<p>FFmpeg sometimes encodes things in a way that certain video players can't decode. I would try playing back the file with VLC, VLC has always worked when other video players haven't for me.</p>

<p>Update: I would try converting the video file to a different container, such as mp4, which has worked for you in the past.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-17T19:10:01.680Z
You were right, KC, thanks you. I think the original question must be reworded, then. The question now is more accurate.
Sopalajo de Arrierez
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-17T19:15:26.143Z
I've updated my answer with a recommendation.
KC McLaughlin
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-17T18:59:22.670Z
2015-10-17T19:15:10.963Z
2015-10-17T19:15:10.963Z
KC McLaughlin
<p>This is the command line I use to <strong>cut videos</strong> with <a href="http://ffmpeg.zeranoe.com/" rel="nofollow">FFMPEG</a> (example to cut from minute 1 to minute 6):</p>

<pre><code>ffmpeg -i OriginalVideo.wmv -c copy -s 1:00 -t 5:00 CutVideo.wmv
</code></pre>

<p>It has always worked for me on <strong>any format</strong>, but this is the first time I try it with WMV videos, and things went not as they must.<br>
The resulting file seems to be OK, and the images of each timestamp are there, but <strong>"static"</strong>, this is: the video <strong>does not play</strong> (nor sounds). I can jump to any moment of the video, but the images do not move.<br>
I have tested it with BSPlayer and Media Player Classic.</p>

<p>Why is this happening and how could it be solved?</p>

<p>This is the output for the recoding:</p>

<pre><code>ffmpeg -i OriginalVideo.wmv -ss 16:00 -t 27:45 -c copy "CutVideo.wmv"
ffmpeg version N-76041-g0418541 Copyright (c) 2000-2015 the FFmpeg developers
  built with gcc 5.2.0 (GCC)
  configuration: --enable-gpl --enable-version3 --disable-w32threads --enable-avisy
nth --enable-bzlib --enable-fontconfig --enable-frei0r --enable-gnutls --enable-ico
nv --enable-libass --enable-libbluray --enable-libbs2b --enable-libcaca --enable-li
bdcadec --enable-libfreetype --enable-libgme --enable-libgsm --enable-libilbc --ena
ble-libmodplug --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libopencore-amrnb --enable-libopencore-
amrwb --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libopus --enable-librtmp --enable-libschroeding
er --enable-libsoxr --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libtwolame --enab
le-libvidstab --enable-libvo-aacenc --enable-libvo-amrwbenc --enable-libvorbis --en
able-libvpx --enable-libwavpack --enable-libwebp --enable-libx264 --enable-libx265
--enable-libxavs --enable-libxvid --enable-lzma --enable-decklink --enable-zlib
  libavutil      55.  4.100 / 55.  4.100
  libavcodec     57.  6.100 / 57.  6.100
  libavformat    57.  4.100 / 57.  4.100
  libavdevice    57.  0.100 / 57.  0.100
  libavfilter     6. 11.100 /  6. 11.100
  libswscale      4.  0.100 /  4.  0.100
  libswresample   2.  0.100 /  2.  0.100
  libpostproc    54.  0.100 / 54.  0.100
Guessed Channel Layout for  Input Stream #0.0 : stereo
Input #0, asf, from 'OriginalVideo.wmv':
  Metadata:
    VBR Peak        : 7000000
    DeviceConformanceTemplate: MP@HL
    WM/WMADRCPeakReference: 32767
    WM/WMADRCAverageReference: 5847
    WMFSDKVersion   : 10.00.00.4005
    WMFSDKNeeded    : 0.0.0.0000
    IsVBR           : 1
    Buffer Average  : 122637
  Duration: 00:46:50.20, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 1675 kb/s
    Stream #0:0: Audio: wmav2 (a[1][0][0] / 0x0161), 44100 Hz, 2 channels, fltp, 12
8 kb/s
    Stream #0:1: Video: wmv3 (Main) (WMV3 / 0x33564D57), yuv420p, 1280x720, 1500 kb
/s, SAR 1:1 DAR 16:9, 29.97 fps, 29.97 tbr, 1k tbn, 1k tbc
[asf @ 00000000004f8580] Codec for stream 0 does not use global headers but contain
er format requires global headers
[asf @ 00000000004f8580] Codec for stream 1 does not use global headers but contain
er format requires global headers
Output #0, asf, to 'CutVideo.wmv':
  Metadata:
    VBR Peak        : 7000000
    DeviceConformanceTemplate: MP@HL
    WM/WMADRCPeakReference: 32767
    WM/WMADRCAverageReference: 5847
    WMFSDKVersion   : 10.00.00.4005
    WMFSDKNeeded    : 0.0.0.0000
    IsVBR           : 1
    Buffer Average  : 122637
    WM/EncodingSettings: Lavf57.4.100
    Stream #0:0: Video: wmv3 (WMV3 / 0x33564D57), yuv420p, 1280x720 [SAR 1:1 DAR 16
:9], q=2-31, 1500 kb/s, 29.97 fps, 29.97 tbr, 1k tbn, 1k tbc
    Stream #0:1: Audio: wmav2 (a[1][0][0] / 0x0161), 44100 Hz, stereo, 128 kb/s
Stream mapping:
  Stream #0:1 -&gt; #0:0 (copy)
  Stream #0:0 -&gt; #0:1 (copy)
Press [q] to stop, [?] for help
frame=14102 fps=0.0 q=-1.0 size=   95029kB time=00:07:51.77 bitrate=1650.1kbits/s
frame=35118 fps=35116 q=-1.0 size=  237364kB time=00:19:32.77 bitrate=1658.0kbits/s
frame=49877 fps=35123 q=-1.0 Lsize=  353914kB time=00:27:45.33 bitrate=1740.9kbits/
s
video:317077kB audio:26015kB subtitle:0kB other streams:0kB global headers:0kB muxi
ng overhead: 3.154253%
</code></pre>

