Windows 10: Windows File Explorer does not generate thumbnails for HEVC videos any more

In the beginning of December 2018, I started to record video-clips with HEVC/H.265 codec. I realized immediately that there was no build-in support in Windows 10 for this codec. I found and installed the app “HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufacturers” from Microsoft Store and everything worked fine. The HEVC video-clips was correctly displayed with thumbnails in the File Explorer. I could view video-clips with the Film and Photo apps.

Just a few days ago I bought and installed the app "HEVC Video Extension" from Microsoft Store. This was a big mistake. The File Explorer does not generate thumbnails anymore, when I store new HEVC files in a folder. For the old files the thumbnails are shown. I guess that Microsoft has altered something in the interface from the first HEVC app to the next one. And File Explorer has not been update. Look at the picture, two mp4/HEVC clips. The left file is stored after the update and the right before.




Has anybody else noticed this problem_

:)

 

Directories with HEVC/x265 or Hi10p/10bit video sluggish

This was working for me in the Anniversary Update and Creators Update, but has been slowly going downhill after the Fall Creators Update (build 1709). After updating to the Fall Creators Update, I could sometimes get thumbnails to show up in Explorer, sometimes
not. I could sometimes get HEVC video to play in Movies & TV and Movie Moments, sometimes not. Now File Explorer won't create any HEVC thumbnails and HEVC video won't play in any of the Microsoft desktop or metro apps.

Here's what I've been able to piece together from a couple of different sources:

• Microsoft removed native HEVC support from the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update.
• If you applied a feature update from a previous version (Creators, etc.), you were supposed to retain HEVC support. Wasn't quite true for me, which is how I found this thread. The work-around I mentioned in a previous reply has now stopped working.
• Update KB4041994 enables SOME systems to ADD HEVC support back. There's a hidden app in the Microsoft Store called "HEVC Video Extension". Windows may add it manually. The app only enables HARDWARE HEVC decoding.
  You need a video card or processor released within the last ~year to get it though (Kaby Lake, Kaby Lake Refresh and Coffee Lake, and GPUs like AMD's RX 400, RX 500 and RX Vega 56/64, and Nividia's GeForce GTX 1000 and GTX 950 and 960 series.)
• One of the sources suggests software HEVC decoding might become available as a paid app in the Windows Store in the future. No further info available.

I did a clean install of the Fall Creators Update in Virtualbox. Applied all the updates and installed the "HEVC Video Extension" from the store. MP4 opens in Movies & TV metro app; HEVC video is blank, but HE-AAC audio plays. The slow folder refresh issue
with HEVC files exists.

I have a mid-range desktop processor and video card from early 2013. VLC plays 1080p HEVC using just a couple of percent CPU. I can encode 480p 30FPS in real time using the x.265 Medium preset. My system doesn't need hardware-accelerated encoding / decoding.

As for the original issue. I took someone's suggestion and installed Icaros. Explorer refresh is speedy and I get thumbnails not only for HEVC MP4/MKV, but also FLV (like Icaros claims - anything FFMPEG can decode).

Additional info:

• Microsoft removes HEVC codec in Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, adds it to Store - gHacks Tech News
• HEVC and the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update

 

x265 HEVC Video not playing or thumbnails

Thanks for the reply.
I doubt they have the same video card.
VLC plays HEVC's on both machines without a problem. I wouldn't have thought the video card would effect the thumbnails? From what I have been reading, x265 (HEVC) is normally software decoded (x264 is often hardware decoded).

Cheers
JD

 

Windows Explorer crashes and thumbnails problem

Hi, I hope you can help me.
Windows Explorer is no longer showing thumbnails on files played by Windows Media Player. I've run cmd and regsvr32 shmedia.dll and regsvr32 shimgvw.dll. That seemed to solve the problem...but it created a different one. Now when I try to open a folder on an external hard drive it crashes. I read in an old 2008 post it was an avi file causing the problem and suggested the run cmd regsvr32 /u shmedia.dll. That solved the opening problem but recreated the thumbnail problem. Any help to achieve both functions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.