VLC Player: no image, only sound

[gracie283]

My VLC player used to work fine but all of a sudden it doesn't display any images, only sound. I've tried a variety of files that play just fine in Windows Media Player. I've tried reinstalling the player but this hasn't helped either.

What's strange is that if I open the VLC player under Windows Media Player on my desktop, I can see the video I'm playing in VLC in the video pane of WMP. (Windows Media Player needs to be giving an error message for this to happen..I stumbled upon this configuration completely by accident.)

Does anyone have any idea what this is? Is there any more information I can give to help solve this? Thanks!

[sweety_21234]

well try changing the output module of vlc player to open gl

[sweety_21234]

u have this option by going in preferences>video>output module there first check advanced options and then change the module to opengl

[redwudz]

You might also want to try changing 'Overlay video output' in 'Video>General video settings'. The wrong overlay setting Will usually give you a black video screen with the audio working properly.

[claprade]

well try changing the output module of vlc player to open gl

It worked for me!

[beefur]

All i did was uninstall VLC, and go with a earlier version ------>http://www.oldapps.com/VLC_Player.php

[Ai Haibara]

Did you try resetting VLC's preferences, first? Sometimes, apparently, the settings file(s) can be corrupted, causing unexpected behavior in VLC... or newer versions may have problems with the settings from older versions, for some reason. Use the "Reset Preferences" button at the bottom of the Preferences window, to reset the settings to default, and see if it helps with fixing the problem. Also, the VLC installer should give an option to reset the preferences, as well.

VideoHelp provides an archive of older versions of VLC on its Tools page, as I recall, though.

[synergy1]

Morning, running version 1.1.11 windows 7 64 bit. Some of my mkv files play fine but the torchwood series gives me sound but no video. I've tried all the suggestions already listed in this forum to no avail. These files play fine under Windows Media Player Classic. Can you help? I should also mention that these files are backup copies from my BD disks.

[jman98]

Morning, running version 1.1.11 windows 7 64 bit. Some of my mkv files play fine but the torchwood series gives me sound but no video. I've tried all the suggestions already listed in this forum to no avail. These files play fine under Windows Media Player Classic. Can you help? I should also mention that these files are backup copies from my BD disks.

Did you just rip or did you rip and convert? VLC and other free players don't support BD as is, but they may be able to play individual ripped files. Could just be a bug in the current version.

[synergy1]

Morning, running version 1.1.11 windows 7 64 bit. Some of my mkv files play fine but the torchwood series gives me sound but no video. I've tried all the suggestions already listed in this forum to no avail. These files play fine under Windows Media Player Classic. Can you help? I should also mention that these files are backup copies from my BD disks.

Did you just rip or did you rip and convert? VLC and other free players don't support BD as is, but they may be able to play individual ripped files. Could just be a bug in the current version.

Used MakeMKV which has worked in the past with no issues.

[lydz]

I've got the same problem. I can hear audio most of the time, with no video. The files that I am trying to play have worked previously. I know I didn't make any changes. When it stopped working I tried resetting my preferences, downloading the latest version, removing that and downloading an older version (8.2 I think), and now I'm back to the most recent version and I still can't get any video, only sound???

[bat999]

When it stopped working I tried resetting my preferences, downloading the latest version, removing that and downloading an older version (8.2 I think), and now I'm back to the most recent version and I still can't get any video, only sound???

Hi
Uninstall VLC and start again.
Choose "Delete preferences and cache".
Then look in Program Files and delete the VLC and Videolan folders.
Then download VLC-1.1.11 from www.videolan.org

[dgp1939]

Had the same problem. Audio but no picture. Went to My Computer>DVD-RAM Drive. Right clicked and selected Properties then Autoplay. On pull-down menu, selected DVD Movie. Clicked on Select an action to perform: Then selected Play DVD movie using VideoLAN VLC media player.

Don't forget to click on Apply before OK.

Put movie DVD into drive. If it does not automatically start, go back to My Computer>Name of Movie right click on OPEN.

Enjoy your movie.

