Need help, video thumbnail and walmart dvr playback upside down

[jimdagys]

Here is the 20 second video made with phone (don't know the brand):
https://files.videohelp.com/u/61125/goba2026.MOV
The video plays fine on VLC on two different computers and also plays fine on MPC-HC.
However the video plays upside down (inverted) on Walmart dvr. (Important clue: the video thumbnail on computer is also upside down, see screenshot.) I tried converting video to mp4 with Tubedigger convert tool, but video and thumbnail still upside down. (Additional info- Video also plays upside down on this computer Windows Media Player, which I rarely use that software, about 15 years old)
My question, how can I get the video to play correctly on Walmart dvr? I don't want to invert (recode) the video because then it would be upside down on computer.

[cholla]

I multiplexed the video with mkvtoolnix.
This is not a recode.
It makes the video play upside down on VLC.
So it will probably now play OK on the Walmart VCR.
I do not have a Walmart VCR.
I have disabled WMP for many OS's & it is disabled on my current OS's.
So I cannot test with it.

I will give FFMPEg a try to see if removing metadata will help.

I believe the problem was cause by the phone video settings.

[jimdagys]

Can you post any of the videos that you rotated? I tried various on-line video rotators. They rotate the video in VLC but would not rotate the video in Windows Media Player (WMP) or the Walmart dvr. The Walmart dvr and WMP here are about 15 years old. I wanted the video to be playable correctly for all users, but I guess that I will have to be satisfied with 99% of the users. I guess that few people are using 15 year old equipment.

[jagabo]

The MOV file includes metadata telling the player the video needs to be rotated 180 degrees on playback. VLC and MPCHC respect that flag. Your DVR ignores the flag. Try changing the extension to .MP4 to see if that helps at all. Otherwise you'll need to use an editor, rotate the video 180 degrees if the editor doesn't do it automatically, then re-encode (without the rotate flag).

[cholla]

I was not satisfied with the mkvtoolnix video because it was upsidedown in VLC.
This one was done with ffmpeg using command line.
If it works for you I will post the ffmpeg code.

[jimdagys]

I was not satisfied with the mkvtoolnix video because it was upsidedown in VLC.
This one was done with ffmpeg using command line.
If it works for you I will post the ffmpeg code.

OK, what you posted works fine in WMP (before, the video was upside down). However the file is now showing "unsupported file" in the Walmart dvr. I changed extension to mp4, but still "unsupported file". (Before, with original MOV file it would play in Walmart dvr, but played upside down.

[cholla]

Just changing the extension may not work.
I will create a .mp4 with ffmpeg.
The method I'm using does not re-encode the video.
I can also do .mkv.
If this helps this is the phone & writing software for the original .MOV file:
ProCamera 26.2.2 Apple iPhone SE 2022

It probably depends on the browser but I can play any media player I have from the browser.
I only need to download a video if I want to kep it.

[jimdagys]

Just changing the extension may not work.
I will create a .mp4 with ffmpeg.

Walmart dvr says "unsupported file" for the mp4 you just posted. Walmart dvr can play (I've played them) mp4, mkv, ts, avi, mov (in this case upside down).

[cholla]

I will see if I can figure out the difference in the files with mediainfo.
Between the .MOV you posted & the files I created with ffmpeg.
The problem is the old Walmart DVR does not have the codec to play the video or audio in the converted video or audio.

I separated the audio & video into their own files.
See if either or both will play on the Walmart DVR.
If the audio file will not play try changing it's extension for .m4a to .mp4.

I'm trying to figure out if both are "unknown" or just one is.

[jimdagys]

goba2026_3.m4a (347.1 KB
goba2026_3.mp4 (42.73 MB

First file (audio) I had to change to mp4 to even show in the file list on the dvr. But after changing to mp4 and trying to play, showed "unsupported file".
Second file (video) showed "unsupported file" when trying to play.

I might add: the original video in my first post, plays (in walmart dvr) video and audio just fine, but the video is upside down (inverted).

[cholla]

If this one won't play I'm out of ideas.
I've tested it on my PC.
It plays on several media players.

