[SOLVED] Plays no video except mkv files?

[danielog]

Hi guys! I'm a bit new to this so please forgive any blaring mishaps in the following description.

I've set up my new Rpi with Xbian and stream my library using upnp from a computer running PS3 Media Server on Win7. This server works beautifully on all other devices in the house (incl. PS3, Android phones, iOS phones, etc...). It shows up in the upnp devices list on Xbian and I can view all my files and play music. The problem is as follows: When I play video files -except for mkv files since they apparently require no transcoding- I only get audio and a thumbnail. I cannot seem to find anyone else with this particular problem on the forum, so I'm wondering if someone could help me out. Here's a more detailed description:

Software:
XBian version: 1.0 beta 2
XBMC version: Whatever is on that image
Overclock settings: None (tried allocating more memory, but turned it back down)

Hardware:
Power supply rating: 1A (Hama MO-12E)
RPi model: B
SD card size and make/type: Transcend Secure Digital 16GB SDHC class 10
Network (wireless or LAN): LAN
Connected devices (TV, USB, network storage, etc.): Logitech K400r wireless keyboard, D-Link DWA-125 USB Wi-Fi adaptor

Logfile:
Link to logfile: http://xbmclogs.com/show.php?id=91742 (first relevant error at line 1164, I think)

Problem description:
Attempted video streaming from PS3 Media Server results only in audio and thumbnail, unless video is un-transcoded mkv. I have tried all transcoders available on PMS: MEncoder, FFmpeg, tsMuxeR, VLC Video. Same result every time (except with txMuxeR, which doesn't respond at all). No problem with music files.

At first I thought it was a memory issue so I tried increasing the allocated memory, to no avail. Then I unplugged the all the USB devices and used a wired USB keyboard, thinking it was a power issue, but this led nowhere either.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

EDIT/SOLUTION: So the problem was just that I was being daft. It turns out all the codecs available in the PS3 Media Server transcode to mpeg-2, and one does of course need a license for playing that. Thanks a lot to IriDium for pointing that out. One solution is to ditch the entire upnp setup in favour of direct file access using SAMBA. Thanks to rikardo1979 for the suggestion. Otherwise, one could just buy a mpeg-2 license, or set up library sharing with XBMC on the server.

[IriDium]

Have you got and installed a MPEG license? Only needed for mpeg files.

So you are saying it cannot play .avi, .mp4 files. Only mkv?

[danielog]

No, I don't really need an MPEG license.

Yeah; .mkv, .avi and .mp4 are the only formats I have in my library, but only un-transcoded .mkv is played.

[IriDium]

(1st Dec, 2013 12:26 AM)danielog Wrote:  No, I don't really need an MPEG license.

Yeah; .mkv, .avi and .mp4 are the only formats I have in my library, but only un-transcoded .mkv is played.

Well looking at the log @1150 shows Video: mpeg2video which could explain no video but with audio.

Can you get the codec information from that file "Hunger Games" with say VLC.

Also can you post another xbmc.log with at least three different files (Without debug turned on)
Also output from dmesg

Something is very strange. Have you installed anything extra since starting?

Can you download this file MP4 Test file and see if that plays.

[danielog]

Well, the example used in the debug file is indeed the Hunger Games movie in .mp4 format. It has been encoded using H264 (direct quote from VLC info: H264 - MPEG-4 AVC (part 10) (avc 1)). Could it be that the media server transcodes to mpeg2, for which I need a license? I hadn't thought of that, but that would make sense. Maybe I should purchase a license, just to see.

Unless that solves all my problems, I will post a log with further examples and no debug asap. But what is "dmesg"?

I haven't installed anything else.

[rikardo1979]

I just wondering why you using some PS3 server from windows 7 to share the files by using UPnP where you can simply share your files by using SAMBA? sorry but to me this not make a sense or do I miss something here?
You can even create MYSQL on your win machine to serve the library to XBian so its going to be even faster and more comfy

[IriDium]

No need to purchase a license yet.

Did that test file play correctly? If so, then it is the coding in your file that is at issue.

If not, then at least we have eliminated one point of error.

Or try as Richardo suggested - use SMB.

As another test, can you copy the file to a USB stick or something and play it directly from the RPi.

[danielog]

Well, I'm using the PS3 Media Server mostly out of habit and the fact that it has worked on everything else. Nothing else occured to me, that's all, but I see now that I will indeed have to set this up another way.

I tested my "server transcodes to mpeg-2" hypothesis by putting the movie on a flash drive and playing it directly, and it worked! I'm so annoyed at myself for not thinking about that until now. So the problem is the server transcoding. Thanks a lot IriDium for pointing out that the stream was mpeg-2.

So, how best to fix this? I have no idea how to use SAMBA or set up MYSQL serving, or what the pros and cons are. Could you point me in the right direction? Preferably to the solution requiring the least hassle for a newbie such as myself

EDIT: Nevermind, I think I've got it. Thanks a lot for your help, guys!

[IriDium]

Well the short term fix would be to buy a MPEG license - only a couple of quid.
Raspberry Pi license

Looking at the website it states "The program streams or transcodes" so maybe it is just a setting - stream as is.

[danielog]

But does the mpeg-2 stream carry HD video?

I'll look through the settings and see. Perhaps it would work better to just set up XBMC on the server as well.

[rikardo1979]

(1st Dec, 2013 02:10 AM)danielog Wrote:  But does the mpeg-2 stream carry HD video?

I'll look through the settings and see. Perhaps it would work better to just set up XBMC on the server as well.

if you just want to share the files from your windoze machine you dont need an XBMC on the server, just simply share a folder what equals to SAMBA/SMB
Thats all, just share what ever folder you like which contains your media files
And if you like than you can play with MySQL to share the libraries for multiple XBMC devices or even just to make your RPi "breath" easier