Hello everyone I'm currently trying to import some MP4 video files into Avid, but whenever they're imported they show a black screen upon playback. Linking to them has the same issue, only the playback screen is green instead of black.
I don't know what's causing this issue, as I've been importing MP4 files for years without any problems; the only recent activity that could have caused the problem is with OBS, my recording program: after updating it, recorded files didn't show thumbnails in Windows, but downloading a codec resolved the issue, and they play fine in file browsers, just not in AVID.
Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can try to fix this?

Hi IanD

What version of Media Composer are you running?

2018.11.49905.

In the source browser, what plug-in is the system using to link to the files? If you click on the plug-in, are there other choices available?

try flipping a test file in Shutter Encoder to MP4 and see if that works.......feels like a weird codec issue....

Avid's using the Quicktime Plug-in. Clicking on the plug-in reveals three options: 'Autodetect,' 'Avid Generic' and 'Quicktime.' Clicking on the generic one changes to the Quicktime plug-in. If it helps, the codec listed is 'H.264', and both the Plug-in and codec are the same for other imported Quicktime files that work fine.

try flipping a test file in Shutter Encoder.....

I put one of the MP4 files through Handbrake and had it formatted as an MP4, and this new file does get imported by Avid and plays with no issues. While this is a solution, I would rather find a solution with Avid, as reformatting dozens, if not hundreds of files would take an incredibly long time and be inconvenient, to say the least.

Shutter Encoder does have a batch import function....so you can get all this done at once

IanD:

I put one of the MP4 files through Handbrake and had it formatted as an MP4, and this new file does get imported by Avid and plays with no issues. While this is a solution, I would rather find a solution with Avid, as reformatting dozens, if not hundreds of files would take an incredibly long time and be inconvenient, to say the least.

IanD:

the only recent activity that could have caused the problem is with OBS, my recording program: after updating it, recorded files didn't show thumbnails in Windows, but downloading a codec resolved the issue, and they play fine in file browsers, just not in AVID.

From the description of the problem it sounds like something changed in OBS, so I'd start looking there to see if there's a setting/workflow adjustment you can make that will make the recordings compatible again.

The other way you could go is see if OBS has a specific plug-in for Avid you could install that will allow linking to work properly.

Okay, I finally figured out what the problem was: It was a video encoder in OBS, and changing it solved the problem; I can now import MP4's and Avid plays them just fine. So for anyone else who stumbles across this thread with the problem I had, check the video encoder settings on your video capture program. Failing that, try converting your files to MP4 or some other usable format. Thank you both for helping me out with this. Much appreciated!

Glad you were able to get it sorted out!