Finding why a file won't play - and what action to take

[kirkmc]

I've an mkv file that won't play on the raspberry pi (KODI) but will play in Video Redo.

So I'm saving it in VideoRedo and maybe *that* file will play. But it'll take 3 hours.

It is perhaps because the rasp pi does not have the right 'codec' ? If so, can I find what it needs and add it anyhow ?

Or perhaps there's another solution/fix ?

Thanks for any help.

[jagabo]

It is perhaps because the rasp pi does not have the right 'codec' ?

Could be. It could also be muxing issues. But my RPi plays almost everything.

If so, can I find what it needs and add it anyhow ?

What does MediaInfo say about the file?

[kirkmc]

I agree, rasp pi does play just about anything so the few it won't I've always it were bad files - until trying this is Video Redo (which I've just bought after recommendation here)

MediaInfo reports

eneral
Unique ID : 225068112964492636819680642677432303342 (0xA9528AB545DB0C7DCAF6297D55BEBEEE)
Complete name : K:\Video\TestFileOrig.mkv
Format : Matroska
Format version : Version 4 / Version 2
File size : 585 MiB
Duration : 1 h 18 min
Overall bit rate : 1 041 kb/s
Writing application : Lavf57.41.100
Writing library : Lavf57.41.100 / Lavf57.41.100

Video
ID : 1
Format : HEVC
Format/Info : High Efficiency Video Coding
Format profile : Main@L3.1@Main
Codec ID : V_MPEGH/ISO/HEVC
Duration : 1 h 18 min
Width : 1 280 pixels
Height : 718 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 25.000 FPS
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Writing library : x265 2.0+1-6a9b6a828f79:[Linux][GCC 5.4.0][64 bit] 8bit
Encoding settings : wpp / ctu=64 / min-cu-size=8 / max-tu-size=32 / tu-intra-depth=1 / tu-inter-depth=1 / me=1 / subme=2 / merange=57 / no-rect / no-amp / max-merge=2 / temporal-mvp / no-early-skip / rskip / rdpenalty=0 / no-tskip / no-tskip-fast / strong-intra-smoothing / no-lossless / no-cu-lossless / no-constrained-intra / no-fast-intra / open-gop / no-temporal-layers / interlace=0 / keyint=250 / min-keyint=25 / scenecut=40 / rc-lookahead=20 / lookahead-slices=4 / bframes=4 / bframe-bias=0 / b-adapt=2 / ref=3 / limit-refs=3 / no-limit-modes / weightp / no-weightb / aq-mode=1 / qg-size=32 / aq-strength=1.00 / cbqpoffs=0 / crqpoffs=0 / rd=3 / psy-rd=2.00 / rdoq-level=0 / psy-rdoq=0.00 / no-rd-refine / signhide / deblock=0:0 / sao / no-sao-non-deblock / b-pyramid / cutree / no-intra-refresh / rc=abr / bitrate=887 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=0 / qpmax=51 / qpstep=4 / ipratio=1.40 / pbratio=1.30
Language : English
Default : Yes
Forced : No
DURATION : 01:18:38.126000000

Audio
ID : 2
Format : AAC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec
Format profile : LC
Codec ID : A_AAC
Duration : 1 h 18 min
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 44.1 kHz
Frame rate : 43.066 FPS (1024 spf)
Compression mode : Lossy
Writing library : Lavc57.48.101 libfdk_aac
Language : English
Default : Yes
Forced : No
DURATION : 01:18:38.126000000

Text
ID : 3
Format : ASS
Codec ID : S_TEXT/ASS
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Sub Station Alpha
Compression mode : Lossless
Writing library : Lavc57.48.101 ssa
Language : English
Default : No
Forced : No
DURATION : 01:17:37.431000000


Does that help? Be nice to have he pi handle it. After remuxing in Video Redo it had gone from 600 MB to 4.3GB. That was saved with file extension mkv (same as original). Tried it again as mpg and it reduced to 2.5GB. Both play ok on the pi. Why so much bigger, do you know? Did I do something wrong?

[sneaker]

Codec ID: V_MPEGH/ISO/HEVC

The Pi won't play HEVC (hardware limitation, can't be added) or only very limited with software decoding. Convert to H.264/AVC.

Does that help? Be nice to have he pi handle it. After remuxing in Video Redo it had gone from 600 MB to 4.3GB. That was saved with file extension mkv (same as original). Tried it again as mpg and it reduced to 2.5GB. Both play ok on the pi. Why so much bigger, do you know? Did I do something wrong?

2.5 or 4.3 GB is not exceptionally big for a 78 minute long movie. You did a full re-encode and set the encoder to such quality/bitrate. If you want lower filesize you need to decrease quality/bitrate (increase --crf or decrease --bitrate when using x264).

[kirkmc]

Thanks sneaker, it's good to have a definite reason. I'm still learning about VideoRedo and used default settings without really knowing what they were. All I changed was the saved file type, trying mkv and mpg. Was that correct (to convert to H.264/AVC? (And 'full re-encode' - perhaps that means the whole file, and yes it was.)
Also wondered about passing it through Handbrake to see the size after that. Being so much bigger than the original, but perhaps that's normal?

[sneaker]

The thing is: you choose the size. You can make it 10 GB or 100 MB. The bigger the file the less quality will be lost. Of course 100 MB will look awful. HEVC is a new and efficient format, don't expect to re-encode to same or lower filesize H.264 without visible quality loss. Your source file has a low file size to begin with.

In HandBrake you would choose "x264" and then move the "RF" slider right or left. (lower RF value = bigger file = less quality loss). Or choose bitrate mode, e.g. 1000 kbps are about 650 MB for a 90 minute movie. VidCoder is an alternative HandBrake GUI that's supposed to be easier to use. There you can directly choose the desired file size.
I don't have experience with VideoReDo - maybe someone else can give you some tips on how to achieve what you want.

[raffriff42]

In case your problem has not been solved: check the error log. Always a good thing to do.
https://www.tvaddons.ag/posting-error-logs-kodi/

[jagabo]

Codec ID: V_MPEGH/ISO/HEVC

The Pi won't play HEVC (hardware limitation, can't be added) or only very limited with software decoding.

Yes. My Raspberry Pi 3 plays 1280x720 24 fps HEVC smoothly. It stutters with 1920x1080 24 fps HEVC. Of course, this may also be dependent on what settings were used to encode. Older models have less powerful CPUs and will probably have trouble with 720p HEVC.

[kirkmc]

Thanks for the link Raffriff. That Forum could be very handy as there's lots I don't know about the pi (and would like to). Didn't know about the error log either,
BTW I encoded that file in Handbrake and the resultant filesize was 400MB as opposed to VideoRedo's 2 - 4 GB. Quite possibly quality is a factor but on PC screen they were similar. And it was about 40 minutes vs over 3 hours.

[jagabo]

BTW I encoded that file in Handbrake and the resultant filesize was 400MB as opposed to VideoRedo's 2 - 4 GB. Quite possibly quality is a factor but on PC screen they were similar. And it was about 40 minutes vs over 3 hours.

Encoding speed and file size depend on the settings used (assuming the same encoder). Different programs use different settings, hence the difference in speed and size. In general, the longer it takes and the larger the file, the better the quality will be.