This article is about fixing Video player had error com.google.android.exoplayer2.ExoPlaybackException: MediaCodecVideoRenderer error in Google ExoPlayer
  • 20-Feb-2023
Lightrun Team
Author Lightrun Team
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This article is about fixing Video player had error com.google.android.exoplayer2.ExoPlaybackException: MediaCodecVideoRenderer error in Google ExoPlayer

Video player had error com.google.android.exoplayer2.ExoPlaybackException: MediaCodecVideoRenderer error in Google ExoPlayer

Lightrun Team
Lightrun Team
20-Feb-2023

Explanation of the problem

When accessing a video displayed in a Flutter application using Chewie (https://pub.dev/packages/chewie) for rendering, an error message appears at random intervals. The error message indicates that the video player has encountered an ExoPlaybackException with a MediaCodecVideoRenderer error. The error occurs with an mp4 file, which works most of the time, and is not easily reproducible. The error message appears on a Samsung SM-J105H device running Android version 5.1.1.

Information on Software Versions: The user downloaded Chewie and video_player recently, and thus should have the latest version. The user does not know the ExoPlayer version number. It is unclear if the version number is available in the bug report. The expected behavior is no error message and a working video.

Bug Report Information: The bug report shows log messages that may or may not be relevant to the problem. The log messages show the system process, input method framework, and keypad, but it is unclear how they relate to the problem. The last message in the log shows the error message and its details, which include information on the error index, format, and format supported.

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Problem solution for Video player had error com.google.android.exoplayer2.ExoPlaybackException: MediaCodecVideoRenderer error in Google ExoPlayer

To solve the problem of “Video player had error com.google.android.exoplayer2.ExoPlaybackException: MediaCodecVideoRenderer error” in Google ExoPlayer, you can try the following solutions:

  1. Update ExoPlayer: Check if there is a newer version of ExoPlayer available and update the dependency in the project. This error may be caused by a bug in the ExoPlayer version used.
  2. Use a different codec: Try using a different video codec for the video file, such as H.264. This error may be caused by the video codec used not being supported by the device or the ExoPlayer version used.
  3. Use software decoding: Try enabling software decoding in the ExoPlayer configuration to see if the error is caused by the hardware decoder. To enable software decoding, set the “prefer_extension_decoders” flag to false in the ExoPlayer configuration.
  4. Disable MediaCodecVideoRenderer: If none of the above solutions work, you can try disabling the MediaCodecVideoRenderer by setting the “disableRenderer” flag to true for the video renderer. This will force ExoPlayer to use a different renderer for the video, which may work better on the device.

It is important to note that the solution may depend on the specific use case and device, and may require further investigation and experimentation.

Other popular problems with Google ExoPlayer

Problem: Audio/Video sync issues

One of the most common issues faced by developers while using Google ExoPlayer is the audio/video sync problem. When playing a video, the audio and video tracks may become out of sync, resulting in a frustrating viewing experience.

Solution:

There can be several reasons why the audio and video tracks are out of sync, such as the media file’s metadata, network issues, or incorrect playback settings. To solve this problem, developers should ensure that they have set the correct playback settings and also verify the media file’s metadata. They can also try to reduce the buffering time to fix the sync issue.

Problem: Playback stutters or freezes

Problem description: Another common issue that developers face while using ExoPlayer is playback stutters or freezes. The video may pause or stutter unexpectedly during playback, ruining the viewing experience.

Solution:

To solve this issue, developers should ensure that they have optimized the ExoPlayer settings, such as the buffer size, and the video quality. They should also ensure that the device has enough memory and processing power to play the video. Additionally, reducing the bitrate of the video can also help to fix playback stutters.

Problem:  Error messages related to unsupported video codec

Problem description: Sometimes, when playing a video, ExoPlayer may show an error message related to unsupported video codec. This error occurs when the video codec used in the media file is not supported by the device or ExoPlayer.

