HRESULT 0x80040200 (VFW_E_INVALIDMEDIATYPE): meaning and diagnosis

Status / error code:

Category:

Constant name:

Source:

Facility:

Operating System:

Description:

A DirectShow connection received an invalid AM_MEDIA_TYPE structure.

Previous	Next
CO_E_RELEASED	EVENT_E_ALL_SUBSCRIBERS_FAILED

VFW_E_INVALIDMEDIATYPE

VFW_E_INVALIDMEDIATYPE is a DirectShow HRESULT. This error is returned when a filter or pin is given a media type that is structurally invalid for the requested operation. It is different from a supported type being rejected: the media-type object itself is malformed or incomplete.

What to inspect

Check the major type, subtype and format type GUIDs before calling a connection or format-setting method.
For a format block, verify that cbFormat matches the allocated data and that pbFormat is valid for the selected format type.
When copying an AM_MEDIA_TYPE, use the DirectShow helpers or duplicate the format buffer correctly; a shallow copy can leave a dangling pointer.

Compare the type offered by the upstream pin with the type expected by the downstream pin. A malformed type should be fixed before attempting graph-level negotiation.

Microsoft: media-type acceptance during a DirectShow connection

Looking for a different code? Search another status or error code.