v0.16.0 Mac OS - Not playing mp4 files

[paquinde]

As I was saying last night. Today I see there are crash reports in the Console app. It seems github doesn't take .ips files so I've saved as an .rtf but the text formatting looks funky.

IMH Crash Report.rtf

[LuqP2]

Hey, thanks for the crash report! It points to an Electron helper aborting very early (EXC_CRASH / SIGABRT, Electron Framework 38.2.2), but it doesnt include a useful JS stack.

If possible, could you attach or link one small MP4 that reproduces it, and let me if it happens immediately after launch, only after reboot, or after opening a specific video? Also useful: wether audio files still play when MP4 playback is failing.

Thanks!

[paquinde]

OK, I think I’m on to something. I can’t think of what would’ve triggered this behavior because it was working fine a few days ago but - I tried some older video files just now that don’t have sound and they play just fine in image preview, detail view and slideshow while videos with sound won’t, as well as any mp3. So it looks like it’s not really a video issue but rather an audio issue. Example files and the first/last crash reports today so far. Found the Image Adjust now that you pointed it out. Github just bounced back with an attachments too large message so I’ll try them individually. Peter 

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On May 17, 2026, at 1:14 PM, Lucas ***@***.***> wrote: LuqP2 left a comment (LuqP2/Image-MetaHub#285) <#285 (comment)> Hey, thanks for the crash report! It points to an Electron helper aborting very early (EXC_CRASH / SIGABRT, Electron Framework 38.2.2), but it doesnt include a useful JS stack. If possible, could you attach or link one small MP4 that reproduces it, and let me if it happens immediately after launch, only after reboot, or after opening a specific video? Also useful: wether audio files still play when MP4 playback is failing. Thanks! — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#285 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AUCC37FK6DGXVTCXNI3UMKL43IMQTAVCNFSM6AAAAACZAUXR66VHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHM2DINZSGM3DOMBXGQ>. Triage notifications on the go with GitHub Mobile for iOS <https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1477376905?ct=notification-email&mt=8&pt=524675> or Android <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.github.android&referrer=utm_campaign%3Dnotification-email%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_source%3Dgithub>. You are receiving this because you authored the thread.

[paquinde]

No audio Peter 

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On May 17, 2026, at 1:14 PM, Lucas ***@***.***> wrote: LuqP2 left a comment (LuqP2/Image-MetaHub#285) <#285 (comment)> Hey, thanks for the crash report! It points to an Electron helper aborting very early (EXC_CRASH / SIGABRT, Electron Framework 38.2.2), but it doesnt include a useful JS stack. If possible, could you attach or link one small MP4 that reproduces it, and let me if it happens immediately after launch, only after reboot, or after opening a specific video? Also useful: wether audio files still play when MP4 playback is failing. Thanks! — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#285 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AUCC37FK6DGXVTCXNI3UMKL43IMQTAVCNFSM6AAAAACZAUXR66VHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHM2DINZSGM3DOMBXGQ>. Triage notifications on the go with GitHub Mobile for iOS <https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1477376905?ct=notification-email&mt=8&pt=524675> or Android <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.github.android&referrer=utm_campaign%3Dnotification-email%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_source%3Dgithub>. You are receiving this because you authored the thread.

[paquinde]

Just audio, and the crash reports Peter 

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On May 17, 2026, at 1:14 PM, Lucas ***@***.***> wrote: LuqP2 left a comment (LuqP2/Image-MetaHub#285) <#285 (comment)> Hey, thanks for the crash report! It points to an Electron helper aborting very early (EXC_CRASH / SIGABRT, Electron Framework 38.2.2), but it doesnt include a useful JS stack. If possible, could you attach or link one small MP4 that reproduces it, and let me if it happens immediately after launch, only after reboot, or after opening a specific video? Also useful: wether audio files still play when MP4 playback is failing. Thanks! — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#285 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AUCC37FK6DGXVTCXNI3UMKL43IMQTAVCNFSM6AAAAACZAUXR66VHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHM2DINZSGM3DOMBXGQ>. Triage notifications on the go with GitHub Mobile for iOS <https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1477376905?ct=notification-email&mt=8&pt=524675> or Android <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.github.android&referrer=utm_campaign%3Dnotification-email%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_source%3Dgithub>. You are receiving this because you authored the thread.

