<p>Try the following:</p>

<ul>
<li>use the adobe media encoder preferably, or some other encoder to encode the file as something like prores422 or prores4444.</li>
<li>use a different player, like vlc, djv, etc.</li>
<li>Check if you have all codecs installed, for quicktime and h.264, etc.</li>
<li>Open the file on a different machine. If it still won't work, it's probably the file that's the root of the problem.</li>
</ul>

<p>How big is the video-file? If it's around 3mb or something, that might indicate that there is no visual information in the file in the first place. If the file is moderately big, the problem might be with the player and/or the codecs on your machine.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-07T14:41:00.847Z
Thanks for the reply! It's moderately big, and I can play it back on the mobile device, but on the Mac it shows a black screen, even if I play it with VLC. It's not just one file, it's any file that I record from the Samsung device if they are over 30 fps. Any idea where to get more codecs? The encoder is a good idea. I'll see if I can find a good one... I wonder if Apple Compressor might work? I hope I don't buy it just for this purpose and then find out it won't work for this.
Uniphonic
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-07T16:11:49.710Z
Looks like an open source app called Handbrake is able to convert the file. Thanks for pointing me towards encoders! It still would be nice to be able to play and edit it without converting though, since I've got a lot of files like this.
Uniphonic
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-08T07:06:14.780Z
Handbrake would've been one of my recommendations aswell (brilliant program in my opinion). It looks like your Mac only wants to play the converted file because the original is encoded in a codec that your Mac doesn't know. Try finding a pack of all quicktime and MP4/h.254 codecs and install them, then try again
Florian Claaßen
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-07T09:55:04.040Z
2019-03-07T09:55:04.040Z
Florian Claaßen
<p>I'm trying to edit some video clips recorded on a Samsung Gallaxy Note 9, at a high FPS (60, or 120), and the mp4 files won't play on my Mac. More specifically, they play the audio, but the video just shows a black screen.</p>

<p>Videos recorded at 30 fps look fine, but anything at a higher FPS shows with a black screen, either when I play it with Quicktime, or if I try to import it into a video editing app like Final Cut Pro or iMovie.</p>

<p>Anyone have any idea if a certain video codec is required to get it to play on a Mac?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<file-formats><formats>
Samsung Note 9 high FPS videos won't play on Mac? (black screen)
Uniphonic
# Samsung Note 9 high FPS videos won't play on Mac? (black screen)

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-03-07)

I'm trying to edit some video clips recorded on a Samsung Gallaxy Note 9, at a high FPS (60, or 120), and the mp4 files won't play on my Mac. More specifically, they play the audio, but the video just shows a black screen.

Videos recorded at 30 fps look fine, but anything at a higher FPS shows with a black screen, either when I play it with Quicktime, or if I try to import it into a video editing app like Final Cut Pro or iMovie.

Anyone have any idea if a certain video codec is required to get it to play on a Mac?

Thanks!

**Tags:** file-formats, formats


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-03-07. Score: 1

Try the following:

* use the adobe media encoder preferably, or some other encoder to encode the file as something like prores422 or prores4444.
* use a different player, like vlc, djv, etc.
* Check if you have all codecs installed, for quicktime and h.264, etc.
* Open the file on a different machine. If it still won't work, it's probably the file that's the root of the problem.

How big is the video-file? If it's around 3mb or something, that might indicate that there is no visual information in the file in the first place. If the file is moderately big, the problem might be with the player and/or the codecs on your machine.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks for the reply! It's moderately big, and I can play it back on the mobile device, but on the Mac it shows a black screen, even if I play it with VLC. It's not just one file, it's any file that I record from the Samsung device if they are over 30 fps. Any idea where to get more codecs? The encoder is a good idea. I'll see if I can find a good one... I wonder if Apple Compressor might work? I hope I don't buy it just for this purpose and then find out it won't work for this.  
> **username_0**: Looks like an open source app called Handbrake is able to convert the file. Thanks for pointing me towards encoders! It still would be nice to be able to play and edit it without converting though, since I've got a lot of files like this.  
> **username_1**: Handbrake would've been one of my recommendations aswell (brilliant program in my opinion). It looks like your Mac only wants to play the converted file because the original is encoded in a codec that your Mac doesn't know. Try finding a pack of all quicktime and MP4/h.254 codecs and install them, then try again  

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