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

[firebirdude]

I have some video surveillance cameras that output a video file with .264 file extension. There is no "h" anywhere before or after the period. I'm trying to convert it to something a little more player friendly, without degrading the already mediocre quality. AVI? Anyway, I've downloaded about 6000 pieces of software today that claims it can convert h.264 to AVI. Though a few will play the video, anytime I attempt to convert it, all the programs error out. I have tried changing the file extension to avi, mkv, mp4 and h264 and then load then into various programs, but it doesn't change anything. I've tried Total Video Converter, Super, Apt Video converter, VideoPad, NCH Prism, AlltoAVI, 4Media Video Converter Ultimate and a few others.

Help!

[poisondeathray]

.264 is just elementary h.264 video stream. Most programs (except authoring programs) cannot do anything with elementary streams, it has to be in a container

Normally you would put it into a container e.g. yamb for mp4, mkvtoolnix for mkv, tsmuxer for transport stream, and then most programs and players will accept it

However, security footage is often encrypted or use proprietary software. You often have to use their bundled software or nothing works

Though a few will play the video, anytime I attempt to convert it, all the programs error out.

which ones play it ? Some can convert and play. eg. if VLC is able to play it, then it should be able to convert it as well

[Ai Haibara]

A file with the .264 extension is usually a raw h.264 video stream (no audio), and must be muxed into an MKV or MP4 container before most programs will do anything with it. Although, I can't say I've heard of any security systems outputting any form of h.264 video...

Make sure that's what it is, by running the .264 through MediaInfo. If it is, and you want to process the video, use mkvmerge (from the mkvtoolnix package) to mux the .264 into an MKV container, or mp4box to mux it into an MP4.

[firebirdude]

Thanks for the replies. It's video surveillance of my car getting broke into last night. Several other cars were hit last night on my street too. Trying to get it to a more common file type that I can give to the police.

I downloaded and installed all the software you guys mentioned.

mkvmerge alerts me that I'm adding an elementary stream and that the video FPS could not be determined, so it will automatically set it to 25fps (which is fine). I just add the video file and click "start muxing"? It runs for about 3 seconds and gives me "Error: 'F:\RecordFile\Camera_2.264' track 0: mkvmerge encountered broken or unparsable data in this AVC/h.264 video track. Either your file is damaged (which mkvmerge cannot cope with yet) or this is a bug in mkvmerge itself." Does this for all the video files. I doubt all the files are damaged. Think it's just having trouble reading them for whatever reason.

If I load the file into yamb and click "mux", I get this instantly:
[18:23:08] : YAMB 1.6.0 started !
[18:23:08] : OS type detection...
[18:23:08] : Professional (version 6.1, Build 7601 : Service Pack 1)
[18:23:08] : Checking MP4Box location...MP4Box found.
[18:23:08] : Checking MediaInfo.dll...0.7.1.2 found.
[18:23:23] : Muxing started...
[18:23:23] : Importing & Writing streams...
[18:23:23] : Cannot find H264 start code
[18:23:23] : Muxing failed.

MP4Box fails to install because MSVCR100 file cannot be found. Whatever that means.

Mediainfo says it's an AVC file?

which ones play it ? Some can convert and play. eg. if VLC is able to play it, then it should be able to convert it as well

Almost all of them play it actually. Prism previews it fine. Total Video Player plays it. NCH VideoPad opens it up to edit with the preview and even kinda converts it. But, for some reason, only the first 10-15 minutes of the video. The remaining 45-50 minutes is just solid gray. Tried it several times and turns gray at the exact same time. Kinda odd.

[Ai Haibara]

Set MediaInfo to Tree Mode, run the .264 video through it, and copy and paste the resulting information here.

YAMB should contain a copy of mp4box. Are you saying that it gives you an unable to find msvcr100.dll error when you (or rather, YAMB) try to run mp4box?
If I remember correctly, msvcr*.dll files are Microsoft Visual C runtimes... so if you do need them, download the Visual C runtime installers from Microsoft's site.

Which version of mkvtoolnix did you download?

