No Audio on Windows Media PLayer When Converting Uncompressed Video to MP4 with AAC using ffmpeg-Collection of common programming errors

12 years ago

admin

5 minutes

Dominic P

I’m having problems converting uncompressed video to mp4 format using AAC for the audio. I don’t get any errors, but no audio plays with the video in the output files in Windows Media PLayer (other players handle it fine, but normally WMP doesn’t have an issue with my other MP4’s so I still feel like something’s wrong here). Here is my full command:

ffmpeg -i uncompressed.avi -s 426x240 -pix_fmt yuv420p -c:v libx264 -preset:v veryslow -profile:v main -crf:v 27 -movflags +faststart -c:a libfdk_aac -b:a 128k -t 00:00:10 output.mp4

And the output:

ffmpeg version N-55064-g3cd8aaa Copyright (c) 2000-2013 the FFmpeg developers
  built on Jul 29 2013 12:59:12 with gcc 4.8.0 (GCC)
  configuration: --arch=x86_64 --target-os=mingw32 --cross-prefix=/home/dominic/GitHub/ffmpeg-windows-build-helpers/sandbox/mingw-w64-x86_64/bin/x86_64-w64-mingw32- --pkg-config=pkg-config --enable-gpl --enable-libsoxr --enable-libx264 --enable-avisynth --enable-libxvid --enable-libmp3lame --enable-version3 --enable-zlib --enable-librtmp --enable-libvorbis --enable-libtheora --enable-libspeex --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-gnutls --enable-libgsm --enable-libfreetype --enable-fontconfig --enable-libass --enable-libutvideo --enable-libopus --disable-w32threads --enable-frei0r --enable-filter=frei0r --enable-libvo-aacenc --enable-bzlib --enable-libxavs --extra-cflags=-DPTW32_STATIC_LIB --enable-libopencore-amrnb --enable-libopencore-amrwb --enable-libvo-amrwbenc --enable-libschroedinger --enable-libbluray --enable-libvpx --enable-libilbc --enable-static --disable-shared --enable-nonfree --enable-libfdk-aac --enable-runtime-cpudetect
  libavutil      52. 40.100 / 52. 40.100
  libavcodec     55. 19.100 / 55. 19.100
  libavformat    55. 12.102 / 55. 12.102
  libavdevice    55.  3.100 / 55.  3.100
  libavfilter     3. 81.103 /  3. 81.103
  libswscale      2.  4.100 /  2.  4.100
  libswresample   0. 17.103 /  0. 17.103
  libpostproc    52.  3.100 / 52.  3.100
Guessed Channel Layout for  Input Stream #0.1 : stereo
Input #0, avi, from 'uncompressed.avi':
  Metadata:
    date            : 2012-04-16T16:02:12.00409-07:00
  Duration: 00:02:22.93, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 1199367 kb/s
    Stream #0:0: Video: rawvideo, bgr24, 1920x1080, 23.98 tbr, 23.98 tbn, 23.98 tbc
    Stream #0:1: Audio: pcm_f32le ([3][0][0][0] / 0x0003), 96000 Hz, stereo, flt, 6144 kb/s
[libx264 @ 000000000038f580] using cpu capabilities: MMX2 SSE2Fast SSSE3 SSE4.2
[libx264 @ 000000000038f580] profile Main, level 2.2
[libx264 @ 000000000038f580] 264 - core 133 r2339 585324f - H.264/MPEG-4 AVC codec - Copyleft 2003-2013 - http://www.videolan.org/x264.html - options: cabac=1 ref=16 deblock=1:0:0 analyse=0x1:0x131 me=umh subme=10 psy=1 psy_rd=1.00:0.00 mixed_ref=1 me_range=24 chroma_me=1 trellis=2 8x8dct=0 cqm=0 deadzone=21,11 fast_pskip=1 chroma_qp_offset=-2 threads=12 lookahead_threads=1 sliced_threads=0 nr=0 decimate=1 interlaced=0 bluray_compat=0 constrained_intra=0 bframes=8 b_pyramid=2 b_adapt=2 b_bias=0 direct=3 weightb=1 open_gop=0 weightp=2 keyint=250 keyint_min=23 scenecut=40 intra_refresh=0 rc_lookahead=60 rc=crf mbtree=1 crf=27.0 qcomp=0.60 qpmin=0 qpmax=69 qpstep=4 ip_ratio=1.40 aq=1:1.00
Output #0, mp4, to 'output.mp4':
  Metadata:
    date            : 2012-04-16T16:02:12.00409-07:00
    encoder         : Lavf55.12.102
    Stream #0:0: Video: h264 (libx264) ([33][0][0][0] / 0x0021), yuv420p, 426x240, q=-1--1, 24k tbn, 23.98 tbc
    Stream #0:1: Audio: aac (libfdk_aac) ([64][0][0][0] / 0x0040), 96000 Hz, stereo, s16, 128 kb/s
Stream mapping:
  Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (rawvideo -> libx264)
  Stream #0:1 -> #0:1 (pcm_f32le -> libfdk_aac)
Press [q] to stop, [?] for help
frame=   53 fps=0.0 q=0.0 size=       0kB time=00:00:02.84 bitrate=   0.1kbits/s    
frame=   98 fps= 97 q=32.0 size=      23kB time=00:00:04.76 bitrate=  38.8kbits/s    
frame=  151 fps=100 q=32.0 size=      64kB time=00:00:06.68 bitrate=  78.5kbits/s    
frame=  200 fps= 99 q=32.0 size=     105kB time=00:00:08.60 bitrate=  99.7kbits/s    
[mp4 @ 00000000023d8e20] Starting second pass: moving header on top of the file
frame=  240 fps= 87 q=-1.0 Lsize=     244kB time=00:00:10.00 bitrate= 199.8kbits/s    

