READ: Video Playback Guide
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So you want to playback a video you just downloaded? Having problems playing back videos all of a sudden? This thread will attempt to answer some of the most common questions regarding video playback issues, especially related to anime fansubs.
[size=11]Last Updated: 2 March 2011
This information was thought to be accurate at the time it was written.[/h]
Many users find a video file their computer cannot playback. They might then download and install some playback codec or decoder they found online somewhere. Many of these files are old and outdated, have many bugs and glitches, or may cause problems with other decoders, or are even bundled with malware.
[size=14]If you already have a recommended codec pack or video player installed, please skip to the Troubleshooting section.[/h]
[size=14]Getting Started[/h]:
The specific programs and codecs used to playback videos varies by the type of system you are using.
The oldest operating systems you should use are Windows XP SP3 or Mac OS X 10.4.11 "Tiger". (There is no real excuse for not updating to SP3 or 10.4.11 if you are already running XP or 10.4 Tiger.) Newer versions such as Windows 7 and Mac OS 10.6 "Snow Leopard" are recommended. It is difficult to recommend an minimum Linux version to run due to the many quirks between different distros and kernel versions available, however this doesn't mean you should ditch using it. In any case, newer is generally better. Older OSs tend to lack features needed by modern media players and decoders.
Windows users should download the CCCP, the Combined Community Codec Pack, or the K-Lite Codec Pack in Basic or Standard. K-Lite Full and Mega are generally not needed unless you work with video files often. Do not install both CCCP and K-Lite. Only one or the other. While both work effectively, CCCP is more widely recognized as the pack to use for anime fansubs. They allow Windows Media Player and some other programs to read and decode almost any video file.
Mac users should download the Perian component. It combines many separate decoders into a single component controlled by one easy to use prefpane. Installing this allows QuickTime Player, iMovie, Final Cut, and almost any other programs that uses the QuickTime framework to open virtually any video file.
I'm not aware of any specific codec packs available for Linux distros. Some media players may only playback certain "open source" formats, or may attempt to automatically install the proper codec plugins for you. Some already have codecs built-in. Some players that come to mind are Totem, and xine. Again, because of the variety of distros and programs available, it is difficult to give advice. There's also Mplayer and VLC, which are mentioned below.
Available for most platforms, is Mplayer. It runs off the command line, so you would probably want to run Mplayer with a GUI, which adds in useful things like play/pause buttons and a seek bar. Windows and Linux users might want to try SMplayer (recommended by Flaser below), or Mplayer OSX Extended for Mac. (alt. download link)
Also all platforms (Mac/Win/Linux), there is always VLC Media Player. It's widely known for being able to playback almost every single video file thrown at it, even some incomplete, 'broken', or half-downloaded files. However VLC's user interface design can be a bit messy and some functions such as seeking and rewinding might be glitchy at times. Despite these bugs, VLC is still a viable option for video playback, especially with non-standard or obscure formats.
TL;DR (in order of recommendation):
Mac: Perian+QuickTime, Mplayer, VLC.
Windows: CCCP, K-Lite, Mplayer, VLC.
Linux[size=9]1[/h]: Mplayer, Totem/xine, VLC.
[size=10]1: Player support varies by distro[/h]
[size=14]Troubleshooting[/h]:
Glitchy, blocky, distorted video? Stuttering? Video appears to be cut off or cropped, or is playing outside the player window? Only a solid black/green/pink window? Odd error messages? Audio but no video? Whatever it is, read the following:
If you already have CCCP, K-Lite, Perian, Mplayer, VLC, or whatever codec/plugin installed, and some video doesn't play, check if there is a new version of the codec/component/program available. There may have been some bug fixes or new features added that will allow you to view the video properly. You can use the built-in update function (if available) or check the official website. Also check the "Release Notes" to see what bugs may have been fixed, and "Known Issues" to see what the programmers may be working to fix. You should always use the latest "Stable" version, unless a "Beta" test version is recommended.
