H264 doesn't play in Quicktime

[exekutive]

It has happened to me a few times where an h264 mp4 file will play perfectly in VLC, but not at all in Quicktime player.

Quicktime will open the file. But when you press play, there's is a long pause, and after a few seconds the elapsed time starts to count up. The video freezes on one of the first frames, and the audio plays in the background.

FFPLAY works fine
MPLAYER shows frozen garbage with audio in the background.

Why?

Here is meta info from a sample file:

ffprobe version 4.4.1 Copyright (c) 2007-2021 the FFmpeg developers

Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from '/Users/joe/test.mp4':
  Metadata:
    compatible_brands: isommp42
    major_brand     : isom
    minor_version   : 0
    creation_time   : 2020-08-08T11:08:03.000000Z
    encoder         : Lavf58.12.100
  Duration: 00:40:39.15, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 1811 kb/s
  Stream #0:0(eng): Video: h264 (Constrained Baseline) (avc1 / 0x31637661), yuv420p, 960x544 [SAR 1:1 DAR 30:17], 1613 kb/s, 23.97 fps, 23.98 tbr, 14336 tbn, 56 tbc (default)
    Metadata:
      creation_time   : 2020-08-08T11:08:03.000000Z
      handler_name    : VideoHandler
      vendor_id       : [0][0][0][0]
  Stream #0:1(eng): Audio: aac (LC) (mp4a / 0x6134706D), 44100 Hz, stereo, fltp, 192 kb/s (default)
    Metadata:
      creation_time   : 2020-08-08T11:08:03.000000Z
      handler_name    : SoundHandler
      vendor_id       : [0][0][0][0]

[ProWo]

Try to remux only the mp4. Can be done by clever FFmpeg-GUI.

[exekutive]

remuxing doesn't help.

Interesting that in all non-playing cases, the encoder is Lavf58.12.100

[october262]

remuxing doesn't help.

Interesting that in all non-playing cases, the encoder is Lavf58.12.100

if you have ffmpeg installed, try ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vcodec copy -acodec copy -tag:v hvc1 output.mp4
see if this works - https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252776714

[exekutive]

@october262

[mp4 @ 0x7fafb4022800] Tag hvc1 incompatible with output codec id '27' (avc1)
Could not write header for output file #0 (incorrect codec parameters ?): Invalid data found when processing input
Error initializing output stream 0:1 --

resulting file was 0 bytes.

HVC1 is a h265 designation. The topic you linked is about h265 video.
Furthermore the issue the poster in that Apple discussion was having had nothing to do with tags. The problem was that he was trying to play 4:2:2 video. Not my case.

I'm trying to play h264 4:2:0 video as you can see from the info I included.

[ProWo]

Could you post a mediainfo report (text mode) of the buggy mp4 file here?
Missing some details in your info above.

[exekutive]

Could you post a mediainfo report (text mode) of the buggy mp4 file here?
Missing some details in your info above.

General
Complete name                            : /Users/joe/stage/corrupt.mp4
Format                                   : MPEG-4
Format profile                           : Base Media
Codec ID                                 : isom (isom/iso2/avc1/mp41)
File size                                : 527 MiB
Duration                                 : 40 min 39 s
Overall bit rate                         : 1 812 kb/s
Encoded date                             : UTC 2020-08-08 11:08:03
Tagged date                              : UTC 2020-08-08 11:08:03
major_brand                              : isom
minor_version                            : 0
compatible_brands                        : isommp42
creation_time                            : 2020-08-08T11:08:03.000000Z
encoder                                  : Lavf58.12.100

Video
ID                                       : 1
Format                                   : AVC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                           : High@L3.1
Format settings                          : CABAC / 4 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC                   : Yes
Format settings, Reference frames        : 4 frames
Format settings, GOP                     : M=1, N=12
Codec ID                                 : avc1
Codec ID/Info                            : Advanced Video Coding
Duration                                 : 40 min 39 s
Bit rate                                 : 1 614 kb/s
Width                                    : 960 pixels
Height                                   : 544 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 16:9
Original display aspect ratio            : 16:9
Frame rate mode                          : Variable
Frame rate                               : 23.976 (23976/1000) FPS
Minimum frame rate                       : 11.987 FPS
Maximum frame rate                       : 59.733 FPS
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0
Bit depth                                : 8 bits
Scan type                                : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.129
Stream size                              : 469 MiB (89%)
Language                                 : English
Encoded date                             : UTC 2020-08-08 11:08:03
Tagged date                              : UTC 2020-08-08 11:08:03
Codec configuration box                  : avcC