[jimdagys]

Thank you for trying. Still shows "unsupported file" on Walmart dvr.

[cholla]

@ jimdagys,
I don't know if you are still working on this.
It bugs me I can convert a video that works with your old Walmart DVD.
I did 2 of these in mpeg2 & the other as baseline x264
These work on my set top Panasonic BD player with a USB port.

[jimdagys]

File Type: mp4 goba2026_1.mp4 (27.81 MB
File Type: mpg goba2026.mpg (28.04 MB
File Type: mp4 goba2026.mp4 (112.11 MB

First file played right side up, but sound was out of sync and short intermittent cut outs of sound. I think video was less clear than original file (in my first post). I see file size quite a bit less than original file that I posted.
Second and third files: unsupported file
I think the important thing is that the original file plays fine in vlc/MPC-HC on my Windows 7 computer and on vlc with my cheap Android 11 Tracfone.

[cholla]

I was trying to keep the file smaller until I got a working one.
This is with the Default ffmpeg .aac audio.
I can do the Fraunhofer FDK AAC or the Apple aac_at but I thought the ffmpeg Default might be more compatible.
It plays in sync on my settop BD player from its' USB port.
It seems in sync in VLC & MPC-HC.
The only place to see sync in the portable piano player.
It is short but looks in sync to me.

[jimdagys]

goba2026_V.mp4 (77.54 MB

This plays ok on Walmart dvr. Still has intermittent sound. This could be due to having the highest resolution (1080), that the dvr can handle, however, the original file also has the same resolution and sound was stable.

[ProWo]

Here is the 20 second video made with phone (don't know the brand):
https://files.videohelp.com/u/61125/goba2026.MOV
The video plays fine on VLC on two different computers and also plays fine on MPC-HC.
However the video plays upside down (inverted) on Walmart dvr.

Your video has a rotation flag of 180° (it was recorded that way).
This flag is correctly recognized and applied by computer players, but not by your Walmart DVR.
You can remove the rotation flag without re-encoding using clever FFmpeg-GUI.

Launch the program, drag your MOV file into it, click “Lossless Changes,” check “Rotate Clockwise,” select 0, and click “Rotate.”


[Attachment 92991 - Click to enlarge]

The newly created video no longer has a rotation flag and will play correctly on your Walmart DVR.
If you want to set the rotation flag again, repeat the procedure and select 180 instead of 0.

[cholla]

@ ProWo,
Did you test your suggestion with this specific .mov file ?
I did & it is upside down on VLC,MPC-BE & Zoom players on my PC.
It is also upside down on on mt Panasonic BD set top player. ( I'm certain it is a lot newer than jimdagys "Walmart DVR")

@ jimdagys ,
I decided to try to copy the .mov as close as I could with ffmpeg but change the rotation.
None of the conversions I have posted were out of sync or had intermittent sound on my PC or set top BD player.
So I can't test for those to play on your Walmart DVR.
The original .mov has a short distortion so the copy also has this .

[jimdagys]

goba2026_B4.mov (75.59 MB

"unsupported file"

click Lossless Changes,” check “Rotate Clockwise,” select 0, and click “Rotate

congratulations: this yields upside down in (my windows 7 32bit computer) vlc, MPC-HC, windows Media Player and Walmart dvr
selecting 180 (instead of 0) yields ok vlc and MPC-HC, upside down on Windows Media Player and Walmart dvr. This result is the same as the original file in my first post

When I said intermittent sound on the above files in post 13 and 15 that played correctly in the dvr but had intermittent sound, listen to the audio from the speaker of the tv playing the dvr. The tv was recorded with a phone and I extracted the audio. The first part is the original mov file, the second part is the the file you made in post 15.

[cholla]

@ jimdagys,
The last conversion I decided to try to get as close to the original .mov file as I could because it had played on your Walmart DVR just upside down.
The main difference is I rotated the video.Now it shows on your DVD as unsupported file.
FFMPEG has to be using the h284 or X264 codecs differently than the iPhone did.
The MediaInfo shows Apple Quicktime.
But even when I use the Apple .aac it still show unsupported file on your DVD.

