MP4 playback issue - total black

[mx5gr]

When trying to play MP4 files on a Sony Bravia KDL-32EX500 using MEncoder, I get either total black picture with no audio or, when trying to play other MKV files, a garbled picture (showing MPEG4 blocks) with garbled audio. The same files can be played properly using tsmuxer, albeit with no subtitle capability.

Can you please suggest a source of this error? I have tried LAVfilters and CoreAVC as MPEG4 codecs to no effect, although I think that they are not used in MEncoder playback.

Some mediainfo details on an unplayable mp4 file:

General
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media
Codec ID : isom
File size : 378 MiB
Duration : 42mn 0s
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 1 257 Kbps
Encoded date : UTC 2012-08-12 02:51:58
Tagged date : UTC 2012-08-12 02:51:58
Writing application : My MP4Box GUI 0.5.6.0 <http://my-mp4box-gui.zymichost.com>

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : [email protected]
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 5 frames
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 42mn 0s
Bit rate : 1 123 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 4 588 Kbps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 406 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 23.976 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.160
Stream size : 337 MiB (89%)
Writing library : x264 core 125 r2200 999b753
Encoding settings : cabac=1 / ref=5 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x3:0x113 / me=umh / subme=8 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.00:0.00 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=1 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=-2 / threads=6 / lookahead_threads=1 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / interlaced=0 / bluray_compat=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=3 / 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=50 / rc=crf / mbtree=1 / crf=21.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=0 / qpmax=69 / qpstep=4 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:1.00
Matrix coefficients : BT.709

Audio
ID : 2
Format : AAC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec
Format profile : LC
Codec ID : 40
Duration : 42mn 0s
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 132 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 156 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Compression mode : Lossy
Delay relative to video : 83ms
Stream size : 39.0 MiB (10%)

[mx5gr]

I forgot to add that I am running UMS 1.5.0 under Windows 7 32 bit, Intel Core2Duo @ 2.4 GHz, 4GB RAM, Java 1.7 update 5

[francadaniel]

I'm having the same problem. Can't play .mp4 files

[francadaniel]

I have found a solution that can work for a while: if theres a subtitle file in the same folder of the .mp4, the streaming works perfect.
The .srt file has to have the exact same name of the movie.

this isn't working for the mkv x264 tough, but is something.

Hope it helps.

[SubJunk]

Please post a debug.log after trying to play the problematic file