video:77kB audio:157kB subtitle:0 global headers:0kB muxing overhead 4.142690%
[libx264 @ 000000000038f580] frame I:2     Avg QP:24.64  size:  8447
[libx264 @ 000000000038f580] frame P:45    Avg QP:29.82  size:   686
[libx264 @ 000000000038f580] frame B:193   Avg QP:35.11  size:   159
[libx264 @ 000000000038f580] consecutive B-frames:  0.8%  0.0%  2.5% 26.7% 22.9% 15.0% 11.7% 16.7%  3.8%
[libx264 @ 000000000038f580] mb I  I16..4: 41.6%  0.0% 58.4%
[libx264 @ 000000000038f580] mb P  I16..4:  0.2%  0.0%  0.7%  P16..4: 12.0%  3.7%  5.8%  0.8%  0.3%    skip:76.4%
[libx264 @ 000000000038f580] mb B  I16..4:  0.0%  0.0%  0.0%  B16..8:  8.5%  1.5%  0.9%  direct: 0.3%  skip:88.8%  L0:42.5% L1:50.5% BI: 7.0%
[libx264 @ 000000000038f580] direct mvs  spatial:95.9% temporal:4.1%
[libx264 @ 000000000038f580] coded y,uvDC,uvAC intra: 76.0% 40.8% 12.1% inter: 1.6% 0.4% 0.0%
[libx264 @ 000000000038f580] i16 v,h,dc,p: 25% 29%  6% 39%
[libx264 @ 000000000038f580] i4 v,h,dc,ddl,ddr,vr,hd,vl,hu: 10% 13%  4%  9% 13% 12% 14% 11% 14%
[libx264 @ 000000000038f580] i8c dc,h,v,p: 21% 48% 21% 10%
[libx264 @ 000000000038f580] Weighted P-Frames: Y:2.2% UV:2.2%
[libx264 @ 000000000038f580] ref P L0: 48.5% 11.1% 11.4%  4.7%  4.1%  5.3%  3.6%  1.9%  1.6%  1.5%  0.9%  1.1%  0.9%  1.3%  1.1%  1.1%
[libx264 @ 000000000038f580] ref B L0: 77.3%  6.0%  5.8%  2.5%  2.5%  2.1%  1.3%  0.5%  0.6%  0.3%  0.3%  0.4%  0.2%  0.2%  0.2%
[libx264 @ 000000000038f580] ref B L1: 93.9%  6.1%
[libx264 @ 000000000038f580] kb/s:62.65

The only warning I get is that it has guessed the channel layout for the audio. But, it guessed correctly, so I can’t see how that could be the problem:

Things I’ve tried:

Used libvo_aacenc and aac (with -strict experimental)…same results
Tired both of the above on a freely distributable build (compiled without --enable-nonfree) downloaded from here instead of my own build…same results
Encoded the same input file with libvorbis…audio works perfectly

I’m at a loss. The fact that the vorbis encoder works fine makes me think that it can’t be a problem with the input file. But, I can’t understand why AAC is choking on it then. Any ideas where I’m going wrong?

Update: Here is the output of ffprobe for the file that’s having problems:

ffprobe version N-54933-g1af9211 Copyright (c) 2007-2013 the FFmpeg developers
  built on Jul 25 2013 18:05:50 with gcc 4.7.3 (GCC)
  configuration: --enable-gpl --enable-version3 --disable-w32threads --enable-avisynth --enable-bzlib --enable-fontconfig --enable-frei0r --enable-gnutls --enable-iconv --enable-libass --enable-libbluray --enable-libcaca --enable-libfreetype --enable-libgsm --enable-libilbc --enable-libmodplug --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libopencore-amrnb --enable-libopencore-amrwb --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libopus --enable-librtmp --enable-libschroedinger --enable-libsoxr --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libtwolame --enable-libvo-aacenc --enable-libvo-amrwbenc --enable-libvorbis --enable-libvpx --enable-libx264 --enable-libxavs --enable-libxvid --enable-zlib
  libavutil      52. 40.100 / 52. 40.100
  libavcodec     55. 19.100 / 55. 19.100
  libavformat    55. 12.102 / 55. 12.102
  libavdevice    55.  3.100 / 55.  3.100
  libavfilter     3. 81.103 /  3. 81.103
  libswscale      2.  4.100 /  2.  4.100
  libswresample   0. 17.103 /  0. 17.103
  libpostproc    52.  3.100 / 52.  3.100
Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from 'output.mp4':
  Metadata:
    major_brand     : isom
    minor_version   : 512
    compatible_brands: isomiso2avc1mp41
    date            : 2012-04-16T16:02:12.00409-07:00
    encoder         : Lavf55.12.102
  Duration: 00:00:10.03, start: 0.021333, bitrate: 199 kb/s
    Stream #0:0(und): Video: h264 (Main) (avc1 / 0x31637661), yuv420p, 426x240, 63 kb/s, 23.98 fps, 23.98 tbr, 24k tbn, 47.95 tbc
    Metadata:
      handler_name    : VideoHandler
    Stream #0:1(und): Audio: aac (mp4a / 0x6134706D), 96000 Hz, stereo, fltp, 128 kb/s
    Metadata:
      handler_name    : SoundHandler

Dominic P

Ok, the issue here seems to be the sample rate. The audio was encoded at 96 kHz which, apparently, Windows Media Player doesn’t support. When I used -ar 48000 to set the sample rate to 48 kHz the audio played perfectly. 96 kHz is probably overkill for web video anyway. Thanks to all who helped.