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MF_E_UNSUPPORTED_TIME_FORMAT
Interpret the result in the pipeline
MF_E_UNSUPPORTED_TIME_FORMAT means the requested start position or duration uses a time-format GUID the component does not implement.
The result comes from the media source, session, or seek-capable object interpreting the position PROPVARIANT. A representative case is an application passes a frame-number time format to a source that only accepts presentation time.
Read the call sequence as a timeline. First, the application reaches the media source, session, or seek-capable object interpreting the position PROPVARIANT. Next, the component evaluates the requested start position or duration uses a time-format GUID the component does not implement. A wrapper, user interface, or fallback path can report a less specific message afterward.
Key observations
- Exact request: method name, all identifiers, units, flags, stream number, requested action, and this result.
- Object state: the time-format GUID, PROPVARIANT type and value, source characteristics, seek capability, and current presentation descriptor.
- Correlation: callback cookie, object instance, URL or file identity, device identity, and timestamps from the same attempt.
- Underlying cause: the first Win32, COM, network, driver, policy, or component error reported before
0xC00D36C5.
Minimal experiment
Use one controlled experiment: query supported time formats or use GUID_NULL with 100-nanosecond presentation time where documented. A useful comparison for this result changes exactly that variable; changing content, account, proxy, device, components, and version together makes attribution impossible.
| Outcome | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| The same operation now succeeds | The changed precondition was relevant to the failure. |
| A more specific earlier HRESULT appears | Preserve it; this result was probably a wrapper or terminal state. |
| The operation advances and fails later | The condition is fixed even though the complete workflow still has another defect. |
| No behavior changes | Restore the original baseline and test another documented prerequisite instead of stacking workarounds. |
Similar messages, different conditions
| Related code | Why it is not interchangeable |
|---|---|
MF_E_INVALIDINDEX | Invalid index. |
MF_E_INVALIDTYPE | Invalid type. |
MF_E_INVALIDNAME | Invalid name. |
The important distinction is this: MF_E_INVALID_POSITION accepts the time format but rejects the requested offset or current cursor operation. Use the symbolic constant and 0xC00D36C5 value to distinguish states that share a similar visible message.
Targeted recovery
Apply the narrow remedy: convert the position to a supported time domain instead of changing unrelated codec settings. Then discard stale media objects, pending callbacks, cached provider sessions, or installer state as appropriate and rerun the exact request that originally returned it.
References
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