WMV->MP4 transcode fail

[macxcool]

Description of problem or question: I have a WMV created by SMART Notebook's screen record feature. If I transcode to mp4 with current version or nightly (or VLC Media Player, for that matter) it fails. I tried this on Linux as well; same result.

Steps to reproduce the problem: Transcode the WMV using any of the presets.

HandBrake version: 1.3.3 / Nightly 20201117

Operating system and version: Windows 10 1909 and ArchLinux Zen Kernel 5.9.9

HandBrake Activity Log: https://pastebin.com/etZyJ037

[macxcool]

I also tried this on a number of different computers including my Linux laptop and got the same results all around. VLC Media Player and MPV play the file just fine on both Windows and Linux and Any Video Converter (which I hate, btw) transcodes it successfully.

I was thinking that it must be a bug in one of the underlying libraries with respect to the Windows codecs used with the WMV.

Also this seems to only happen on longer videos from the same source. Short videos seem to transcode OK. I can provide the WMV if needed. Just tell me the best way to do that.

[Deleted User 11865]

Your log seems incomplete at the end. Also, can you describe what you mean by "it fails"?

[macxcool]

In the case of the latest release version, Handbrake exits without a warning a leaves behind a partially encoded file (hence the incomplete log).
In the case of the Nightly version, the encoding process stops without a warning, but Handbrake doesn't exit.
I can try to generate a log file with the nightly or I can provide the WMV somehow and you can see it firsthand. At this point I'm pretty sure it will happen for anyone on any system.

[macxcool]

Here is the new log generated by the Nightly version. It doesn't give much more than the other
https://pastebin.com/4Nr0Z67z

[macxcool]

I'm curious about what library Handbrake would use for this. Maybe I can try it using the underlying software (ffmpeg?) from the Linux commandline and see if there's a bug somewhere there. Do you think the Handbrake command line tool would make any difference here?

[Deleted User 13735]

WMV has the ability to be restricted by DRM. I don't know if this is the case with yours or not, but if you can upload a sample to Drive or Dropbox, I'll be happy to test.

[macxcool]

This is not a DRM-encumbered file. I mentioned in my first post that VLC and MPV can play it just fine. If they can play it they can transcode it. Also AVC can transcode it. I suspect it's using different codecs.
I can upload and share it, though.

[macxcool]

I just need to see if it contains anything that I can't share first. It was recorded by a teacher for his class, so I have to make sure.

[rollin_eng]

You could try ffmpeg, if that fails then HB will probably fail.