Question VLC Media Player

[freethought]

Strange that there is no category for software around here. But I am having a problem with the free version of VLC media player for Windows 7, 64-bit. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. I am trying to capture output from my DVR onto my computer. I do this by using an HDMI splitter and a HDMI to USB capture card. Sometimes VLC works and sometimes it doesn't. The other day I was messing with it. I managed to record both video and audio on my computer and save it as an MP4 file using Free Cam 8 screen recorder. I put it on a USB stick and played it successfully through my PS3. But then I tried to record something else. On my computer the video showed. But I got some sort of strange buzzing sound over the audio. Has anybody else run across this problem?

I would have taken this question to videoLAN forum. But apparently they don't allow people to register there anymore. Apparently they have been having a lot of problems with "spammers." If so, maybe the reason for that is because there is no solution to the problem I mentioned. And they got a lot of hate posts because of it.

 

[COLGeek]

Well, you found the right section.

Please provide a complete list of your system hardware, make and model of each component.

Why are you still using Win 7?

 

[dwd999]

Do you have any information on what format the DVR uses when it outputs audio; do you have the ability to set the DVR to decode compressed audio like Dolby or DTS? Perhaps the buzzing sound resulted from the audio being in some multichannel and/or compressed format like Dolby or DTS when it was output and the computer software was unable to decode it. It would also help if you could tell us what settings you used in VLC when it processed the file; are you using VLC to decode and process encoded formats like Dolby or DTS?

 

[freethought]

Well, you found the right section.

Please provide a complete list of your system hardware, make and model of each component.

Why are you still using Win 7?

Why would the splitter I use or the capture card be important. Have you ever heard of any where sometimes they work and sometimes they don't? And the reason why I am still using Windows 7 is the same reason I didn't go with a bit more expensive HDMI splitter and HDMI to USB capture card. Because I am poor. All the laptops I bought I got through Amazon that were refurbished. Though I doubt if the batteries were refurbished. Also, if I had over $200 dollars to spend on some good software, I wouldn't be having any of these problems.

 

[freethought]

Do you have any information on what format the DVR uses when it outputs audio; do you have the ability to set the DVR to decode compressed audio like Dolby or DTS? Perhaps the buzzing sound resulted from the audio being in some multichannel and/or compressed format like Dolby or DTS when it was output and the computer software was unable to decode it. It would also help if you could tell us what settings you used in VLC when it processed the file; are you using VLC to decode and process encoded formats like Dolby or DTS?

As I said, the last time I used it, it worked. In the VLC settings, I went to capture device. In it I set both the video and audio for USB 2. When I went to try and record something different, I didn't change a thing. But I got that strange buzzing sound on the audio. If the settings got changed in any way between when it worked and when it didn't, it wasn't me who changed it.

 

[dwd999]

As I said, the last time I used it, it worked. In the VLC settings, I went to capture device. In it I set both the video and audio for USB 2. When I went to try and record something different, I didn't change a thing. But I got that strange buzzing sound on the audio. If the settings got changed in any way between when it worked and when it didn't, it wasn't me who changed it.

So let's go back to the DVR. The first time it worked what kind of content was the DVR playing; and what type of audio track did that content have which worked; was it standard 2 channel AAC audio? And the second time, what kind of audio track did that content have; was it compressed Dolby or DTS? Can the DVR be set to only record and play back 2 channel uncompressed AAC audio?