If you are sure you have the latest codec pack, check for system updates via Windows Update, Apple's Software Update, or the like. For Windows and some Linux users, also try checking for graphics driver updates from Nvidia/AMD. It's possible there's a driver glitch preventing the video from rendering. You should do this especially if you can hear audio, but only see a solid color box or distorted video. It is highly unlikely, and quite rare, but it is also possible the actual video card may be defective.
If the video is stuttery, laggy, not in sync with audio, but otherwise appears to play, also follow the above suggestions. Again, if you are sure you properly installed the codec packs, and have all the latest system and driver updates, perhaps your computer is too old. Check the Task Manager, Activity Monitor, Process Viewer, or equivalent utility to see if your CPU is being overloaded. This frequently happens with older machines and HD content, but may even happen with SD content if your computer is very old. If the CPU meter seems pegged at 99-100% (or 50% for dual core), you might need to upgrade your computer.
In rare cases it may not be the computer, but a badly encoded or corrupt file. This might also result in the above symptoms. You could try playing the same file on another computer or media player. If it's a corrupt file, you might want to download the file again. If you are sure it's a bad encode, check for a reuploaded or "v2" fixed version.
Lazy, huh? Here is a TL;DR version, but many details that may be related to your problem may have been left out.
(Holy crap, I think I put more effort into this post that I do with some class assignments. I pasted this into Word and it turned out to be almost a 4 page double-spaced paper...)
[size=11]Last Updated: 2 March 2011
This information was thought to be accurate at the time it was written.[/h]
Many users find a video file their computer cannot playback. They might then download and install some playback codec or decoder they found online somewhere. Many of these files are old and outdated, have many bugs and glitches, or may cause problems with other decoders, or are even bundled with malware.
[size=14]If you already have a recommended codec pack or video player installed, please skip to the Troubleshooting section.[/h]
[size=14]Getting Started[/h]:
The specific programs and codecs used to playback videos varies by the type of system you are using.
The oldest operating systems you should use are Windows XP SP3 or Mac OS X 10.4.11 "Tiger". (There is no real excuse for not updating to SP3 or 10.4.11 if you are already running XP or 10.4 Tiger.) Newer versions such as Windows 7 and Mac OS 10.6 "Snow Leopard" are recommended. It is difficult to recommend an minimum Linux version to run due to the many quirks between different distros and kernel versions available, however this doesn't mean you should ditch using it. In any case, newer is generally better. Older OSs tend to lack features needed by modern media players and decoders.
Windows users should download the CCCP, the Combined Community Codec Pack, or the K-Lite Codec Pack in Basic or Standard. K-Lite Full and Mega are generally not needed unless you work with video files often. Do not install both CCCP and K-Lite. Only one or the other. While both work effectively, CCCP is more widely recognized as the pack to use for anime fansubs. They allow Windows Media Player and some other programs to read and decode almost any video file.
Mac users should download the Perian component. It combines many separate decoders into a single component controlled by one easy to use prefpane. Installing this allows QuickTime Player, iMovie, Final Cut, and almost any other programs that uses the QuickTime framework to open virtually any video file.
I'm not aware of any specific codec packs available for Linux distros. Some media players may only playback certain "open source" formats, or may attempt to automatically install the proper codec plugins for you. Some already have codecs built-in. Some players that come to mind are Totem, and xine. Again, because of the variety of distros and programs available, it is difficult to give advice. There's also Mplayer and VLC, which are mentioned below.
Available for most platforms, is Mplayer. It runs off the command line, so you would probably want to run Mplayer with a GUI, which adds in useful things like play/pause buttons and a seek bar. Windows and Linux users might want to try SMplayer (recommended by Flaser below), or Mplayer OSX Extended for Mac. (alt. download link)
Also all platforms (Mac/Win/Linux), there is always VLC Media Player. It's widely known for being able to playback almost every single video file thrown at it, even some incomplete, 'broken', or half-downloaded files. However VLC's user interface design can be a bit messy and some functions such as seeking and rewinding might be glitchy at times. Despite these bugs, VLC is still a viable option for video playback, especially with non-standard or obscure formats.
TL;DR (in order of recommendation):
Mac: Perian+QuickTime, Mplayer, VLC.
