Match AVI file format settings

[swanescalona]

Hi.
I got a kid's toy camera, a really simple one.
It doesn't even have interface nor software for PC.
Reading the sd card, it records AVI files.
My idea was to match the format, in order to record my video files using better resources, encode themand put them again on the camera to be able to viewing.
Trouble is, no matter the analysis or settings I use, my files are no recognized on the camera.
I also made some tests such replacing a local file name with mine.

Original camera file properties

General
Complete name                            : C:\Pictures\Camera Roll\MOVI0000_origen.avi
Format                                   : AVI
Format/Info                              : Audio Video Interleave
File size                                : 15.9 MiB
Duration                                 : 10 s 667 ms
Overall bit rate                         : 12.5 Mb/s
Director                                 : Generplus
Original source form/Distributed by      : Generplus
Recorded date                            : 2010-06-29
Copyright                                : Generplus

Video
ID                                       : 0
Format                                   : JPEG
Codec ID                                 : MJPG
Duration                                 : 10 s 667 ms
Bit rate                                 : 17.1 Mb/s
Width                                    : 1 280 pixels
Height                                   : 720 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 16:9
Frame rate                               : 30.000 FPS
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:2
Bit depth                                : 8 bits
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.619
Stream size                              : 21.7 MiB

Audio
ID                                       : 1
Format                                   : PCM
Format settings                          : Little / Signed
Codec ID                                 : 1
Duration                                 : 10 s 500 ms
Bit rate mode                            : Constant
Bit rate                                 : 256 kb/s
Channel(s)                               : 1 channel
Sampling rate                            : 16.0 kHz
Bit depth                                : 16 bits
Stream size                              : 328 KiB (2%)
Alignment                                : Aligned on interleaves
Interleave, duration                     : 508  ms (15.24 video frames)

I´m using MediaCoder andthese are the settings for the best file I have exported (more like original) settings [not recognized in camera]

General
Complete name                            : C:\Users\swane\Pictures\Camera Roll\MOVI0000_1.avi
Format                                   : AVI
Format/Info                              : Audio Video Interleave
File size                                : 7.35 MiB
Duration                                 : 20 s 565 ms
Overall bit rate                         : 2 998 kb/s
Writing application                      : Lavf58.29.100

Video
ID                                       : 0
Format                                   : JPEG
Codec ID                                 : MJPG
Duration                                 : 20 s 529 ms
Bit rate                                 : 2 738 kb/s
Width                                    : 1 280 pixels
Height                                   : 720 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 16:9
Frame rate                               : 16.416 FPS
Color space                              : YUV
Bit depth                                : 8 bits
Scan type                                : Progressive
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.181
Stream size                              : 6.70 MiB (91%)

Audio
ID                                       : 1
Format                                   : PCM
Format settings                          : Little / Signed
Codec ID                                 : 1
Duration                                 : 20 s 565 ms
Bit rate mode                            : Constant
Bit rate                                 : 256 kb/s
Channel(s)                               : 1 channel
Sampling rate                            : 16.0 kHz
Bit depth                                : 16 bits
Stream size                              : 643 KiB (9%)
Alignment                                : Aligned on interleaves
Interleave, duration                     : 128  ms (2.09 video frames)

Settings for such file

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<MediaCoderPrefs>
   <node key="overall.audio.channels">Mono (Downmix)</node>
   <node key="overall.audio.source">FFmpeg</node>
   <node key="overall.audio.format">PCM</node>
   <node key="overall.audio.encoder">FFmpeg</node>
   <node key="overall.video.csp">I444</node>
   <node key="overall.video.mode">VBR</node>
   <node key="overall.video.bitrate">16000</node>
   <node key="overall.video.autoBitrate">By Ratio</node>
   <node key="overall.video.quality">80</node>
   <node key="overall.video.bitrateRatio">75</node>
   <node key="overall.video.ar">Set PAR</node>
   <node key="overall.video.format">MJPEG</node>
   <node key="overall.video.encoder">FFmpeg</node>
   <node key="overall.container.format">AVI</node>
   <node key="overall.container.external">Enabled</node>
   <node key="overall.container.muxer">FFmpeg</node>
   <node key="overall.preview.mode">Off</node>
   <node key="muxer.mp4box.inter">0</node>
   <node key="audiofilter.resample.samplerate">16000</node>
   <node key="audiofilter.volume.normalization">true</node>
   <node key="videofilter.generic.applicator">Encoder</node>
   <node key="videofilter.scale.enabled">true</node>
   <node key="videofilter.scale.width">1280</node>
   <node key="videofilter.scale.height">720</node>
   <node key="videofilter.frame.enabled">true</node>
   <node key="videofilter.frame.fps">30</node>
</MediaCoderPrefs>

Do you have a suggestion of something else I can change?

[poisondeathray]

Some other differences are the frame rate (30.0 vs. 16.416), and pixel format (422 vs 444 - if "<node key="overall.video.csp">I444</node>" was passed correctly), and audio interleave duration

If you change those and still cannot get it working, upload a small sample from the camera

The AVI container can have differences as well, that are not revealed by mediainfo, and there might be metadata preventing it from working

[swanescalona]

Thanks a lot for the so quick answer!
I made the modifications I saw pertinent, according your comments but still didn´t worked.
I upload the file I tried to run and I record a new one for comparison (Interesting and lateral thing, camera did saw my file and create the new one with good subsequent name, but still skip playback of my video)

My file with the new settings
https://app.box.com/s/53dl9yn7rm8q5a3y8m61qg0tf0bup0m5
Properties

General
Complete name                            : E:\DCIM\MOVI0002.avi
Format                                   : AVI
Format/Info                              : Audio Video Interleave
File size                                : 12.6 MiB
Duration                                 : 10 s 600 ms
Overall bit rate                         : 9 995 kb/s
Director                                 : Generplus
Original source form/Distributed by      : Generplus
Recorded date                            : 2010-06-29
Copyright                                : Generplus

