Apple Event: May 7th at 7 am PT

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Level 3

995 points

Video App. just shows black screen...

This is the second time this has happened..

i click on the video icon from desktop.. opens and just shows a black screen.. restarted app and iPad itself several times and it doesn't fix it.. restored from backup and problem fixed but now it's back again..

anyone else have this problem and/or a permanent solution..

2.0GHz MacMini Core2Duo 4GB/120GB, Mac OS X (10.6.4), Dual 2GHz G5 (10.5.8), 40GB AppleTV, AEGigE, 64GB iPad

Posted on Dec 13, 2010 8:28 AM

74 replies

tmartine Author

Level 3

995 points

Jan 13, 2011 6:37 AM in response to Michael Morgan1

force quit doesn't work.. that's the 1st thing a tried..
restarting the iPad doesn't even work.. 2nd thing i tried..

only solutions.. seems to be to somehow get the offending movie that's stuck playing to stop playing.. either by a) removing the offending movie from the iPad or b) some how stopping it from playing (the double-click method) or getting a new movie to play (play some other video in the iPod app method)..

i guess they are all really ways of getting the offending movie to stop playing.. seems weird to me as well, but restarting the iPad and force quitting the app don't help like you think they would..

Message was edited by: tmartine

tmartine Author

Level 3

995 points

Jan 13, 2011 6:42 AM in response to tmartine

doh.. guess COMBATXE2 already found this one.. worked for me too.. but it can be any video at all.. for instance i played a movie instead of a podcast..

somehow i think it's stuck on that one movie and won't let go, even if you force quite or reboot the iPad.. if you can get the iPad to stop playing or get it to play something else you're good..

i figure that even if you removed just the offending movie and nothing else that would also work..

really weird!

ssjlogan

Level 1

0 points

Jan 13, 2011 12:33 PM in response to tmartine

Hi

Ive tried all of these things that you have all said but still have a blank screen when i go to videos. Can someone please help? Many thanks

tmartine Author

Level 3

995 points

Jan 13, 2011 1:45 PM in response to ssjlogan

is it a black, blank screen with absolutely nothing on it?

ssjlogan

Level 1

0 points

Jan 13, 2011 2:03 PM in response to tmartine

Yep, completely blank, a couple times it wont even show the time at the top of the screen
Is it cause of the update?

tmartine Author

Level 3

995 points

Jan 13, 2011 2:25 PM in response to ssjlogan

not sure.. if it's because of the update or not.. hadn't seen it before the update.. i thought that it might because one of my video files was corrupted some how.. but not sure..

i was just asking to make sure that we were talking about the same thing.. i can verify these (below) work for me.. and other have also verified as well..

just to review in order of ease..

1) go to the "iPod" app.. i.e. NOT the "Video" app.. play a video there (not the video that was playing when the video app got stuck.. might try a few if the first one doesn't play).. i can confirm that it works with a movie.. others have said it also works with a video podcast.. but it can't be the same movie that was playing when the player got stuck.. play it.. then go back to the video app and the movies should be listed there again..

2) attach the iPad to your computer then change your settings such that no movies are syncing.. press sync i iTunes and sync the iPad.. might want to detach the iPad and verify that no movies are on it.. then reattach it and sync at least one movie that wasn't synced when the problems started.. play it.. then re-sync all your movies back..

ssjlogan

Level 1

0 points

Jan 13, 2011 3:03 PM in response to tmartine

Unfortunately niether worked. thank you for your help though. Much apprieciated.

ssjlogan

Level 1

0 points

Jan 13, 2011 4:25 PM in response to tmartine

I take that back, it worked! You sir are a genius and i thank you very much.

For some reason it wouldnt work opening a movie in iPod but it worked when i played a music video?!? Either way it works now.

Thank you.

spease

Level 1

4 points

Jan 15, 2011 1:37 PM in response to ridergroov

Thanks for the fix. Lifesaver.

Feb 1, 2011 7:16 AM in response to tmartine

Yep, I have this problem and the only way I've found to resolve is to double click the button to get to the multi tasking apps, scroll left to the iPod controls and click play there.

The movie will restart and you can then stop it properly and then everything will be fine. It is a definite bug and appears that the movie is playing in the background but not accessible

Feb 20, 2011 12:16 PM in response to kingfisherPad

Can't believe this software problem. But thanks as your fix of playing an podcast helped me too. Saved me from trying to explain to the French genius bar the problem when I don't speak French....

Apple. Please fix the bug

LMLoftis

Level 1

0 points

Feb 22, 2011 3:56 AM in response to ridergroov

Thank you. Sometimes simple does it.

Mar 5, 2011 10:54 AM in response to ridergroov

Ridergroov, Your a Genius

1- Open Video App
2- With Black Screen Showing, Double Click Home
3- Multitask bar opens on bottom, scroll over (left) to the play option
4- Press Play

Thanks for your help.

Mar 12, 2011 9:00 AM in response to ridergroov

ridergroov's post should be stickied, fixed the issue and it was just a user knowledge issue. No need to reformat the device, it's working perfectly!

May 13, 2011 8:45 PM in response to tmartine

Our black screen issue was a failure to understand how the interface worked, combined with a somewhat ambiguous control isse. Some of our "movies" were actually audio files with no video component. We didn't realize that the audio was paused, and there was no indication that this was an audio only file.

Once we double clicked the home button, and scrolled to the left to reveal the payback controls, we were able to continue play, or jump to the next file, which was a true video.

So, basically, it was a noob issue, but I would advise a change in the Video interface to warn of a lack of video track.

Hope this helps.

Video App. just shows black screen...