Video playback issue on 3.0 firmware (ORx and Lighthouse)

Try again

Ok, thanks. That looks like it’s trying to play in HTML5 video mode (Flash is also supported when browser does not do HTML5 video). Can you go here and take a screenshot of the “Video” section?

I put together a table of what I saw that worked for you. Here it is:

Ken

1 Like

That’s fantastic! Thanks.

By the way, all the recent MP3 files work fine on all platforms with all browsers. Ken

Here’s my result:

What does the video section say?

Is this it?

Ok, that confirms it. Your browser has no H264 support.

So be it. But now, what about the rest of the world using Lighthouses, ORxPis, and Lanterns (when they arrive)? Are they not going to be able to view Outernet MP4 files unless they have the latest Windows 10, Android, etc operating systems? Seems to me we need to use a “lowest common denominator” file transfer to reach the largest audience, and not the Khan Academy MP4 version.

Sounds like a corporate decision to be made as to what to do next. Thank you for getting to the bottom of this problem. Ken

So the main issue here is that you are running the new version of Firefox on an ancient operating system (discontinued 7 years ago). If you ran a version of Firefox that was developed 7 years ago, it is possible that the flash player would be used instead of the native browser video, and the flash player would be able to play the video. With the latest browsers, they claim they support native video, but cannot play it due to he lack of H264 codecs. The Librarian’s player probes if browser supports native video (which it says it does), and tries to play the video without Flash, and fails miserably.

Not sure if codecs can be installed on XP that would allow Firefox to play the video, though. For example, there are codec packs like this. At any rate, downloading and playing offline should be feasible.

Unfortunately, lowest common denominator does not exist. If you force Flash playback, then you have devices that do not have Flash installed, that cannot play the videos. It may be possible to add some code to detect whether the codecs are available and fall back on the Flash in that case. Since the page I linked you to can do it, it must be possible.

As for estimates on when this would be, we’re currently tied up with Lantern development (it’s both something we wanted to do, as well as something we just have to do), so the user interface features will be frozen for a few months. There is an upcoming hotfix release that addresses a few bugs and fixes issues with analytics (I know most people don’t care about it, but there are clients and contracts, and all that), and that will probably be the last hotfix before the next 4.0 release some time in July.

1 Like

All true - - good points. With all my new hi-tech stuff - - yep I do like that old Windows XP operating ststem :wink:

Interestingly enough, my up to date Firefox Version 45.0.2 does not have an H.264 plug-in available. But off course, I do fall back to a two step process of downloading the file with my Firefox download function, and then automatically playing it with my freeware Real Player Version 16.0.2.32 program which works fine.

However . . . I have yet to get any of the non-Arabic Khan Academy MP4 files to play properly on any system. I believe you also confirmed that? Is there a separate issue there? Ken

Indeed, we are investigating potential file corruption.

Just FYI, Chrome has, or claims to have, H.264 support on all operating systems. So on older Windows systems loading Chrome may be an option.

Firefox does not have built in H.264 support unless the codec is on the OS. The reasons are detailed on their website, but it has something to do with software patents.

(As a side note, my LNB appears to have died during a blizzard in March, so I haven’t had Outernet running in over a month. I was pondering getting dual output LNB anyway, so I’ll probably order that this week.)

I thought @kernbarbi said Chrome wouldn’t run on his XP box, but I could be imagining things…

Hello, Barleyguy - - I deleted Chrome when they kept sending me those annoying messages about discontinuing XP support at the beginning of April. But I have reinstalled it and it WORKS :grinning: with the new (non-Arabic Khan Academy) and other MP4 files. Still the English and Spanish Khan Academy files only render with audio and no video.

By the way, regarding your LNB loss - - I am using a Quad Feed Invacom QPH-031 that I bought from Sadoun.com for $59. Yes, it costs more than most LNBs, but it is very sensitive, and allows me to operate 100 meters on a RG-6 cable from my 80 cm offset feed Ku Band dish. Both my ORxPi and Lighthouse work fine. Thanks for your suggestion, Ken

2 Likes

Perhaps I misstated what Chrome was doing. It does in fact work with the new MP4 files after I reloaded it at Barleyguy’s recommendation. I had deleted Chrome in March when I kept getting repeated messages that Chrome would not supply Chrome Updates for Windows XP machines :confused:

But in fact Chrome does work and is a viable Windows XP display option. Here’s a revised spread sheet (with Apple’s Windows Version of Safari which doesn’t work with the new MP4 files added). Ken

Just a short update for Discussion Group Members using the Windows XP operating system with the Google Chrome Browser (which is the only XP Browser that will correctly play Outernet’s new MP4 files).

There is a simple way to disable Google’s annoying message about “Not supporting Chrome Updates on XP machines”. Go to the properties of the Chrome Icon, and modify the Target line in the shortcut tab by adding –disable-infobars. It will look as follows:

“C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe” --disable-infobars

Ken