Just got a Galaxy Tab 5se and tried Channels. When paying either recordings or live, I get a black screen but can hear the audio. Changing the decoder to software or hybrid fixes it. I submitted diagnostics.
I'm having the same issue with a Galaxy Tab S5e. It had been working fine for months, The issue only started in the last couple weeks.
The new Android update has broken mpeg2 hardware decoding. Until Google fixes this the only workaround is to switch to Video Decoder: Software
Good to know. That would explain why TVE channels work with Hardware.
Android broke Hardware? That doesn't seem right. The only app that does this is Channels.... IDK
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Probably because Channels uses a custom mpv-based video player to ensure a first–class experience with OTA MPEG-2; most every other software uses Android's native player as the backend.
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So that explains why I get dropped frames on my FireTV Cube only when I use Channels DVR.... All others use Exoplayer and no frames are dropped.
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Correct, I see the same on FireTV and Android TV. Hardware decoding with MPV is a failure. The "workaround" is to use the software decoder but which can have other drawbacks on certain devices.
The OP is using an android tablet and my comments here are specific to phones and tablets. We have heard the same thing from many people writing directly into support. Immediately after the upgrade, hardware mode stops working on mpeg2 channels and continues working on h264 channels.
The same issue is not present on Android TV, which is presumably more heavily tested against mpeg2 during android development.
I know that and I am speaking about my Google Pixel 4XL, Lenovo m10Plus, Google Pixel 3XL, Samsung Galaxy S9 and LG V30. All these devices have no problem playing any video from any other app I have used.
So if Channels is the only app I use that has this problem is it still Google's fault?
If it worked before the Android upgrade and broke after the Android upgrade, then clearly Android made some change. From our logs it looks like the system is not creating an mpeg2 decoder when we ask it. If other apps are able to, then that's news to us.
What app are you using and are you playing mpeg2 content? Does the app say it is using hardware decoding?
HdHomerun, and VLC so far.
I'm uploading a new beta app which includes more diagnostics. Please try hardware decoding with that app and then click Submit Diagnostics > Video Player.
Updated and submitted diagnostics.
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Thanks. I got some interesting results and am uploading another beta with some more diagnostic changes.
Updated just now and submitted diagnostics as requested......
Here's what the MediaCodecList API reports for your phone in that diagnostic:
"c2.qti.avc.decoder": [
"video/avc"
],
"OMX.qcom.video.decoder.avc": [
"video/avc"
],
"c2.qti.avc.decoder.secure": [
"video/avc"
],
"OMX.qcom.video.decoder.avc.secure": [
"video/avc"
],
"c2.qti.hevc.decoder": [
"video/hevc"
],
"OMX.qcom.video.decoder.hevc": [
"video/hevc"
],
"c2.qti.hevc.decoder.secure": [
"video/hevc"
],
"OMX.qcom.video.decoder.hevc.secure": [
"video/hevc"
],
"c2.qti.vp8.decoder": [
"video/x-vnd.on2.vp8"
],
"OMX.qcom.video.decoder.vp8": [
"video/x-vnd.on2.vp8"
],
"c2.qti.vp9.decoder": [
"video/x-vnd.on2.vp9"
],
"OMX.qcom.video.decoder.vp9": [
"video/x-vnd.on2.vp9"
],
"c2.qti.vp9.decoder.secure": [
"video/x-vnd.on2.vp9"
],
"OMX.qcom.video.decoder.vp9.secure": [
"video/x-vnd.on2.vp9"
],
"c2.android.av1.decoder": [
"video/av01"
],
"c2.android.avc.decoder": [
"video/avc"
],
"OMX.google.h264.decoder": [
"video/avc"
],
"c2.android.h263.decoder": [
"video/3gpp"
],
"OMX.google.h263.decoder": [
"video/3gpp"
],
"c2.android.hevc.decoder": [
"video/hevc"
],
"OMX.google.hevc.decoder": [
"video/hevc"
],
"c2.android.mpeg4.decoder": [
"video/mp4v-es"
],
"OMX.google.mpeg4.decoder": [
"video/mp4v-es"
],
"c2.android.vp8.decoder": [
"video/x-vnd.on2.vp8"
],
"OMX.google.vp8.decoder": [
"video/x-vnd.on2.vp8"
],
"c2.android.vp9.decoder": [
"video/x-vnd.on2.vp9"
],
"OMX.google.vp9.decoder": [
"video/x-vnd.on2.vp9"
]
video/mpeg2 is not on the list. I'm guessing those other apps fallback to software automatically, which is something we need to add as well.
1 Like
You're right, I installed MX Player and gives more info and it reports HW decoder as not supported for MPEG-2.
1 Like
Updated and submitted diagnostics.
Must have been an update long time ago...cause i have had the black screen with audio issue on my Pixel 3 for OTA channels, for at least 4 months or so now i think. I had changed the decoder to Hybrid...and forgotten about it, until i seen this thread.