Video files will not preview or import, LrC 13.1, Sonoma 14.2.1

[Pacman0]

Long time Lightroom user here having issues with video files only.  Not sure exactly when this issue started as I haven't imported video files for about a year now.  Running a Mac Mini M2 updated to Sonoma 14.2.1.

For some reason I am unable to import (or preview) video files anymore.  Previews in the importer show the error "Preview unavailable for this file" and if I try to import anyway I get the error "There is a problem with the video file".  I have tried resetting preferences, reinstalling LrC, going back to v.12, disabling/removing all plugins, playing video files in Quicktime before trying to import, copying files off my memory cards to my desktop first, removing VLC player, etc.  Been searching for help online and in this forum for a couple of days but have been unable to find anything to fix my issue.  All video files previously imported in LrC work just fine.  I even copied a file that is already in my catalog from a couple of years ago that currently works fine in LrC to a new location and tried to import it as a new file and it fails too.  So I am stumped here.

Photos import just fine, it is only a problem with video files.  LrC has full disk access but just won't read any video files (I tried mov and mp4 from several cameras).  Even the non classic version of Lightroom will read and play the files just fine as will Premiere and Bridge, it is only an issue with Lightroom Classic.

Appreciate any help/ideas the community can provide on this!

[Pacman0]

Sorry, I think I posted this in bugs instead of discussion by mistake.  Please move if needed!

[John R Ellis]

Try doing a clean uninstall/reinstall of all Creative Cloud apps (not just LR) using the Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool:

https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/cc-cleaner-tool-installation-problems.html

That sometimes fixes issues that involve components shared among several Creative Cloud apps.

[Pacman0]

Thanks John.  Tried that today and after installing just the CC desktop app and then Lightroom Classic, I opened a new catalog and am still unable to import any video files, same errors with previews and import.  Any other thoughts?  Are there logs somewhere that might shed light on what is wrong?

[John R Ellis]

Attach a problem video here and we can see if other LR installations also choke on it. If it's larger than 47 MB, then upload it to Dropbox, Google Drive, or similar and post the sharing link here.

[Pacman0]

I doubt it is a file issue, but a short one that has the issue is attached.

[John R Ellis]

Right, that sample file imports into my LR 13.1 / Mac OS 14.1 without issue. So we can rule out incompatibility between the videos and LR Classic.

Another diagnostic:

1. In Mac System Settings > Uses & Groups, add a new test user and log into that user account.

2. Start LR and create a new test catalog.

3. Import a problem video.

This can rule out issues with hidden corrupted per-user files or with the catalog.

[Pacman0]

Thanks John, appreciate the continued troubleshooting on this.  Video files work just fine on the test user account so what is next?

[John R Ellis]

Another step I should have mentioned earlier, if you haven't already done it: Do Preferences > Performance > Video Cache Settings > Purge Cache (note there are two Purge Cache buttons in that window).

[Pacman0]

Still no change after purging the video cache.  Any idea what on my user profile might be causing this?  If only there was a log that might show more about the error...

[John R Ellis]

I think you've tried all the standard magic incantations to narrow down the issue.

I think the underlying issue is that LR uses an Adobe component called the DynamicLinkMediaServer for displaying and manipulating video. That component is managed by a different team, and organizationally, it's use within LR doesn't receive much priority.  Video has always been LR's stepchild since it was introduced in LR 3.

[Pacman0]

Thanks John.  I appreciate the info, but wish there was something to help solve this...  I'll do some additional testing and troubleshooting here to see if I can figure out why the component doesn't work with my current user profile on my Mac.  If I can't find a solution,  I guess it is time to start looking for a better cataloging software for videos.

[Pacman0]

I found another article with some recommendation to remove several dynamiclinkserver folders.  Here is what was recommended:

1.  Quit LR

From the Finder type: (CMD-SHIFT_G) OR from GO Menu

Enter path: ~/Library/Preferences/Adobe/

Rename the following folders with a .old OR delete the directory

dynamiclinkmediaserver

dynamiclinkmanager

2.  Then delete these directories too:

~/Documents/Adobe/dynamiclinkmediaserver

~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/dynamiclinkmediaserver

3. Then stop the dynamic link processes using "Activity Monitor". Start "Activity Monitor". In search pane, type "dynamic link".

For each of the 3 processes, select the process and click the hexagon-X button in the upper left of the tool bar to kill them.

4. Restart

I did not find any "dynamic link" processes running in Activity monitor.  After doing the rest of the options when I started up LrC, it came up OK but when I would try an import and selected a location (desktop in this case), it would crash as it was loading files into the viewer.  It seems to have recreated the folders in question.

Then I tried opening LrC again and chose a folder with files that I recently exported from Premiere.  It opened and imported those just fine with no errors.  If I try to import the original unedited video files that those exported ones were created from, it had preview and import problems.

[John R Ellis]

Those steps for deleting all traces of Dynamiclinkmediaserver should have also been performed by Creative Cloud Cleaner tool, but I've never verified it.

[John R Ellis]

"why the component doesn't work with my current user profile on my Mac."

I've lost track -- does video work with LR when you log in to a new Mac user account and create a new LR catalog?

