MP4 won't play on Android tablet.

[MattKyle]

I have many recordings made of great tits from eggs to fledging in bird box. They were recorded using "Hauppauge HD PVR" and the software which was provided with it "TotalMedia Extreme 2". I recorded it as MP4.

They play OK on PC using VLC media player.

I copied one recording to my Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 where it won't show video but I can hear sound. (message: unsupported video codec).

I have copied a separate video recorded on tablet onto the pc and and I have confirmed it plays OK using VLC.

Using "Mediainfo" I have established that these two MP4 files are different. I wasn't aware that they could be different.

The one which displays properly on the tablet has following:
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media
Codec ID : isom

The one which does not display properly on the tablet has following:
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : 3GPP Media Release 4
Codec ID : 3gp4

There are other differences which I have not shown here.

Obviously I cannot re-record the videos.
What should I do now?
add a different codec (3gp4) to tablet
or
Convert the 100 or so recordings so that they work on the tablet?

[hech54]

Once you do find the correct video codec, audio codec and container for the Samsung, that means that file will probably not work in my iPhone.
That's the way it goes. Every manufacturer has different requirements. They don't know nor do they care what each others devices play. It's time to read the manual or hit the Google.

[racer-x]

You could download and install the latest free VLC or BS players for android. Get them from Google Store. That should do it, I'd be surprised if it didn't........

I can play HEVC @ 1080p in my Tegra7 Note 1.8 GHZ Quad-Core tablet with both those free players.

[TreeTops]

Also try try MX Player for Android. It seems to play every video I have thrown at it.

[MattKyle]

Thanks

hech54 - Thank you. That saved me wasting time going down either of the routes I suggested.

racer-x - Thank you. That is what I shall probably try since it is software I know.

TreeTops - Thank you. I'll also look at the MX Player

[_Al_]

It is the same like in PC, one player could have temporarily wrong configuration or does not like certain video stream, so other player would fill in,

so in that Samsung with Android, you can use that build in player with functionality to send watched video to any network TV (if it can play video of course), or you just use BS player or MXplayer. None player is above the other, every player has some advantages. It is just handy to have them all.