Some internet videos causing all videos to fail (1 Viewer)

[2.0]

MediaPortal Version: 1.2.2
MediaPortal Skin: Black Glass HD
Windows Version: Windows 7 32-Bit Home Premium SP1
CPU Type: Intel Core 2 Duo E6750
HDD: Intel 320 SSD 80GB System, WD 1TB Caviar Black Storage
Memory: 4GB DDR3
Motherboard: MSI G41M-P23
Video Card: EVGA Geforce GT 430
Video Card Driver: 8.17.12.8562
1. TV Card: Haupauge Win-TV HVR 2250
2. TV Card: DVICO FusionHDTV7 RT Gold
MPEG2 Video Codec: LAV 0.44
MPEG2 Audio Codec: LAV 0.44
h.264 Video Codec: LAV 0.44 with CUDA
HTPC Case: Foxconn DH-153C
Cooling: A very cold apartment
Power Supply: 300W
Remote: Hauppauge MCE Remote
TV - HTPC Connection: HDMI 1.4

I'm having a problem playing videos. I can play any kind of video file on my hard drive but I sometimes get a strange bug when playing videos on the internet.

I've been using the Online Videos plugin to play videos from the internet. Most videos will play fine but once in a while I try to play a video which will give me this bug: The sound plays but there is no picture. But here's where it gets strange: Any video I try to play after that, online or from my hard drive, even if I could play it well before, will give me the same bug. I have to exit and restart MP to fix the problem.

I have identified a handful of these internet videos which cause the problem every time I try to play them, but here's where it gets even stranger: If I download those videos to my hard drive then they will play fine.

I did some troubleshooting, checked my logs, etc. I think I found something of note: When I played one of the internet videos which gave me the bug, I pressed Shift+1 and read the information. It said that it's using the Microsoft DTV-DVD Audio and Video Decoders to play the file. These same decoders are also mentioned in the log files. Now, I'm no expert on codecs, but even I know that this is the wrong codec to be using for an internet .flv video.

And this is where it gets even stranger: I have MP Config set up to use the LAV codecs for absolutely everything. There is no reason MP should be using the Microsoft DTV-DVD decoders for anything at all.

I reproduced the bug so that I could get the right logs, posted below. Here are the exact steps I took:
- Started MP, went to OnlineVideos.
- Played one of the videos which gives me the bug (Sound but no picture). During playback I pressed Shift+1 and took the screenshot.
- Exited OnlineVideos and went to Videos.
- Tried to play a video from my collection (Doom MP4.mp4) and still had no picture.
- Exited MP.

While "Doom MP4.mp4" was playing I pressed Shift+1 and it said the LAV codecs were in use, not the Microsoft DTV-DVD codecs.

By the way, I can't get Watchdog to work so I can't gather logs that way. I included the logs which I thought were relevant but if I'm missing something then please let me know and I will do what I can to find and post it.

 

[2.0]

SOLVED!

I was able to find out what was wrong and fix it. The problem lies in how Windows is set up to handle video streams. The Microsoft DTV-DVD Decoders are set up as the primary filters for incoming video/audio streams (regardless of what codecs are set up in MP Configuration). It then is supposed to pass the stream over to the appropriate codecs. However, in some cases it does not handle the stream properly and does not let the appropriate codec take over. The result is the Microsoft DTV-DVD decoder outputting a black screen. This is a known problem in Windows, and I read about it here: Microsoft DTV-DVD Video Decoder at High Resolutions | Fooling Around

Yes, Microsoft strikes again.

I found the solution here: http://www.hack7mc.com/2009/04/disable-and-replace-ms-dtvdvd-decoder.html

Basically the solution is to disable the Microsoft DTV-DVD decoders and then hack the registry to change the preferred decoders to whatever else you are using. In my case I use the LAV decoders, which seem to work great for everything. The CLSid for the LAV decoders are:
Audio: {E8E73B6B-4CB3-44A4-BE99-4F7BCB96E491}
Video: {EE30215D-164F-4A92-A4EB-9D4C13390F9F}

And now my MP can play internet videos through the LAV codecs, without the Microsoft DTV-DVD decoders getting in the way.