Need to repair Skype Video Call AVI file!

[DWCJedi]

So, I had a Skype call earlier today and it went really well. I was recording it using "Talkhelper for Skype", which after I tested it several times yesterday, was shown to work just fine.

Unfortunately...

My call got disconnected a couple of times and the video file that I was recording is now said to be either corrupted, missing an extension, or some other weirdness. I NEED to retrieve this file! Please, if anyone can offer help, I am desperate right now!

[davexnet]

The usual thing to start this analysis is to open the file with mediainfo, put it in view>text mode and post
the whole info in this forum

[DWCJedi]

Okay, here it goes:

General
Complete name : C:\Users\Acer valued customer\Desktop\unknown_pstn_2017.05.10.15.43.17. avi
Format : MPEG-4 Visual
File size : 58.0 MiB
FileExtension_Invalid : m4v mp4v

Video
Format : MPEG-4 Visual
Format profile : Advanced Simple@L5
Format settings, BVOP : 2
Format settings, QPel : No
Format settings, GMC : No warppoints
Format settings, Matrix : Default (H.263)
Width : 640 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate : 15.000 FPS
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Compression mode : Lossy
Writing library : XviD 64


And here's the second one:

General
Complete name : C:\Users\Acer valued customer\Desktop\unknown_pstn_2017.05.10.15.57.51. avi
Format : MPEG-4 Visual
File size : 23.0 MiB
FileExtension_Invalid : m4v mp4v

Video
Format : MPEG-4 Visual
Format profile : Advanced Simple@L5
Format settings, BVOP : 2
Format settings, QPel : No
Format settings, GMC : No warppoints
Format settings, Matrix : Default (H.263)
Width : 640 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate : 15.000 FPS
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Compression mode : Lossy
Writing library : XviD 64

[davexnet]

To get this info, part of the video header must be intact. One thing to do would be would be to compare
the Mediainfo report with a known good file from the same TalkHelper source.

Why is the audio info missing ?

If these are not sensitive files you could post one to the forum using the upload files button.
Other than that look at them with a hex editor starting at the top and scrolling down.
Compare with a known good file

[jagabo]

Try Divfix or DivFix++.

[TreeTops]

"FileExtension_Invalid : m4v mp4v"

Is this a clue?

[DWCJedi]

So, it's the file extension that I need then?
Okay, how do I go about obtaining that?

[DWCJedi]

As for the audio info supposedly missing, I actually do have a backup audio file that I recorded with another microphone, and it came out well, so for now, I'm more concerned with the video. Of course, I wouldn't say "no" to recovering both in one file.

[davexnet]

If you look at the file names shown in mediainfo above, there is a space in the file extension that should not be there.
I can see a space between the dot and "avi".

Rename the files to get rid of the space and see if it opens.

However, even in this state, if you drag and drop the file(s) onto something like mpc-hc,
they will should still play. Assuming, of course, the files are not damaged internally.

[jagabo]

So, it's the file extension that I need then?
Okay, how do I go about obtaining that?

Just rename the file. .M4V instead of .AVI.

If you look at the file names shown in mediainfo above, there is a space in the file extension that should not be there.
I can see a space between the dot and "avi".

I think the forum software added that space. It does that with long, unbroken, words/lines.

[DWCJedi]

Alright, I'll try renaming.

I hate to ask such a rookie-sounding question but how do I change/rename the file extension? I can rename the name but don't know how with the extension.

[raffriff42]

Like everyone is saying, something looks odd here. Please post a MediaInfo report of a known good video.

[davexnet]

Alright, I'll try renaming.

I hate to ask such a rookie-sounding question but how do I change/rename the file extension? I can rename the name but don't know how with the extension.

Windows seems to default to hiding file extensions and non-techie users often leave it this way.

To make them visible, control panel, folder options / view
deselect "hide extensions for known file types"

[davexnet]

If you look at the file names shown in mediainfo above, there is a space in the file extension that should not be there.
I can see a space between the dot and "avi"
I think the forum software added that space. It does that with long, unbroken, words/lines.

Thanks for pointing out it may be a display issue with the forum software.
Thought I was on to something for a minute ...

[jagabo]

Here is a test. I copied the line from his post but removed the space between . and a, the pasted here:

Complete name : C:\Users\Acer valued customer\Desktop\unknown_pstn_2017.05.10.15.43.17. avi

As you can see, the forum software inserted the space again. Here is the same line pasted between code brackets:

Complete name : C:\Users\Acer valued customer\Desktop\unknown_pstn_2017.05.10.15.43.17.avi

No space added there.

[DWCJedi]

Okay, so I just tried to run the video file, after changing the extension to "M4V", through my trial version of Stellar Phoenix Video Repair... and the preview DID show the video (albeit unstable, shifting between clear and fuzzy). So there's definitely something there to be retrieved. Whew!

Next, I will try uploading a working video file, possibly even one from a previous Skype call which DID record well.

[DWCJedi]

General
Complete name : C:\Users\Acer valued customer\Desktop\puredzire_2017.05.09.13.38.15.avi
Format : AVI
Format/Info : Audio Video Interleave
File size : 5.09 MiB
Duration : 1 min 2 s
Overall bit rate : 689 kb/s
IsTruncated : Yes

Video
ID : 0
Format : MPEG-4 Visual
Format profile : Advanced Simple@L5
Format settings, BVOP : 2
Format settings, QPel : No
Format settings, GMC : No warppoints
Format settings, Matrix : Default (H.263)
Muxing mode : Packed bitstream
Codec ID : XVID
Codec ID/Hint : XviD
Duration : 1 min 0 s
Bit rate : 173 kb/s
Width : 640 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate : 15.000 FPS
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Compression mode : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.038
Stream size : 1.24 MiB (24%)
Title : TalkHelper Free Skype Recorder
Writing library : XviD 64

Audio
ID : 1
Format : PCM
Format settings, Endianness : Little
Format settings, Sign : Signed
Codec ID : 1
Duration : 1 min 2 s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 512 kb/s

[raffriff42]

Thanks. I don't know what to think, though. Is MediaInfo merely guessing about the "bad" files?

[Attachment 41591 - Click to enlarge]