mp4 plays fine locally, sucks at streaming

[Frustrated One-Off]

I'm at the end of my rope on this one, boys. I've got a stack of mp4 files that are experiencing the same issue. There's about 30 of them, they're all 30 minutes+ / 75mb+. I've selected one of the smaller ones at random for the purpose of this thread because I assume whatever is wrong with one of them is wrong with all of them.

Here's the URL:
http://lib-ozzy.library.mun.ca/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/extension&CISOPTR=615&CISOBOX=1&REC=5

Direct link to a 121MB mp4 file:
http://lib-ozzy.library.mun.ca/mp4/613.mp4
(Note that the file only has audio for the first 30 seconds--this is intentional and not anything related to this error. The original tape is missing the audio. Don't worry about this.)

Here's how the files were generated:
- The files are archival material from the 1970s, ripped off VHS and Betamax and encoded directly to DVD.
- The DVDs are then ripped and outputted as h264/mp4 using Handbrake. I have definitely streamed the MP4 files from this step before and they've worked.
- The files are then clipped (removing space at the front and end) using some unknown software, and I don't have access to the guy who did the clipping to know. I understand that whatever software he used did not require a full re-encode based on the fact that he says that the software "saves the files instantly". I assume this step is what's causing the issues.

I am trying to stream the files online using HTML5 Video with a fallback to JWPlayer for clients that don't support HTML5 streaming. I know the code works fine because I've streamed other videos using this exact code no problem.

Here's what happens when I try to play/deal with the files:
- Locally playing the files using Quicktime and VLC works, with no error or warnings.
- Remuxing using mp4box in verbose mode works with no error or warnings and the result doesn't play any differently.
- Moving the metadata using Metadata Mover works with no error or warnings and the result doesn't play any differently.
- The files play as HTML5 Video on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac Safari with no error or warnings. Awesome!
- Chrome recognizes the HTML5 Video and immediately bombs out, producing nothing. Not awesome!
- Firefox and IE both load JWPlayer, which correctly identifies the video length, but JWPlayer only plays audio, no video. Seriously not awesome, because 95% of the prospective audience are on these platforms.

As I mentioned just then, I tried using mp4box to remux and tried using Metadata Mover to move the metadata thinking that might be an issue, neither worked. I'm assuming continued efforts to try different software is just going to mangle the file even more :/

MediaInfo for the file:
General
Complete name : C:\Documents and Settings\xxxxxxx\Desktop\613.mp4
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media / Version 2
Codec ID : mp42
File size : 123 MiB
Duration : 30mn 10s
Overall bit rate : 571 Kbps
Encoded date : UTC 2010-09-09 15:30:51
Tagged date : UTC 2010-09-09 15:30:51

Video
ID : 201
Format : MPEG-4 Visual
Format profile : Simple@L3
Format settings, BVOP : No
Format settings, QPel : No
Format settings, GMC : No warppoints
Format settings, Matrix : Default (H.263)
Codec ID : 20
Duration : 30mn 10s
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 511 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 814 Kbps
Width : 400 pixels
Height : 304 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Original display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.140
Stream size : 110 MiB (90%)
Writing library : XviD 1.2.1 (UTC 2008-12-04)
Encoded date : UTC 2010-09-09 15:30:51
Tagged date : UTC 2010-09-09 15:31:00

Audio
ID : 101
Format : AAC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec
Format version : Version 4
Format profile : LC
Format settings, SBR : No
Codec ID : 40
Duration : 30mn 10s
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 57.4 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 65.1 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 24.0 KHz
Stream size : 12.4 MiB (10%)
Encoded date : UTC 2010-09-09 15:30:59
Tagged date : UTC 2010-09-09 15:31:00

Media Info for another one of the broken files:
Format profile : QuickTime
Codec ID : qt
File size : 94.1 MiB
Duration : 26mn 49s
Overall bit rate : 491 Kbps
Encoded date : UTC 2010-07-22 02:05:42
Tagged date : UTC 2010-07-22 02:05:54
Writing application : HandBrake 0.9.4 2009112300
Writing library : Apple QuickTime 7.6.6
com.apple.quicktime.player.movie : (Binary)

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L2.1
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 3 frames
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 26mn 49s
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 403 Kbps
Width : 400 pixels
Height : 288 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 1.389
Frame rate mode : Variable
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Minimum frame rate : 29.970 fps
Maximum frame rate : 29.980 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.117
Stream size : 77.3 MiB (82%)
Encoded date : UTC 2010-07-20 23:55:11
Tagged date : UTC 2010-07-22 02:05:54
Color primaries : BT.601-6 525, BT.1358 525, BT.1700 NTSC, SMPTE 170M
Transfer characteristics : BT.709-5, BT.1361
Matrix coefficients : BT.601-6 525, BT.1358 525, BT.1700 NTSC, SMPTE 170M

Audio
ID : 2
Format : AAC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec
Format version : Version 4
Format profile : LC
Format settings, SBR : No
Format settings, PS : Yes
Codec ID : 40
Duration : 26mn 49s
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 82.7 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 104 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Stream size : 15.9 MiB (17%)
Encoded date : UTC 2010-07-20 23:55:11
Tagged date : UTC 2010-07-22 02:05:54

I think I've been as thorough as I possibly can for the OP. I'm not a wizard at video, but I've done my best to search different threads and different pieces of software to try to solve the problem and nothing is working. If anyone would be kind enough to check out the MediaInfo reading or the files themselves and let me know why on earth JWPlayer/Chrome can't handle the file and what I can do to fix it, that'd be awesome. Feel free to download the mp4 file if it helps your own tests.

At this point we're willing to re-encode if necessary to make the files work, but obviously remuxing would be greatly preferable.

[poisondeathray]

The 1st file mediainfo indicates that you're using xvid (mpeg4-asp) , not h.264/avc (mpeg4 part 10) compression . It's not supported by flash , JW or any other flash front end. h.264/avc is also supported by HTML5 so that's what you should use , to ensure cross platfrom compatiblity. You would need to re-encode those, and I would start from the originals if I were you.

It's possible that the guy doing the editing screwed up , and in fact reencoded using xvid, but I'm sure you can sort all that out

The other file has avc video, but has metadata that says apple qt writing library, did you set it up for streaming in the quicktime export options (or was this encoded with handbrake) ?