Recording Streaming Video

[confusedperson]

It took me a while to figure out how to record streaming video. Usually to grab something off the Internet the data has to be solidly stored in one piece. But I finally found a program called Livestreamer that can capture video data as it comes in and save it, with help from VLC.

http://victorwyee.com/cmd/play-record-live-scheduled-streams-with-livestreamer-vlc-media-player/

There is also a GUI version if you don't want to use the command line:
https://github.com/charnet3d/DesktopLiveStreamer

Here's the problem, though: the video files only seem to be playable when you manually shut the feed off. When the stream you're recording cuts off on their end, the video file is unplayable even though the data is in it. No video software will recognize it as a valid video. And I can't find a way to make it playable.

Of course you can't control when streams cut themselves off, so every time that happens, it's very annoying. How do I convert the nonplayable videos to make them play?

[Baldrick]

Sounds like a great software....

Try use mediainfo and see if they got any valid header information.

[confusedperson]

All I get from mediainfo is this....

Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media
Codec ID : isom
File size : 217 MiB

[katipo]

You've posted in the "Software Playing" forum. Try "Video Streaming" instead.

[Baldrick]

You've posted in the "Software Playing" forum. Try "Video Streaming" instead.

No. I'm moving the thread instead.

I would find a better recording software....

[confusedperson]

Well, what kind? This is the only method of capturing streaming footage I've ever found. Besides recording the screen, but that's pretty shoddy.

And how do I get the aforementioned videos to work? The video data has to be in there.

[Selur]

mp4 headers normally get written at the end of the muxing process, so unless:
a. the capture software allows you to capture into chunks (of a specific duration, time, size)
b. the capture software allows you to capture into another container
you are out of luck with this software

[confusedperson]

So where do I find a software that would add the mp4 headers? What would you recommend?

[confusedperson]

Still asking this question.

[Cornucopia]

Well, what kind? This is the only method of capturing streaming footage I've ever found. Besides recording the screen, but that's pretty shoddy.

And how do I get the aforementioned videos to work? The video data has to be in there.

That's the only method you've EVER FOUND? - Besides the 47 possibilities listed in the "Video Streaming Recorder" software section of THIS SITE?

Also, recording the screen is only "pretty shoddy" if you have a pretty shoddy computer & pretty shoddy screen cap software. Oftentimes, it's the ONLY way a recording can be done right for a complex source (incl. DRMs, multi-modals, HFR Games).

Scott

[confusedperson]

Well, what kind? This is the only method of capturing streaming footage I've ever found. Besides recording the screen, but that's pretty shoddy.

And how do I get the aforementioned videos to work? The video data has to be in there.

That's the only method you've EVER FOUND? - Besides the 47 possibilities listed in the "Video Streaming Recorder" software section of THIS SITE?

Well, I didn't know there were any, until now. Don't jump on me.

[Cornucopia]

Too late.

[vhelp]

here's an idea.

can you retry the (short minute or two) screen capture again ? any capture will do.

only this time, try and induce that "cut off" you mentioned, on your end. if you have a way to turn off the internet connection--maybe unplugging the cable will do it. and let the software end abnormally and see if the file will play normally. or, you could also try (while recording a short clip) this: ctrl+alt+del the browser or recorder app and shut it down that way. and follow the rest below.

then, go into command line, and using ffmpeg, cut a small piece off that file and see if that piece will play.

download ffmpeg: http://ffmpeg.zeranoe.com/builds/win32/static/ffmpeg-latest-win32-static.7z

you'll find ffmpeg.exe in the \bin\ folder of that .7z archive, once you open it.

ffmpeg -ss 00:00:00 -i bad_file.mkv -t 00:01:00 -vcodec copy -y new_file.mkv

the test is to see if the new file will play. if it does then you just need to find the length of the video and try cutting off, up to a few seconds before that length, and use that as the final video. in the mean time, find a more reliable recorder if possible.

change the -t value to accommodate nearest to the video length. so, if you captured 1 minute, then make it something like -t 00:55:00 and keep lowering it in small increments ie 00:45:00, 00:35:00 etc., until it works, if it does.