What even is the point of Bridge - No MP4 thumbnails or previews

[gordon robb]

I haven't used Bridge for years. I used to use it (for photos) the way I now use Lightroom for previwing and organisting images. I remember it would also work farily quickly for videos. Now it seems to not work at all. I have been importing 100s of videos (MP4 and MOV), and there are no thumbnails or previews. These are files I can see thumbnails in Windows explorer, and play thme when I double click on them. 

Is this expected behavour?

[Erik Bloodaxe]

In the Content Panel I see thumbnails for both MP4 and MOV files and playback works fine on my Windows 11 system.

A few things you might check out:

If they are large files, check that you have a suitably large value set in Preferences>Thumbnails>Do Not Process Files Larger Than...

Double clicking on these files plays them in the application set in Preferences>File Type Associations. Check that you have a suitable application selected for these file types - MP4 (.mp4) and QuickTime (.mov).

Also in Preferences>Playback>Video you may wish to check the two provided boxes.

[gordon robb]

I'll have a look at those suggestions today. I know (as I checked) that there is no application set for either MOV or MP4, but double clicking on them just plays on my default media player (which works). 

[Swati Agarwal]

Hi @gordon robb 

Did you get the chance to try Erik's suggestion and if that resolve the issue for you.

In case if the issue still exists, can you share a sample file to help us replicate the issue at our end.
Please share the sample file along with following details to sharewithbr@adobe.com

• Bridge Version
• OS version
• Sample file.

Regards,

Bridge Team

[gordon robb]

I ahve just checked all of Erik's suggestions and no difference. I'll sort out a small file this evening or tomorrow and post it to the above link. Thanks for nudging me  🙂

[gordon robb]

OK, I jjust took a couple of seconds sample, and have emailed it. 

[gordon robb]

I should add that these files show as thumbnails, and can play, in Lightroom. It's just very slow and cumbersome to use for this kind of thing. 

[Erik Bloodaxe]

You originally stated, "...there are no thumbnails..." so I am puzzled!

[gordon robb]

Sorry, what are you puzzled about. There are no thumbnails. That's right, or preview.

[gordon robb]

I wondered if there was any progress on this. I sent the file. Although I didn't give version. Running latest version of Bridge, and latest update of Windows 11

[gordon robb]

Any outcome from file I sent? 

[gordon robb]

I'm still waiting to find out what the outcome of me sending a file was.

[gordon robb]

I'm not sure if I'm doing something wrong, but I seem to have had no reply from the person who asked me to send a sample video. Does this forum work at helping people? Or am I using it wrong somehow?

[Swati Agarwal · Accepted solution]

Hi Gordon,

Thank you for sharing the file. The shared video file is in the HEVC codec, which is not yet supported in Bridge. This is why you are unable to view the preview in Bridge.

We have this feature request in our engineering pipeline.

Regards,

Bridge Team

[gordon robb]

While this does answer my question, I must say it just reiterates the title of my post. 'What even is the point'.. Every one of the 5 different cameras I use, (Sony, Dji Pocket 3, Insta360 Go 3S and X4 and my iPhone) 'can' shoot in the non HEVC mode, but not if you want the highest bit rate. This is a format that has been around for years and other Adobe products have no problem playing with it. What is the point of Bridge, if it doesn't. Thanks for your help identifying the problem. Looks like I have to go find an alternative though.