Some Imported Movies No Picture, Just Sound

Channels DVR Server
#1

Hi there! I am just now getting around to importing some movies into Channels so I can take advantage of the new download feature that is upcoming. With some of my movies, I just get a black screen with only audio. It is not every movie. For these movies, I can play on the Channels web player, I can play through Plex and Infuse, and everywhere else just fine without any issues, but not on Apple TV or iPhone - only sound.

I am playing the original quality and if I transcode to 8mbps, the movie plays just fine on ATV and iPhone, but then everything is transcoded. I've tried changing to the experimental video driver to no avail.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

1 Like
#2

Find the imported video, click View Details on the web UI and screenshot what is shown.

And after playing and only seeing black, click Settings > Support > Submit Diagnostics

#3

Capture
Capture941×903 125 KB

Screenshot attached. I am clicking on "settings" and nothing is happening. I've submitted diagnostics before, but for some reason, it just takes me back to the Channels DVR home page.

#4

I was able to open up the logs and there is nothing shown for this movie when I get the black screen. But, if I transcode the movie, it appears on the log.

2021/12/17 17:22:25.331285 [ENC] Starting encoder for Amistad (1997).mp4 in /volume2/Channels DVR/Channels DVR/Streaming/file6291-ip192.168.50.134-3870541612/encoder-154-2149294932 at 154 (153.153088) (encoder=remux, resolution=1080, deinterlacer=blend, bitrate=6025 segment_size=0.01)
2021/12/17 17:22:25.488127 [HLS] ffmpeg: file6291-ip192.168.50.134: [mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2 @ 0x64e16c0] stream 0, timescale not set
2021/12/17 17:22:25.889660 [ENC] Stopped encoder for Amistad (1997).mp4 in /volume2/Channels DVR/Channels DVR/Streaming/file6291-ip192.168.50.134-3870541612/encoder-154-2149294932 after encoding 154 to 159

#5

I submitted diagnostics through the app.

#6

Weird. I think you'll have to upload a sample here: Dropbox - Submit files

#8

A 5 minute sample of the movie in the diagnostics was submitted. I ran a different movie that was also displaying a black screen through Handbrake as a test using the same quality settings and then imported into Channels and it plays fine now.

1 Like
#9

What is this new download feature?

#10

In beta work is being done to download recordings for offline viewing (car, plane, etc).

#11

Thanks.
So it works with imported shows and movies too? I suppose Channels DVR would make that more convenient than directly downloading the show? Interesting...

#12

I’m not sure, I’m not a beta tester, but I believe so from what I’ve read. However, I’m just trying to get some of my movies to have video on regular playback :grinning:

#13

I found the thread. Checking it out now. Thanks for the heads up. I will post back here when I figure out if imported shows and movies are supported or not.

#14

@David_Darling

I have had this issue with a lot of my import. Usually ones obtained from bittorrent. It drove me crazy. I found solutions that work about 90% of time.

On client side. Go to setting then to your decoder. You have hardware, software & hybrid. I found somethings work on software only and some videos work on hardware only.

The client I use is Nvidia Shield tube and pro. I find software decoding has highest duccess rate for me.

Hope this helps you.

#15

Thanks for the info. These aren't anything from bittorrent. I did purchase the movies from iTunes and then converted them, so perhaps that has something to do with it. I don't like using the Apple interface and would rather have my own copy. I'll give what you suggested a shot. Appreciate the info!

#16

I noticed the same thing--sometimes videos that didn't work would work if hardware decoding was turned off.

#17

Same problem as documented here: