Whaddup happy people? :)

[guiri 0]

I'm George and I signed up here to ask a few questions.

 

Not sure which of the sections to post this in so perhaps you guys can direct me to the correct section.

 

I've been asked by my local cops to find software for them for their PC's that allows them to view

surveillance DVD's that they get from stores after they have an issue like robbery, etc.

 

I figured that first I might have to get something that tells me WHAT the format the information

is on that particular DVD but not sure how this works. I'm sure there might be different formats

out there for different manufacturers...

 

About me:

 

This is the fourth country I live in, I do webdesign and a few other things and I speak 4 languages fluently.

Been in the US since 97. Got three dogs (used to have 5). All rescue dogs. Sometimes I ride my dual sport

Suzuki DRZ-400s.

 

Thanks

 

George

[Soundy 1]

Hi George, welcome!

 

You are correct, of course: almost all DVRs use different file and video formats for their exports, and it's virtually impossible for one piece of software to be able to play them ALL. One of the most versatile I've found is VLC Player (www.videolan.org); combined with a good codec pack like K-Lite, it will handle a very large number of video formats. Some DVRs use their own proprietary codecs, however, so they can have something optimized for surveillance purposes (most readily-available codecs are designed to facilitate crushing movie DVDs down to CD-sized files, and so on).

 

In fact, usually when a DVR exports video in its own format, it will include a player of some kind on the disc... or at least, it will include a codec installer that will allow your existing video player to read the files. Unfortunately, this is not always the case either.

 

Ultimately, it comes back to the customer knowing how to properly use their systems, to be able to either export in a more common format, or having the system properly configured to include the necessary player/codec.

[Numb-nuts 1]

Basically, thats it in a nutshell. There is very little extra worth adding to that.

[guiri 0]

Hey, at least I was on the right track. I suspected that VLC MIGHT play some of this stuff but still, wanted to ask.

Where can I get this codec pack and how do I install it? (See further down, I think I got the pack but still don't know what to do..)

 

So, what the cops need to do when they get a video from someone is to ask them for something to play it with?

 

Thanks

 

George

Edited November 11, 2011 by Guest

[guiri 0]

Well, I just tried to open the two files I have in VLC and it tells me this:

 

No suitable decoder module:

VLC does not support the audio or video format "N264". Unfortunately there is no way for you to fix this

 

Tried to convert them in Any video converter but it failed twice.

 

By the way, windows explorer says they're .mpg files.

 

Thanks

 

George

[guiri 0]

Ok, I downloaded and installed this http://fileforum.betanews.com/download/KLite-Codec-Pack_64bit/1094057842/5 but I really have no idea what I'm doing so it's still not working.

 

Do I have to associate this with vlc or the other way around? Still getting the same vlc error for those files

 

Thanks

 

George

[guiri 0]

Here is what media info says about the file. Not sure why windows explorer says .mpg when this says .avi?

 

General

Complete name : H:\20111031123208_A_03.mpg

Format : AVI

Format/Info : Audio Video Interleave

File size : 17.2 MiB

Duration : 7mn 56s

Overall bit rate : 303 Kbps

 

Video

ID : 0

Format : N264

Codec ID : N264

Duration : 7mn 56s

Bit rate : 301 Kbps

Width : 320 pixels

Height : 240 pixels

Display aspect ratio : 4:3

Frame rate : 8.000 fps

Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.490

Stream size : 17.1 MiB (99%)

[Soundy 1]

As I said, it's very likely that the DVR is using some sort of customized/proprietary/optimized-for-surveillance codec that won't be supported by a commonly-available codec pack or player. VLC and K-Lite are probably the best chance for a "universal" player, but again, it's not guaranteed.

[guiri 0]

Ok, but how do I know that I installed this correctly so I at least know it's NOT going to work with those options?

 

Thanks

[Soundy 1]

K-Lite doesn't install any standalone apps, it installs a bunch of DLLs and other system files to support and decode additional media types. If you want to be sure, you could try re-installing it. But like I said, there's a good chance the DVR is using a proprietary or customized codec and/or file format.

 

Now WHY a specific DVR manufacturer does this is anyone's guess. One brand I deal with, the video is MJPEG, but they re-compress it with their own codec that's designed to optimize compression for surveillance video that may have low framerates or only record sporadically (motion recording).

 

Bottom line, if VLC and K-Lite still won't play the file, then it's probably not going to work, unless you can find an installable codec from that specific manufacturer.

[guiri 0]

Ok, I understand but my other question was, did I DO things correctly to install the codec? I just double clicked it in the download manager to install it but that was it. I took no further action to in any way associate it with vlc or the other way around.

 

Did I NEED to do anything else or just installing the code pack was it? I just want to make sure I didn't mess up in any way.

 

Also, did any of the info from mediainfo make any sense?

 

Thanks

 

George

[Soundy 1]

Ok, I understand but my other question was, did I DO things correctly to install the codec? I just double clicked it in the download manager to install it but that was it. I took no further action to in any way associate it with vlc or the other way around.

It's been quite a while since I last installed K-Lite but that sounds about right. Again, it doesn't install any applications, just adds a bunch of behind-the-scenes stuff so that various media files will work with the system (and it's not limited to VLC - they'll work with Windows Media Player and most others as well... I just like VLC because it handles a lot of file types on its own, and it's small, lightweight, and I can do some cool scripting with it).

 

Also, did any of the info from mediainfo make any sense?

 

 

 

"Codec ID" string says N264, which from the sound of it is probably a variation H.264, and is probably proprietary to the DVR manufacturer.

 

I googled "N264" and found this thread: http://forum.team-mediaportal.com/codecs-external-players-55/n264-files-81708/ - it contains a link for an N264 codec that you could try (I didn't try the link myself, I don't know if it works, or if the codec will work for you... just something to try).

[guiri 0]

Ok, done did it like they say down here and nothing.

 

So, I'm/the cops/we are SOL then?

 

I tell them that when they get a recording from someone, see if they can get the software/player with it?

 

Thanks again

 

George

[Soundy 1]

Sorry to say, that's pretty much what it comes down to. Almost all DVRs, if they export video to other media, will provide SOME way to play it on a computer... otherwise exporting it is kind of pointless. However, not all of them do it *by default*. You may have to check for "default" options... you may have to instruct the customer to always make sure to tick the appropriate checkboxes when exporting video. Again, this will vary widely depending on the particular DVR you're dealing with.

 

Just as a side note: you may want to check the documentation (if it exists) for the differences between various export options. Using our Vigil DVRs as an example: their native recording and export format is Aztech-compressed MJPEG, but they can also export as AVI using any available installed codec. The AVI files will be playable on pretty much anything... HOWEVER, they do not have time and date stamp information, and they cannot be "authenticated" (to prove that the video hasn't been tampered with). The native format requires its own codec and player, but it embeds such metadata as checksums (to confirm that the file hasn't been edited), time and date info, POS data, and even video analytics data. The player itself can always re-export as AVI if required, but I always advice clients to export as MJPEG (or what they call "Authentic Video" format FIRST, for the reasons outlined above.

[guiri 0]

Sweet! I guess that takes care of it. Thanks guys

 

George

[guiri 0]

Alright boys, I have an update.

 

I went to the place where the video came from and talked to the dude that installed it and he said that windows media player would play it and lo and behold, it does!????

 

No code installation or anything. Any ideas why and why VLC won't?

 

Thanks