Solution:

To solve this problem, developers can try to use a different video codec for the media file, such as H.264 or VP9. They should also ensure that the device has the required codec installed to play the video. Additionally, they can try to enable software decoding in the ExoPlayer configuration to see if the error is caused by the hardware decoder. To enable software decoding, set the “prefer_extension_decoders” flag to false in the ExoPlayer configuration.

A brief introduction to Google ExoPlayer

Google ExoPlayer is an open source media player for Android devices. It is designed to handle playback of various media formats and streaming protocols with the help of low-level media APIs in Android such as MediaCodec, MediaExtractor, and AudioTrack. ExoPlayer is highly customizable and supports advanced features such as adaptive streaming, DRM, and multiple audio and subtitle tracks. It has a modular architecture and provides a set of components that can be combined to create a custom media player tailored to specific needs.

One of the major advantages of ExoPlayer is its ability to handle different media formats and protocols with ease. It supports a wide range of media formats including MP4, WebM, Matroska, MPEG-TS, and AAC. It also supports various streaming protocols such as DASH, HLS, and SmoothStreaming. ExoPlayer provides a simple API that allows developers to quickly integrate media playback into their Android applications. It is optimized for efficient media playback and uses hardware acceleration for decoding and rendering media content. ExoPlayer also provides advanced features such as seamless switching between different bitrates in adaptive streaming and support for various DRM schemes such as Widevine, PlayReady, and FairPlay.

Most popular use cases for Google ExoPlayer

  1. Streaming media playback: Google ExoPlayer can be used to stream various types of media content such as video, audio, and even images. It supports various streaming formats including MPEG-DASH, HLS, and SmoothStreaming. ExoPlayer provides a modular architecture that allows developers to add custom components, apply transformations, and adapt to different streaming protocols. Here’s an example of how to create a simple media player using ExoPlayer:
SimpleExoPlayer player = ExoPlayerFactory.newSimpleInstance(context);
MediaSource mediaSource = new ExtractorMediaSource.Factory(dataSourceFactory)
                .createMediaSource(Uri.parse("http://example.com/video.mp4"));
player.prepare(mediaSource);
player.setPlayWhenReady(true);
  1. Adaptive bitrate streaming: ExoPlayer has built-in support for adaptive bitrate streaming, which allows the player to automatically adjust the quality of the video or audio stream based on the user’s network conditions. This is achieved using various algorithms such as the Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (DASH) protocol or the HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) protocol. This feature ensures smooth playback even in low-bandwidth situations. Here’s an example of how to enable adaptive streaming using ExoPlayer:
DefaultTrackSelector trackSelector = new DefaultTrackSelector();
DefaultBandwidthMeter bandwidthMeter = new DefaultBandwidthMeter();
TrackSelection.Factory adaptiveTrackSelectionFactory = new AdaptiveTrackSelection.Factory(bandwidthMeter);
trackSelector.setParameters(
        trackSelector.buildUponParameters()
                .setSelectionOverride(0, 0)
                .setRendererDisabled(1, true)
                .setRendererDisabled(2, true)
                .setRendererDisabled(3, true)
                .setSelectionOverride(0, trackGroup, adaptiveTrackSelectionFactory.createTrackSelection(trackGroup, bandwidthMeter))
);
  1. Custom media playback: ExoPlayer provides a flexible API that allows developers to customize the playback experience for their media content. This includes features such as custom user interfaces, DRM support, and advanced playback controls. ExoPlayer also supports extensions, which can be used to add new functionality or codecs to the player. Here’s an example of how to create a custom media source using ExoPlayer:
MediaSource videoSource = new HlsMediaSource.Factory(dataSourceFactory)
        .createMediaSource(Uri.parse("http://example.com/video.m3u8"), mainHandler, eventLogger);
MediaSource audioSource = new ExtractorMediaSource.Factory(dataSourceFactory)
        .createMediaSource(Uri.parse("http://example.com/audio.mp3"));
MergingMediaSource mergedSource = new MergingMediaSource(videoSource, audioSource);
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