Android MediaRecorder(3089): start failed: -38 exception

Question

I am going to start the recording Service but when it comes to operation it failes with the following exception

06-28 09:14:47.646: E/MediaRecorder(3089): start failed: -38
06-28 09:14:47.646: W/System.err(3089): java.lang.IllegalStateException
06-28 09:14:47.646: W/System.err(3089):     at android.media.MediaRecorder.start(Native Method)
06-28 09:14:47.646: W/System.err(3089):     at tvbpv.test.EOrderSystem1.RecordService.startRecording(RecordService.java:87)
06-28 09:14:47.646: W/System.err(3089):     at tvbpv.test.EOrderSystem1.RecordService.onStart(RecordService.java:49)
06-28 09:14:47.646: W/System.err(3089):     at android.app.Service.onStartCommand(Service.java:438)
06-28 09:14:47.646: W/System.err(3089):     at android.app.ActivityThread.handleServiceArgs(ActivityThread.java:2371)
06-28 09:14:47.646: W/System.err(3089):     at android.app.ActivityThread.access$1900(ActivityThread.java:127)
06-28 09:14:47.646: W/System.err(3089):     at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1222)
06-28 09:14:47.646: W/System.err(3089):     at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:99)
06-28 09:14:47.646: W/System.err(3089):     at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:137)
06-28 09:14:47.646: W/System.err(3089):     at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:4519)
06-28 09:14:47.646: W/System.err(3089):     at java.lang.reflect.Method.invokeNative(Native Method)
06-28 09:14:47.646: W/System.err(3089):     at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:511)
06-28 09:14:47.646: W/System.err(3089):     at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:794)
06-28 09:14:47.646: W/System.err(3089):     at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:561)
06-28 09:14:47.646: W/System.err(3089):     at dalvik.system.NativeStart.main(Native Method)

What does start failed: -38 06-28 09:14:47.646: W/System.err(3089): java.lang.IllegalStateException mean ?

RecordService.java


private MediaRecorder recorder;
private File instanceRecord;
private boolean recording= false;
@Override
public IBinder onBind(Intent arg0) {
    // TODO Auto-generated method stub
    return null;
}



@Override
public void onStart(Intent intent, int startId) {
    startRecording();       
    super.onStart(intent, startId);
}



@Override
public void onDestroy() {
    stopRecording();
    super.onDestroy();
}

private void prepareRecording()
{
    try
    {
        recorder.prepare();
    }
    catch(IllegalStateException e)
    {
        e.printStackTrace();

    } 
    catch (IOException e) 
    {
        e.printStackTrace();
    }
}

public  void startRecording(){

    try {

    recorder = new MediaRecorder();
    recorder.setAudioSource(MediaRecorder.AudioSource.DEFAULT);
    recorder.setOutputFormat(MediaRecorder.OutputFormat.MPEG_4);
    recorder.setAudioEncoder(MediaRecorder.AudioEncoder.DEFAULT);

    Date today = Calendar.getInstance().getTime();    
    Format formatter = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd_HH:mm:ss");
    String reportDate = formatter.format(today);


    File instanceRecordDirectory = new File(Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory() + File.separator + "TVB_PV_recordings");

    if(!instanceRecordDirectory.exists()){
        instanceRecordDirectory.mkdirs();
    }

    instanceRecord = new File(instanceRecordDirectory.getAbsolutePath() + File.separator + reportDate + "_sales_recording.mp4");
    if(!instanceRecord.exists()){
        instanceRecord.createNewFile();
    }

    recorder.setOutputFile(instanceRecord.getAbsolutePath());        
    prepareRecording();
    recorder.start();
    recording = true;

    } catch (IllegalStateException e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
    } catch (IOException e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
    }catch (Exception e){
        e.printStackTrace();
    }
}

public  void stopRecording() {
    if (recorder != null) {       
          try {
            recorder.stop();
          } catch(RuntimeException e) {
              instanceRecord.delete();  //you must delete the outputfile when the recorder stop failed.
          } finally {
            recorder.release();
            recorder = null;
          }
    }                   
}

Starting Service

startService(new Intent(OrderSystemSubmit.this, RecordService.class)); 

Other Activity:

stopService(new Intent(OrderSystemSubmit.this, RecordService.class)); 

Permission

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECORD_AUDIO" />

What else should I add?

Answer 1

try to change OutputFormat mybe to MPEG_2 OR 1