[brucekrymow]

Using 32 bit Windows 7 Home Premium w. VLC 1.1.11

Playing any video file provides audio but no video.

I found that if I go to the menu > 'Video' > 'Video Track' > select 'Disable', then go back and 'Video' > 'Video Track' > select 'Track 1', then the video will display.

Have tried changing video output to OpenGL, deleting cache & preferences, reinstalling, reset preferences, but all with no change in results.

It used to just play correctly with a previous version of VLC, but no trying older versions are having the same results as current 1.1.11 version.

I also noedt that when starting VLC, Windows says the scheme must change to Windows 7 Basic as color scheme is not compatible w/ VLC. That is new, too.

What are the settings or secret to get it to play correctly without having to disable & re-enable the video each time in version 1.1.11?

[brucekrymow]

Found by trial & error... fixed the issue:

From the menu > 'Tools' > 'Preferences' > 'Video' > 'Output' > switched to 'Windows GDI video output' > press 'Save' button.

[jagabo]

Windows GDI is the least efficient output device. What you really need is updated graphics drivers.

[brucekrymow]

jagabo ~

I believe I have all the latest updates.

What would you recommend?

[egent]

Found by trial & error... fixed the issue:

From the menu > 'Tools' > 'Preferences' > 'Video' > 'Output' > switched to 'Windows GDI video output' > press 'Save' button.

brucekrymow,


Its work, the picture display now, thanks

[jagabo]

Found by trial & error... fixed the issue:

From the menu > 'Tools' > 'Preferences' > 'Video' > 'Output' > switched to 'Windows GDI video output' > press 'Save' button.

brucekrymow,


Its work, the picture display now, thanks

Yes, that always works. If it didn't no Windows program could put any graphic on the screen (basically VLC converts each frame of video to a BMP image and sends it to the screen). But it is the least efficient way of displaying video. In VLC try:

Tools -> Preferences -> Video -> Output -> Default, DirectX..., Direct3D...

If none of those works download the latest WHQL drivers from the graphics card manufacturer. Uninstall your old drivers (even use the special uninstall/cleanup utility that most manufacturers make available) and install the new drivers. Try the different output devices again. Some of them should work. Use Windows GDI only as a last resort.

[menkaur]

I'm having the very same problem, except that setting the output mode to windows gdi did not fix it. Seeing just a green screen when trying to play mkv files. Windows Media Player works fine, many other files work in VLC fine as well.

[hollowman]

Same problem -- I think I've always had this with VLC and DVD-drive play. (Yes, I have latest VLC). I have excellent Benq disc drive, Asus AH3450 video card, Win XP2, Asus motherboard.

VLC plays fine for DVDs ripped to HDD -- only tradit. drive-based play "blanks out" momentarily (and quite often, but quite randomly, too).

I've tried all sorts of setting and configs in both VLC, Windows (setup) and videocard (setup). Still same issue.

Other players (WM Classic, TheaterTek, PowerDVD, WinDVD) work w/o issue.

[robinsdav]

See also the article : "Video Overlay settings at zero after changing scheme" from intel

This solved my problem. It was odd because I had audio but no video in ALL video players. It took me quite some time to figure mine out. And IT wasn't even a codec problem or anything wrong with the various players I tried to use.

Obviously my computer has a intel graphics driver, but you may have a similar problem. Worth a shot. I was switching schemes as I was using a HD TV as a second screen on extended settings and then switching back all the time of late.

http://www.intel.com/support/graphics/intel915gm/sb/CS-029329.htm

[Saffyronfirst]

I've got the same problem. I can hear audio most of the time, with no video. The files that I am trying to play have worked previously. I know I didn't make any changes. When it stopped working I tried resetting my preferences, downloading the latest version, removing that and downloading an older version (8.2 I think), and now I'm back to the most recent version and I still can't get any video, only sound???

I am still having the same problem after doing all the same suggestions

It worked like the day before yesterday..... but no longer !!!!!!

[Hellstorm]

Thank you sweety_21234
ten years later and VLC still defaults to "automatic" when installed, and your advice is still spot on
Changed format to opengl and all is good

Thanks again
Hellstorm