[Pacman0]

Yes, video works with a new/different Mac user account/profile.

[John R Ellis]

So there's something poisoned with your current user account that the Creative Cloud cleaner tool didn't fix. Some more magic incantations that might help:

1. Perhaps there's a subfolder in your current account with incorrect permissions:

https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-classic/kb/lightroom-basic-troubleshooting-fix-most-issues.html#Tr...

2. Some users with user accounts upgraded from much older versions of Mac OS over time would get an error message related to the "Movies" subfolder. You're not getting that error message, but perhaps your LR is tripping over similar cause; these steps couldn't hurt:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic-discussions/error-message-on-import/m-p/14291901#M3...

If you can't find any other solution, migrating to a new user account would be painful but would avoid the problem.

[Pacman0]

Thanks John.  Neither of these helped either.  I will troubleshoot more when I have some free time, hoping I don't have to move to a new user profile.  Thanks for the ideas and let me know if anything else comes to mind.

[Pacman0 · Accepted solution]

I have some good news.  I have isolated the cause of this issue.  This is caused by using HEVC (H.265) files.

I stumbled on this because I just got a new camera (another Fujifilm) and in the process of testing, I shot some video and just used the default settings, H.264, 29.97, 50mbps.  When I tried to import in LrC, I noticed it was showing the previews for all of the pictures AND the video files which suprised me.  So I started troubleshooting to narrow down the cause.  I cleared all files off of the SD card and then shot a video, again at H.264, 29.97, 50mbps.  Then tried the import and it worked.  So leaving that file on the card, I shot another video, this time just changing the bitrate to 100mbps - both files showed up fine in import.  Shot another video changing to 200mbps and import showed all 3 files.  Then I changed to H.265, 29.97, 50mbps and import failed with the "preview not available" for ALL 4 FILES!  So I restarted LrC and tried again, same issue.  Then I deleted the H.265 file from the card and restarted LrC and import was working properly again.  I realized that the issue is that if there is a single H.265 file in the folder that import opens, if will not show any of the files in that folder, even the non H.265 ones.

I have been testing this whole time using folders that have multiple types of files in them.  So I moved all of the H.265 files out of the folders in question and they all work as they should with LrC.  I changed my cameras to shoot with H.264 and they are working properly with LrC import now.  I also converted my previous H.265 files to H.264 and they import properly too.

I realize now that I did this to myself when I changed my cameras over to use H.265 sometime last year but didn't test importing into Lightroom.  I'm not sure why the HEVC codec causes this, especially since Premiere seems to work just fine with the codec, but at least I now have a root cause.  Hope this helps some others out there.

[John R Ellis]

Excellent -- that will help others.

"I just got a new camera (another Fujifilm)"

LR only supports HEVC/H.265 video from IOS and Android devices:

https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-cc/kb/heic-files-support.html

So I think your issue is caused by the H.265 videos from the Fujifilm camera, not H.265 video in general. Which particular camera?

"I realized that the issue is that if there is a single H.265 file in the folder that import opens, if will not show any of the files in that folder, even the non H.265 ones."

That's clearly a bug. Please file a bug report:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic-bugs/how-do-i-write-a-bug-report/idi-p/12386373 

with precise steps for reproducing the problem. Attach a sample H.264 and a sample H.265 video (or upload it to a sharing service and provide the sharking links).  Unless Adobe can easily reproduce the problem with a simple step-by-step recipe, they're unlikely to pay much attention.

[Pacman0]

Thanks John.

It looks like the HEVC/H.265 Adobe article states "Lightroom Classic and Lightroom support HEVC video files running on macOS High Sierra v10.13 or later." but also states that it only supports "files created with iOS and Android devices".  So that is a bit confusing, but if so, that might in fact be the reason that the files created with my Fujifilm cameras are causing this issue.

Which particular camera?

I have tried files from my X-T3, X-H2S, and my new X100VI.  All fail if encoded in H.265.

I will file a bug report.

[John R Ellis]

"the HEVC/H.265 Adobe article states "Lightroom Classic and Lightroom support HEVC video files running on macOS High Sierra v10.13 or later." but also states that it only supports "files created with iOS and Android devices".  

Indeed, it's sloppy happy-talk marketing-speak (never say your product doesn't support something).  But it's been confirmed here many times -- LR only supports IOS and Android H.265 video.  H.265 video from other devices sometimes work but more often doesn't.

[Pacman0]

Bug report filed, but it looks like the moderators moved it to a discussion instead so I guess it doesn't qualify as a bug...https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic-discussions/hevc-h-265-video-file-in-folder-causes-...

[rlowell88]

Wow, this did it for me!  All the same problems.  "No Preview...", "There is a problem with the video file".  Cleared the Cache and all working fine.  I had the cache at 3GB.  I will probably increase it to 10GB.  Thank you!

[keane108]

Hi. 

Sounding out I am having similar problem. I have tried the steps fone on the Mac over in Windows as well. 
Hope this get sorted, as i like to keep my video files together with photos ( family memories).

At one stage, Lightroom created previews files fine and very straight forwards. 
(Unsure which version).


Following this thread 

Regards.
Keane