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Thread: Video Playback Problem fixed but RenderOutputPins Error

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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
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    3

    Video Playback Problem fixed but RenderOutputPins Error

    We have developed a paradigm that requires participants to view a series of short videos (approx. 120 videos of 4-5 seconds in duration) and respond to each. We are playing on using MediaLab as the platform through which to run this paradigm but we have consistently had problems with the program freezing and crashing throughout the development and piloting of this task. The odd thing is that the crashes are unpredictable. They don't occur at a consistent point during the task, nor do the crashes occur every time the task runs. Because of this it has been very hard to troubleshoot the problem. I searched the forums for help but to no avail. We have tried multiple types of video files with the same result. Our IT staff was unable to identify any problems with the computers that might lead to this issue. The computers are brand new Dell laptops with Windows 7.

    We must get this problem resolved as soon as possible as we will be beginning data collection shortly with parents and children and in the event that MediaLab freezes or crashes, we will be unable to simply have participants complete the task again as they will have already been exposed to the videos and their ratings will, therefore, be biased. Data from participants will be non-recoverable is the program freezes or crashes. We have several colleagues interested in our paradigm and in order to use it, we are suggesting that they purchase MediaLab as we know of no other software that will allow us to run
    this task. However, before our colleagues purchase dozens of licenses, we need to be absolutely certain that MediaLab can support the task and that this problem can be resolved.

    I would greatly appreciate any help that can be offered in resolving this technical issue. Please let me know if there is any information you need to help in assessing the potential problem such as computer specifications. I can not stress how anxious we are at the possibility of beginning data collection with a task that might or might not crash for any given participant. Additionally, the thought of costing our colleagues thousands of dollars for a program on which the paradigm can not be run is equally upsetting.

    Please let me know if there is anything that can done to solve this problem or whether it might be best to pursue other potential programs for running this task.

    Thanks for you time and help!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Posts
    3,328
    Yes, try the most recently posted version on the main download page (install package 2008.1.33e). It's still version 2008.1.33 but the new installation includes an updated video control file that was causing some memory problems. This may resolve it but if not please let me know. Btw, do you happen to be running this on Windows 7?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Posts
    3
    Thanks for your timely response!

    We are running this on Windows 7. I downloaded version 2008.1.33e and that seems to have stopped the freezing issues. However, we now get an error that says something about failed render output pins. I don't recall the actual message but I posted it in another thread (It didn't occur to me that posts had to go through a moderator first so when I didn't see my thread, I posted another one. Sorry!). When this error or failure message appears, I can click through it and the videos eventually return. This seems to only happen on additional runs through the task. The first time through, everything works fine. I'm in the process of trying to determine whether simply shutting down MediaLab or restarting the computer after each run keeps the error message at bay. Any thoughts as to what might be done to avoid this error?

    Thanks again!

    Kevin

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Posts
    3,328
    Kevin, I'm not sure why but lately some posts have been put in the moderation queue despite showing no signs of being spam (that's usually the only reason it happens). I am not sure why that error would be coming up. Is it, like the old issue, something that recurrs across different computers and video clips--i.e., can you find any sort of predictability to it? I'll find the exact error from the other post and copy it here. Btw, some of my own posts have been moderated lately as if they could be spam also--what's with that!!? Will look into it.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Posts
    3,328
    For the convenienece of having it all in one thread, here is the error you posted elsewhere:
    I recently installed version 2008.1.33.e in hopes of fixing the problems of freezing videos. The videos aren't freezing anymore and the first time I went through the task, I had no problems. On the second time through I'm getting an error in place of some videos that says "Failed(hr=0x80040255) in RenderOutputPins(m_pGB, m_pReader)". I have no idea what this means or what to do.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Posts
    3
    We have tried to recreate the problem in order to determine whether we can do so with any predictability. It seems that it only occurs after the first run through of the task. Restarting the computer after every participant keeps the error at bay. While this appears to be a short term fix, it obviously is not ideal. The task is set up as an experiment file consisting of 6 .que files. Each questionnaire file contains 20 short videos (4-5 seconds). The error usually doesn't occur on the first .que file but appears sometime between the second and fourth .que files within the experiment. It doesn't appear to be a particular video that causes it either but it does happen across multiple computers.

    Any thoughts?

    Thanks,

    Kevin

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