some ripped video files play and some don't.

[dfs]

As part of a long going clutter clearing project I've been using Handbrake to turn my old dvd's into a digital files. I recently finished that part of the project and I'm left with something I don't understand. All of the ripped files seem to play just fine on many different pc's windows and linux.

I put the files onto a usb stick and stuck that into a recently purchased tcl roku branded television which has a native application to read and play things of this nature.
Some of these files play just fine. Some of these files ....don't play at all.

The files were all ripped using the same software although admittedly there were a couple different machines involved.
The roku media player is very clear about what Codecs it plays nicely with. I should be good.
When I use an application called mediainfo to examine the codecs of a file that does play against the codecs of a file that doesn't play there is no difference.
What am I missing?

[Anonymous Bosch]

As part of a long going clutter clearing project I've been using Handbrake to turn my old dvd's into a digital files. I recently finished that part of the project and I'm left with something I don't understand. All of the ripped files seem to play just fine on many different pc's windows and linux.

I put the files onto a usb stick and stuck that into a recently purchased tcl roku branded television which has a native application to read and play things of this nature.
Some of these files play just fine. Some of these files ....don't play at all.

The files were all ripped using the same software although admittedly there were a couple different machines involved.
The roku media player is very clear about what Codecs it plays nicely with. I should be good.
When I use an application called mediainfo to examine the codecs of a file that does play against the codecs of a file that doesn't play there is no difference.
What am I missing?

Did you install libdvdcss along with Handbrake? Because Handbrake alone is typically unable to rip DVDs with DRM protection, which may explain the difficulties you're running into.

[Victoria Raverna]

Maybe problem with the file name?

[dfs]

I used makemkv to pull the files from the disks with drm and then converted the output of that using handbrake to what I thought was the right format/codec. The converted files play perfectly acceptably in windows and linux, but not on the intended target device.

The target device sees the files, but when I try and play one the screen flashes dark and I'm back at the point where I can try to play it again.

[gilraen]

What's the file size for the files that don't play? If over 2GB, I don't think the device can handle them (still).

[Anonymous Bosch]

I used makemkv to pull the files from the disks with drm and then converted the output of that using handbrake to what I thought was the right format/codec. The converted files play perfectly acceptably in windows and linux, but not on the intended target device.

The target device sees the files, but when I try and play one the screen flashes dark and I'm back at the point where I can try to play it again.

If memory serves, Handbrake does include multiple presets for various Roku devices. So make sure you're using one of the Roku device presets to ensure maximum compatibility.

[dfs]

I used makemkv to pull the files from the disks with drm and then converted the output of that using handbrake to what I thought was the right format/codec. The converted files play perfectly acceptably in windows and linux, but not on the intended target device.

The target device sees the files, but when I try and play one the screen flashes dark and I'm back at the point where I can try to play it again.

If memory serves, Handbrake does include multiple presets for various Roku devices. So make sure you're using one of the Roku device presets to ensure maximum compatibility.

Your memory is exactly correct, but those presets are producing files that are not read. I'm....If none of the files were read I would fully accept that I've done something silly. What pesters me is that some of them work fine and some of them don't and when I examine the properties and methods used to produce them I can't detect a difference.

[Scuzz]

A couple years ago I put about 130 CD's into my computer so that I could then put them on a SanDisk MP3 player, to use at work. I know, different software etc. But I did have some of the same problems you are describing. Not every CD recorded properly or some things were dropped. Duplicates were ignored and other things were just missing. No idea why.

[Blackhawk]

What pesters me is that some of them work fine and some of them don't and when I examine the properties and methods used to produce them I can't detect a difference.

If the methods and properties are the same, compare the sources. Look them up online and see if the ones that don't work have something in common, like a specific DRM.

[dfs]

Things confound. This is supposition, but it's where I'm at.
It looks like the weak point is copying things to the USB drive. I can take a perfectly good m4v that plays just fine and move it to the USB stick and it won't play. I haven't closed or removed the stick from it's port.

If despite what windows says the copies aren't fully completing, but leaving corrupted files behind in some cases that would account for the irregularity of what I see and why the files are failing on the target device, but not the computers.

Yup. I've confirmed by erasing the usb disk and copying over a few files. Files that didn't play on the roku now play on the roku so the problem is that windows is copying things to the usb drive and not fully completing the copy. ......

[Blackhawk]

It looks like the weak point is copying things to the USB drive. I can take a perfectly good m4v that plays just fine and move it to the USB stick and it won't play. I haven't closed or removed the stick from it's port.

If despite what windows says the copies aren't fully completing, but leaving corrupted files behind in some cases that would account for the irregularity of what I see and why the files are failing on the target device, but not the computers.

If you copy it from the stick back to the PC (to a different location), does it play? If not, it may be something corrupt. If so, it is more likely to be the stick itself.

Is it possible that the stick can't transfer data fast enough to decode directly from it?

[Blackhawk]

Possibility?

[dfs]

Possibility?

Oh my. I owe you a beer.

For those who didn't follow the link, multi-tb usb drives are being sold and after the first few GB....they don't work.

From amazon. Bought it in April, the recent reviews are complaining about exactly this. sigh. Well, that's an answer.

[Anonymous Bosch]

Things confound. This is supposition, but it's where I'm at.
It looks like the weak point is copying things to the USB drive. I can take a perfectly good m4v that plays just fine and move it to the USB stick and it won't play. I haven't closed or removed the stick from it's port.

If despite what windows says the copies aren't fully completing, but leaving corrupted files behind in some cases that would account for the irregularity of what I see and why the files are failing on the target device, but not the computers.

Yup. I've confirmed by erasing the usb disk and copying over a few files. Files that didn't play on the roku now play on the roku so the problem is that windows is copying things to the usb drive and not fully completing the copy. ......

Try reformatting the USB stick with NTFS, and then use the free Unstoppable Copier utility to copy the file(s) to the USB stick. That may help, as long as you're not dealing with a bogus device per Blackhawk's link above.

[Blackhawk]

Possibility?

Oh my. I owe you a beer.

For those who didn't follow the link, multi-tb usb drives are being sold and after the first few GB....they don't work.

From amazon. Bought it in April, the recent reviews are complaining about exactly this. sigh. Well, that's an answer.

There are multiple tools out there to check them, apparently.

Definitely let Amazon know. You'll at least get a refund. Make sure you go through the 'Contact Us' (well-hidden here) rather doing 'return an item', both to report the fraud and so that you can directly ask the representative, "Do you really want me to go out of my way to return a fake product after I've already spent hours troubleshooting?" There is a fairly good chance that they'll tell you not to worry about it and just issue the refund on the spot.

[dfs]

So it was 6 weeks outside the amazon return window and they were polite, but largely useless. I was an early purchaser and after my purchase there are several reviews complaining of fraud. I'm a bit surprised they are still selling them.

It was cheap enough that I really don't mind the $, but the several hours it took me to locate the problem really blows.

Thank you all for your help.

[EvilHomer3k]

Not really ebg. Moving to computing.

[Blackhawk]

I'm a bit surprised they are still selling them.

Oh, hoo hee. Stop selling because of fraud? There's a product on Amazon that not only commits fraud, but is overtly dangerous. There are multiple reviews stating that people have been injured by this product. It has been reported - by me - not just to customer service, but to an executive CS rep who called me in response to something else later. People are literally getting hurt using this product due to the fact that it is a cheap knock-off.

It's still for sale, four months later.

Amazon = caveat emptor.

[Blackhawk]

I mean...

Amazon is fine with the way things are. The way things are is making them rich enough not to be held responsible for the way things are.