topic Re: Video only recording sound, black picture in M Series

Video only recording sound, black picture

Thumper427 — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 18:36:18 GMT

Hoping someone can help me here. My M4 is only a month old and today while recording 4 videos they have all come out as a black screen with only the sound recorded, no picture at all. Absolutely fuming as it was a really important moment I was capturing and this £300 piece of junk has ruined that!

I reset the phone, took the sim card out, did a factory reset and it still doesnt record any visual, just sound with a black screen.

A 26 second video is showing as 1.26MB's. When uploaded to the PC it's still a black 'video' with just the sound.

This is not the first Sony I have had problems with, I gave them a second chance and now I feel that was a complete and utter waste of time. Any ideas?

Re: Video only recording sound, black picture

Uliwooly — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 18:49:39 GMT

Repair the phone with PCC

PC Companion (PCC)
http://support.sonymobile.com/gb/tools/pc-companion/

Bridge (for Mac)
http://support.sonymobile.com/gb/tools/bridge-for-mac/

Alternatives on How to backup Xperias
http://talk.sonymobile.com/thread/36355

Re: Video only recording sound, black picture

Jake-SonyXperia — Fri, 14 Aug 2015 02:02:26 GMT

Hi Thumper427,

Welcome to the community,

Here are the instructions on how to perform the repair via PC and Mac.

Here's how to run the repair on PC Companion:
1. Install and open PC Companion then select Support Zone.
2. Phone Software Update.
3. Start.
4. Repair Phone
5. Continue
6. Accept data removal
7. Next
8. Wait for prepare
9. Select Phone
10. Follow the connection steps

And Bridge for Mac:
1. Launch Bridge for MAC without the handset connected.
2. On the Main Window select "Xperia > Repair Xperia Device".
3. Ensure the phone is charged and select "Ok" in the following window.
4. Select Continue on the following page.
5. Wait until the initialising step is finished the continue as below.
6 . Select your model of phone from the list that appears
7. Follow the connection steps that appear, ensuring that you are holding the relevant button down before during and after the connection phase until the update/repair begins.

Re: Video only recording sound, black picture

ashish_59 — Sun, 16 Aug 2015 09:19:39 GMT

Same problem with my Sony Xperia M4 Aqua!!!! Prior to software update everything was fine but now this problem started!!!! If I download any movie or video that shows only black screen and sound in background and same problem when I capture video 📹 through camera!!!! Please help me if anyone have any idea how to fix this!!!

Re: Video only recording sound, black picture

Kerri79 — Sun, 16 Aug 2015 09:19:45 GMT

Mine has started doing exactly the same. I'm going to try the repair.

Re: Video only recording sound, black picture

Jake-SonyXperia — Sun, 16 Aug 2015 23:35:13 GMT

Hi ashish_59,

Try the software repair above, this should help with the issue.

Re: Video only recording sound, black picture

Staykov — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 10:16:56 GMT

I had the same problem. Jake-SonyXperiaSupport answer helped me to resolve it. Thanks

Re: Video only recording sound, black picture

Jake-SonyXperia — Tue, 01 Sep 2015 02:39:50 GMT

Glad to hear that Staykov, I hope it all goes well for the future

Re: Video only recording sound, black picture

Ah4 — Mon, 07 Sep 2015 11:54:12 GMT

I just restarted my m4 aqua

This solved the problem

Another user whose video recordings are BLANK (sound, no picture)

DisappointedCus — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 21:57:41 GMT

Hi there -

My wife and I bought identical Xperia M4 Aquas within a couple of weeks of each other, from different retailers.

Both have developed the same SOFTWARE FAULT.

When recording mp4 video, the resultant movie will randomly have sound but no picture. (ie. BLACK). The video is blank when played on PC too.

This is extremely annoying - we have lost footage of our best friends wedding, and our young baby daughters first moments.

Restarting the phone solves the problem - but it occurs again after a short while. The chances are that repairing the phone via the PC Companion (yes, I know how to do this) will also simply be a TEMPORARY FIX until it goes wrong again.

Sony, this is not good enough. We expect reliable equipment from you for this price - ESPECIALLY in the field of camera/optics.

When can we expect a patch to fix this bug for good?