<p>Further data (thanks you, KC):</p>

<ul>
<li>The video generated by FFMPEG plays fine on <a href="http://www.videolan.org/vlc/index.html" rel="nofollow">VLC Media Player</a>. So the question is now: how can I generate a video with FFMPEG that plays on any (or most) multimedia players?</li>
</ul>

<ffmpeg>
FFMPEG: Cut WMV video not playing on all the media players
Sopalajo de Arrierez
# FFMPEG: Cut WMV video not playing on all the media players

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-10-17)

This is the command line I use to cut videos with FFMPEG (example to cut from minute 1 to minute 6):
ffmpeg -i OriginalVideo.wmv -c copy -s 1:00 -t 5:00 CutVideo.wmv

It has always worked for me on any format, but this is the first time I try it with WMV videos, and things went not as they must.
The resulting file seems to be OK, and the images of each timestamp are there, but "static", this is: the video does not play (nor sounds). I can jump to any moment of the video, but the images do not move.
I have tested it with BSPlayer and Media Player Classic.
Why is this happening and how could it be solved?
This is the output for the recoding:
ffmpeg -i OriginalVideo.wmv -ss 16:00 -t 27:45 -c copy "CutVideo.wmv"
ffmpeg version N-76041-g0418541 Copyright (c) 2000-2015 the FFmpeg developers
  built with gcc 5.2.0 (GCC)
  configuration: --enable-gpl --enable-version3 --disable-w32threads --enable-avisy
nth --enable-bzlib --enable-fontconfig --enable-frei0r --enable-gnutls --enable-ico
nv --enable-libass --enable-libbluray --enable-libbs2b --enable-libcaca --enable-li
bdcadec --enable-libfreetype --enable-libgme --enable-libgsm --enable-libilbc --ena
ble-libmodplug --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libopencore-amrnb --enable-libopencore-
amrwb --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libopus --enable-librtmp --enable-libschroeding
er --enable-libsoxr --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libtwolame --enab
le-libvidstab --enable-libvo-aacenc --enable-libvo-amrwbenc --enable-libvorbis --en
able-libvpx --enable-libwavpack --enable-libwebp --enable-libx264 --enable-libx265
--enable-libxavs --enable-libxvid --enable-lzma --enable-decklink --enable-zlib
  libavutil      55.  4.100 / 55.  4.100
  libavcodec     57.  6.100 / 57.  6.100
  libavformat    57.  4.100 / 57.  4.100
  libavdevice    57.  0.100 / 57.  0.100
  libavfilter     6. 11.100 /  6. 11.100
  libswscale      4.  0.100 /  4.  0.100
  libswresample   2.  0.100 /  2.  0.100
  libpostproc    54.  0.100 / 54.  0.100
Guessed Channel Layout for  Input Stream #0.0 : stereo
Input #0, asf, from 'OriginalVideo.wmv':
  Metadata:
    VBR Peak        : 7000000