In looking into the cause of the upside down or rotated video.
It seems if the iPhone is turned just as the recording begins . That causes this.
I do not have any software that uses all Quicktime & I believe that might solve the problem.
If this video could be converted with approximately the same software that created it.

I may try a mpeg2 with a MP3 audio & see if it will play on your DVR.

[cholla]

The audio on these are a .mp3 created by FFMPEG from the goba2026.MOV .aac audio &
a .mp3 created by dbPowerAmp from the goba2026.MOV .aac audio.
The .mp4 Video was created from the goba2026.MOV AVC Quicktime MPEG-4 to a MPEG Video Version 2(MPEG-2).
Joined or Merged with FFMPEG.

[jimdagys]

goba2026_FFMP3.mp4 (59.25 MB
goba2026_DBMP3.mp4 (59.25 MB

Both of these stuttered same as before. Both played upright in Walmart DVR. The stuttering bespeaks of the dvr (or the tv, which is 720) not able to handle the high resolution (1080), though I've not had this problem before with 1080. So I used Vidcoder and reduced the resolution to 720. The video now plays fine. The fact that I saved in mkv shouldn't make any difference. Thank you.

[cholla]

Since your Walmart DVR plays .MKV I actually prefer .MKV.
Since there was a problem .MP4 is usually more compatible.
Compatibility is why I was trying MPEG-2.
Apparently Vidcoder uses Handbrake. Handbrake uses FFMPEG so the conversions with FFMPEG should have worked.
Except for the resolution.
I will try a couple with the 720 if you would test them.

[jimdagys]

Looking through this thread, can you show me (exact code if using cmd ffmpeg, using original mov video) the one step you did to allow the dvr to play the video upright. In posts 14 and 15 show video file that played upright in dvr. Unknown (and probably not really important) why the 1080 video in my first post played fine in the dvr (but upside down.)

[btwarden]

Please test this one, do not know if it plays on the walmart DVR.

[cholla]

I have done several encodes with FFMPEG in this topic.
These should be close. One is for the 1920x1080.
The second is with the scaling added 1280x720.
I believe I used the aac_at codec but you have to have the correct version of FFMPEG & the Apple QT files for this to work.
So the codes I posted in this post will be the default AAC that FFMPEG comes with.
You may also need to use the full path to the goba2026.mov for input & output.
Example:"C:\Users\User\Desktop\goba2026.MOV"

ffmpeg -display_rotation:v:0 0 -i "goba2026.mov" -vf "transpose=2,transpose=2" -c:v libx264 -preset veryslow -crf 14 -profile:v High -level 4.2 -c:a aac -b:a 192k "goba20261.mkv"

ffmpeg -display_rotation:v:0 0 -i "goba2026.mov" -vf scale=1280:720,"transpose=2,transpose=2" -c:v libx264 -preset veryslow -crf 14 -profile:v High -level 4.2 -c:a aac -b:a 192k "goba20262.mkv"

I believe the reason the original goba2026.MOV that plays upsidedown on your Walmart DVR it was created with the Apple software that is in an iPhone.
That only that Apple software or similar can correct this & play with the higher resolution. I do not have any converters that have that type of Apple software.

The goba2026.mkv I did with VidCoder for a comparison to the video you did with VidCoder.
It converted some larger than your conversion.

@ btwarden,
What software did you use for the conversion ?

[jimdagys]

btwarden

goba2026_test.mov (57.07 MB

on walmart dvr "unsupported file"
However, I ran the file through Vidcoder and converted to 720 and the resulting video played fine in dvr. Just like with the file that cholla posted and I converted.
I believe the Walmart dvr cannot play both high resolution (1080) and high frame rate (59.94). Except when the video is upside down as in original video in my first post.

cholla,
Concerning how you rotated the dvr video,
my old 32 bit windows 7 gives me error message on both ffmpeg codes that you gave in post 26.
I'll try the video files in the dvr that you gave in post 26

[jagabo]

I believe the Walmart dvr cannot play both high resolution (1080) and high frame rate (59.94).