[paquinde]

Hi Lukas, Here are some fresh crash reports. The ones at 9:01 are from first IMH launch after system start, triggered by trying to play an mp4 in the Image Preview panel. The ones from 9:11 are from an attempt after restarting IMH. Hope this helps! Peter 

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On May 17, 2026, at 1:14 PM, Lucas ***@***.***> wrote: LuqP2 left a comment (LuqP2/Image-MetaHub#285) <#285 (comment)> Hey, thanks for the crash report! It points to an Electron helper aborting very early (EXC_CRASH / SIGABRT, Electron Framework 38.2.2), but it doesnt include a useful JS stack. If possible, could you attach or link one small MP4 that reproduces it, and let me if it happens immediately after launch, only after reboot, or after opening a specific video? Also useful: wether audio files still play when MP4 playback is failing. Thanks! — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#285 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AUCC37FK6DGXVTCXNI3UMKL43IMQTAVCNFSM6AAAAACZAUXR66VHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHM2DINZSGM3DOMBXGQ>. Triage notifications on the go with GitHub Mobile for iOS <https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1477376905?ct=notification-email&mt=8&pt=524675> or Android <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.github.android&referrer=utm_campaign%3Dnotification-email%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_source%3Dgithub>. You are receiving this because you authored the thread.

[LuqP2]

Hi Peter, sorry for the late response, things have been a bit hectic here. The attachments didnt come through, could you please try forwarding them to imagemetahub@gmail.com ? Thanks!

[LuqP2]

Hi Peter,

Thanks for the files and the logs! I tested the media you sent and they all play normally on my side so I dont think the files themselves are using some especially weird codec.

The crash reports are interesting in that they dont really point to a specific MP4/MP3 decoding failure, they look more like a Helper process aborting early when the audio/media pipeline is being initialized. So yeah, the macOS update you mentioned could be a factor here.

I will do a bit more digging heere.. One useful test would be after a full reboot, open IMH and try one MP4 with audio, then quit IMH, reopen it, and try the same file again. If the behavior changes between, that would confirm this is probably some macOS/Electron issue.

I'll also try a test build with a mitigation for the media/helper startup path and may send you an RC if that looks promising.

I appreciate your pacience, as well as your reports and files! this kind of Mac-specific issue is hard for me to pin down without outside testing so this is really helpful!

[LuqP2]

I added a diagnostic/safe-mode for this issue on v0.16.1

When the release is out, could you please test this in two passes?

First launch Image MetaHub normally and try the same files again:

• one MP3
• one MP4 with audio
• one MP4 without audio, if you still have one handy

If it fails or crashes please send me the process-events.log.

Then quit Image MetaHub completely and launch it from Terminal with media safe mode:

IMH_MEDIA_SAFE_MODE=1 /Applications/Image\ MetaHub.app/Contents/MacOS/Image\ MetaHub
After it opens, try the same files again.

To confirm safe mode actually started, the process-events.log should include:

mediaSafeModeEnabled: true

This should give us much better evidence! Thanks again.

[paquinde]

Sounds like a plan! Peter

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On May 20, 2026, at 12:02 PM, Lucas ***@***.***> wrote: LuqP2 left a comment (LuqP2/Image-MetaHub#285) <#285 (comment)> I added a diagnostic/safe-mode for this issue on v0.16.1 When the release is out, could you please test this in two passes? First launch Image MetaHub normally and try the same files again: one MP3 one MP4 with audio one MP4 without audio, if you still have one handy If it fails or crashes please send me the process-events.log. Then quit Image MetaHub completely and launch it from Terminal with media safe mode: IMH_MEDIA_SAFE_MODE=1 /Applications/Image\ MetaHub.app/Contents/MacOS/Image\ MetaHub After it opens, try the same files again. To confirm safe mode actually started, the process-events.log should include: mediaSafeModeEnabled: true This should give us much better evidence! Thanks again. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#285 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AUCC37FD6NCXYAC4CFFU23T43X6L3AVCNFSM6AAAAACZAUXR66VHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHM2DKMBRGY4TCNJXGU>. Triage notifications on the go with GitHub Mobile for iOS <https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1477376905?ct=notification-email&mt=8&pt=524675> or Android <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.github.android&referrer=utm_campaign%3Dnotification-email%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_source%3Dgithub>. You are receiving this because you authored the thread.