    DeviceConformanceTemplate: MP@HL
    WM/WMADRCPeakReference: 32767
    WM/WMADRCAverageReference: 5847
    WMFSDKVersion   : 10.00.00.4005
    WMFSDKNeeded    : 0.0.0.0000
    IsVBR           : 1
    Buffer Average  : 122637
  Duration: 00:46:50.20, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 1675 kb/s
    Stream #0:0: Audio: wmav2 (a[1][0][0] / 0x0161), 44100 Hz, 2 channels, fltp, 12
8 kb/s
    Stream #0:1: Video: wmv3 (Main) (WMV3 / 0x33564D57), yuv420p, 1280x720, 1500 kb
/s, SAR 1:1 DAR 16:9, 29.97 fps, 29.97 tbr, 1k tbn, 1k tbc
[asf @ 00000000004f8580] Codec for stream 0 does not use global headers but contain
er format requires global headers
[asf @ 00000000004f8580] Codec for stream 1 does not use global headers but contain
er format requires global headers
Output #0, asf, to 'CutVideo.wmv':
  Metadata:
    VBR Peak        : 7000000
    DeviceConformanceTemplate: MP@HL
    WM/WMADRCPeakReference: 32767
    WM/WMADRCAverageReference: 5847
    WMFSDKVersion   : 10.00.00.4005
    WMFSDKNeeded    : 0.0.0.0000
    IsVBR           : 1
    Buffer Average  : 122637
    WM/EncodingSettings: Lavf57.4.100
    Stream #0:0: Video: wmv3 (WMV3 / 0x33564D57), yuv420p, 1280x720 [SAR 1:1 DAR 16
:9], q=2-31, 1500 kb/s, 29.97 fps, 29.97 tbr, 1k tbn, 1k tbc
    Stream #0:1: Audio: wmav2 (a[1][0][0] / 0x0161), 44100 Hz, stereo, 128 kb/s
Stream mapping:
  Stream #0:1 -> #0:0 (copy)
  Stream #0:0 -> #0:1 (copy)
Press [q] to stop, [?] for help
frame=14102 fps=0.0 q=-1.0 size=   95029kB time=00:07:51.77 bitrate=1650.1kbits/s
frame=35118 fps=35116 q=-1.0 size=  237364kB time=00:19:32.77 bitrate=1658.0kbits/s
frame=49877 fps=35123 q=-1.0 Lsize=  353914kB time=00:27:45.33 bitrate=1740.9kbits/
s
video:317077kB audio:26015kB subtitle:0kB other streams:0kB global headers:0kB muxi
ng overhead: 3.154253%

Further data (thanks you, KC):

The video generated by FFMPEG plays fine on VLC Media Player. So the question is now: how can I generate a video with FFMPEG that plays on any (or most) multimedia players?

**Tags:** ffmpeg


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-10-17. Score: 2

FFmpeg sometimes encodes things in a way that certain video players can't decode. I would try playing back the file with VLC, VLC has always worked when other video players haven't for me.

Update: I would try converting the video file to a different container, such as mp4, which has worked for you in the past.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: You were right, KC, thanks you. I think the original question must be reworded, then. The question now is more accurate.  
> **username_1**: I've updated my answer with a recommendation.  

---