[firebirdude]

It won't let me highlight to copy in tree mode, so I'll type them out.
Complete name: F:\RecordFile\Camera_2.264
Format:AVC
Format/info:Advanced Video Codec
File Size: 318MiB
Format Profile:Baseline@L2.0
Format Settings, CABAC:No
Format Settings, ReFrames: 2 Frames
Width: 352 pixels
Height: 240 pixels
Display Aspect Ratio: 3:2
Standard: NTSC
Color space: YUV
Chroma subsampling: 4:2:0
Depth: 8 bits
Scan Type: Progressive

And somehow I downloaded mp4box seperate from Yamb and didn't understand. Yamb appears to have it included and working fine. Shows up in the failed Yamb log that I posted above too.

mkvmerge GUI v5.1.0

[firebirdude]

Ok. I got it to work with AVCtoAVI. But the results are terrible. I tried it once at the default of 25fps and again at 30fps. Exact same results from what I can tell. The video is loaded with random green pixels/boxes and the time that is displayed at the top of my video is not smooth at all. It's as if the frames got slightly out of order during conversion. 02:15:07.....02:15:08.....02:15:09..then back to 02:15:08 for 2 frames 02:15:09...02:15:10..................02:15:14. WTH? Skips backwards sometimes and freezes on a time sometimes and then skips forward. All in all. The timer is real time. If I let the video play for 3 minutes, 3 minutes has past on the timer. It's just real jumpy....and crammed with green artifacts.

[firebirdude]

Update. Solved. I used a tiny little program called AVIGenerator. Dump the .264 file into the first box. Specify output location and file name in the second box. Click go. Done. Took maybe 30 seconds. Looks perfect.

Thanks for the help guys.

[megev]

Update. Solved. I used a tiny little program called AVIGenerator. Dump the .264 file into the first box. Specify output location and file name in the second box. Click go. Done. Took maybe 30 seconds. Looks perfect.

Thanks for the help guys.

I registered just so I could post a huge, enormous, ginormous THANK YOU!!! I'm serious!! I want to kiss you right now!! I've been looking for a program to do this for me for A WEEK!! I've struggled and struggled with Q-See's crappy POS software and converter and my husband has called their customer support Thurs, Fri, and today (Monday). I started reading this thread to my hubby saying "Look, it's a thread starter I could have written" but not expecting to actually see a REAL ANSWER since I've read literally dozens and dozens of forum posts about this problem and not found an answer. Imagine my surprise when you posted "Update. Solved." You have no idea how happy I was after downloading, using, and actually having a SUCCESSFUL RESULT!

We have had two police officers at our house today and they have had to view the footage on our TV but I couldn't GIVE them a file to take with them. NOW I can!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

[firebirdude]

haha Awesome. Glad I could help.

[Bjs]

Happy to have worked out what all those posts related to .h264 and or "security" which never appeared to get a working solution ... blame the security unit installers for not securing the supplied software to the base unit like we do

[snotticus]

Thank you firebirdude !!

I downloaded AVIGenerator V1.8.0.0 which did not work and crashed. Then I tried different versions, and found V1.9.0.0 worked perfectly. Works great for .264 files created by a GadSpot DVR (GS2011).

[sensai]

Update. Solved. I used a tiny little program called AVIGenerator. Dump the .264 file into the first box. Specify output location and file name in the second box. Click go. Done. Took maybe 30 seconds. Looks perfect.

Thanks for the help guys.

I registered just so I could post a huge, enormous, ginormous THANK YOU!!! I'm serious!! I want to kiss you right now!! I've been looking for a program to do this for me for A WEEK!! I've struggled and struggled with Q-See's crappy POS software and converter and my husband has called their customer support Thurs, Fri, and today (Monday). I started reading this thread to my hubby saying "Look, it's a thread starter I could have written" but not expecting to actually see a REAL ANSWER since I've read literally dozens and dozens of forum posts about this problem and not found an answer. Imagine my surprise when you posted "Update. Solved." You have no idea how happy I was after downloading, using, and actually having a SUCCESSFUL RESULT!