Windows: CCCP, K-Lite, Mplayer, VLC.
Linux[size=9]
[size=10]1: Player support varies by distro[/h]
[size=14]Troubleshooting[/h]:
Glitchy, blocky, distorted video? Stuttering? Video appears to be cut off or cropped, or is playing outside the player window? Only a solid black/green/pink window? Odd error messages? Audio but no video? Whatever it is, read the following:
If you already have CCCP, K-Lite, Perian, Mplayer, VLC, or whatever codec/plugin installed, and some video doesn't play, check if there is a new version of the codec/component/program available. There may have been some bug fixes or new features added that will allow you to view the video properly. You can use the built-in update function (if available) or check the official website. Also check the "Release Notes" to see what bugs may have been fixed, and "Known Issues" to see what the programmers may be working to fix. You should always use the latest "Stable" version, unless a "Beta" test version is recommended.
If you are sure you have the latest codec pack, check for system updates via Windows Update, Apple's Software Update, or the like. For Windows and some Linux users, also try checking for graphics driver updates from Nvidia/AMD. It's possible there's a driver glitch preventing the video from rendering. You should do this especially if you can hear audio, but only see a solid color box or distorted video. It is highly unlikely, and quite rare, but it is also possible the actual video card may be defective.
If the video is stuttery, laggy, not in sync with audio, but otherwise appears to play, also follow the above suggestions. Again, if you are sure you properly installed the codec packs, and have all the latest system and driver updates, perhaps your computer is too old. Check the Task Manager, Activity Monitor, Process Viewer, or equivalent utility to see if your CPU is being overloaded. This frequently happens with older machines and HD content, but may even happen with SD content if your computer is very old. If the CPU meter seems pegged at 99-100% (or 50% for dual core), you might need to upgrade your computer.
In rare cases it may not be the computer, but a badly encoded or corrupt file. This might also result in the above symptoms. You could try playing the same file on another computer or media player. If it's a corrupt file, you might want to download the file again. If you are sure it's a bad encode, check for a reuploaded or "v2" fixed version.
Lazy, huh? Here is a TL;DR version, but many details that may be related to your problem may have been left out.
- [*]Don't install random codecs
[*]Make sure you are running a recent, supported operating system
[*]Use reliable codecs with reliable media players
[*]Use the most recently updated stable version of the codec pack
[*]Make sure your OS and drivers is up to date
[*]Ensure sure your computer is fast enough
[*]Check if the file is bad
(Holy crap, I think I put more effort into this post that I do with some class assignments. I pasted this into Word and it turned out to be almost a 4 page double-spaced paper...)
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Ahh, I forgot about Mplayer. I updated the post a bit.
The MPlayer for Mac you linked to is Ye Olde Version back from 2005. It's really unstable.
The new MPlayer OSX Extended is a better choice, and is still being actively maintained.
VLC has gotten better in the two years since that video was made (the latest ver. back then was 0.9.8b, it was still in beta). It's previous crappy beta releases and half-baked features have given it a bad rep. Even now, it still is kind of crappy in certain things. I generally only use VLC as a last resort if nothing else works.
The 720p fansub from GG of Madoka Magica Ep.7 didn't work with Perian/QT, as it uses some 'MKV header compression', which is a known issue by the Perian devs. (Those devs always take forever to put out a new release, but when they do, it works flawlessly for a while.) I threw it into VLC and it played fine, default subtitles and all. However, VLC's interface still sucks, and there's still some small glitches.
The MPlayer for Mac you linked to is Ye Olde Version back from 2005. It's really unstable.
The new MPlayer OSX Extended is a better choice, and is still being actively maintained.
VLC has gotten better in the two years since that video was made (the latest ver. back then was 0.9.8b, it was still in beta). It's previous crappy beta releases and half-baked features have given it a bad rep. Even now, it still is kind of crappy in certain things. I generally only use VLC as a last resort if nothing else works.
The 720p fansub from GG of Madoka Magica Ep.7 didn't work with Perian/QT, as it uses some 'MKV header compression', which is a known issue by the Perian devs. (Those devs always take forever to put out a new release, but when they do, it works flawlessly for a while.) I threw it into VLC and it played fine, default subtitles and all. However, VLC's interface still sucks, and there's still some small glitches.
