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[SOLVED] VLC mpeg4 sound only no Video

MBMz10

Wed Sep 20, 2017 8:21:47 am

I have tried on both Zorin Core and Lite 12.2 versions to play videos (mpeg4) but cannot get video, only sound. This is recent (yesterday and today 19th and 20th, Sep 2017) as my previous installations of Zorin (and Mint) still play video OK. Also one of my older Linux Mint installations wont play video either. I have tried installing VLC via Terminal, Software and Synaptic with same result. Normally I can install a Distro then VLC if not present and no problems. Any one else having issues or have any ideas?

As one of my Linux Mint installations stopped playing video suddenly I am apprehensive about installing any updates at the moment on the ones (Mint or Zorin) that still work.

Swarfendor437

Wed Sep 20, 2017 8:44:03 pm

Hi, I just checked my mp4 collection and having the same issue - wonder if its a recent kernel update bug or VLC Linux needs an update? Will check Software Updater now. ;)

Swarfendor437

Wed Sep 20, 2017 9:06:31 pm

Interesting information here:

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-ubuntu.html - technically only officially supported upto and including Ubuntu 13.10!

"Nota Bene

Ubuntu includes whichever VLC version was the latest at the time the Ubuntu release was frozen (typically about two months before the official Ubuntu upgrade).
Afterward, you can still get security and critical bug fixes, but no further major VLC version updates until the next Ubuntu release.
If you need a more recent version, please consider upgrading Ubuntu." !!!

Solution? We'll have to wait for an update through the channels - until then this does the job tremendously:

http://smplayer.sourceforge.net/en/downloads

MBMz10

Thu Sep 21, 2017 4:31:52 am

Swarfendor437 wrote:Hi, I just checked my mp4 collection and having the same issue - wonder if its a recent kernel update bug or VLC Linux needs an update? Will check Software Updater now. ;)


Thanks for that, I did some tests. Fresh install of 12.2 core, on hardware, install VLC, no video, default kernel was 4.10.0.35. Rolled back to 4.10.0.33 same result no video.
Fresh install of 12.1 core on the same machine, installed VLC and it worked kernel was 4.8.0.39. Ran updates from software updater, about 600MB worth including kernel 4.10.0.35 video now broken, rolled back to 4.8.0.39 still broken.
I would guess that it isn't specific to the kernel as going back didn't seem to help? Likely some other update included!

I have 2 machines that I installed 12.1 Lite on over the last few weeks that are now running 12.2, one is kernel 4.10.0.35 and the other is 4.10.0.33 and VLC plays video on both of them as usual. Thankfully.
The one running 4.10.0.35 I ran the updater on yesterday, likely while I was tinkering with VLC issue on the test rig!!!
I might try installing 12.1 Lite on the test rig and update it and see what happens. Don't really want to break my 'production' machines.
I have only tried this with VLC and mpeg4 format video. The default video player on Zorin (Pitivi?) still plays video fine.

If your using Zorin 12.1 or 12.2 Core (likely Ultimate, Business and Edu etc) and use VLC for video use caution with updates. Lite editions I would also exercise caution regarding updates ATM.
VLC version used for all these tests was 2.2.2 Weatherwax.

I clicked your link to the VLC website and the first thing I saw was a large banner advertising "Dev days" 22-24 Sept 2017 so hopefully... :D

MBMz10

Thu Sep 21, 2017 6:49:49 am

I installed 12.1 Lite on hardware, VLC worked, updated (approx 422MB) VLC broken.
Seems the machines that had been updating incrementally over some time, say a few weeks or months, haven't been effected the same.
A VM updated fine, not sure last time it was running/updated likely a week or so.

Swarfendor437

Fri Sep 22, 2017 1:03:45 am

MBMz10

Fri Sep 22, 2017 2:54:08 am

This worked on my Linux Mint 18.1
https://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=140366
Basically start VLC>Tools>Preferences>Video>Output, change it to "XVideo output (XCB)"
VLCXCB.png


Don't yet know if this will cause other issues and about to test on Zorin standby...

(edit) Worked on Zorin Lite so guess it will on the Core/Ultimate etc versions also.

Thanks for your input as usual Swarfendor437, I followed your link to the add ppa then went off searching other stuff ended up at VLC FTP download page and downloaded version 2.2.6 but couldn't figure out how to install/compile it. Sudo ./configure, make and make install etc. Fortunately someone else on their forum provided the fix (see link above).

Swarfendor437

Sun Sep 24, 2017 10:16:33 am

Thanks for the heads up. Thought I would remove VLC and reinstall using Software and guess what I found?:

Screenshot from 2017-09-24 11-10-23.png

MBMz10

Sun Sep 24, 2017 12:58:03 pm

Swarfendor437 wrote:Thanks for the heads up. Thought I would remove VLC and reinstall using Software and guess what I found?:


Same here, if you click on the top one it asks for some ubuntu one account details, some Canonical leftovers I assume. I just enlarged your screen shot and saw the 3rd party buttons, don't remember that, yours would be 12.2 Core? and mine is Lite (below) I wonder what the difference is in the actual version? Big Brother watching what your watching :D
Zorin122LaptopSoftwareVLC.png

Swarfendor437

Sun Sep 24, 2017 5:26:02 pm

OK, the version is version 3 - been a while since I used Ubuntu 1 which is still active it is just the record store and cloud storage that is no longer available (I never used either). It appears to install VLC 3.0, a version from GitHub and appears to be Windows/Wine-centric:

Screenshot from 2017-09-24 18-21-29.png


and when you want to open a file you get this window:

Screenshot from 2017-09-24 18-23-17.png


and just to add, I have had to use Shift | Print Screen to upload screenshots - you may remember that sometime ago, Take Screenshot (gnome-screenshot) was not working correctly so I installed shutter - now since the update to 12.2 it refuses to work! So first issue with the update for me! (Zorin 12.2 Ultimate 64-bit). :(

MBMz10

Mon Sep 25, 2017 3:24:13 am

So did version 3 play an mpeg4 out of the box?

Funny you mention about screen shot as I had trouble taking the last one I uploaded here, it wouldn't take the 'active window' and had to maximise to get viewable image. I see you have a new thread about this so I will see you over there!

Swarfendor437

Mon Sep 25, 2017 7:13:48 pm

Yes it played out of the box but I had to go up several directories to get to /home, then my /home, then videos! I don't know what the 'snap' is - seems to want to store stuff in a folder belonging to VLC? :?

Swarfendor437

Tue Sep 26, 2017 7:33:05 pm

Nearly forgot, whilst the video was OK the sound was a bit low and had to mess with 'compressor' in Tools | Effects and Filters?
But it does work but a downloaded video from somewhere else did not play nice but for media I have made it works. Will check some other files. ;) :D

MBMz10

Wed Sep 27, 2017 5:03:20 am

Mine defaults to my /home if I go media>open file. I usually open my file manager and browse and click to start, so I tried to get vlc to go to the network but couldn't see how to do that easily...

Swarfendor437

Wed Sep 27, 2017 5:20:02 pm

Is that the same version requiring the Ubuntu 1 account I installed? Ahh! found direct link to home it is Open | Directory. Network tends to be looking at streaming from internet urls or media urls if you have a TV Card methinks. ;) :D

MBMz10

Thu Sep 28, 2017 2:40:42 am

Swarfendor437 wrote:Is that the same version requiring the Ubuntu 1 account I installed?

No mine is the other one.

Ahh! found direct link to home it is Open | Directory. Network tends to be looking at streaming from internet urls or media urls if you have a TV Card methinks. ;) :D

I thought the same, still seems confusing to open media from your own internal network though.