AC3 decoding throws error number -16976906 ... vlc plays well

[mvelanka]

Summary of the bug:
I intend to transcode an mpeg ts file such that I copy the video as it is but the audio will be encoded to aac ...so that I can play it in the browser. Please see the attached TS file.

I use the following ffmpeg command to attempt that
How to reproduce:

ffmpeg -i ff_vlc.ts -vcodec copy -acodec aac -map 0:v:0 -map 0:a:0 ff_vlc_2.ts
ffmpeg version N-109444-geef763c705 Copyright (c) 2000-2022 the FFmpeg developers
  built with gcc 7 (Ubuntu 7.5.0-3ubuntu1~18.04)
  configuration: --enable-openssl
  libavutil      57. 43.100 / 57. 43.100
  libavcodec     59. 55.103 / 59. 55.103
  libavformat    59. 34.102 / 59. 34.102
  libavdevice    59.  8.101 / 59.  8.101
  libavfilter     8. 53.100 /  8. 53.100
  libswscale      6.  8.112 /  6.  8.112
  libswresample   4.  9.100 /  4.  9.100
[mpegts @ 0x55b4369b2440] Could not find codec parameters for stream 1 (Audio: ac3 ([129][0][0][0] / 0x0081), stereo, fltp): unspecified sample rate
Consider increasing the value for the 'analyzeduration' (0) and 'probesize' (5000000) options
Input #0, mpegts, from 'ff_vlc.ts':
  Duration: 00:10:00.02, start: 1.400000, bitrate: 1839 kb/s
  Program 1
    Metadata:
      service_name    : Service01
      service_provider: FFmpeg
  Stream #0:0[0x100]: Video: h264 (Main) ([27][0][0][0] / 0x001B), yuv420p(tv, bt709, progressive), 856x480 [SAR 320:321 DAR 16:9], 30 fps, 59.94 tbr, 90k tbn
  Stream #0:1[0x101](spa): Audio: ac3 ([129][0][0][0] / 0x0081), stereo, fltp
Stream mapping:
  Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (copy)
  Stream #0:1 -> #0:1 (ac3 (native) -> aac (native))
Press [q] to stop, [?] for help
Error while decoding stream #0:1: Error number -16976906 occurred
    Last message repeated 17065 times
Too many packets buffered for output stream 0:0.
Error submitting a packet to the muxer for output stream #0:0.
Error while decoding stream #0:1: Error number -16976906 occurred
    Last message repeated 2 times
Too many packets buffered for output stream 0:0.
Error submitting a packet to the muxer for output stream #0:0.
Too many packets buffered for output stream 0:0.
Error submitting a packet to the muxer for output stream #0:0.
Too many packets buffered for output stream 0:0.
Error submitting a packet to the muxer for output stream #0:0.
Error while decoding stream #0:1: Error number -16976906 occurred
    Last message repeated 2 times
Too many packets buffered for output stream 0:0.
Error submitting a packet to the muxer for output stream #0:0.
Too many packets buffered for output stream 0:0.
Error submitting a packet to the muxer for output stream #0:0.
Error while decoding stream #0:1: Error number -16976906 occurred
    Last message repeated 2 times
....
....
....(repetitive output clipped and removed)
....
....
    Last message repeated 2 times
Too many packets buffered for output stream 0:0.
Error submitting a packet to the muxer for output stream #0:0.
Too many packets buffered for output stream 0:0.
Error submitting a packet to the muxer for output stream #0:0.
Too many packets buffered for output stream 0:0.
Error submitting a packet to the muxer for output stream #0:0.
Too many packets buffered for output stream 0:0.
Error submitting a packet to the muxer for output stream #0:0.
Error while decoding stream #0:1: Error number -16976906 occurred
    Last message repeated 2 times
Too many packets buffered for output stream 0:0.
Error submitting a packet to the muxer for output stream #0:0.
Too many packets buffered for output stream 0:0.
Error submitting a packet to the muxer for output stream #0:0.
Error while decoding stream #0:1: Error number -16976906 occurred
Too many packets buffered for output stream 0:0.
Error submitting a packet to the muxer for output stream #0:0.
Too many packets buffered for output stream 0:0.
Error submitting a packet to the muxer for output stream #0:0.
[abuffer @ 0x56289e5ab100] Value inf for parameter 'time_base' out of range [0 - 2.14748e+09]
    Last message repeated 1 times
[abuffer @ 0x56289e5ab100] Error setting option time_base to value 1/0.
[graph_0_in_0_1 @ 0x5628a3f5e800] Error applying options to the filter.
Error reinitializing filters!
Error while filtering: Numerical result out of range
Finishing stream 0:1 without any data written to it.
[abuffer @ 0x56289b2b89c0] Value inf for parameter 'time_base' out of range [0 - 2.14748e+09]
    Last message repeated 1 times
[abuffer @ 0x56289b2b89c0] Error setting option time_base to value 1/0.
[graph_0_in_0_1 @ 0x56289a63e780] Error applying options to the filter.
Error configuring filter graph
Conversion failed!

When I play this original ts file in VLC player there is no problem whatsoever. I can even verify the AC3 codec in VLC properly

[Carl Eugen Hoyos]

How did you create the file you attached? The console output indicates that you created it with FFmpeg which makes little sense for such a ticket - please use dd to cut transport streams, not FFmpeg.

[mvelanka]

Replying to Carl Eugen Hoyos:

How did you create the file you attached? The console output indicates that you created it with FFmpeg which makes little sense for such a ticket - please use dd to cut transport streams, not FFmpeg.

We get TS from satellite. We have to transcode it so that we get audio in aac. That is what we are always doing. Even with this TS, the original TS had 3 audio streams and the other two did not have any problem. So I prepared a TS only with the video and the problematic Audio so that the issue can be demonstrated. So the TS that is uploaded has the original video + copied AC3 from the original...............
I hope I have made this clear.
Thanks

[Carl Eugen Hoyos]

Please (also) upload a few seconds of the original satellite stream, you can cut it with dd (or use a file hoster of your choice for a bigger sample).

[mvelanka]

I am trying to upload clip from orig TS. However orig TS has 1 video and 3 audio streams. Even 1 second clip of that is becoming 3.8Mb file.. Let me try to host it somewhere else. Please wait.
Thank you.

[mvelanka]

I have uploaded the file at

​https://www.mediafire.com/file/ee70pfx8cqywbi7/orig_file.ts/file

file name = orig_file.ts

It has following contents

---

Input #0, mpegts, from 'orig_file.ts':

Duration: 00:00:16.52, start: 251.672000, bitrate: 2479 kb/s
Program 1

Metadata:

service_name : Service01
service_provider: FFmpeg

Stream #0:0[0x100]: Video: h264 (Main) ([27][0][0][0] / 0x001B), yuv420p(tv, bt709, progressive), 856x480 [SAR 320:321 DAR 16:9], 30 fps, 59.94 tbr, 90k tbn, 60 tbc
Stream #0:1[0x101](eng): Audio: ac3 (AC-3 / 0x332D4341), 48000 Hz, 5.1(side), fltp, 384 kb/s
Stream #0:2[0x102](spa): Audio: ac3 (AC-3 / 0x332D4341), 48000 Hz, stereo, fltp, 128 kb/s
Stream #0:3[0x103](eng): Audio: ac3 (AC-3 / 0x332D4341), 48000 Hz, stereo, fltp, 192 kb/s (visual impaired) (descriptions)
Stream #0:4[0x104]: Data: klv (KLVA / 0x41564C4B)

---

Out of above
Stream #0:2[0x102](spa): Audio: ac3 (AC-3 / 0x332D4341), 48000 Hz, stereo, fltp, 128 kb/s
Is the stream in question.
Try to decode it or transcode it to 'aac' format.

What I have seen is the call to avcodec_send_packet returns AAC_AC3_PARSE_ERROR_SYNC

Also try to play it in VLC player .......you will get all the audio streams properly.
Please see what is the issue in ffmpeg and whether/how it can be solved/worked around.

Thanks for your support

[Balling]

Okay, first of all this is not just ac3, this is fltp.

Second, it does not happen here, use normal source of binaries: ​https://github.com/BtbN/FFmpeg-Builds

[mvelanka]

I am almost a newbie to this technology, so pl excuse me if I make some basic mistakes.

Replying to Balling:

Okay, first of all this is not just ac3, this is fltp.

yes. ffprobe output showed that; however all the audio streams in this TS seem to be AC3 fltp, if I understand it correctly. Then why only
Stream #0:2[0x102](spa): Audio: ac3 (AC-3 / 0x332D4341), 48000 Hz, stereo, fltp, 128 kb/s
has this issue? Other two audio streams decode just fine with ffmpeg?

Second, it does not happen here, use normal source of binaries: ​https://github.com/BtbN/FFmpeg-Builds

Are you saying this issue is not happening/will not happen in one of those builds? Okay. I will try all those, if required; However please note that this happens in all the ffmpeg versions I have
and libav libraries we are using with go bindings in our golang application.

Thanks

[Balling]

Are you saying this issue is not happening/will not happen in one of those builds? Okay

Yes.

[mvelanka]

Replying to Balling:

Are you saying this issue is not happening/will not happen in one of those builds? Okay

Yes.

I downloaded ffmpeg-n4.4.3-3-gb48951bd29-linux64-gpl-4.4 to verify that.
Here is what I tried on that input file

---

./ffmpeg -i orig_file.ts -vcodec copy -acodec aac -map 0:v:0 -map 0:a:1 ff_vlc_aac_1.ts

I got this

ffmpeg version n4.4.3-3-gb48951bd29-20221224 Copyright (c) 2000-2022 the FFmpeg developers
  built with gcc 12.2.0 (crosstool-NG 1.25.0.90_cf9beb1)
  configuration: --prefix=/ffbuild/prefix --pkg-config-flags=--static --pkg-config=pkg-config --cross-prefix=x86_64-ffbuild-linux-gnu- --arch=x86_64 --target-os=linux --enable-gpl --enable-version3 --disable-debug --enable-iconv --enable-libxml2 --enable-zlib --enable-libfreetype --enable-libfribidi --enable-gmp --enable-lzma --enable-fontconfig --enable-libvorbis --enable-opencl --enable-libpulse --enable-libvmaf --enable-libxcb --disable-xlib --enable-amf --enable-libaom --enable-libaribb24 --enable-avisynth --disable-chromaprint --enable-libdav1d --enable-libdavs2 --disable-libfdk-aac --enable-ffnvcodec --enable-cuda-llvm --disable-frei0r --enable-libgme --enable-libkvazaar --enable-libass --enable-libbluray --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libopus --enable-mbedtls --enable-librist --enable-libssh --enable-libtheora --enable-libvpx --enable-libwebp --enable-lv2 --enable-libmfx --disable-openal --enable-libopencore-amrnb --enable-libopencore-amrwb --enable-libopenh264 --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libopenmpt --enable-librav1e --enable-librubberband --disable-schannel --enable-sdl2 --enable-libsoxr --enable-libsrt --enable-libsvtav1 --enable-libtwolame --enable-libuavs3d --enable-libdrm --enable-vaapi --enable-libvidstab --disable-vulkan --enable-libx264 --enable-libx265 --enable-libxavs2 --enable-libxvid --enable-libzimg --enable-libzvbi --extra-cflags=-DLIBTWOLAME_STATIC --extra-cxxflags= --extra-ldflags=-pthread --extra-ldexeflags=-pie --extra-libs='-ldl -lgomp' --extra-version=20221224
  libavutil      56. 70.100 / 56. 70.100
  libavcodec     58.134.100 / 58.134.100
  libavformat    58. 76.100 / 58. 76.100
  libavdevice    58. 13.100 / 58. 13.100
  libavfilter     7.110.100 /  7.110.100
  libswscale      5.  9.100 /  5.  9.100
  libswresample   3.  9.100 /  3.  9.100
  libpostproc    55.  9.100 / 55.  9.100
[mpegts @ 0x55dc206ade40] start time for stream 4 is not set in estimate_timings_from_pts
[mpegts @ 0x55dc206ade40] PES packet size mismatch
[mpegts @ 0x55dc206ade40] Packet corrupt (stream = 1, dts = 24133680).
Input #0, mpegts, from 'orig_file.ts':
  Duration: 00:00:16.52, start: 251.672000, bitrate: 2479 kb/s
  Program 1
    Metadata:
      service_name    : Service01
      service_provider: FFmpeg
  Stream #0:0[0x100]: Video: h264 (Main) ([27][0][0][0] / 0x001B), yuv420p(tv, bt709, progressive), 856x480 [SAR 320:321 DAR 16:9], 30 fps, 59.94 tbr, 90k tbn, 60 tbc
  Stream #0:1[0x101](eng): Audio: ac3 (AC-3 / 0x332D4341), 48000 Hz, 5.1(side), fltp, 384 kb/s
  Stream #0:2[0x102](spa): Audio: ac3 (AC-3 / 0x332D4341), 48000 Hz, stereo, fltp, 128 kb/s
  Stream #0:3[0x103](eng): Audio: ac3 (AC-3 / 0x332D4341), 48000 Hz, stereo, fltp, 192 kb/s (visual impaired) (descriptions)
  Stream #0:4[0x104]: Data: klv (KLVA / 0x41564C4B)
Stream mapping:
  Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (copy)
  Stream #0:2 -> #0:1 (ac3 (native) -> aac (native))
Press [q] to stop, [?] for help
Error while decoding stream #0:2: Error number -16976906 occurred
    Last message repeated 512 times
Output #0, mpegts, to 'ff_vlc_aac_1.ts':
  Metadata:
    encoder         : Lavf58.76.100
  Stream #0:0: Video: h264 (Main) ([27][0][0][0] / 0x001B), yuv420p(tv, bt709, progressive), 856x480 [SAR 320:321 DAR 16:9], q=2-31, 30 fps, 59.94 tbr, 90k tbn, 90k tbc
  Stream #0:1(spa): Audio: aac (LC), 48000 Hz, stereo, fltp, 128 kb/s
    Metadata:
      encoder         : Lavc58.134.100 aac
frame=  495 fps=0.0 q=-1.0 Lsize=    3243kB time=00:00:16.50 bitrate=1609.4kbits/s speed= 985x
video:3056kB audio:0kB subtitle:0kB other streams:0kB global headers:0kB muxing overhead: 6.115911%
[aac @ 0x55dc209bf0c0] Qavg: nan
Conversion failed!

It created output file ff_vlc_aac_1.ts. I tried ffprobe on that file as follows:

