.264 file extension. Can't convert using h264 methods.

[Cauptain]

Added a mirror to avigenerator 1.9.0.0. Antivirus scanned with virustotal.

Hi!

I really need this app (AVIGenerator) the 1.9 version or later. .. as I read. But it's been impossible to find.

Could you repost o send it again?

Thanks

Here: AVI Generator 1.9.0.0



Claudio

[dpascoe]

I've also been looking forever for a resolution to this issue, however for me it is still unresolved. I downloaded the 2.0 version from the link provided above and after selecting the file to Open and the filename to Save As and clicking on Start, the program seems to do absolutely nothing. The link for the zip file for the 1.9 version in this thread points to a pixel image, not a zip file. The 1.9 version I found on my own claims "Convert finished!" immediately but when I click on "Ok" I get an "AVIGenerator Microsoft has stopped working" dialog and the output file that was generated is a 1K empty file. Does anyone have a working copy of either version?

[Bjs]

dpascoe and any future members with issues.

Posting a small sample file will help find a solution to conversion issues quicker.

Avi generator comes in at least 8 different versions (all of which I have) ... some work, some crash, and some don't generate output even thou it shows ... however it is system related issue as well ... depending on what patches and updates may have been applied ... so it can become quite a mess.

Theres a companion application called video player ... which can be used when avi generator fails ... if the file is supported and shows playing ... select the little tools button and then codec for re-compression, select convert ... there will be times where the "convert button" fails any output, repeat by reloading file, set codec, ok, now click the "avi" button on main screen.

Thankfully newer dvr's output in mp4 which is much easier to deal with.

Dont forget to pm if still stuck ... don't always get info on thread updates.

[axello]

Thanks for the advice Bjs. I found this blog and with all the happy-happy joy joy posts I couldn't wait to try it on the .h264 files that my Chinese DVR exports. I tried MP4BOX, with and without GUI, AVIGenerator 1.9 and 2.0 and VideoPlayer. None of them recognise the format.
The file starts with 264DV, but a search for that doesn't come up with any solutions, just people with the same problem and manufacturers selling these DVRs

I would really like to be able to convert the video I shot from my bike being stolen . Instead I had to record the security video from the screen with my phone.

I've attached a zip compressed version of the .h264 file. I hope someone with more knowledge than me about these video formats can shine a light on it.

To me, the fact that I could compress the video file from 4.8 MB to 900 kB is an indication that the format is perhaps broken.

[jagabo]

MKVTooknix was able to mux it into an MKV container that plays properly with every player I tried. Unfortunately, the video is all black with only the date/time stamp and a PTZ logo.

[axello]

Cool! Well, at least that is something. I will try some other files myself.
Ah, this is legitimite video from the PTZ channel. Maybe the camera was not connected.

I found the MKVTooknix and it works out of the box, I don't even have to set a gazillion options: great!

Thanks jagabo!

One more question if you please: as I have thousands of these 'raw' files, is there a way to concatenate them before converting to mkv?
Or is it best practice to convert them all to mkv first and them use standard video tools to concatenate?

[jagabo]

You can concatenate and mux to MKV using ffmpeg and a batch file. A batch file that looks like:

"g:\program files\ffmpeg\bin\ffmpeg.exe" -f concat -i list.txt -c copy output.mkv

That uses a list file that looks like:

file '11_01_R_130224100000.h264'
file '11_01_R_130224100000.h264'
file '11_01_R_130224100000.h264'

Here I used the same file three times since I only had the one file to experiment with. If the h264 files are all in the same folder with the list file you don't need to use full path names. You can build a list file from the command line with

dir/b *.h264 >list.txt

[axello]

Hi Jagabo,

this is even better, as I can use ffmpeg on a linux server. I didn't know you could use ffmpeg without specifying a million options: that always scared me away from it. This looks even simpler.
Unfortunately, ffmpeg 2.8.1 complains when it wants to open the second file in the list: the well known "invalid data found when processing input". It DOES process the first file, so that is probably fixed using a cli setting.

For now, I guess I have to keep using your suggested MKVToolNix.

Thanks again for all your help.

Axel

[jagabo]

In my experience, MkvToolNix is much more tolerant of errors in the source stream. You should be able to use MkvMerge to batch mux them from the command line. The GUI shows you the equivalent command line to use.

[SBrookman]

I HAVE FOUND A SOLUTION!

We have similar DVRs at our company, and I would have had to manually convert over 2000 files of an incident. After days of searching, and trying everything I can, it turns out the AVI MP4 Converter made by Hoo Technologies works perfectly. It even will convert them all to one MP4 file!!!

http://www.avi-mp4.com/avi/h264-to-avi.htm

Saved me days of wanting to hit my head on the desk, manually converting DVR files!

For reference our .264 files were off a Kguard DVR.

Cheers,
Shaun Brookman

[axello]

Thanks for publishing your find. Although I prefer solutions which can be automated from the command line, I can confirm this Windows avi-mp4 converter works flawlessly for my *.h264 files.

Axel

[MMagicalamarc]

Added a mirror to avigenerator 1.9.0.0. Antivirus scanned with virustotal.

It looks like this may be my solution, but I cannot find this software anywhere. The Zip file on this post downloads a clear GIF

How do I get this file?

Many thanks in advance.

[MMagicalamarc]

http://kguardsecurity.server289.com/kguard/KguardWEBSite/Utility/BRseriesDVR%281%29/

Here are links for a player and for the AVIGenerator 2.0. Hope that helps. It's all I could find online.

Thank you so much.

This Application is all but vanished off the internet

[Baldrick]

Added a mirror to avigenerator 1.9.0.0. Antivirus scanned with virustotal.

It looks like this may be my solution, but I cannot find this software anywhere. The Zip file on this post downloads a clear GIF

How do I get this file?

Many thanks in advance.

I have updated my mirror downloads in https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/341325-264-file-extension-Can-t-convert-using-h264-...=1#post2206885

AVIGenerator2005.zip
AVIGenerator1900.zip

[MMagicalamarc]

Added a mirror to avigenerator 1.9.0.0. Antivirus scanned with virustotal.

It looks like this may be my solution, but I cannot find this software anywhere. The Zip file on this post downloads a clear GIF

How do I get this file?

Many thanks in advance.

I have updated my mirror downloads in https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/341325-264-file-extension-Can-t-convert-using-h264-...=1#post2206885

AVIGenerator2005.zip
AVIGenerator1900.zip

Many thanks !

it works.

its a little limited, but at least i can get to the video now.

Thanks again.