Some media on Twitter do not work
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A Former User last edited by
@piwygin I've also checked on Windows 7 VM and it plays fine. The problem seems only related to how browsers output video content under Windows 8.1. Which is rather strange because it's only true for some browsers and my experience says Windows 8.1 is equal to Windows 7 in enough number of departments that should guarantee the same level of features support when it comes to basic software like web browsers.
Portable versions are totally fine, I only use them to isolate from anything that could be installed in local profile for the browser and could potentially change its behavior, e.g. plugins or extensions.
@leocg thanks for your replies.
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A Former User last edited by
https://bugs.chromium.org/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=951705
Opera problem. Not related to Chromium.
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burnout426 Volunteer last edited by burnout426
@liandri said in Some videos on Twitter do not work:
This is a direct link to video:
https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/1115643600719818757/pu/vid/640x352/BEEPEYSFlB9xNTDZ.mp4Opera uses the Windows Media Foundation (as opposed to ffmpeg like Chrome) to play h.264 videos like this. For it to work in Opera, it needs to work in Windows Media Player first and be supported by WMF (a DirectShow plug-in on Windows won't do it). Then it should work.
If you have an "N" version of Windows 8, you might need https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/2929699/media-feature-pack-for-windows-8-1-n-and-windows-8-1-kn-editions-april.
However, I don't know Opera's status of support for Windows 8.1 and WMF. Maybe it only works for Win7 and Win10.
Test to see if the video works in Windows Media Player first.
You could also test in Vivaldi for another comparison. You just can't compare with Chrome or Chromium built with "all codecs".
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A Former User last edited by A Former User
@burnout426 My version of Windows 8.1 is not N. It's Corporate.
If I try to install Media Feature Pack you linked, I get error "This update is not applicable to your computer".
The video file plays fine in Windows Media Player. However I have LAVFilters installed. It doesn't play without that.
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burnout426 Volunteer last edited by burnout426
@liandri said in Some videos on Twitter do not work:
The video file plays fine in Windows Media Player. However I have LAVFilters installed. It doesn't play without that
Some Opera users of Windows 10 Enterprise have problems like this where h.264 is not supported by default and there's no media pack for it. You could be experiencing the same issue with Win8. Maybe there's a package in "Programs and Features" under Windows setup that's not installed by default. Or, you might have to search for a way to add a Windows Media Foundation h.264 transform to your Windows 8 Enterprise. Next chance I get, I'll test in Opera with regular Windows 8.1 to see how things works for me.
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A Former User last edited by
@burnout426 From what I see, there is no option for that in "Programs and Features". There is only an option for Windows Media Player itself, I guess it includes all the relevant codecs but it was already installed from the start.
Is there a serious enough reason for Opera to not use the same codecs Chrome uses?
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burnout426 Volunteer last edited by
@liandri said in Some videos on Twitter do not work:
Is there a serious enough reason for Opera to not use the same codecs Chrome uses?
Yes. Licensing issues prevent Opera from using ffmpeg for proprietary codecs.
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A Former User last edited by
@burnout426 said in Some videos on Twitter do not work:
Yes. Licensing issues prevent Opera from using ffmpeg for proprietary codecs.
Then is it okay for resources like Twitter to use such codecs with problematic licensing to encode their content at all?
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burnout426 Volunteer last edited by
@liandri said in Some videos on Twitter do not work:
Example: https://twitter.com/AmosDonalo/status/1115643641568157700
I've verified this on latest Opera 60 Portable.
I'm on Windows 8.1 x64.I had a chance to test that video on Win 8.1 x64 with 64-bit Opera 60.
Everything is fine on https://www.youtube.com/html5, but it doesn't play in Opera. The errors in
opera://media-internalson the Twitter page all say that there are no supported streams in the file.I downloaded the mp4 file and tried to play it in Windows Media Player, but it couldn't play it either (at first). However, after trying to play it multiple times, WMP said it was downloading a codec and updating itself. Then the video started playing in WMP just fine. However, that didn't make any difference for Opera (even after a restart).
My guess is that Windows 8.1 has no Windows Media Foundation h.264 and aac transforms that Opera can use to play the Twitter video. Therefore, I'm guessing you're SOL unless you update to Windows 10 (or maybe downgrade to 7).
Just for good measure, I tried playing the mp4 file locally in a tab in Opera, but it made no difference.
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A Former User last edited by
@burnout426 Thanks for testing.
Not going to downgrade or upgrade for now. It's Opera problem, and devs chose to ignore it. If it starts to annoy me enough I'll just switch to a different browser.
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burnout426 Volunteer last edited by
@liandri said in Some videos on Twitter do not work:
It's Opera problem
Yes.
devs chose to ignore it
In this case, it's a licensing issue. Opera can't use ffmpeg for proprietary codecs like h.264 and aac like Chrome does without facing legal issues. As a workaround, Opera attempts to use the system's media playback facilities. But, this is limited and requires that Windows supports things properly. With a lot of work, Opera could probably make use of DirectShow filters or something instead though for cases like this. But...
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A Former User last edited by
@burnout426 Is it really an issue that can't be solved by the devs? How come Slimjet solved it but Opera can't? Vivaldi also seems to have it.
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burnout426 Volunteer last edited by burnout426
@liandri said in Some videos on Twitter do not work:
@burnout426 Is it really an issue that can't be solved by the devs? How come Slimjet solved it but Opera can't? Vivaldi also seems to have it.
It's possible to solve it at least. If it works for you in Vivaldi on 8.1, that's a good example and good comparison with Opera as Vivaldi uses Windows for playback for some things like Opera. Asking Vivaldi what exactly they do and how much extra trouble it was/is, might be revealing. Just saying that it's not evil devs being pains.
Slimjet isn't a good example/comparison though as they're taking a chance and using ffmpeg like Chrome.
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A Former User last edited by
@burnout426 I don't mean devs are evil or anything like that. Only that it's their job to figure out what's the issue is about, ask developers of other browsers etc. I have modern updated OS, I reported an issue with Opera and as a user I should not spend my time talking to Chromium and Vivaldi developers.
One way to address the issue is to add a note to Opera system requirements page stating that video playback is limited on Windows 8.1. Admitting the issue is fine if they can't bother to solve it.
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andrew84 last edited by andrew84
@liandri Seems to be working here with the latest Opera 61 Dev build. I'm also on Win8.1x64. In Beta and in Stable it doesn't work.
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Daigo last edited by
I have installed Opera for a couple of weeks and I can not figure out what the problem is. 90% of twitter videos does not play and displays the message: "Could not play media".
Follow screenshot: http://prnt.sc/nc1zh1
Opera just upgraded to version 60.0.3255.27
Follows details: whatsmybrowser.org/b/KE5X5XQ
I tested on Mozilla and Chrome the videos run normally. Is there a solution? -
burnout426 Volunteer last edited by burnout426
@andrew84 said in Some videos on Twitter do not work:
@liandri Seems to be working here with the latest Opera 61 Dev build. I'm also on Win8.1x64. In Beta and in Stable it doesn't work.
That's great! I can check 8.1 with Opera Developer myself too when I get a chance. Wasn't aware of any changes that would affect this.
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burnout426 Volunteer last edited by
@Daigo Goto https://get.geo.opera.com/pub/opera-developer/61.0.3290.0/win/, download the Opera installer, launch it, click "options", set "install path" to a folder on your desktop, set "install for" to "standalone installation", uncheck "import data from default browser", adjust any other settings you want and install. Test in that Opera. If it works there, the fixes will make it into stable Opera eventually. @liandri, please try the same thing.
