iHomeServer not indexing files

[Tissy]

I've never really had an issue and continue to use the existing program for converting DVDs to .mp4.

However, after upgrading to version 3.1.65.0, new imported files are not being indexed.

Having checked with the QuickTime Analysis it states:

QT Error Code:- 2041Invalid sample description

Audio and ID Tag properties are:

Artist
Title American Hustle
Album
Track
Disc
Genre Crime
Year 2013-12-20
Rating
Composer
Size 2.94 GB (-116% Compressed)
Original Size 2.94 GB
Length 2 hours 18 minutes
Channels 2 (stereo)
Sample Rate 44.1 KHz;
Sample Size 16 bit
Bit Rate 159 kbps
Encoder AAC (LC)
Encoder Settings
Audio Quality Medium (Lossy)
Contains Album Art, ID Tag [Apple iTunes]
Channel Mapping
File American Hustle
Type MPEG-4 Movie [.mp4]

If I manually drop the file straight into my iTunes Library as opposed to my Server Library, AppleTV plays the file fine etc.

Any advice please to get the index working.

[Tissy]

Anyone able to help please?

[bizmodeller]

Sorry for the delayed response. There's no major change between iHomeServer v2 and iHomeServer v3 in the way it indexes files therefore I'd be very surprised if this was an issue caused by the upgrade.

We have seen a few users in the past report issues indexing certain MP4 files with the same symptoms you show below - the QuickTime analysis showing "-2041Invalid sample description".

In those cases, it was due to an odd DTS track embedded in the media file, and for some reason when iTunes was running as a service, it was unable to process the DTS track when it imported the file (and who knows why it tries to actually read that data at the time of import). However, your analysis below suggests you've got normal 2-channel audio, so it may not be the same issue.

Best way to move forward may be for us to reproduce the issue, therefore, I have sent you a dropbox folder link. If you are able to upload a small test file that exhibits the same behaviour then we can try to reproduce it and hopefully resolve it,

thanks

[Tissy]

Hi,

Hopefully you will find a file that displays the issues I am experiencing in the shared folder.

Thank you for your help.

Kind regards,

Steve

[Tissy]

Just for info, I downloaded the latest beta (v3.1.69.0) and the same issue exists on a number of files.

Any update on the video file is sent you please?

[Stephen]

I've experienced this same problem with a few mp4 files and found the only way to resolve it was to encode the mp4 source into a m4v using Handbrake. That seems to strip out whatever's causing the problem. Would be nice if iHomeServer could automate the fix though.

[bizmodeller]

Have reproduced the issue with the test file that was uploaded (thanks Tissy). It only happens when iTunes is running as a Windows Service, not when it is running in Desktop mode (in both cases, iHomeServer was controlling iTunes and adding media via a watch folder). We use the same exact same code to add a file to the iTunes library whether running as a service or in desktop mode, so it's quite odd that iTunes is behaving differently.

So as a "kind of" workaround, you can use the iHomeServer interface to switch to desktop mode temporarily, re-index the failed files, then switch iTunes back to running in the background. However, we're looking into this further to see what can be done as a proper fix.

[Rich]

I am using V2 and will not index all files...Tried re-indexing by running interactive but re-index is grayed out and does not allow. This just started after a server rebuild. Unless I misunderstand how to switch to desktop mode, am I doing this right?

[bizmodeller]

Rich - this is a slightly different thing.

iHomeServer Version 2 does not index files whilst iTunes is running interactively which is why the Re-index option is greyed out. However, in iHomeServer v3, it continues to index files whether iTunes is running in the background or on the desktop. This is a new feature in v3. Thanks.