AVI to AVI with different video codec?

[coasttocoast]

Hey all,

So I've been googling, testing, and trying to figure out how to handle my problem which is this:

I have several gopro cameras set up for some behavior experiments. I also have software (Lolitrack tracking software) that requires video files to be .AVI.
After a week of headaches trying to figure out what to do in order to get the videos to play in the software, I found out that the .avi files produced by gopro studio produce a video with the Cineform codec. I guess this codec does not play well with the software, and I'm kind of at a standstill.

I've tried several things, but I need to maintain image quality as much as possible because the software tracks the animals based on pixel contrasts.

First: I encoded them in the .avi export format in gopro studio (which didn't work), then in .mp4 and tried to use VLC media player to convert them to an .avi with MPEG-1 video, 30fps, and what I assume to be a decent bitrate (as this is the only options that I have actually had success loading the file into the software). It actually loads a non-pixelated video, but not nearly the size or resolution I was hoping for.

Next, I found in the forum in a few places that ffmpeg could give me a few options, and tried using VirtualDub to encode the video using the same thing (which is beneficial because it has batch processing since I have a lot of videos). However, none of the .avi videos that I load work. I don't know if I'm not selecting the options correctly but I cant' seem to get this to work at all.

I have also tried an avi converter I also found in the forums, but I think it only encodes for xvid or divx which does not seem to work in the software either.





All of this leads me to believe that the software will only accept either large uncompressed video files or files encoded in the mpeg codec (which I only have success converting in VLC if I first compress it as mp4, which makes the video kind of lossy). But, that is my very rudimentary understanding, as I've not really ever had to do something like this.

Basically, what I'm looking for is some way to streamline this so that I can just upload my videos off the gopros, clip the parts of them that I need, and either go directly to the software I am using or easily set it up to batch convert somehow. I think I may have come as far as I can from just reading things on the internet, and I am a bit at my wits end trying to get this videos to work. I've tried contacting the software company, but they're located in Europe and are on vacation for the next 3 weeks.



I realize this may be a longshot, but can anyone provide input to help on this? Anything would be appreciated!!!! Thanks in advance!

[LigH.de]

MPEG-1 video does not belong into an AVI container, but in an MPEG ProgramStream.

I don't read any limitations regarding codecs in the documentation PDF. So I believe it will possibly support uncompressed UYVY / YUY2 or slightly compressed MJPEG, and maybe all VfW codecs which are installed in your Windows system (so if you want to work with GoPro AVIs, you will have to install the GoPro codec).

But if you can afford some €2999,- software, I believe you can afford their support as well. So you should definitely ask there. If there are undocumented limitations, then their documentation would be embarrassing.

[JVRaines]

I guess this codec does not play well with the software, and I'm kind of at a standstill.

"Does not play well" is not enough information to begin to help. What happens? What messages do you receive?
I thought GoPro Studio for Windows only produces MP4 or MOV files, not AVI.

[Cornucopia]

That Lolitrak software was designed for Windows2000/XP and probably only support <4GB files using VfW codecs, which severely limits you when dealing with (usually HD+) GoPro clips (because either you will be using older lossy codecs - read: worse quality - to keep the filesize down, or you will be using lossless codecs to keep the quality up and pushing the limits of filesize).

GoPro natively records as AVC-encoded video encapsulated in an MP4 container. This is NOT a good codec to work with while in an AVI container, so it makes sense to NOT AVI unless re-encoding to nearl-lossless (like Cineform), lossless (like Lagarith, HuffYUV, MagicYUV, UTvideo, etc) or uncompressed (H*U*G*E!). IIRC, GoPro studio doesn't give you all these options, just pass-through and Cineform.
I would suggest that unless you need to use GoPro Studio's features, you convert elsewhere to a VfW-compatible lossless format (in AVI container), using something like ffmpeg.
Make sure you've already installed the codec and that it is VfW-compatible, and then make sure your storage drives are using NTFS filesystem so that when the smaller AVC-in-MP4 GoPro files get converted, they don't have an additional filesize ceiling imposed by the filesystem.

...Better yet, update your Lolitrack software.

Scott

[coasttocoast]

But if you can afford some €2999,- software, I believe you can afford their support as well. So you should definitely ask there. If there are undocumented limitations, then their documentation would be embarrassing.

Lol yea, except the entire company seems to be on vacation for 3 weeks.

"Does not play well" is not enough information to begin to help. What happens? What messages do you receive?
I thought GoPro Studio for Windows only produces MP4 or MOV files, not AVI.

To elaborate, when I load the example .AVI files bundled with the software, the video loads normally, but when I use the .AVI produced in GoPro studio, the screen stays blank. It does produce .AVI files when you select custom settings.



However, I wanted to update everyone to say that I think I have fixed the issue. I downloaded the K-light codec pack and, though it won't play GoPro .AVI's, the .AVI's produced by the AVIRecomp software I found seem to play perfectly. I'll keep all of the comments in mind though in case I run into future issues with the software.


Thanks again for the help everyone!!

[shekh]

...
Basically, what I'm looking for is some way to streamline this so that I can just upload my videos off the gopros, clip the parts of them that I need, and either go directly to the software I am using or easily set it up to batch convert somehow.

Since you mention VirtualDub, I suggest you to download my version (see this thread https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/378401-VirtualDub-fork-and-plugins)

It can out of the box load gopro files without any quality loss, then you can clip parts and save with a codec compatible with your software (dont know which).