Child Item

Free Dropbox download app

Why does a video of an uncorrupted 18 sec clip stored in Dropbox become corrupted when accessing it, downloading, storing and then replaying it? I can well do without this feature of Dropbox which also makes any shared file difficult if not impossible to open by a recipient! Pretty powerful incentives to dump Dropbox.

Find more posts tagged with

View

Preview

OffTopic

Accepted answers

All comments

Walter

Hey @Maxadolf, sorry to hear you're having issues with this.

Could you please clarify what you mean by corrupted? Does the file not open at all or are you having troubles previewing it?

If you could send us a screenshot, I'd appreciate it too.

Thanks!

Maxadolf

The main frustration with Dropbox is this:
I transfer a video clip to Dropbox which works fine (except that government agencies won’t accept a Dropbox file!). I then share the file and people without a Dropbox account can’t open it! Worse still, if I download the video clip and save it on my computer, the video becomes distorted and seems to show 2 clips in parallel but in incompatible orientations. In saving followed by playing some kind of corruption of the image occurs. Playing the clip from the Dropbox link is ok, but somehow, saving it and then playing the saved clip causes the video to distort the played image!

Hannah

Hey @Maxadolf, sorry to jump in here.

Anyone, even people without a Dropbox account, can access files through "can view" shared links. Can you clarify how you shared it with them?

Also, what is the file type and size (in MB/GB) of this video?

And are you downloading it directly from the link, or is it saved in your account and you're downloading it from there?

Maxadolf

I think the problem is that I was getting 2 video sequences at the same time with one at 90 degrees to the other. But am now getting the playback of downloaded Dropbox video in the upside down position! This is driving me nuts! If I do an edit then all the controls are upside down but the picture is the right way up!

Hannah

The thing is that Dropbox does not alter your files in any way, so if the file previews correctly on Dropbox, perhaps this has to do with the media player you're using to play the video?

Can you look into that and see if you can find out anything?

What about using a different browser to download the video? Does that make a difference?

Maxadolf

I’ve already spent a couple of days attempting to sort out the problem. Ended up with a non-corrupted video apart from the fact that it plays upside down. Rectifying the orientation can be achieved but control buttons remain upside down! The video was required as evidence in a formal challenge that could end up in court. The video is too large to be sent by email and the recipients (a local Council) refuse to download from Dropbox. No problem sending as an attachment by email provided I truncate video to below 25 Mb. Problem has to be, therefore, the Dropbox software that somehow inverts the video after opening the Dropbox link followed by burning on to cd. But thanks for taking the trouble to offer advice. Advised recipient to turn laptop through 180 degrees to view evidence!

Maxadolf

Thank you for responding. I have tried everything except reinstall the Dropbox app. But, along with their aggressive selling pitch for more space, and unreasonable limit on access via the link, I intend relying more on Google drive.