Many others are reporting this bug - can any of these people confirm whether a PC Companion repair of the phone fixes the issue permanently, or if the fault just comes back again?

Best regards

Re: Another user whose video recordings are BLANK (sound, no picture)

Uliwooly — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 22:00:05 GMT

@DisappointedCustomer

Are you using a third party camera ?

Where are you saving the videos, internal storage on an SD card?

Any call recording apps?

Re: Another user whose video recordings are BLANK (sound, no picture)

Rickard — Fri, 11 Sep 2015 09:07:57 GMT

I'm very sorry to hear that

If the phone is not updated with the latest software version there may in some cases be issues with playback of video. But if there's an issue with the recording itself and it's black also when you play it in for example a PC i recommend that you contact a service location for assistance. For more information about how to submit your phone for repair and where, please contact your local support team.

Re: Another user whose video recordings are BLANK (sound, no picture)

DisappointedCus — Fri, 11 Sep 2015 09:14:07 GMT

>> Are you using a third party camera ?

No, stock Sony camera.

>> Where are you saving the videos, internal storage on an SD card?

32gb sandisk SD card

>> Any call recording apps?

Re: Another user whose video recordings are BLANK (sound, no picture)

DisappointedCus — Fri, 11 Sep 2015 09:22:55 GMT

Both phones are updated to the latest software version via the PC Companion.

With all due respect, its pointless sending the phone for repair. Since this is a software fault affecting many users now (scan the forums to see), and Sony has not released any new software patches - there's little that a repair center can do but run the PC Companion repair, or do a factory reset. And then the problem will just come back again in time.

Sony: Any news on a patch to fix this bug?

Re: Another user whose video recordings are BLANK (sound, no picture)

Rickard — Fri, 11 Sep 2015 12:03:10 GMT

There's no known issue with video recording and playback with the latest version of our software so i'm afraid i suspect a hardware issue if your phone has been updated.

Can you please clarify if you see this issue also when you play the video in other devices and which build number you have?

Re: Another user whose video recordings are BLANK (sound, no picture)

DisappointedCus — Fri, 11 Sep 2015 12:58:37 GMT

Thanks, yes let me clarify:

When I transfer the mp4 to my PC and analyse the movie in something like VLC there is no video stream.. Empty, just audio.

You say this is a hardware issue.. Let me link to another recent thread on the subject. Do you suppose these people also all have the same HW issue.. and can we therefore summarise that there is a serious HW problem with these phones?

http://talk.sonymobile.com/t5/Xperia-8482-M4-Aqua/Video-only-recording-sound-black-picture/m-p/1025185

Will Sony admit to the hardware problem and initiate a device recall - or perhaps its a software issue after all?

Re: Video only recording sound, black picture

DisappointedCus — Fri, 11 Sep 2015 13:00:33 GMT

Restarting your phone frequently is not the answer to this problem. It will come back.

Are you really going to restart your phone every time you whip your phone out to capture an inpromptu video?

There is some response being given in this thread:

http://talk.sonymobile.com/t5/forums/replypage/board-id/xperiaM4aqua/message-id/1972

possible HW problem with these phones, but stay tuned.

Re: Video only recording sound, black picture

Uliwooly — Fri, 11 Sep 2015 17:28:17 GMT

@DisappointedCustomer

Stop by your local Xperia Care to get your phone inspected if you think it's a hardware issue.

http://support.sonymobile.com/global-en/contactUs/

Re: Video only recording sound, black picture

DisappointedCus — Sat, 12 Sep 2015 21:30:46 GMT

FFS it is not a hardware issue (read the thread before posting).

A lot of people are having this, and the only advice which can be given is "duh must be a hardware issue, go repair your phone".

It is most likely a SW bug, probably with the camera app.

Re: Video only recording sound, black picture

Frippe75 — Wed, 16 Sep 2015 20:03:18 GMT

Hello,

My sons phone is behaving the exact same way. Black video recording, with sound.

Restart does not help. Not sure if I can upgrade it futher.

Time for an official Sony solution....

We bought this phone as a replacement for the Sony z1 compact which.... was acting strangely....
Hmm.... 1 Sony mobile + 1 Sony mobile = 2 broken Sony mobiles...

Can't believe I went that route....