Video error after hooking up stereo

[pr3dict]

So yesterday we finally got my WMC working fine and I was using my computer monitor. Well, now I have my TV and receiver hooked up to to my HTPC and when I tune to a channel it is skippy and the sound freezes after watching for about 3-4 seconds and WMC pops an error saying VIDEO ERROR and tells me to restart....

I do have a madvr installed for other video players but that shouldnt cause a problem right?

[joecrow]

I do have a madvr installed for other video players but that shouldnt cause a problem right?

I use madvr in conjuction with MPC-HC (external player for MyMovies in MCE) and have no problems. Check out other posts here, search with "video error and audio"

[tzr916]

More about your system:
- Operation system and version?
- type of CPU?
- type of GPU and driver version?
- is the computer monitor still connected? (running dual display)?
- how is the tv and receiver connected to the PC?

[newfiend]

So yesterday we finally got my WMC working fine and I was using my computer monitor. Well, now I have my TV and receiver hooked up to to my HTPC and when I tune to a channel it is skippy and the sound freezes after watching for about 3-4 seconds and WMC pops an error saying VIDEO ERROR and tells me to restart....

I do have a madvr installed for other video players but that shouldnt cause a problem right?

I am assuming you got the "Video Error: Files needed to display video are not installed or working." screen..
This is actually caused by a Audio error, not video if sending audio over an HDMI cable.
Things to check..
From the desktop:
Open Control Panel > Sound
Select the HDMI connection you are using to sending audio/video from the HTPC to the Receiver.
Click the configure button and make sure it is set to 2.0 (Stereo). (this is a must if using audio over HDMI to a receiver!!)
I know the point of a receiver is to have multi channel audio but having this setting set to 5.1 or 7.1 will cause this error to continually pop up in WMC.
Once the HDMI connection is set to Stereo select Next, set the type of front speakers (full range or not etc.), click next, then Finish. Exit Control Panel > Sounds back to the desktop.
Now to add multi channel audio to WMC..
Open WMC, Select Tasks/Settings > General > Windows Media Center Setup > Setup your Speakers
Select the HDMI Connection as the audio output from HTPC, click Next.
Select 5.1 or 7.1 depending on your speaker setup on the receiver, click Next.
Click Test, Select I heard sound from all of my speakers, click Next. Click Finish.
Try playing the content that failed before, it should work.
There is a weird bug that will pop up the Windows Media Center Video Error: Files needed to display video are not installed or working screen if both Windows sounds and WMC sounds are both set to 5.1 or 7.1. Setting the sound in Windows to Stereo and WMC to 5.1 works around the bug and allows you to get surround sound when using WMC without the error.

The other workaround is to disable navigation sounds in WMC, but I like having those and having 5.1 surround in Windows isn't a necessity for me as long as all my TV and Movies have it in WMC.

I hope this helps you out.
newfiend~

[philipt95148]

Hi,
I currently have this problem and have a question for you.
You said in your solution that the HDMI goes to the receiver but my HDMI from the HTPC goes to the TV first, then Optical link from TV output to the Receiver.
I have this problem from a fresh OS install following continuous SVCHOST.EXE problem whereas the system worked worked right out the box after I built it in 2013.
I tried your solution already but still have the error, and at a loss what else to do.
I have updated all the drivers.
Could it be that I still have a legacy register error somewhere in the system?
What else cn I do?
Really need your help here.
Thanks

[newfiend]

Since the Audio travels over HDMI (Protected Path due to HDCP restrictions) you may be getting this error because your trying to output Audio from the TV to an AVR (Unprotected path).
HDCP restricts the Audio from unprotected paths.
You could try a couple things. Plug the HDMI from PC > AVR > TV. This should work as the audio and video travels over HDMI (protected path) to all devices in the chain.
Or change the Optical cable from "TV to AVR" to "HTPC to AVR" (if the HTPC has an Optical Output) and then set the optical cable as the desired audio output device in Control Panel Sounds.
Keep in mind that if you do use Optical cable for audio that you will not be able to transmit HD Audio codecs to the AVR. Optical cable can not transmit Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD formats commonly found on Blu-Ray disks. (if you use the HTPC for Blu-Ray playback.)
The best method I have found is HDMI from PC > AVR input and HDMI Output on AVR > TV HDMI Input.
Also set Audio in Windows to 2.0 Stereo and 5.1 in WMC > Task/Settings > General > Media Center Setup > Set up your Speakers
or you will keep getting the Video error message.
Best of Luck.
newfiend~

[Merconium]

So yesterday we finally got my WMC working fine and I was using my computer monitor. Well, now I have my TV and receiver hooked up to to my HTPC and when I tune to a channel it is skippy and the sound freezes after watching for about 3-4 seconds and WMC pops an error saying VIDEO ERROR and tells me to restart....

I do have a madvr installed for other video players but that shouldnt cause a problem right?

I am assuming you got the "Video Error: Files needed to display video are not installed or working." screen..
This is actually caused by a Audio error, not video if sending audio over an HDMI cable.
Things to check..
From the desktop:
Open Control Panel > Sound
Select the HDMI connection you are using to sending audio/video from the HTPC to the Receiver.
Click the configure button and make sure it is set to 2.0 (Stereo). (this is a must if using audio over HDMI to a receiver!!)
I know the point of a receiver is to have multi channel audio but having this setting set to 5.1 or 7.1 will cause this error to continually pop up in WMC.
Once the HDMI connection is set to Stereo select Next, set the type of front speakers (full range or not etc.), click next, then Finish. Exit Control Panel > Sounds back to the desktop.
Now to add multi channel audio to WMC..
Open WMC, Select Tasks/Settings > General > Windows Media Center Setup > Setup your Speakers
Select the HDMI Connection as the audio output from HTPC, click Next.
Select 5.1 or 7.1 depending on your speaker setup on the receiver, click Next.
Click Test, Select I heard sound from all of my speakers, click Next. Click Finish.
Try playing the content that failed before, it should work.
There is a weird bug that will pop up the Windows Media Center Video Error: Files needed to display video are not installed or working screen if both Windows sounds and WMC sounds are both set to 5.1 or 7.1. Setting the sound in Windows to Stereo and WMC to 5.1 works around the bug and allows you to get surround sound when using WMC without the error.

The other workaround is to disable navigation sounds in WMC, but I like having those and having 5.1 surround in Windows isn't a necessity for me as long as all my TV and Movies have it in WMC.

I hope this helps you out.
newfiend~

Thank you so much; I knew I broke something today trying to get Atmos running: didn't know this was the cause!