VLC Media Player and ATSC 3 video problem

[decaym]

It looks like VLC Media Player is having an issue with ATSC 3 video from a HDHomeRun FLEX 4K. I know there are issues with audio, but I wanted to try it out to see if video came through. Viewing a stream for an ATSC 1 signal works fine. However, if I switch to an ATSC 3 video stream, I see two images in the top left and top right quadrants. Neither is correctly colored or complete. Bottom half of image is black. This is happening with version 3.0.18.

ATSC 3 has so far to go before it is usable. At this rate, I wouldn't be surprised if we see some delays in the sunsetting of ATSC 1 broadcasts.

Details, if it matters:

Code: Select all

Virtual Channel	107.1 WJLA
Frequency	587.000 MHz
Program Number	2
Modulation Lock	atsc3
Signal Strength	100%
Signal Quality	100%
Symbol Quality	100%
Streaming Rate	5.285 Mbps
Resource Lock	[2600:4040:2021:xxxx:xxxx:9c6:b643:bbd5]

[nickk]

The symptom you are describing suggests a problem with VLC rather than a problem with ATSC3.

Does the channel play ok using the HDHomeRun app?

Nick

[decaym]

The symptom you are describing suggests a problem with VLC rather than a problem with ATSC3.

Does the channel play ok using the HDHomeRun app?

Nick

Yes, it plays fine with HDHomeRun app. As this is the 3rd party software forum, I was just pointing out that VLC is not quite up to the challenge right now. Granted, I should have said that the channel works fine in the first party app.

[wtg]

Interesting. I don't have trouble with VLC playing back the HVEC video on the ATSC3 channels, but of course the AC4 audio isn't supported yet.

[decaym]

Interesting. I don't have trouble with VLC playing back the HVEC video on the ATSC3 channels, but of course the AC4 audio isn't supported yet.

I'm running on Windows 11 and I have the Microsoft HEVC extension installed (after spending all of $0.99).

I brought up the HDHomeRun Config GUI to try and get some more details. One thing I did notice is that I'm streaming over IPv6. Of course, that shouldn't matter, but it is one more data point.

I tried bringing up the same channel in both the HDHomeRun app and in VLC, at the same time. HDHR looks fine. Also compared in the config gui with both apps streaming. Both are using the same PLP (0/qam64 for WJLA and 1/qam256 for WRC). So, it isn't an issue with VLC picking the wrong signal.

My guess is that it is just an issue with VLC, possibly in how it uses the Microsoft HEVC extension.

Are there any other Windows apps that can consume a stream from an HDHR that would be good as an additional test?

[green97]

FWIW, no problem here playing back the 3.0 video from DC's WHUT transmitter with VLC 3.0.18 on Win11. I've never installed the HVEC video extensions from the MS Store.

[kyl416]

VLC doesn't use the HEVC extensions, they use FFmpeg's codecs.