Object Reference not set error playing video; DirectX Runtime on Windows 10

[petercooperjr]

I don't use the DVR capabilities of NPVR for quite a while now since I cut cable, but I still use it as a media player. This has been working wonderfully for quite some time. I was running NPVR 3.7.7 on Windows 10 64-bit, though I've just tried updating to NPVR 3.8.3 and it doesn't seem to help this issue I'm now having. Starting yesterday, when I try to play any video now from the Videos menu, I get this error:

Code:

See the end of this message for details on invoking
just-in-time (JIT) debugging instead of this dialog box.

************** Exception Text **************
System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
   at VideoRendererEVR.UpdateVideoWindowPosition()
   at Native.PlaybackNative.HandleWindowResize()
   at Native.PlaybackNative.PlayVideoFile(IntPtr hwndIntPtr, String filename, String& message)
   at NextPVR.Players.PlaybackProxyFactory.StartVideoPlaybackProxy(IntPtr window, String filename, String& reason)
   at NextPVR.Players.VideoPlayer.PlayFiles(List`1 playQueue, Int32 playQueueIndex, String& reason)
   at NextPVR.Players.VideoPlayer.PlayFile(String filename, String& reason)
   at NextPVR.ControllerForm.PlayVideoFile(String filename)
   at NextPVR.Libraries.VideoLibrary.PluginCallback(Object source, String command, Object args)
   at NextPVR.Libraries.VideoLibrary.NUtility.IPluginCallback.PluginCallback(Object source, String command, Object args)
   at NUtility.Base.SimplePopup.HandleCommand(String command)
   at NUtility.Base.SimpleMessageBox.OnClick(PointF location)
   at NextPVR.ControllerForm.ControllerForm_MouseClick(Object sender, MouseEventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.OnMouseClick(MouseEventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmMouseUp(Message& m, MouseButtons button, Int32 clicks)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.ScrollableControl.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WndProc(Message& m)
   at NextPVR.ControllerForm.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)


************** Loaded Assemblies **************
mscorlib
    Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 4.6.1586.0 built by: NETFXREL2
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.NET/Framework/v4.0.30319/mscorlib.dll
----------------------------------------
NextPVR
    Assembly Version: 1.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 1.0.0.0
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Program%20Files%20(x86)/NPVR/NextPVR.exe
----------------------------------------
NUtility
    Assembly Version: 1.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 1.0.0.0
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Program%20Files%20(x86)/NPVR/NUtility.DLL
----------------------------------------
System.Windows.Forms
    Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 4.6.1586.0 built by: NETFXREL2
    CodeBase: file:///C:/WINDOWS/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Windows.Forms/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Windows.Forms.dll
----------------------------------------
System
    Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 4.6.1586.0 built by: NETFXREL2
    CodeBase: file:///C:/WINDOWS/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Drawing
    Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 4.6.1586.0 built by: NETFXREL2
    CodeBase: file:///C:/WINDOWS/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Drawing/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Drawing.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Data
    Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 4.6.1586.0 built by: NETFXREL2
    CodeBase: file:///C:/WINDOWS/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_32/System.Data/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Data.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Core
    Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 4.6.1586.0 built by: NETFXREL2
    CodeBase: file:///C:/WINDOWS/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Core/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Core.dll
----------------------------------------
NShared
    Assembly Version: 1.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 1.0.0.0
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Program%20Files%20(x86)/NPVR/NShared.DLL
----------------------------------------
System.Data.SQLite
    Assembly Version: 1.0.85.0
    Win32 Version: 1.0.85.0
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Program%20Files%20(x86)/NPVR/System.Data.SQLite.DLL
----------------------------------------
System.Data.Entity
    Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 4.6.1586.0 built by: NETFXREL2
    CodeBase: file:///C:/WINDOWS/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Data.Entity/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Data.Entity.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Xml
    Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 4.6.1586.0 built by: NETFXREL2
    CodeBase: file:///C:/WINDOWS/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Xml/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Xml.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Transactions
    Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 4.6.1586.0 built by: NETFXREL2
    CodeBase: file:///C:/WINDOWS/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_32/System.Transactions/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Transactions.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Configuration
    Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 4.6.1586.0 built by: NETFXREL2
    CodeBase: file:///C:/WINDOWS/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Configuration/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Configuration.dll
----------------------------------------
System.EnterpriseServices
    Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 4.6.1586.0 built by: NETFXREL2
    CodeBase: file:///C:/WINDOWS/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_32/System.EnterpriseServices/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.EnterpriseServices.dll
----------------------------------------
Unmanaged
    Assembly Version: 1.0.6115.29130
    Win32 Version:
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Program%20Files%20(x86)/NPVR/Unmanaged.DLL
----------------------------------------
System.Runtime.Remoting
    Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 4.6.1586.0 built by: NETFXREL2
    CodeBase: file:///C:/WINDOWS/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Runtime.Remoting/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Runtime.Remoting.dll
----------------------------------------
SlimDX
    Assembly Version: 4.0.13.43
    Win32 Version:
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Program%20Files%20(x86)/NPVR/SlimDX.DLL
----------------------------------------
System.Management
    Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 4.6.1586.0 built by: NETFXREL2
    CodeBase: file:///C:/WINDOWS/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Management/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Management.dll
----------------------------------------

