Format conversion help please

[PDX Ghost Hunter]

I recently purchased a DVR/CCTV setup and have a problem I hope someone can help me with. The system came with PC software that allows me to connect the DVR to my PC with an Ethernet cable and record video to my PC. The trouble I am having is that the video is recorded as a .avc file. The integrated player that comes in the software can play the video just fine but as far as I can tell nothing else knows what an .avc video file is. I would like to get them to .mpeg so I can upload to YouTube or at least an .avi which I can convert to an .mpeg Has anyone heard of video files in the .avc format and know of any way to convert them? Thanks in advance

[poisondeathray]

.avc extension usually indicates elementary h.264 video

Most CCTV setups will have software that enables conversion for you. Sometimes streams are encrypted and require a special key (hence the bundled software)

You can try ffmpeg based encoders (e.g. super, mediacoder, winff) . ffmpeg is like a swiss army knife and can usually convert anything

You can try wrapping it in a container first (e.g. yamb, tsmuxer, mkvmerge) , assuming .avc indicates an elementary stream (no audio)

If it still doesn't work , post a sample and someone will have a look at it

[bat999]

Hi
Maybe 'avc format' means that x264 codec is used.
It would be best if you use MediaInfo and paste the result here.
MediaInfo is here:- http://mediainfo.sourceforge.net/en

[PDX Ghost Hunter]

It IS H.264 because it is being recorded off this H.264 DVR (http://www.amazon.com/YY-VC-SYS-4WEBMVP-channel-VGA-out-Network-without/dp/B00153UQK0/...cm_cr-mr-title) and it is video only (no audio). I will try the software mentioned above and if I still have trouble with it I will post a file and see what you all can do with it.

The software that comes with and will play the file is flat out awful. There is a drop down menu to choose the codec and more than half of them give an unsupported error message. There is a convert button that is grayed out and basically useless. ONCE I was somehow able to get it to convert to .avi but when playing the .avi it blotched out all the video for the first part of the video and was a complete mess that was for the most part unwatchable.

[PDX Ghost Hunter]

Hi
Maybe 'avc format' means that x264 codec is used.
It would be best if you use MediaInfo and paste the result here.
MediaInfo is here:- http://mediainfo.sourceforge.net/en

I was able to convert to MPEG with WinFF but the video greys out and just shows flashes of the video.
Here's the MediaInfo information on the original AVC file as well as the MPEG

AVC: 242 KiB352*240 (3:2), AVC (NTSC) (Baseline@L4.0) (1 Ref Frames)

MPEG-4 (Base Media): 215 KiB, 19s 52ms88.8 Kbps, 704*384 (16:9), at 25.037 fps, AVC (Main@L3.0) (CABAC / 2 Ref Frames)

I can post the video online and link to it if anyone needs to see what it looks like (or doesn't look like)

[poisondeathray]

Did you try wrapping it in a container before converting?

Otherwise, post a sample of the original source

[PDX Ghost Hunter]

I don't know about wrapping it in a container. Used WinFF, added the .avc file, chose MPEG-4 (MP4 Widescreen) and clicked on Convert.
The original .avc file is here:
http://www.portlandparanormalinvestigations.com/video/

[poisondeathray]

For wrapping just open the file in one of those programs mentioned earlier (yamb, tsmuxer, mkvmerge) , and press mux or start . It will package the raw video into a container

Most programs cannot playback or convert elementary video, but they work ok once video is in a container

I cannot download that file for some reason. You can upload it to a free hosting site e.g. mediafire.com, sendspace.com

[PDX Ghost Hunter]

For wrapping just open the file in one of those programs mentioned earlier (yamb, tsmuxer, mkvmerge) , and press mux or start . It will package the raw video into a container

Most programs cannot playback or convert elementary video, but they work ok once video is in a container

I cannot download that file for some reason. You can upload it to a free hosting site e.g. mediafire.com, sendspace.com

I'm using Windows XP and WinFF. If any of those work in Windows I can give it a try.

If you go to that link, right click the file name can you not save it?

[poisondeathray]

I'm using Windows XP and WinFF. If any of those work in Windows I can give it a try.

If you go to that link, right click the file name can you not save it?

Yes, they all work in windows. Wrap them first, then convert

I cannot save it, link is still down for me

[PDX Ghost Hunter]

I'm using Windows XP and WinFF. If any of those work in Windows I can give it a try.

If you go to that link, right click the file name can you not save it?

Yes, they all work in windows. Wrap them first, then convert

I cannot save it, link is still down for me

Used TSMusxer
Imported the .avc file and clicked Start Mixing. It created a .ts file and when I played it all I saw was a solid green video.

[poisondeathray]

it might have encryption , as I said earlier many need proprietary decoders / keys to play properly

what video player are you using? try mpchc or vlc

[PDX Ghost Hunter]

VLC pukes up a green screen. MPCHC plays it better but wants a DirectX upgrade which I am downloading now and HOPE will play it better. At least I can see a little bit of it when using MPCHC then it gets really dark.

Just tried the link I posted again. Do you get the index.html page to load? I right clicked the file name on the page (test1.avc) and chose Save Link As and it saved the file to my PC.

[poisondeathray]

yes I can get the html page to load

and this is the direct link
http://www.portlandparanormalinvestigations.com/video/test1.avc

but I cannot get it to start using save as or any other method

[PDX Ghost Hunter]

yes I can get the html page to load

and this is the direct link
http://www.portlandparanormalinvestigations.com/video/test1.avc

but I cannot get it to start using save as or any other method

Well crap. The full URL won't work because few things know what a .avc file are but going to the /video/index.html page should allow you to save the link once you're there. Still downloading DirectX 11 and will test the player shortly. Thanks for your help so far. I'm further along than I was.

[PDX Ghost Hunter]

Same result with DirectX 11 installed. Video comes and goes, mostly it's black.

Both files located at http://www.portlandparanormalinvestigations.com/video/index.html

[poisondeathray]

I still can't download them

Maybe someone else can look at it

[PDX Ghost Hunter]

I still can't download them

Maybe someone else can look at it

I can email them to you. Email me at portlandghosts@gmail.com
They are very small 245k each

[poisondeathray]

Can you just upload it here? Zip them up in 7-zip or winrar, then push the upload files button

This way others might have a look and contribute better ideas

[PDX Ghost Hunter]

Can you just upload it here? Zip them up in 7-zip or winrar, then push the upload files button

This way others might have a look and contribute better ideas

Here they are

[poisondeathray]

All I see is flashing, 1 good frame every ~20 or so , was this a continuously lit scene ?

The fps is 30 , which you should enter when muxing. The version of mkvmerge you used has header compression enabled, and some players might not like that

You can play this file in smplayer , or mpc with haali media splitter + ffdshow

[PDX Ghost Hunter]

All I see is flashing, 1 good frame every ~20 or so , was this a continuously lit scene ?

The fps is 30 , which you should enter when muxing. The version of mkvmerge you used has header compression enabled, and some players might not like that

You can play this file in smplayer , or mpc with haali media splitter + ffdshow

Yes, continuously lit daytime. Recorded this afternoon.

[poisondeathray]

But the bundled software plays it correctly?

If it won't convert from that software, another option is to screen record that