Video player crashes

[c2xhZGU]

Checklist

• I am able to reproduce the bug with the latest version given here: CLICK THIS LINK.
• I made sure that there are no existing issues - open or closed - which I could contribute my information to.
• I have read the FAQ and my problem isn't listed.
• I have taken the time to fill in all the required details. I understand that the bug report will be dismissed otherwise.
• This issue contains only one bug.
• I have read and understood the contribution guidelines.
• I have read and understood the AI policy. The content of this bug report is not generated by AI.

Affected version

0.28.2

Steps to reproduce the bug

1. Open a video
2. Press play

Expected behavior

Video should play

Actual behavior

Video doesn't play

Screenshots/Screen recordings

newpipe_bug_sr.mp4

Logs

Exception

• User Action: play stream
• Request: Player error[type=ERROR_CODE_DECODER_INIT_FAILED] occurred while playing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5o85kc-Cbs
• Content Country: US
• Content Language: en-IN
• App Language: en_IN
• Service: YouTube
• Timestamp: 2026-01-31T14:45:20.385+05:30
• Package: org.schabi.newpipe
• Service: YouTube
• Version: 0.28.2
• OS: Linux Android 15 - 35

Crash log

com.google.android.exoplayer2.ExoPlaybackException: MediaCodecVideoRenderer error, index=0, format=Format(271, null, null, video/x-vnd.on2.vp9, vp9, 9021024, en, [2560, 1440, 24.0, ColorInfo(BT709, Limited range, SDR SMPTE 170M, false)], [-1, -1]), format_supported=NO_EXCEEDS_CAPABILITIES
	at com.google.android.exoplayer2.ExoPlayerImplInternal.handleMessage(ExoPlayerImplInternal.java:601)
	at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:103)
	at android.os.Looper.loopOnce(Looper.java:249)
	at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:337)
	at android.os.HandlerThread.run(HandlerThread.java:85)
Caused by: com.google.android.exoplayer2.mediacodec.MediaCodecRenderer$DecoderInitializationException: Decoder init failed: c2.qti.vp9.decoder, Format(271, null, null, video/x-vnd.on2.vp9, vp9, 9021024, en, [2560, 1440, 24.0, ColorInfo(BT709, Limited range, SDR SMPTE 170M, false)], [-1, -1])
	at com.google.android.exoplayer2.mediacodec.MediaCodecRenderer.maybeInitCodecWithFallback(MediaCodecRenderer.java:1061)
	at com.google.android.exoplayer2.mediacodec.MediaCodecRenderer.maybeInitCodecOrBypass(MediaCodecRenderer.java:562)
	at com.google.android.exoplayer2.mediacodec.MediaCodecRenderer.onInputFormatChanged(MediaCodecRenderer.java:1510)
	at com.google.android.exoplayer2.video.MediaCodecVideoRenderer.onInputFormatChanged(MediaCodecVideoRenderer.java:999)
	at com.google.android.exoplayer2.mediacodec.MediaCodecRenderer.readSourceOmittingSampleData(MediaCodecRenderer.java:994)
	at com.google.android.exoplayer2.mediacodec.MediaCodecRenderer.render(MediaCodecRenderer.java:809)
	at com.google.android.exoplayer2.video.MediaCodecVideoRenderer.render(MediaCodecVideoRenderer.java:854)
	at com.google.android.exoplayer2.ExoPlayerImplInternal.doSomeWork(ExoPlayerImplInternal.java:1047)
	at com.google.android.exoplayer2.ExoPlayerImplInternal.handleMessage(ExoPlayerImplInternal.java:522)
	... 4 more
Caused by: java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: 
	at android.media.MediaCodec.native_configure(Native Method)
	at android.media.MediaCodec.configure(MediaCodec.java:2423)
	at android.media.MediaCodec.configure(MediaCodec.java:2326)
	at com.google.android.exoplayer2.mediacodec.AsynchronousMediaCodecAdapter.initialize(AsynchronousMediaCodecAdapter.java:162)
	at com.google.android.exoplayer2.mediacodec.AsynchronousMediaCodecAdapter.access$100(AsynchronousMediaCodecAdapter.java:56)
	at com.google.android.exoplayer2.mediacodec.AsynchronousMediaCodecAdapter$Factory.createAdapter(AsynchronousMediaCodecAdapter.java:109)
	at com.google.android.exoplayer2.mediacodec.DefaultMediaCodecAdapterFactory.createAdapter(DefaultMediaCodecAdapterFactory.java:117)
	at com.google.android.exoplayer2.mediacodec.MediaCodecRenderer.initCodec(MediaCodecRenderer.java:1140)
	at com.google.android.exoplayer2.mediacodec.MediaCodecRenderer.maybeInitCodecWithFallback(MediaCodecRenderer.java:1050)
	... 12 more

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Affected Android/Custom ROM version

Android 16 BP2A.250605.031.A3 - Xiaomi HyperOS 3.0.9.0

Affected device model

Redmi 13 5G

Additional information

For some random videos main video player and popup player don't work but background player ie only audio player works. This issue has persisted since 0.28.0 but I just never got around to creating a ticket back then sorry. Also I checked and couldn't find any open issue with the same details or version etc sorry if I missed it. Thankyou

[c2xhZGU]

Screenrecorder video not working so I've uploaded it here

[dustdfg]

Can you try toggling settings from Settings->Video and Audio-> ExoPlayer Settings? Each one separately. Then 2 of 3, then all 3

[c2xhZGU]

Yes it works now thankyou so much! Just a small issue the videos lag quite a bit in 1440p which is my default setting and hence I need to switch to 1080p. Please note that the other videos that were working even without exoplayer toggle still play smoothly in 1440p. This is minor, but just pointing it out. Thankyou

[dustdfg]

Yes it works now thankyou so much! Just a small issue the videos lag quite a bit in 1440p which is my default setting and hence I need to switch to 1080p. Please note that the other videos that were working even without exoplayer toggle still play smoothly in 1440p. This is minor, but just pointing it out. Thankyou

So the videos which allowed you to reproduce the bug make up a stable set which doesn't change after reboot? I mean there is clear separation between affected and non affected videos?

[ShareASmile]

@dustdfg what are your thoughts on handling these type of issues vis-a-vis this comment

[c2xhZGU]

The videos that were working before, are still working fine, even in 1440p same as before. The videos that weren't working before, which allowed me to reproduce the bug, are now working with Use ExoPlayer's decoder fallback feature toggled on. This needs to be toggled on regardless of the other two toggles, else the videos don't work at all. Now even though the videos play, they lag a lot in 1440p but smoothly in 1080p. This gets slightly better with Disable media tunneling toggled on, but there still is some lag in 1440p. The third toggle Always use ExoPlayer's video output surface setting workaround doesn't help the lag but in fact seems to introduce a new problem where the video blacks out for a few seconds (but audio continues to play smoothly) whenever I switch to fullscreen or back to normal. Hence I'm leaving it toggled off and only the first two on. I hope this helps. Thankyou