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"Error loading media: File could not be played" error in JW Player 6 while playing mp4 with Firefox

Hi,

There's an old thread on a similar issue. Ethan locked that thread with the remark "You guys should make sure that your have the MP4 MIME TYPE enabled. Ask you host to do it for you."

It is surely a good tip that might resolve most issues of that kind. Anyway, my hoster set up .htaccess for me, so the video plays fine in FF, where if failed before. BUT the error message still comes up. Only that now I can click on that message and the video will play. What now?

Link:
http://www.steinmann-international.com/joy-in-difference/articles/diversity-and-inclusion-383.html
Problem with FF, not Chrome. On IE9, there's no error message, but the video doesn't play at all.

Thanks for hints on how to fix it ...

Regards, Ralf.

40 Community Answers

Up Down

JW Player

User  
-2 rated :

Your jwplayer() setup routine is loaded with attributes that are not valid in JW Player 6. Go back to the embedding instructions, and don't use anything you don't see there.

http://www.longtailvideo.com/support/jw-player/28839/embedding-the-player

Up Down

Ethan Feldman

JW Player Support Agent  
-1 rated :

We also have a migration from 5 to 6 doc here – http://www.longtailvideo.com/support/jw-player/28834/migrating-from-jw5-to-jw6

Up Down

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

Thanks for your quick replys. It's actually a CMS module that I cannot change. I contacted the author.
Meanwhile I tried to follow the instructions to embed a video manually. This is my code:

<div id="myElement">Loading the player ...</div>
<script type="text/javascript">
jwplayer("myElement").setup({
file: "/tl_files/videos/Mondelez short.mp4"",
height: 360,
image: "/tl_files/videos/Mondelez.jpg",
width: 640
});
</script>

The Text "Loading the player ..." appears, otherwise nothing happens. jwplayer.js is loaded, and there is no related error message in the console.

Up Down

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

Your code snippet looks OK, assuming the MP4 and JPG can be found using those URL's, but the page itself has to load the JW Player script, in the <head> section. For example:

bc.. <!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>JW6</title>
<script type="text/javascript" src="jwplayer.js"></script>
</head>
<body>
<p>Here's the other stuff on your page, with a video shown below it.</p>
<div id="myElement">Loading the player...</div>
<script type="text/javascript">
jwplayer("myElement").setup({
file: "wildlife.mp4",
image: "wildlife.jpg",
width: 640,
height: 360
});
</script>
</body>
</html>


And jwplayer.flash.swf and jwplayer.html5.js have to be in the same directory as jwplayer.js, even though they're not being explicitly called on the page (jwplayer.js calls them, and expects to find them in the same place as itself).

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Ethan Feldman

JW Player Support Agent  
0 rated :

Do you have a link to where the code snippet is running?

Up Down

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

I found this : http://forums.asp.net/t/1470612.aspx/1
my solution for the old iis...where the in-site is hosted.

Up Down

Ethan Feldman

JW Player Support Agent  
0 rated :

Thanks for sharing this.

Up Down

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

http://www.steinmann-international.com/joy-in-difference/articles/diversity-and-inclusion-383.html

jwplayer.flash.swf and jwplayer.html5.js are in the same directory as jwplayer.js

I now also tried to add the URL to file and image, to have complete paths, no difference.

Up Down

Ethan Feldman

JW Player Support Agent  
0 rated :

You have:

file: “/tl_files/videos/Mondelez short.mp4”",

But it should be:

file: “/tl_files/videos/Mondelez short.mp4”,

Up Down

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

Right, that was wrong. Now I'm back at step 1:
"... Problem with FF, not Chrome. On IE9, there's no error message, but the video doesn't play at all. ..."

Up Down

JW Player

User  
1 rated :

@Carlos: Thanks. The server is "standard" shared Linux hosting.

Up Down

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

Just a hunch, but try encoding the space in the file name:

bc.. file: "/tl_files/videos/Mondelez%20short.mp4",

Up Down

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

Too simple, it seems, to make a difference. I tried, of course. No difference ...

Up Down

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

The other mystery is why the video is trying to autoplay. The setup block isn't telling it to, and it defaults to false. Puzzling.....

Up Down

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

My desperation led me to set up a test site that contains nothing but a simple php file with embedding code (plus htaccess to add media types). Small improvement: No error message in FF. Still not running in IE9.

http://web241.login-11.loginserver.ch/JWPlayerTest/jwtest.php

<!doctype html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<title>JWPlayer Test</title>
<script type="text/javascript" src="jwplayer.js"></script>
</head>
<body>
<p>JWPlayer Test</p>
<p> </p>
<div id="myElement">Loading the player ...</div>
<script type="text/javascript">
jwplayer("myElement").setup({
file: "Mondelez%20short.mp4",
height: 289,
image: "Mondelez.jpg",
width: 514
});
</script>
</body>
</html>

Up Down

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

The IE9 console says this:

PROTOKOLL: Error playing media: [object MediaError]

?

Up Down

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

That one works for me in all browsers, including IE10 and IE9. No errors in the console.

Up Down

Ethan Feldman

JW Player Support Agent  
0 rated :

This plays correctly for me now.

Up Down

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

I tried again, restarted the PC, cleared all data in IE, still the same. The static image comes up, with player button. When I click the button, the image turns black, I see the normal player controls, but the video doesn't play. Stays black, and video does not advance. Watching more carefully, I can see the box with the error message pop up very briefly before the player area turns black ("Error loading media: File could not be played")

More details:
Win 7
IE9.0.8112.16421 64bit
Adobe Flash Player 11.8.800.94

Up Down

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

Any extensions installed in IE? Maybe reset IE to its default settings? (Tools, Internet Options, Advanced, Restore Advanced Settings, or maybe even the complete Reset option.)