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

I have registered for the same reason as megev has - just to say thank you!!!

(not kissing you tho)

[Baldrick]

Added a mirror to avigenerator 1.9.0.0 and 2.0.0.5.

[KnifeJob]

Same here. I've been leading the criminal investigation of my stolen car, because I'm the only one who seems to want to put the perp behind bars. The security company gave me about 50 files with this seemingly gibberish file extension. Thanks for the help. Now to find someone with a PC. Ha.

[kriekenator]

Right so same as you guys i had this problem and mine isnt even for private use as this type of thing is my job. i have alot of programs most of which are mentioned above, but none, and i mean NONE could save my files. really whoever found this avigenerator, you, sir, are a genius and should be in some sort of awards cerimony. however (here it comes) the V1.8.0.0 also crashes with me, V1.9.0.0 that some kind gentleman posted a link to is zipped, (mine expired so no luck there.) so i searched for it myself with no good results, as everywhere i could find it was blocked by my anti-virus... (hmmm wonder why!!!) so i downloaded the V1.0.0.0 and it has that little frame per second setting that was mentioned before, and it troubled me, but after i set them up to 30 fps and converted my file, the quality is a s good as any of my other veiwing programs, such as Yamb. and it saved my file. so it isnt the super V1.9 but V1.0 works awesome for me. thanks again... REALLY.

[alexguam]

Had to register just to say THANK YOU ALL FOR THE INFORMATION. Appreciate it very much! I had to download dozens of applications to convert 264 files without avail.....and lo and behold...i come across this site!

Thanks again!

[Parothd]

From what I was reading here I was also sure that the search was finally over for a way to convert and view my security footage. Sadly, for me, this was not the case. I downloaded and installed the converter but when I went to load a file there were none listed. I looked under all files and they were there so I loaded one and tried to run the program. It aborted and I got a message saying there was a problem. Is there a difference in .h264,h.264 and .264 files? Is this my problem, because the default file type when I try opening a file in AVI Generator is .h264 files(*.264)

Thanks for your help

[jagabo]

VLC and SMPlayer can play h.264 elementary streams.

[redwudz]

Is there a difference in .h264,h.264 and .264 files?

Unfortunately, they can name them anything they like, even .xyz filies.

To really know what you are dealing with, I would make the same suggestion as Ai Haibara.
Download a copy of Mediainfo and set to 'tree' mode in 'Options>Preferences'. Export this file as text (File>Export) and post it here.

[Parothd]

Thanks for answering.
I tried both. VLC does nothing, SMPlayer tries to play but clip is not viewable.

[jagabo]

I tried both. VLC does nothing, SMPlayer tries to play but clip is not viewable.

Yeah, the fact that MMG had problems with the files indicates they aren't "normal".

[Parothd]

OK,
It has become fairly obvious, at least to me, that I have no idea what I am doing! When I ask Mediainfo to export the file I cannot find it even though it seems that it is being placed in the Mediainfo file. Since there is no help file associated with the program I guess I am going to need additional help just to get this this file before I can post it.

SORRY and Thanks

[Parothd]

Since I couldn't come up with the file how about snippit

[Parothd]

Please pardon me for asking this because it is most likely considered off topic BUT ----
Why would the files I saved in Mediainfo show up in my start menu?

[redwudz]

Probably the default location for the files in MediaInfo. You can change that in the program. I also didn't have any luck just uploading the text file from MediaInfo to Videohelp. I finally just copy and pasted the notepad file into a post here and that worked. Sorry for the confusion.

I'm not that familiar with H.264 specifications, but others here may notice something in your file information.

[jagabo]

The MediaInfo data looks completely normal for h.264 video in an elementary stream. There's nothing there that would indicate why programs that normally work with h.264 elementary streams would have problems with it.

[Parothd]

Thanks for all the help. It is starting to look like it's just not in the cards for me to get this done. I tried all the fixes that were suggested and have seen no viable results. Guess we will result to only viewing the clips with the camera software. Again, thanks for all the help.

[Many]

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

[jbmw002]

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.