That's quite likely. Many devices can't handle anything beyond the original Blu-ray spec., 720p60 or 1080i30. There are also restrictions on the Profile/Level, number of consecutive b-frames (2 or 3, I forget which), and maximum GOP size (half second). Many other h.264 settings are unsupported too.

[cholla]

@jimdagys,
You need a couple of different versions of ffmpeg to do what the version I have do.
They are available on this forum for Windows 7 32-bit as that is what I use.
The first version listed works for most conversions & is newer.

https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/414767-ffmpeg-7-0-1-and-Windows-7/page3#post2781425

This version works with MPEG-2 where the first one won't but it is a slightly older version.
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/414767-ffmpeg-7-0-1-and-Windows-7/page2#post2771491

The libfdk-aac-v2.0.3-158-gd8e6b1a-x86.7z for these also.

Also these QT files copied & pasted in the ffmpeg bin folder.
ASL.dll, CoreAudioToolbox.dll, CoreFoundation.dll, icudt62.dll, libdispatch.dll, libicuin.dll, libicuuc.dll, objc.dll

https://github.com/AnimMouse/QTFiles/releases

The Command window is too large to take a screen shot of.
This is one of the codes I posted: I use full paths & you may need to do the same.

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

C:\Users\USER>cd \Program Files\ffmpeg\bin

C:\Program Files\ffmpeg\bin>ffmpeg -display_rotation:v:0 0 -i "C:\Users\USER\Desktop\WORK\goba2026.mov" -vf scale=1280:720,"transpose=2,transpose=2" -c:v libx264 -preset veryslow -crf 14 -profile:v High -level 4.2 -c:a aac -b:a 192k "C:\Users\USER\Desktop\WORK\goba2026T.mkv"
ffmpeg version 8.1.2-WIN7 Copyright (c) 2000-2026 the FFmpeg developers
  built with gcc 16.1.0 (Rev5, Built by MSYS2 project)
  configuration: --disable-autodetect --enable-amf --enable-bzlib --enable-cuda --enable-cuvid --enable-d3d12va --enable-d3d11va --enable-dxva2 --enable-iconv --enable-lzma --enable-nvenc --enable-zlib --enable-sdl2 --enable-ffnvcodec --enable-nvdec --enable-mediafoundation --enable-gmp --enable-lib
mp3lame --enable-libopus --enable-libvorbis --enable-libvpx --enable-libx264 --enable-libx265 --enable-libdav1d --enable-libaom --disable-debug --enable-libfdk-aac --enable-fontconfig --enable-libass --enable-libbluray --enable-libfreetype --enable-libmysofa --enable-libopencore-amrnb --enable-libop
encore-amrwb --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libsnappy --enable-libsoxr --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libtwolame --enable-libvidstab --enable-libvo-amrwbenc --enable-libwebp --enable-libxml2 --enable-libzimg --enable-libshine --enable-avisynth --enable-libxvid --enable-libopenmpt --ena
ble-librav1e --enable-libsrt --enable-libgsm --enable-libvmaf --enable-chromaprint --enable-frei0r --enable-libaribb24 --enable-libbs2b --enable-libcaca --enable-libcdio --enable-libflite --enable-libfribidi --enable-libgme --enable-libilbc --enable-libkvazaar --enable-libmodplug --enable-librist --
