File format not supported

danco

Member
A couple of files I copied from my Mac to my Fox T2 recently gave the message "file format not supported" when I tried to play them. One was a .ts file, the other was an .mp4. Both played fine on the Mac.

I never used to have any trouble. I upgraded to Big Sur not so long ago, but I can't see why that should be an issue. I transferred the files using an FTP program (ForkLift). They seemed to copy OK, and the program used to work.
 
Your Mac is capable of playing many more different types of video file format than the Humax can handle, you don't say what generated the files you are trying to play, the Humax HDR Fox T2 will obviously play ts files that it has generated or an mp4 file that it has downloaded from iplayer because they are in a format that it understands but it wont play unfamiliar formats, not all ts and mp4 files are the same
 
In particular: the .ts file has to be actually M2TS format (but with ".ts" extension), and the .mp4 file has to contain appropriate video and audio codecs – eg AVC (H.264) and AAC respectively. If something that used to work now doesn't, without having done anything different, then maybe the Big Sur update has changed something under the bonnet you're not aware of (Apple are good at that, particularly when it comes to ignoring established conventions).

See https://hummy.tv/forum/threads/faq-index-to-existing-informative-threads.400/, Miscellaneous >> Video File Support & Manipulation >> Codec Support
 
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Thanks. I'll try physically moving the file over (copying onto a flash drive) and see if it works. The .ts file I was trying came from an older model of Humax, so I would have expected it to work, but maybe there was a change or I did something when getting it to my Mac. However, it does say its kind is MPEG-2 Transport Stream. The mp4 file was some weeks ago - my memory is that it was an iplayer item downloaded using Get iPlayer Automator, but I could be wrong on that.
 
Thanks. I'll try physically moving the file over (copying onto a flash drive) and see if it works.
I don't see why that should improve anything.

However, it does say its kind is MPEG-2 Transport Stream.
That might be right, or it might not. The HDR-FOX M2TS isn't simply TS containing MPEG2, it also has a different container format. The way to find out is to export an existing recording and analyse that. I presume you know all about encryption.

The mp4 file was some weeks ago - my memory is that it was an iplayer item downloaded using Get iPlayer Automator, but I could be wrong on that.
Do you realise you could have done that directly from the HDR-FOX? The resulting download is specifically selected/massaged for the HDR-FOX: https://hummy.tv/forum/threads/qtube-webif-front-end-for-youtube-dl.8948/
 
I don't see why that should improve anything.
I've just done it, and the file plays. That suggests there's something odd going on with the FTP transfer. I'll experiment a bit more with that.
That might be right, or it might not. The HDR-FOX M2TS isn't simply TS containing MPEG2, it also has a different container format. The way to find out is to export an existing recording and analyse that. I presume you know all about encryption.
"All" about encryption is a far cry for me, I know a bit.
Do you realise you could have done that directly from the HDR-FOX? The resulting download is specifically selected/massaged for the HDR-FOX: https://hummy.tv/forum/threads/qtube-webif-front-end-for-youtube-dl.8948/
Yes, I knew I could do it that way, but find iPlayer Automator easier to use. But I didn't know the direct download was specially designed for the Fox.
 
With transfers from Mac, an issue used to be that the resource fork would be prepended to its file thus making an invalid file of the appropriate type.

FTP could be trying to carry out some sort of file conversion. The transfer mode needs to be set to binary.

The qtube download selects iPlayer (or other site) formats that are playable on the HD/R by restricting the resolution and frame rate, and saves the result to your machine's Video directory.
 
The transfer mode needs to be set to binary.
That's an important point.

But I didn't know the direct download was specially designed for the Fox.
It's not, as such, but it would be easy to download content from iPlayer which turned out not to be compatible, and qtube takes care of that. A suitable video stream has to be downloaded, and a suitable audio stream, and then they have to be merged into a suitable container format.
 
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For the .ts file, maybe try this to covert it to a format that is suitable for the Humax HDR?
I've not tried it myself but it looks promising, from forum member sceedy .
For a little more background reading https://hummy.tv/forum/threads/hdr-fox-t2-to-hdhomerun-my-journey.9765/post-147898
 
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