Cannot open video files on Fedora 38

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DrNick
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue May 30, 2023 9:50 am

Cannot open video files on Fedora 38

Post by DrNick »

Description of problem or question:

Hey, I have a fresh installation of Fedora 38 with RPM Fusion free/non-free enabled and installed HandBrake using the dnf command.
I cannot open any video file for transcoding. File permissions are fine.
It seems HandBrake cannot find a decoder ("Decoder init failed!"). Video playback with i.e. VLC works just fine.
I also tried the app from Flathub, same problem.
I don't think this is a HandBrake problem, more an OS issue :) Any ideas what I can do?

Steps to reproduce the problem (If Applicable):

Just launch the GUI and try to open a video file

HandBrake version (e.g., 1.0.0):

20230122000000-04413a2-unknown (x86_64)
(from RPM Fusion for Fedora 38)

also tried 1.6.1
(from flathub)
same problem

Operating system and version (e.g., Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, macOS 10.13 High Sierra, Windows 10 Creators Update):

Fedora 38

HandBrake Activity Log ***required*** (see How-to get an activity log)

https://pastebin.com/zax7PwZ4
Deleted User 11865

Re: Cannot open video files on Fedora 38

Post by Deleted User 11865 »

IIRC the rpmfusion HandBrake was known to be broken at some point. But the flatpak should work. Can you provide the scan log with the flatpak build?
DrNick
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue May 30, 2023 9:50 am

(Solved) Re: Cannot open video files on Fedora 38

Post by DrNick »

Hey Rodeo, thanks for the hint.

I found another suggestion online, to install the intel-media-driver from RPM Fusion, which did not help with the HandBrake version from RPM Fusion.

Reading your comment I uninstalled the RPM Fusion HandBrake and tried the flatpak build again. Et voilá, it works. :shock:

Seems on Fedora 38 (on Intel iGPU) you need the intel-media-driver package from RPM Fusion plus the HandBrake flatpak build, not the RPM Fusion one.

Thanks again for helping!
User avatar
JohnAStebbins
HandBrake Team
Posts: 5712
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 7:21 pm

Re: Cannot open video files on Fedora 38

Post by JohnAStebbins »

The intel-media-driver package is for hardware acceleration on the iGPU. Handbrake will work without it, but will only provide software encoding options.

The flatpak version of Handbrake requires the flatpak version of intel-mdeia-driver in order to use the iGPU for hardware acceleration. You can install this from flathub (fr.handbrake.ghb.Plugin.IntelMediaSDK) or download and install it from Handbrake's download page https://handbrake.fr/downloads.php (QuickSync Plugin).
DrNick
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue May 30, 2023 9:50 am

Re: Cannot open video files on Fedora 38

Post by DrNick »

Thanks for pointing that out John, might be some other weird coincidence is to blame that flatpak HandBrake was not working before and now does. Sorry I cannot provide more insights, but thanks again for your reply.
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