H.264 (AVC) Videos will not play correctly in SSP
Applicable SongShow Plus Versions:
This article applies to all versions of SongShow Plus with the H.264 Plug-in
* Updates correcting this issue may be available. Ensure that you are using the most current build of SongShow Plus from the Download page before proceeding. *
NOTE: SSP9.x running on Windows 10 or later does not require the H.264 plug-in to work. Native Windows support is used.
Symptom:
H.264 videos will not play correctly within SSP. In some cases, an alert will indicate that the CODEC necessary to play the file is not installed on this system or is not compatible with this application. This may also be observed when adding a video to the program panel with the result of a red X next to the item. In either case the file will not play in SongShow Plus.
Possible Cause:
SSP H.264 Plug-in is not installed and/or unlocked.
Possible Solution:
H.264 video playback in SSP requires the SSP H.264 Plug-in be installed and unlocked on each system that h.264 support is desired. Contact the sales team to obtain license files.
NOTE: This plug in is not required for versions 9.x and later when running on Windows 10.
Possible Cause:
The file does not have the proper file extension.
Possible Solution:
H.264 video playback in SSP requires the files have a supported file extension. In many cases it is enough to change the file extension to either .mov or .mp4. If this does not work, try contacting your content provider for a different file. Try the .mov file extension first. We have found on a few occasions that the .mp4 extension is not working as expected but the video will play when the extension is changed to .mov.
Possible Cause:
The file has some type of encryption or DRM on it. If you have purchases or created the file through iTunes it may have the Apple DRM on it.
Possible Solution:
Get or create a file without the protection applied.
Possible Cause:
Embedded Color Profile is being used in the video- In most cases the video won't play in Windows Media player either. (1227)
Embedded Color Profiles are not supported in Media Foundation and therefor also not supported in WMP or SSP.
Preferred Solution:
Acquire or re-render the video in a supported video format such as WMV or H.264. Check KB MI018 for supported configurations.
Possible Cause:
The video file was not encoded with H.264.
Possible Solution:
H.264 video playback in SSP requires the files be created using the H.264 CODEC.
Possible Cause:
Timing error during playback. In some cases, a video file will initially not play and then play on a following attempt.
Possible Solution:
There is a known issue with some video files timing out during an attempt to play. Try playing a different video file and then playing the original one again. If any H.264 files will play this may be what you are seeing.
At this time the root cause is not known but is under investigation.
Possible Cause:
An application installed on the system could be interfering with the H.264 playback.
Possible Solution:
If applications that are identified as interfering with the H.264 operation are removed from the system, normal playback may resume. Please refer to KB article SSP061 for additional details.
If this does not work for you, please contact the support team.
Possible Cause:
Poor or stuttering H.264 playback can be caused by the video being outside of the recommended specifications.
Possible Solution:
Try to obtain videos that comply with the recommendations. If you cannot find one you may be able to modify your existing video. Refer to KB MI014 for additional information.
Possible Cause:
Multi-core setting is not enabled in SongShow Plus.
Possible Solution:
If your system has a multi-core CPU, enabling the use of multi-core in SongShow Plus can improve performance in many areas of SongShow Plus. This can be enabled from the main tool bar by selecting Settings > Multi-processor and selecting option A.
If this article does not resolve the issue, contact the Support Team.
(TS088)