Audio but no video

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eclas

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Audio but no video

#1

Post by eclas » Wed Dec 16, 2020 1:21 pm

I have a strange problem running win 8.1 and WMC. There is ONE and only ONE channel that has audio but no video just a black screen. I have 2 separate systems running WMC and they both have lost video on that channel.
ALL other channels and wmc as a whole is working fine.
Any ideas on what to look for?
can't be a display driver or anything like that or the other channels would be messed up

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garyan2

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#2

Post by garyan2 » Wed Dec 16, 2020 9:23 pm

Can you verify there is actually video in the transmission? Your tuner's software, or plug the antenna into a TV or something? Two machines with the exact same issue for a single channel sounds more like a transmission problem rather than a WMC problem. Of course, it could be encoded differently and WMC doesn't support it....
- Gary
Keeping WMC alive beyond January 2020. https://garyan2.github.io

stuartm

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#3

Post by stuartm » Wed Dec 16, 2020 10:55 pm

Is this a low-resolution channel? When you see the problem have you tuned to the problem channel from a High-def channel? Or does it happen on a fresh startup of WMC as well? Is this on OTA or Cable? More detail would help as well, channel city/call sign/channel number.

Space

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#4

Post by Space » Thu Dec 17, 2020 1:45 am

The audio with black screen/no video problem can be a symptom of the H.264 (MPEG4) codec channel bug.
Although I believe the issue is changing the channel from an H.264 channel to an MPEG2 channel (on the same tuner) causing the MPEG2 channel to have no video, but don't really remember the details.

Fortunately I only experienced this problem in a few recordings a long time ago and haven't had a problem since. I'm not sure why it does not happen anymore, perhaps there was a change in how H.264 channels are encoded on my system (FiOS) or maybe I just don't record many H.264 channels anymore.

Here is a thread that discusses it, it also has links to earlier threads that may also have additional information.

You can tell if the channel in question is using H.264 by tuning to it and entering 411(i), where (i) is either ctrl-d or pressing the "info" button on the remote. Then you press the right arrow on the keyboard or remote to get to the last page where it displays the codec being used (MPEG2 or h264).

stuartm

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#5

Post by stuartm » Thu Dec 17, 2020 5:22 am

Yes, I was thinking it might be that problem as well. Hence my questions. But hard to know without more info from the OP.

eclas

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#6

Post by eclas » Thu Dec 17, 2020 12:21 pm

The channel is a cable news station (Newsmax) on spectrum. The channel was working fine a few days ago and then all of a sudden no video. Audio is fine and all other channels are fine. I don't THINK it's a codec problem because it was working and also it's doing the same thing on 2 totally separate systems.
I'm wondering if my hdprime has anything to do with it. I have rebooted things but no change
I did the 411 (i) thing and the video codec shows it is "not specified"
edit: I also have 2 hdprimes and I disabled 1 at a time and I have the same problem with either one.
Also I could temporarily plug in their cable box and see if the channel is ok and I bet it is because my neighbor gets the channel fine.
If u think it will tell you guys anything I will try it.

Thanks for the ideas

eclas

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#7

Post by eclas » Thu Dec 17, 2020 5:26 pm

Well I had spectrum come over and the problem is on their end. Many people have been complaining about the same channel.
Friggin liberal bug in the spectrum system. :)

Sorry to bother u guys for nothing

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