./ffprobe ff_vlc_aac_1.ts

I got

ffprobe version n4.4.3-3-gb48951bd29-20221224 Copyright (c) 2007-2022 the FFmpeg developers
  built with gcc 12.2.0 (crosstool-NG 1.25.0.90_cf9beb1)
  configuration: --prefix=/ffbuild/prefix --pkg-config-flags=--static --pkg-config=pkg-config --cross-prefix=x86_64-ffbuild-linux-gnu- --arch=x86_64 --target-os=linux --enable-gpl --enable-version3 --disable-debug --enable-iconv --enable-libxml2 --enable-zlib --enable-libfreetype --enable-libfribidi --enable-gmp --enable-lzma --enable-fontconfig --enable-libvorbis --enable-opencl --enable-libpulse --enable-libvmaf --enable-libxcb --disable-xlib --enable-amf --enable-libaom --enable-libaribb24 --enable-avisynth --disable-chromaprint --enable-libdav1d --enable-libdavs2 --disable-libfdk-aac --enable-ffnvcodec --enable-cuda-llvm --disable-frei0r --enable-libgme --enable-libkvazaar --enable-libass --enable-libbluray --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libopus --enable-mbedtls --enable-librist --enable-libssh --enable-libtheora --enable-libvpx --enable-libwebp --enable-lv2 --enable-libmfx --disable-openal --enable-libopencore-amrnb --enable-libopencore-amrwb --enable-libopenh264 --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libopenmpt --enable-librav1e --enable-librubberband --disable-schannel --enable-sdl2 --enable-libsoxr --enable-libsrt --enable-libsvtav1 --enable-libtwolame --enable-libuavs3d --enable-libdrm --enable-vaapi --enable-libvidstab --disable-vulkan --enable-libx264 --enable-libx265 --enable-libxavs2 --enable-libxvid --enable-libzimg --enable-libzvbi --extra-cflags=-DLIBTWOLAME_STATIC --extra-cxxflags= --extra-ldflags=-pthread --extra-ldexeflags=-pie --extra-libs='-ldl -lgomp' --extra-version=20221224
  libavutil      56. 70.100 / 56. 70.100
  libavcodec     58.134.100 / 58.134.100
  libavformat    58. 76.100 / 58. 76.100
  libavdevice    58. 13.100 / 58. 13.100
  libavfilter     7.110.100 /  7.110.100
  libswscale      5.  9.100 /  5.  9.100
  libswresample   3.  9.100 /  3.  9.100
  libpostproc    55.  9.100 / 55.  9.100
[mpegts @ 0x55b96a0a4580] start time for stream 1 is not set in estimate_timings_from_pts
[mpegts @ 0x55b96a0a4580] stream 1 : no TS found at start of file, duration not set
[mpegts @ 0x55b96a0a4580] Could not find codec parameters for stream 1 (Audio: aac ([15][0][0][0] / 0x000F), 0 channels): unspecified sample format
Consider increasing the value for the 'analyzeduration' (0) and 'probesize' (5000000) options
Input #0, mpegts, from 'ff_vlc_aac_1.ts':
  Duration: 00:00:16.48, start: 1.438678, bitrate: 1611 kb/s
  Program 1
    Metadata:
      service_name    : Service01
      service_provider: FFmpeg
  Stream #0:0[0x100]: Video: h264 (Main) ([27][0][0][0] / 0x001B), yuv420p(tv, bt709, progressive), 856x480 [SAR 320:321 DAR 16:9], 30 fps, 59.94 tbr, 90k tbn, 60 tbc
  Stream #0:1[0x101](spa): Audio: aac ([15][0][0][0] / 0x000F), 0 channels

I tried to play the output file in VLC... I did not have any sound ... nor it could show any detailed codec info

I tried the exact same procedure with other two audio streams ... The results are successful.
Please see.
Thanks for the support you are trying to offer.

[Balling]

downloaded ffmpeg-n4.4.3-3-gb48951bd29-linux64-gpl-4.4 to verify that.

We do not support anything except git master here.

I tried to play the output file in VLC... I did not have any sound ..

Use something normal like mpv.

[mvelanka]

Replying to Balling:

downloaded ffmpeg-n4.4.3-3-gb48951bd29-linux64-gpl-4.4 to verify that.

We do not support anything except git master here.

In fact I started all this from cloning git repo. I faced the problem in master branch only. I posted that to both ffmpeg-users and ffmpeg-devel mailing lists. I was guided over to here from devel mailing list. If you see my orginal post here, that is the output that I got from master branch itself.
Subsequent to that when you said this problem does not occur in released branches, I tried to verify that... and did not see the expected result. That was the reason why I reported that.
Kindly consider this as an issue from master branch only.

I tried to play the output file in VLC... I did not have any sound ..

Use something normal like mpv.

Point of VLC was for confirming that there is no audio in the output.
Please see.
Thanks

[Balling]

In fact I started all this from cloning git repo

You do not need to clone anything. You should just download our official binaries: ​https://github.com/BtbN/FFmpeg-Builds/releases/download/latest/ffmpeg-master-latest-win64-gpl-shared.zip

Point of VLC was for confirming that there is no audio in the output.

Insane amount of bugs in VLC... ffplay or mpv 99.99% work the same as ffmpeg. mpv build with master ffmpeg is here: ​https://github.com/zhongfly/mpv-winbuild