Up Down

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

or clear the cache

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JW Player

User  
0 rated :

He told us he cleared the cache already.

Up Down

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

Ralf, does my ultra-simple JW6 example play in IE9 for you?

http://earlyout.org/JW6embed

If not, you have a messed-up IE9 or PC.

Up Down

Ethan Feldman

JW Player Support Agent  
0 rated :

It is still playing for me. I would have others check.

Up Down

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

@EarlyOut: None installed consciously, I never use IE other than for testing sites.
Anyway, there are a few, I attach a screenshot. Oh, sorry, I cannot ... but there's nothing suspiscious there. Just stuff related to my FritzBox. And Java.

@Willie Meier: Thanks. That's usually the first thing I do. I did it again, no difference.

@EarlyOut: Your mp4 example is a bit loud, I needed to turn my speakers down, but plays fine (and sounds good, too) on FF and IE9.


Are there perhaps recommended settings when converting to mp4? I already received it as mp4, but could reencode.

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Ethan Feldman

JW Player Support Agent  
0 rated :

I would use HandBrake, default settings.

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JW Player

User  
0 rated :

HandBrake with defaults, with one exception - check the "Web optimized" box.

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JW Player

User  
0 rated :

@Ralf

btw, your link does work in IE11. BUT this is *misleading* since the UA of IE11 is that of Gecko-like.

Which document mode are you using when checking with IE9?
what is the version of the mp4?

I don't even test using IE(Internet Exploder) since I exclude its access to my web site by virtue that IE doesn't support HTML5 and CSS3 animations.

FYI, here is some HTML5 indexes (out of a possible 500)
bc.. IE11 - 350 FF23 - 410 Chrome28 - 463 Opera 15 - 423
IE10 - 320 FF22 - 410 Chrome27 - 463
IE9 - 138 FF21 - 399 Chrome26 - 463
IE8 - 42 FF20 - 394
IE7 - 27



btw, some major European banks prevent access to online banking if IE6 is used by virtue of its security vulnerability.

I primarily develop my web sit, www.starbase-alpha.com , using notepad++ and FF and during development set my cache to 0.

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JW Player

User  
0 rated :

ok, I'll try handbrake then.

Docmode: all standard

Version of mp4: I don't know. How can I find out?
Codec: H264 - MPEG-5 AVC (part 10) (avc1)
Decoded: Planar 4:2:0 YUV

(I'll be away for the next days, so may be slow to respond)

Up Down

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

"I don't even test using IE ... since I exclude its access to my web site..."

For most site developers, arbitrarily excluding 20-30% of all site visitors is not a realistic option.

Blocking IE6 is a different story. Outside of China, its usage is less than 1%. It's much less than that in places like the U.S. and Europe, and some of those "visitors" might just be search bots.

Up Down

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

medinfo is a good tool to use which you can get at

http://mediaarea.net/en/MediaInfo

here is what mediaInfo says

bc.. Complete name : C:UsersWillieDesktopMondelez short.mp4
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media / Version 2
Codec ID : mp42
File size : 146 MiB
Duration : 3mn 56s
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 5 159 Kbps
Encoded date : UTC 2013-06-13 19:47:30
Tagged date : UTC 2013-06-13 19:47:45
TIM : 00:00:00:00
TSC : 50
TSZ : 1

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : Main@L3.2
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 3 frames
Format settings, GOP : M=4, N=50
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 3mn 56s
Bit rate : 4 963 Kbps
Width : 1 280 pixels
Height : 720 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 50.000 fps
Standard : PAL
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.108
Stream size : 140 MiB (96%)
Language : English
Encoded date : UTC 2013-06-13 19:47:30
Tagged date : UTC 2013-06-13 19:47:30

Audio
ID : 2
Format : AAC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec
Format profile : LC
Codec ID : 40
Duration : 3mn 56s
Source duration : 3mn 56s
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 192 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 290 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 5.35 MiB (4%)
Source stream size : 5.35 MiB (4%)
Language : English
Encoded date : UTC 2013-06-13 19:47:30
Tagged date : UTC 2013-06-13 19:47:30
mdhd_Duration : 236992


Up Down

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

bc.. For most site developers, arbitrarily excluding 20-30% of all site visitors is not a realistic option.



who's statistics? Certainly not mine.

My server statistics reveal IE for the last 12 months as being 4.96%.
*The option is very realistic*

The web site is written in HTML5 and CSS3 animation and is a hobby web site(not commercial)

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JW Player

User  
0 rated :

IE at less than 5%? Obviously nonsense, since Windows users have to make a conscious decision to install something else.

You've actively blocked IE users. So you're surprised that they don't visit your site?

Take your pick of stats - _no one_ is showing IE with less than 20%, with most in the mid-20s:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usage_share_of_web_browsers

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JW Player

User  
0 rated :

YGBSM

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JW Player

User  
0 rated :

Don't quit your day job.

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Ethan Feldman

JW Player Support Agent  
0 rated :

I also like using the QuickTime property inspector.

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JW Player

User  
0 rated :

btw, I am retired, a pensioner

@Ethan
Yea I like it too but prefer MediaInfo

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Ethan Feldman

JW Player Support Agent  
0 rated :

I use both.

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JW Player

User  
-1 rated :

It's a year old, but here's an interesting chart that illustrates why blocking IE users is a throat-cutting action, if you're trying to attract traffic to your site:

http://saint-tepes.deviantart.com/art/Most-Used-Web-Browser-World-Map-by-August-2012-329264650

(That pocket of Opera use is intriguing.)

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Ethan Feldman

JW Player Support Agent  
0 rated :

Interesting.

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