warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 184 ms)
    [00007fe7b8252038] core video output warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 176 ms)
    [00007fe7b8252038] core video output warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 168 ms)
    [00007fe7b8252038] core video output warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 160 ms)
    [00007fe7b8252038] core video output warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 152 ms)
    [00007fe7b8252038] core video output warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 144 ms)
    [00007fe7b8252038] core video output warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 136 ms)
    [00007fe7b8252038] core video output warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 192 ms)
    [00007fe7b8252038] core video output warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 184 ms)
    [00007fe7b8252038] core video output warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 176 ms)
    [00007fe7b8252038] core video output warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 168 ms)
    [00007fe7b8252038] core video output warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 160 ms)
    [00007fe7b8252038] core video output warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 152 ms)

After installing libvdpau_va_gl and deleting ~/.config/vlc and the cache folders to reset VLC's config I am getting these errors in the log output:

    $ VLC_VERBOSE=1 vlc
    VLC media player 2.2.1 Terry Pratchett (Weatherwax) (revision 2.2.1-0-ga425c42)
    [000000000231b148] core libvlc: Running vlc with the default interface. Use 'cvlc' to use vlc without interface.
    [00007f06ecc018d8] mp4 demux warning: STTS table of 1 entries
    [00007f06ecc018d8] mp4 demux warning: STTS table of 1 entries
    [00007f06ee8012e8] faad decoder warning: decoded zero sample
    libva info: VA-API version 0.38.0
    libva info: va_getDriverName() returns 0
    libva info: Trying to open /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/dri/i965_drv_video.so
    libva info: Found init function __vaDriverInit_0_38
    libva info: va_openDriver() returns 0
    [00007f06ee812258] avcodec decoder: Using OpenGL/VAAPI/libswscale backend for VDPAU for hardware decoding.
    [h264 @ 0x7f06ee820640] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [h264 @ 0x7f06ee8acb80] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [0000000002415f68] pulse audio output warning: starting late (-55609 us)
    [0000000002415f68] core audio output warning: playback too early (-71985): down-sampling
    [h264 @ 0x7f06ee8f4460] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [h264 @ 0x7f06ee93bd60] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [00007f06bc001268] vdpau_display vout display error: video mixer surface width capabilities query failure: VDP_STATUS_NO_IMPLEMENTATION
    [VS] error (vdpVideoSurfaceGetBitsYCbCr): not implemented conversion VA FOURCC  -> VDP_YCBCR_FORMAT_YV12
    [00007f06bc5ff738] vdpau_chroma filter error: video surface export failure: VDP_STATUS_INVALID_Y_CB_CR_FORMAT
    [00007f06e0251e78] core video output warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 168 ms)
    [h264 @ 0x7f06ee820640] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [00007f06e0251e78] core video output warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 160 ms)
    [h264 @ 0x7f06ee8acb80] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [00007f06e0251e78] core video output warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 152 ms)
    [h264 @ 0x7f06ee8f4460] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [00007f06e0251e78] core video output warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 144 ms)
    [h264 @ 0x7f06ee93bd60] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [h264 @ 0x7f06ee820640] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [h264 @ 0x7f06ee8acb80] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [h264 @ 0x7f06ee8f4460] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [h264 @ 0x7f06ee93bd60] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [h264 @ 0x7f06ee820640] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [h264 @ 0x7f06ee8acb80] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [h264 @ 0x7f06ee8f4460] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [00007f06ee812258] avcodec decoder warning: More than 4 late frames, dropping frame

After unchecking hardware acceleration I get a similar log in the output:

    $ VLC_VERBOSE=1 vlc
    VLC media player 2.2.1 Terry Pratchett (Weatherwax) (revision 2.2.1-0-ga425c42)
    [0000000000868148] core libvlc: Running vlc with the default interface. Use 'cvlc' to use vlc without interface.
    QObject::~QObject: Timers cannot be stopped from another thread
    behrangsa@Tesla:~$ VLC_VERBOSE=1 vlc
    VLC media player 2.2.1 Terry Pratchett (Weatherwax) (revision 2.2.1-0-ga425c42)
    [0000000000a6d148] core libvlc: Running vlc with the default interface. Use 'cvlc' to use vlc without interface.
    [00007fb3ccc01938] mp4 demux warning: STTS table of 1 entries
    [00007fb3ccc01938] mp4 demux warning: STTS table of 1 entries
    [00007fb3ce01d558] faad decoder warning: decoded zero sample
    libva info: VA-API version 0.38.0
    libva info: va_getDriverName() returns 0
    libva info: Trying to open /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/dri/i965_drv_video.so
    libva info: Found init function __vaDriverInit_0_38
    libva info: va_openDriver() returns 0
    [00007fb3ce02e688] avcodec decoder: Using OpenGL/VAAPI/libswscale backend for VDPAU for hardware decoding.
    [h264 @ 0x7fb3ce03ca60] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [h264 @ 0x7fb3ce0c8fa0] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [0000000000b67f68] pulse audio output warning: starting late (-55924 us)
    [0000000000b67f68] core audio output warning: playback too early (-71494): down-sampling
    [h264 @ 0x7fb3ce110880] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [h264 @ 0x7fb3ce158180] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [00007fb3b4001268] vdpau_display vout display error: video mixer surface width capabilities query failure: VDP_STATUS_NO_IMPLEMENTATION
    [VS] error (vdpVideoSurfaceGetBitsYCbCr): not implemented conversion VA FOURCC  -> VDP_YCBCR_FORMAT_YV12
    [00007fb3b4621478] vdpau_chroma filter error: video surface export failure: VDP_STATUS_INVALID_Y_CB_CR_FORMAT
    [00007fb3c42417f8] core video output warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 168 ms)
    [h264 @ 0x7fb3ce03ca60] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [00007fb3c42417f8] core video output warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 160 ms)
    [h264 @ 0x7fb3ce0c8fa0] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [00007fb3c42417f8] core video output warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 152 ms)
    [h264 @ 0x7fb3ce110880] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [00007fb3c42417f8] core video output warning: picture is too late to be displayed (missing 144 ms)
    [h264 @ 0x7fb3ce158180] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [h264 @ 0x7fb3ce03ca60] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [h264 @ 0x7fb3ce0c8fa0] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [h264 @ 0x7fb3ce110880] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [h264 @ 0x7fb3ce158180] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [h264 @ 0x7fb3ce03ca60] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [h264 @ 0x7fb3ce0c8fa0] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [h264 @ 0x7fb3ce110880] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [00007fb3ce02e688] avcodec decoder warning: More than 4 late frames, dropping frame
    [h264 @ 0x7fb3ce158180] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [00007fb3ce02e688] avcodec decoder warning: More than 4 late frames, dropping frame
    [h264 @ 0x7fb3ce03ca60] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [00007fb3ce02e688] avcodec decoder warning: More than 4 late frames, dropping frame
    [h264 @ 0x7fb3ce0c8fa0] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [00007fb3ce02e688] avcodec decoder warning: More than 4 late frames, dropping frame
    [h264 @ 0x7fb3ce110880] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [00007fb3ce02e688] avcodec decoder warning: More than 4 late frames, dropping frame
    [h264 @ 0x7fb3ce158180] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [00007fb3ce02e688] avcodec decoder warning: More than 4 late frames, dropping frame
    [h264 @ 0x7fb3ce03ca60] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [00007fb3ce02e688] avcodec decoder warning: More than 4 late frames, dropping frame
    [h264 @ 0x7fb3ce0c8fa0] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
    [00007fb3ce02e688] avcodec decoder error: more than 5 seconds of late video -> dropping frame (computer too slow ?)
    [00007fb3ce02e688] avcodec decoder error: more than 5 seconds of late video -> dropping frame (computer too slow ?)

Finally, here is the output of ffmpeg -i myvideo.avi on the video

Input [#0](https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/-/issues/0), mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from 'Day 2-2016-01-27 20.31 Core Spring Training.mp4':
  Metadata:
    major_brand     : mp42
    minor_version   : 0
    compatible_brands: mp42isomavc1
    creation_time   : 2016-01-27 17:44:23
  Duration: 02:08:51.78, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 206 kb/s
    Stream [#0](https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/-/issues/0):0(eng): Audio: aac (LC) (mp4a / 0x6134706D), 16000 Hz, mono, fltp, 64 kb/s (default)
    Metadata:
      handler_name    : AAC stream handler
    Stream [#0](https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/-/issues/0):1(eng): Video: h264 (Baseline) (avc1 / 0x31637661), yuv420p, 1920x1080 [SAR 1:1 DAR 16:9], 141 kb/s, 5 fps, 5 tbr, 90k tbn, 180k tbc (default)
    Metadata:
      handler_name    : Citrix h264 stream handler
      encoder         : AVC Coding
To upload designs, you'll need to enable LFS and have an admin enable hashed storage. More information