Problems with local USB recording

[newViewer]

Is anybody having trouble with viewing movie files saved on USB storage? On Mac OS Sierra, they show up as a vertical movie with garbled pixels, and I need to use VLC to view it properly. 

This is one of those recording file, viewed in VLC (top) and on Finder preview and Quicktime Player which are showing tiny portion of top left corner. It's a standard mp4 file and it has no reason to be seen this way on a Mac, unless movie has a corrupt header or something. I tested it on two Macs and one iPhone, all looking broken like that. Sure I can still use VLC to view them but it's not so ideal when you have to explain it to your mom over the phone. 

I want to report it as a bug but I was wondering if anyone else has seen this problem. Thanks. 

[GearNetRouter]

No problems on W7 64 bit either direct from USB or SD card with reader or after transfer to OS. No problem viewing after transfer to Android tablet. 

[newViewer]

I'm certain they are.

I think this is mac/iOS specific compatilbility issue. Do you know how to report a bug?

thanks

[jguerdat]

Macs seem to have an issue with viewing downloaded videos.  Install the free VLC viewer and keep it updated - that should allow you to view with no issues.

[newViewer]

It could be Macs and iPhone that has the problem, but it is far more likely that Arlo is producing mp4 that is not abiding to the mpeg4/h264 standards, which was based on Apple's Quicktime achitecture to begin with. Yes VLC is a workaround but again to not see this issue as a bug would make me worried. 

[newViewer]

I asked apple discussion forum about the corrupt mp4 and someone found out the problem. 

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The basic problem here is that file data (the "Normal Size" aka encoded resolution of the original video) is improperly muxed to the container as far as QuickTime is concerned. Both VLC and QT indicate the file was encoded as a 16x32 resolution file. While VLC ignores this information, QT doesn't and, in effect, "masks" the 640x352 encoded resolution to only the 16x32 block element located at the top, left-hand portion of the display screen.

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So if any other Mac user notices this problem it's not your nor Apple, but Arlo is creating mp4 incorrectly. I reported it as a bug via tech support email. What's been frustrating though is that overall tone has been so indifferent. They were quick to discount it as a non issue ("just use VLC"), or assume user's ignorance by lecturing with wrong information ("Macs don't read fat32 format drive"). I hope Netgear reconsider their customer support mentality.