Audio
ID                                       : 2
Format                                   : AAC LC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Audio Codec Low Complexity
Codec ID                                 : mp4a-40-2
Duration                                 : 40 min 39 s
Bit rate mode                            : Constant
Bit rate                                 : 192 kb/s
Channel(s)                               : 2 channels
Channel layout                           : L R
Sampling rate                            : 44.1 kHz
Frame rate                               : 43.066 FPS (1024 SPF)
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Stream size                              : 55.8 MiB (11%)
Language                                 : English
Default                                  : Yes
Alternate group                          : 1
Encoded date                             : UTC 2020-08-08 11:08:03
Tagged date                              : UTC 2020-08-08 11:08:03

[ProWo]

Could be the profile level. Check the working files levels.
You could change the profile level for a test from 3.1 to 3.0.
Can be done without reencode with clever Ffmpeg-GUI.

[exekutive]

I generated a sample video with video Format Profile: High@L3.1 using Handbrake. It plays just fine in Quicktime player.

As far as I know, profile cannot be changed without transcoding.

[ProWo]

As far as I know, profile cannot be changed without transcoding.

Profile no, but level yes.
I wrote this because some TV players do not play certain levels, e.g. high l3.2 does not but high l3.0 does.

[exekutive]

I tried with ffmpeg

ffmpeg -i in.mp4 -c copy -level:v 3.0 out.mp4

but mediainfo shows the level is still 3.1

[ProWo]

Use clever Ffmpeg-GUI

[Selur]

Properly changing the level requires a reencode simply remuxing can only change the headers not the content,...

[DB83]

Use clever Ffmpeg-GUI

The OP is on a Mac !!!


Methinks the issue is that quirky ISOM. Variable frame-rate does not help either.

[ProWo]

The OP is on a Mac !!!

How do you know that? Because he uses Quicktime?

[DB83]

Educated guess.


He posted in the Mac forum.

[ProWo]

Educated guess.


He posted in the Mac forum.

Ok, sorry, my mistake

[exekutive]

Methinks the issue is that quirky ISOM.

I have other videos with the same codec ID, major/compatible brand, and they play fine

Variable frame-rate does not help either.

Quicktime has no problem with VFR video. Not surprising since Quicktime player itself record VFR video and so do Apple devices.

Properly changing the level requires a reencode simply remuxing can only change the headers not the content,...

That's what I thought.

Use clever Ffmpeg-GUI

If you make a Mac port, then I'll try it.

Can be done without reencode with clever Ffmpeg-GUI.

If it can be done with a GUI, it can be done with the CLI

How do you know that? Because he uses Quicktime?

It could be the Mac forum, and yes Quicktime player is Apple software for Macs.

[exekutive]

There must be a reason why some software can play it, and some does not. They must decode differently.

I tried a few different applications:

VLC - Yes
AVIdemux - Yes
FFplay - Yes
Osmo4 - Yes
mpv (forked from MPlayer)- Yes
SMPlayer - Yes

Quicktime - No
MPlayer - No

[Selur]

It's ages since I used Quicktime, but here are a few thoughts from me:

VLC, FFplay,.. all use libav.
No clue why mplayer can't play the file, my guess is that the container parser doesn't properly handle vfr content. (if used through a command line adding '-demuxer lavf' probably helps)

Quicktime has limited H.264 support (not all profiles, no 10bit, chapters&subtitle need special meta data,..) older quicktime didn't support H.264 fiels where the first audio stream is something other than aac,... Might also be an issue with b-frame, iirc. Quicktime does not support more than one b-frame.

Quick Google search gave me: http://www.mplayerhq.hu/DOCS/HTML/en/menc-feat-quicktime-7.html

QuickTime's support for H.264 is limited, so you will need to drop some advanced features. If you encode your video with features that QuickTime 7 does not support, QuickTime-based players will show you a pretty white screen instead of your expected video.[list][*]B-frames: QuickTime 7 supports a maximum of 1 B-frame, i.e. -x264encopts bframes=1. This means that b_pyramid and weight_b will have no effect, since they require bframes to be greater than 1.[*]Macroblocks: QuickTime 7 does not support 8x8 DCT macroblocks. This option (8x8dct) is off by default, so just be sure not to explicitly enable it. This also means that the i8x8 option will have no effect, since it requires 8x8dct.[*]Aspect ratio: QuickTime 7 does not support SAR (sample aspect ratio) information in MPEG-4 files; it assumes that SAR=1. Read the section on scaling for a workaround. QuickTime X no longer has this limitation.