enable-librubberband --enable-libtesseract --enable-libxavs --enable-libzmq --enable-libzvbi --enable-openal --enable-libcodec2 --enable-ladspa --enable-liblensfun --enable-libglslang --enable-vulkan --enable-libuavs3d --enable-libplacebo --enable-libjxl --enable-libxeve --enable-libxevd --enable-li
bvvenc --enable-libharfbuzz --enable-libvpl --enable-liblc3 --enable-libaribcaption --enable-lcms2 --enable-libdvdread --enable-libdvdnav --enable-liboapv --enable-libqrencode --enable-libquirc --enable-opencl --enable-opengl --enable-gnutls --disable-w32threads --enable-audiotoolbox --disable-outde
v=audiotoolbox --enable-gpl --enable-version3
  libavutil      60. 26.102 / 60. 26.102
  libavcodec     62. 28.102 / 62. 28.102
  libavformat    62. 12.102 / 62. 12.102
  libavdevice    62.  3.102 / 62.  3.102
  libavfilter    11. 14.102 / 11. 14.102
  libswscale      9.  5.102 /  9.  5.102
  libswresample   6.  3.102 /  6.  3.102
Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from 'C:\Users\USER\Desktop\WORK\goba2026.mov':
  Metadata:
    major_brand     : qt
    minor_version   : 0
    compatible_brands: qt
    creation_time   : 2026-07-06T20:27:49.000000Z
    com.apple.quicktime.creationdate: 2026-06-27T09:52:45-04:00
    com.apple.quicktime.location.ISO6709: +41.0588-082.3756
    com.apple.quicktime.software: ProCamera 26.2.2
    com.apple.quicktime.make: Apple
    com.apple.quicktime.model: iPhone SE 2022
  Duration: 00:00:21.88, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 22641 kb/s
  Stream #0:0[0x1](und): Audio: aac (LC) (mp4a / 0x6134706D), 48000 Hz, stereo, fltp, 185 kb/s (default)
    Metadata:
      creation_time   : 2026-07-06T20:27:49.000000Z
      handler_name    : Core Media Audio
      vendor_id       : [0][0][0][0]
  Stream #0:1[0x2](und): Video: h264 (High) (avc1 / 0x31637661), yuv420p(tv, bt709, progressive), 1920x1080, 22445 kb/s, 59.29 fps, 59 tbr, 600 tbn (default)
    Metadata:
      creation_time   : 2026-07-06T20:27:49.000000Z
      handler_name    : Core Media Video
      vendor_id       : [0][0][0][0]
      encoder         : H.264
    Side data:
      Display Matrix: rotation of -0.00 degrees
  Stream #0:2[0x3](und): Data: none (mebx / 0x7862656D), 0 kb/s (default)
    Metadata:
      creation_time   : 2026-07-06T20:27:49.000000Z
      handler_name    : Core Media Metadata
Stream mapping:
  Stream #0:1 -> #0:0 (h264 (native) -> h264 (libx264))
  Stream #0:0 -> #0:1 (aac (native) -> aac (native))
Press [q] to stop, [?] for help
[libx264 @ 0abe6d00] using cpu capabilities: MMX2 SSE2Fast LZCNT
[libx264 @ 0abe6d00] profile High, level 4.2, 4:2:0, 8-bit
[libx264 @ 0abe6d00] 264 - core 165 r3223 0480cb0 - H.264/MPEG-4 AVC codec - Copyleft 2003-2025 - http://www.videolan.org/x264.html - options: cabac=1 ref=9 deblock=1:0:0 analyse=0x3:0x133 me=umh subme=10 psy=1 psy_rd=1.00:0.00 mixed_ref=1 me_range=24 chroma_me=1 trellis=2 8x8dct=1 cqm=0 deadzone=21
,11 fast_pskip=1 chroma_qp_offset=-2 threads=9 lookahead_threads=1 sliced_threads=0 nr=0 decimate=1 interlaced=0 bluray_compat=0 constrained_intra=0 bframes=8 b_pyramid=2 b_adapt=2 b_bias=0 direct=3 weightb=1 open_gop=0 weightp=2 keyint=250 keyint_min=25 scenecut=40 intra_refresh=0 rc_lookahead=60 r
