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Cannot play embedded MP4 videos on Android

B

BingoBazza

Lurker
Hi All

Im new to the forum. I have been searching for a solution to this issue for some time. I run a small forum for a bunch of eccentric motorhomers. Its mainly jokes and other fun stuff and often people post MP4 funny clips but more and more members are using mobile devices to view the forum and they hardly ever play. Here is an example. https://img-9gag-fun.9cache.com/photo/aKd81Xb_460svav1.mp4

That plays fine on my windows 10 PC but what you often find on an Android phone is you get like a broken square where you would tap play and it doesnt work. Sometimes there is a message saying your browser does not support embedded videos, sometimes it will play sound but no video.

I have tried various settings, clearing chaches etc and several browsers such as Chrome, Opera, Dolphin and nothing works.

There is very little on the internet but was hoping someone might be able to help on here.
 
BingoBazza said:
Hi All

Im new to the forum. I have been searching for a solution to this issue for some time. I run a small forum for a bunch of eccentric motorhomers. Its mainly jokes and other fun stuff and often people post MP4 funny clips but more and more members are using mobile devices to view the forum and they hardly ever play. Here is an example. https://img-9gag-fun.9cache.com/photo/aKd81Xb_460svav1.mp4

That plays fine on my windows 10 PC but what you often find on an Android phone is you get like a broken square where you would tap play and it doesnt work. Sometimes there is a message saying your browser does not support embedded videos, sometimes it will play sound but no video.

I have tried various settings, clearing chaches etc and several browsers such as Chrome, Opera, Dolphin and nothing works.

There is very little on the internet but was hoping someone might be able to help on here.
Click to expand...
i just played it on my chrome browser on my note 10+ with no issues. it might be how you forum is setup. i have no idea on what software is what when it comes to running an online forum.
 
Thanks. In that case can I ask that you try and play it from within my forum please? Its a Pro Boards forum. They provide free and paid for forums for thousands of groups all over the world. I asked them for support and they reckon its not their forum as its just calling the video from somewhere external but I am not convinced. Anyway if you could view this and let me know if it works. Its the same video just within the forum. http://motorhomefruitcakes.freeforums.net/thread/44272/matrix-broken Many thanks
 
Just checked both of those on my phone which Is an S3 running Android 5 think in Google Chrome and I get the sound but no picture and its the same with the external link and within the forum. Its odd. Sometimes people say they get sound with no picture and sometimes just the broken square and nothing.
 
BingoBazza said:
Just checked both of those on my phone which Is an S3 running Android 5 think in Google Chrome and I get the sound but no picture and its the same with the external link and within the forum. Its odd. Sometimes people say they get sound with no picture and sometimes just the broken square and nothing.
Click to expand...

I viewed it using using a Huawei, which is on Android 10. So I guess it could be the videos are using a codec that older Android versions and browsers can't play?
 
mikedt said:
I viewed it using using a Huawei, which is on Android 10. So I guess it could be the videos are using a codec that older Android versions and browsers can't play?
Click to expand...

That makes sense. The members could well be using older technology as I am although I'm sure one guy has an up to date Samsung and still has trouble. Would be interesting if someone on here using an older android version could give both links a go and confirm. I think my s3 is v5 lollipop? I'm not sure it can be upgraded beyond that though. Is it not down to just the browser though? I've tried them all though so clearly not.
 
Yeh, the video plays no problem on my Huawei Mate 10 with Android 10. I don't currently have any other devices available to try at the moment

Screenshot_20200107_223119_com.android.browser.jpg
 
Thanks once again. They all need to get new phones then! including me. :rolleyes:

I generally use laptop but more and more are using mobile devices but clearly they are no up to date. If anyone does have an older phone or OS then it would be good to hear from you. Useful forum, glad I joined.
 
Thanks for that Moodyblues. So the two MP4 files dont work for you but the youtube version does. That seems to replicate what many are experiencing on the forum. Can you tell me what phone, OS and browser you are using please?

Some are reporting that more clips are working now than before. Its odd.
 
BingoBazza said:
Thanks for that Moodyblues.
Click to expand...
You're welcome. :)
So the two MP4 files dont work for you but the youtube version does. That seems to replicate what many are experiencing on the forum. Can you tell me what phone, OS and browser you are using please?
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Moto Z² Force Edition, 8.0.0, Chrome (up-to-date).

ETA: Same results with Adblock Browser Beta, DuckDuckGo, and Firefox.
 
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MoodyBlues said:
You're welcome. :)

Moto Z² Force Edition, 8.0.0, Chrome (up-to-date).

ETA: Same results with Adblock Browser Beta, DuckDuckGo, and Firefox.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Turns out the member that has the most trouble reckons he has an up to date new Samsung so the mind boggles whats going on.
 
I am running a low end ZTE 558VL with Android 7.1.1

I get two blank screens with audio for the first video on both sources.

I get a broken square (no audio) for the second, and the Youtube works fine.

I tried using multiple browsers (nothing Google) and players.

I even downloaded it to run it through my gallery player and the results were the same.

It seems that the forum should be more mobile friendly.

The player that I use for things like this is known to play and stream almost every kind of format, and this is one of the very few fails I have seen from it.

X-Player, from InShot.

A simple fix would be to just upload the files to any cloud storage and post the links to them on the forum.

Then anyone should be able to view them regardless of the device they are using.

It just seems wrong (to me) to make others purchase different devices just to comply with a single forum.

If this forum was that way, I never would have found it.
 
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