************** JIT Debugging **************
To enable just-in-time (JIT) debugging, the .config file for this
application or computer (machine.config) must have the
jitDebugging value set in the system.windows.forms section.
The application must also be compiled with debugging
enabled.

For example:

<configuration>
    <system.windows.forms jitDebugging="true" />
</configuration>

When JIT debugging is enabled, any unhandled exception
will be sent to the JIT debugger registered on the computer
rather than be handled by this dialog box.

Looking around in the settings, I see the message that "WARNING: The DirectX runtime is not available on this machine. Software rendering instead", which seems very odd, as I don't recall seeing that message before, and it had been working fine. I've downloaded the Microsoft DirectX runtime that the message links to (https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download...x?id=34429), but when I try to install it I get this message:

Code:

---------------------------
DirectX Setup
---------------------------
You must be running Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition,
Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 family
to install the DirectX 9.0.
---------------------------
OK  
---------------------------

Which does somewhat make sense, as I wouldn't expect to need to install the runtime on a Windows 10 system as I'd think it'd already be there. I"m not sure if this is related to videos not playing, or this is an unrelated red herring.

It looks like Windows 10 updates installed on 10/28/2016 (KB3199986, KB3201860, KB3197954); it's entirely possible that it hasn't worked since then, though I think I've played videos successfully between then and when I noticed it not working yesterday. I'm not aware of anything else recently that could have changed.

I've attached my NPVR.log, which seems to have more details on not being able to load DirectX properly. I'd appreciate any direction you could give. Thanks.

[petercooperjr]

I've also just tried installing the "offline" DirectX Runtime (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download...px?id=8109), which installed successfully but didn't seem to affect the problem.

[mvallevand]

Upload your logs and we can have a look.

Martin

[petercooperjr]

I've attached my NPVR.log, which looks like it does include stuff about not being able to load DirectX. I'm still at a loss as to how DirectX could have suddenly stopped being installed, or how to install it again.

Thanks.

[sub]

Don't worry about the DirectX error in your logs. That's not causing the problem you're talking about. That just means you're not getting the subtle animations when moving between menu screens. It's got no effect on playback.

Your problem looks like the EVR renderer is broken on your machine

2016-11-04 19:20:28.321 [DEBUG][1] Adding EVR renderer
2016-11-04 19:20:28.327 [DEBUG][1] Unable to get MR_VIDEO_RENDER_SERVICE

Maybe try VMR9 video renderer instead of EVR.

[petercooperjr]

Thanks for looking into it. Do you have any idea what could cause the EVR renderer to suddenly be "broken" (along with other DirectX components, apparently?) Is there some way to reinstall DirectX on Windows 10?

[sub]

EVR isn't related to DirectX.

I remember maybe couple people over the years that had this. They had the same problem using EVR outside NextPVR. I'm not really sure what they did to fix it.

Maybe try starting a command prompt with 'run as administrator' and try running:

regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\SysWOW64\evr.dll

If that doesn't help, a work around is switching to VMR instead.

[petercooperjr]

Thanks for the workaround. I can play videos with VMR, though it doesn't automatically adjust the aspect ratio properly (it stretches out 4:3 content) and the overlay with title and playback controls doesn't show up. Re-registering the EVR filter doesn't seem to have changed anything. I wish I knew what had changed to break EVR playback, because this was all working fine a week ago.

[Lao Pan]

Re-registering the EVR filter doesn't seem to have changed anything. I wish I knew what had changed to break EVR playback, because this was all working fine a week ago.

As EVR is an integral part of windows and it is broke have you tried running sfc /SCANNOW from an administrator command prompt and if that doesn't fix it DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

If you want to know more about the DISM options see this website http://www.windowscentral.com/how-use-di...s-10-image

[petercooperjr]

I'm still not sure exactly how it all broke, but upgrading my video card driver seems to have fixed everything. Presumably it reinstalled whatever wasn't working right. Thanks again to everybody who provided assistance with this bizarre issue.