Freshly loaded latest VLC media player will not play any format

Sigurd said:

...the eventual zip file I found doesn't have any installation file. The bin folder has 3 .exe files but they don't seem to do anything when I try to run them....

That's the correct file. No, there's no installer - you install it manually. Create a FFmpeg folder in your Program Files folder and extract the contents to there, you'll need administrator privileges to do that. Then add the Bin folder to the Path environment variable (System environment variable will make it available for all users, User just for your account). Then you can use FFmpeg from a command prompt.

You can also use FFplay from the command prompt to just view the video. FFplay -i input.264


Edit User and System Environment Variables in Windows

Getting there. I have FFmpeg in my Program Files, added the Bin folder to the Path environment and now if I run
FFPlay -1 input.264 it responds with a load of text so it is finding it.
I then tried changing input to the name of the 264 file I wish to view but the response id "No such file or directory".
I have tried putting the file in the root folder of D:\ and using the command FFPlay -1 D:\Myfile.264 and also putting the file in the \Bin folder and using FFPlay -1 Myfile.264 with the same result.

No doubt missing something basic!

Sigurd said:

Getting there. ... if I run
FFPlay -1 input.264 it responds with a load of text so it is finding it.

It's '-i' not -1, but I'd guess that the typo was just in the post, not the command line.

You'll get a lot of text whether it finds the file or not. The first part is telling you about the capabilities, build and libraries of FFplay (or FFmpeg if you used that command, the text is the same).

The section to look for comes after that and, if the video format has been recognised, should tell you about the contents and encoding of the file you specified, beginning at the line starting with "Input #0...". If you use FFmpeg it will then say 'at least one output file must be specified', with FFplay it should open a second window to show the video. Use the command FFprobe to see the file's info without playing or converting it.

If the file is found, but doesn't contain recognisable video it will say "Invalid data found when processing input".



For FFplay, FFmpeg or FFprobe you can add the option -hide_banner to your command line to suppress all the build information and just show the file info.

Thanks. Will look into this next year (!) and get back to you. Enjoy the evening even if very much down market!

Vlc is best free open source video player which play all format!!!
The reason I think you has problems because you might have install other codec..like k lite or real player and vlc same time
If you have fresh windows and install only vlc,u shouldn't run into any problem
But becareful other software you install might ask you to install other codec to work with they software so check carefully and untick any codec they using to install.. software will work fine without they codec..
Hope this help anyone has problem with video player

1st post on 1st day ...

I agree, Binh, for the need for care about installing codecs. Had the suggestions to make changes to my installation at a low level not come from a Windows TF, Gold member Guru I would have been a lot more circumspect about doing it.