MP4/MOV VLC problems

[ahhaa]

I just got a phone that will let me do hyperlapse and timelapse; which are a lot of fun but take time to do.
This's brought a recurring problem I've had to a much higher priority.

I've got an older Lumix FZ7, a Canon 300HS, and my Droid Turbo, which is what I'm using now.

All will shoot video, and the same problem has occurred on each; which I attributed to a faulty SD card.

The video files, whether normal or TL/HL, will play back OK on the originating device with it's own software.

If the files are copied to a PC or flashdrive, and then played back with VLC, they will sometimes start with a black screen and recover, or just become a show of giant grey and black pixels. This part is repeatable, but which vids become defective seems completely at random.

Thing is, I can't blame VLC because it never does this fail with downloaded MP4s, or really anything else.

The output I'm most concerned about is the Droid; the software I'm currently using on it is Microsoft's Hyperlapse Mobile, tho I have tried other apps like A Better Camera and TimeLapse from the Playstore...

Any ideas on what the problem might be? Can't be USB cables, SD cards, etc because they are all different on the 3 devices...

[Krispy Kritter]

Have you checked one of the files specs using MediaInfo?

Cameras and phones don't always use standard video specs, even if they do use a common container.