-> without access to a file which you can't playback that is as much as I can say about the issue at hand

Cu Selur

[DB83]

How do you know that? Because he uses Quicktime?

It could be the Mac forum, and yes Quicktime player is Apple software for Macs.

Well Apple have released Windoze versions as well hence the confusion.


I have a version installed and many h264 vids with similar codec characteristics but not such an extreme VFR as that one (several were created with avidemux which I believe uses ffmpeg for the encoding.


And not one of them plays in Quicktime


You might try a quick COPY using avidemux just to see if it solves the issue.


Yet, as our friend points out, without an actual example we can not explore this further.

[exekutive]

Apple have released Windoze versions

Not since 2016

avidemux which I believe uses ffmpeg for the encoding...
You might try a quick COPY using avidemux just to see if it solves the issue.

Results of remuxing with ffmpeg are above

without an actual example we can not explore this further.

what would you do with it?

[DB83]

And is the Mac version any more recent ? Not according to the software page here.


Well if you do not want assistance.......


Or just accept that you need to use a different player.

[october262]

Apple have released Windoze versions

Not since 2016

avidemux which I believe uses ffmpeg for the encoding...
You might try a quick COPY using avidemux just to see if it solves the issue.

Results of remuxing with ffmpeg are above

without an actual example we can not explore this further.

what would you do with it?

try ffmpeg -i in.mp4 -c:v libx264 -profile:v high10 -level:v 4.0 -vf scale=300:-1 -vf format=yuv420p o.mp4
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/59741043/quicktime-not-playing-a-h264-aac-encoded-file-why

[exekutive]

And is the Mac version any more recent ?

7 years more recent. You're talking about version 7. I have version 10.
Quicktime is a core MacOS component and is actively developed.

Well if you do not want assistance.......

I guess I'm looking for a different kind.

[DB83]

Very strange this


https://support.apple.com/downloads/quicktime


No note about version 10 (other than an OS)

[exekutive]

try ffmpeg -i in.mp4 -c:v libx264 -profile:v high10 -level:v 4.0 -vf scale=300:-1 -vf format=yuv420p o.mp4

I know the file work if I re-encode it.
I'm trying to find out why it doesn't play in QT as-is (despite working fine in most other SW)

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/59741043/quicktime-not-playing-a-h264-aac-encoded-file-why

That person is getting a "This file isn't compatible with quicktime player" error. I am not.
They are trying to play a 10 bit file (yuv420p10le). Mine is plain old yuv420
The file opens and plays, but the video is frozen as I described in my original post.

[exekutive]

Very strange this

Please ... I'm really not interested in arguing with you.

It's ok if you don't know the answer. Just leave the topic alone.

[exekutive]

No clue why mplayer can't play the file, my guess is that the container parser doesn't properly handle vfr content. (if used through a command line adding '-demuxer lavf' probably helps)

Interesting. Without the lavf option, mplayer just displays green garbage. With the option, it freezes on the opening title , with sound in bg, just like Quicktime. I wonder if they share the same limitations.

Quicktime has limited H.264 support (not all profiles, no 10bit, chapters&subtitle need special meta data,..)

I guess that must be it. That's disappointing considering Quicktime is modern software and actively developed. What's more surprising is that Apple adopted AVC very early on, and is an AVC patent holder. They aggressively pushed the standard in commercial downloading, and helped leverage AAC into popularity with iTunes. Maybe it has to do with the Nokia lawsuits, or maybe they only want to support their own devices and commercial media content.

Quick Google search gave me: http://www.mplayerhq.hu/DOCS/HTML/en/menc-feat-quicktime-7.html

That's a fairly old document. Would be interesting to find a more recent one.

without access to a file

what would you do with it?

[Selur]

what would you do with it?

a. properly analyse it (extract raw video look at what features are used, look at container headers with detailed mediainfo output)
b. try some other things if after the analysis it' still unclear what the issue is (+ test in a Mac VM) (check frame types, validate headers & video stream, test whether removing the audio fixes the video playback,....)

That's a fairly old document. Would be interesting to find a more recent one.

a. Quicktime restrictions regarding H.264 haven't changed since they first supported H.264 (same happend with MPEG-4 ASP) and the H.264 standard was finalized ages ago.
b. mencoder&mplayer are no longer developed
-> nobody will update it

About the demuxer: if your video is inside a .mov and not .mp4 container, you could try '-demuxer mov'.

Cu Selur

Ps.: a short sample (a few seconds with a scene change in it) that allows the reproduction is enough,..