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Sindalf
Used to do stuff
I'm fucking skimming over this and I see VLC. That's enough make all your opinions invalid and fucking terrible. And is that some Klite I see? What the fuck are you doing? CCCP and nothing else unless you are Chinese and like your RMVB files.
VLC's horrible video and subtitle rendering should be enough for all users to stay away. The only reason you would have VLC on your computer is if you are doing something very obscure or to diagnose problems with your other video player to make sure it's not the file but instead your playback method.
VLC's horrible video and subtitle rendering should be enough for all users to stay away. The only reason you would have VLC on your computer is if you are doing something very obscure or to diagnose problems with your other video player to make sure it's not the file but instead your playback method.
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Yeah, I know fansubbers seem to hate on VLC, but I haven't seen a recent example of VLC screwing up subtitles. The only obvious glitches I see are when trying to seek. That's why it's still in the recommended list.
The following are from this PV subbed by GG, who also seems to dislike VLC:
http://www.ggkthx.org/2011/03/15/hanasaku-iroha-pv5/
Correct positioning:
Multiple fonts/styles:
Animated transitions and fades
Colors, drop shadows, inner shadows, strokes:
The following are from this PV subbed by GG, who also seems to dislike VLC:
http://www.ggkthx.org/2011/03/15/hanasaku-iroha-pv5/
Correct positioning:
Multiple fonts/styles:
Animated transitions and fades
Colors, drop shadows, inner shadows, strokes:
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Tegumi
"im always cute"
Ever since Sindalf started promoting [gg] as fansubbing deities, I've been a bit wary of them.
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Sindalf
Used to do stuff
If you were smart enough to check the .ass itself you would notice that the subtitling in question is incredibly easy to do and render. VLC can render that because its simple. It would cry when it comes to some of the more difficult things. A show like sayonara zetsubou sensei does not work in vlc softsubbed very well due to the level of typesetting it would require in order to be perfect.
To be fair the vlc subtitling rendering is kind of hit and miss. Sometimes it does it right and sometimes it just randomly fails. It's really fucking weird. For example I once took a karaoke effects file and played it in vlc. Half the time it would play it flawlessly and the other half of the time it would give up and not even render it at all. Since everything is isolated in vlc then it is the program instead of some external filter/codec/whatever the proper term is.
PLEASE WAIT A MOMENT WHILE VLC REBUILDS YOUR FONT CACHE.
Remember this shit? God damn I hate it.
And ofcourse gg hates vlc. gg has thefluff and plork who helped create aegisub and a variety of other encoding tools so I assume they know what they are talking about when they say vlc is shit.
You can always watch ayako.
To be fair the vlc subtitling rendering is kind of hit and miss. Sometimes it does it right and sometimes it just randomly fails. It's really fucking weird. For example I once took a karaoke effects file and played it in vlc. Half the time it would play it flawlessly and the other half of the time it would give up and not even render it at all. Since everything is isolated in vlc then it is the program instead of some external filter/codec/whatever the proper term is.
PLEASE WAIT A MOMENT WHILE VLC REBUILDS YOUR FONT CACHE.
Remember this shit? God damn I hate it.
And ofcourse gg hates vlc. gg has thefluff and plork who helped create aegisub and a variety of other encoding tools so I assume they know what they are talking about when they say vlc is shit.
Tegumi wrote...
Ever since Sindalf started promoting [gg] as fansubbing deities, I've been a bit wary of them.You can always watch ayako.
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Sindalf
Used to do stuff
I already checked the .ass before I made my said post.
http://mod16.org/fansub/vlc/
https://i.imgur.com/ql3Zl.jpg
Here have some screenshots. Top one is a bit old but those problems still persist. Bottom one is incredibly recent.
http://mod16.org/fansub/vlc/
https://i.imgur.com/ql3Zl.jpg
Here have some screenshots. Top one is a bit old but those problems still persist. Bottom one is incredibly recent.