Video
ID                                       : 0
Format                                   : JPEG
Codec ID                                 : MJPG
Duration                                 : 10 s 600 ms
Bit rate                                 : 13.4 Mb/s
Width                                    : 1 280 pixels
Height                                   : 720 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 16:9
Frame rate                               : 30.000 FPS
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:2
Bit depth                                : 8 bits
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.483
Stream size                              : 16.9 MiB

Audio
ID                                       : 1
Format                                   : PCM
Format settings                          : Little / Signed
Codec ID                                 : 1
Duration                                 : 10 s 500 ms
Bit rate mode                            : Constant
Bit rate                                 : 256 kb/s
Channel(s)                               : 1 channel
Sampling rate                            : 16.0 kHz
Bit depth                                : 16 bits
Stream size                              : 328 KiB (3%)
Alignment                                : Aligned on interleaves
Interleave, duration                     : 505  ms (15.14 video frames)

New settings

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
-<MediaCoderPrefs>
   <node key="overall.audio.channels">Mono (Downmix)</node>
   <node key="overall.audio.source">FFmpeg</node>
   <node key="overall.audio.format">PCM</node>
   <node key="overall.audio.encoder">FFmpeg</node>
   <node key="overall.video.csp">I422</node>
   <node key="overall.video.mode">CBR</node>
   <node key="overall.video.bitrate">1562</node>
   <node key="overall.video.quality">80</node>
   <node key="overall.video.bitrateRatio">75</node>
   <node key="overall.video.ar">Set PAR</node>
   <node key="overall.video.format">MJPEG</node>
   <node key="overall.video.encoder">FFmpeg</node>
   <node key="overall.container.format">AVI</node>
   <node key="overall.container.external">Enabled</node>
   <node key="overall.container.muxer">FFmpeg</node>
   <node key="overall.preview.mode">Off</node>
   <node key="muxer.mp4box.inter">0</node>
   <node key="audiofilter.resample.samplerate">16000</node>
   <node key="videofilter.generic.applicator">Encoder</node>
   <node key="videofilter.scale.enabled">true</node>
   <node key="videofilter.scale.width">1280</node>
   <node key="videofilter.scale.height">720</node>
   <node key="videofilter.frame.enabled">true</node>
   <node key="videofilter.frame.fps">30</node>
</MediaCoderPrefs>

New video from camera for comparison
https://app.box.com/s/aopksj8eowtxb8mponvw1e9coqxo4d6r
Properties

General
Complete name                            : E:\DCIM\MOVI0003.avi
Format                                   : AVI
Format/Info                              : Audio Video Interleave
File size                                : 31.5 MiB
Duration                                 : 26 s 500 ms
Overall bit rate                         : 9 976 kb/s
Director                                 : Generplus
Original source form/Distributed by      : Generplus
Recorded date                            : 2010-06-29
Copyright                                : Generplus

Video
ID                                       : 0
Format                                   : JPEG
Codec ID                                 : MJPG
Duration                                 : 26 s 467 ms
Bit rate                                 : 13.4 Mb/s
Width                                    : 1 280 pixels
Height                                   : 720 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 16:9
Frame rate                               : 30.000 FPS
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:2
Bit depth                                : 8 bits
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.484
Stream size                              : 42.2 MiB

Audio
ID                                       : 1
Format                                   : PCM
Format settings                          : Little / Signed
Codec ID                                 : 1
Duration                                 : 26 s 500 ms
Bit rate mode                            : Constant
Bit rate                                 : 256 kb/s
Channel(s)                               : 1 channel
Sampling rate                            : 16.0 kHz
Bit depth                                : 16 bits
Stream size                              : 828 KiB (3%)
Alignment                                : Aligned on interleaves
Interleave, duration                     : 499  ms (14.98 video frames)

[DB83]

Are you just making work for yourself. Or are you simply unable to view the camera video on your PC ?


vlc will play your latest sample just fine.

[swanescalona]

I think it counts as work for myself. I want to give the camera with preloaded videos to my kid to be seen directly on camera display

[poisondeathray]

I think some decoders may have problems with ffmpeg's (and thus mediacoder's) mjpeg 422 encoding . eg. vdub's native mjpeg decoder reports "mulitple chroma blocks not supported" when trying to decode it. It's possible some HW decoders have problems with it too

Can you test this on the camera, it uses picvideo 422 to encode, AVI1.0 like your camera file, and audio interleave 500ms

[DB83]

Here is an experiment for you.


Shoot a video on the camera. Copy it from the SD card. Delete video on camera(not from the card while in the PCD) and then transfer video back to SD card. Does it work ?

[ProWo]

Try to replace the first bytes in your avi's like in the following picture (only the marked bytes) with a hex-editor.

[swanescalona]

I think some decoders may have problems with ffmpeg's (and thus mediacoder's) mjpeg 422 encoding . eg. vdub's native mjpeg decoder reports "mulitple chroma blocks not supported" when trying to decode it. It's possible some HW decoders have problems with it too

Can you test this on the camera, it uses picvideo 422 to encode, AVI1.0 like your camera file, and audio interleave 500ms

Thanks a lot, I tried it but wasn´t recognized either.

[jagabo]

Cheap devices like that often aren't tolerant of variations in the AVI structure. It could something like the exact size and location of different data elements of the AVI structure (this varies from muxer to muxer), or something stupid the "Generplus" tag near the end of the video.

[taigi]

Has anyone here worked with Generplus lately? This is because I am attempting to restore some footage captured with it. https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/417101-Micro-Cam-Footage-Restoration-Workflow-Where-to-Start