c=crf mbtree=1 crf=14.0 qcomp=0.60 qpmin=0 qpmax=69 qpstep=4 ip_ratio=1.40 aq=1:1.00
Output #0, matroska, to 'C:\Users\USER\Desktop\WORK\goba2026T.mkv':
  Metadata:
    major_brand     : qt
    minor_version   : 0
    compatible_brands: qt
    com.apple.quicktime.model: iPhone SE 2022
    com.apple.quicktime.creationdate: 2026-06-27T09:52:45-04:00
    com.apple.quicktime.location.ISO6709: +41.0588-082.3756
    com.apple.quicktime.software: ProCamera 26.2.2
    com.apple.quicktime.make: Apple
    encoder         : Lavf62.12.102
  Stream #0:0(und): Video: h264 (H264 / 0x34363248), yuv420p(tv, bt709, progressive), 1280x720, q=2-31, 59 fps, 1k tbn (default)
    Metadata:
      encoder         : Lavc62.28.102 libx264
      creation_time   : 2026-07-06T20:27:49.000000Z
      handler_name    : Core Media Video
      vendor_id       : [0][0][0][0]
    Side data:
      CPB properties: bitrate max/min/avg: 0/0/0 buffer size: 0 vbv_delay: N/A
  Stream #0:1(und): Audio: aac (LC) ([255][0][0][0] / 0x00FF), 48000 Hz, stereo, fltp, 192 kb/s (default)
    Metadata:
      encoder         : Lavc62.28.102 aac
      creation_time   : 2026-07-06T20:27:49.000000Z
      handler_name    : Core Media Audio
      vendor_id       : [0][0][0][0]
[out#0/matroska @ 0ac0ebc0] video:76853KiB audio:516KiB subtitle:0KiB other streams:0KiB global headers:0KiB muxing overhead: 0.023847%
frame= 1292 fps=4.0 q=-1.0 Lsize=   77387KiB time=00:00:21.86 bitrate=28994.8kbits/s dup=0 drop=5 speed=0.0682x elapsed=0:05:20.69
[libx264 @ 0abe6d00] frame I:6     Avg QP:16.48  size:378920
[libx264 @ 0abe6d00] frame P:308   Avg QP:19.22  size:160145
[libx264 @ 0abe6d00] frame B:978   Avg QP:25.41  size: 27708
[libx264 @ 0abe6d00] consecutive B-frames:  1.3%  5.3%  9.3% 36.8% 16.6% 19.5%  6.0%  3.1%  2.1%
[libx264 @ 0abe6d00] mb I  I16..4:  0.2% 67.8% 32.0%
[libx264 @ 0abe6d00] mb P  I16..4:  0.1%  4.1%  3.1%  P16..4: 39.5% 23.8% 24.1%  3.3%  1.5%    skip: 0.6%
[libx264 @ 0abe6d00] mb B  I16..4:  0.0%  0.5%  0.4%  B16..8: 31.3% 11.4%  6.4%  direct:17.6%  skip:32.3%  L0:30.0% L1:34.6% BI:35.4%
[libx264 @ 0abe6d00] 8x8 transform intra:57.4% inter:56.7%
[libx264 @ 0abe6d00] direct mvs  spatial:99.4% temporal:0.6%
[libx264 @ 0abe6d00] coded y,uvDC,uvAC intra: 96.3% 65.4% 42.5% inter: 46.2% 15.0% 3.6%
[libx264 @ 0abe6d00] i16 v,h,dc,p: 26% 34%  9% 31%
[libx264 @ 0abe6d00] i8 v,h,dc,ddl,ddr,vr,hd,vl,hu:  7% 29%  9%  7%  8%  6% 11%  8% 15%
[libx264 @ 0abe6d00] i4 v,h,dc,ddl,ddr,vr,hd,vl,hu:  5% 38%  4%  5%  8%  7% 11%  6% 15%
[libx264 @ 0abe6d00] i8c dc,h,v,p: 44% 30% 15% 11%
[libx264 @ 0abe6d00] Weighted P-Frames: Y:13.0% UV:1.6%
[libx264 @ 0abe6d00] ref P L0: 56.2% 20.6% 10.8%  5.0%  2.3%  1.7%  1.3%  0.9%  0.9%  0.2%  0.0%
[libx264 @ 0abe6d00] ref B L0: 83.6% 10.7%  3.5%  1.0%  0.6%  0.3%  0.2%  0.1%
[libx264 @ 0abe6d00] ref B L1: 93.7%  6.3%
[libx264 @ 0abe6d00] kb/s:28749.89
[aac @ 0b7d5a40] Qavg: 308.517

[jimdagys]

oba2026FF.mkv (75.57 MB
mkv goba2026_MPEG.mkv (58.88 MB
mkv goba2026.mkv (79.88 MB

all three above files play in the walmart dvr. Using vlc to get file characteristics, all 3 appear to be 720 resolution