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  1. Hi all,

    Long time since using this forum, glad to see its still going strong

    I have been running a wildlife filming project which has left me with many hours of .avf files from a cctv dvr box. I need to get them into a pc based format such as divx, avi, wmv etc but this is where the real fun starts.
    The files can be converted with avermedia software but it is ridiculously slow, have emailed the manufacturer and they cannot help. Since then ive tried just about every piece of video editing, ripping, fixing software on the face of the planet and only one works and that is dr divx 2.0.1

    Unfortunately it doesnt like the files as it opens them at weird sizes like 191 x 52 and then crashes on encoding. It has opened some of them and converted them really quickly but the majority get resized to very tall and skinny.

    When I download the files from the dvr they are accompanied with a seperate 1kb .tbl file which may be header info ? The frustrating thing is that dr divx is trying really hard and almost getting there.

    I think ive tried all of the software mentioned on this forum (been at it for weeks) and am looking for any help or tips with dr divx 2.01

    Any help would be great as im really fed up with the time it takes with the manufacturers software.

    Thanks
    I used to be indecisive but now I just cant make my mind up.
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  2. Member yoda313's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by aiw9800
    The files can be converted with avermedia software but it is ridiculously slow
    You might want to look into upgrading to at least a dual core pc then. Unfortunately video conversion is a product of the processor, not ram or video card power.

    Originally Posted by aiw9800
    many hours of .avf files from a cctv dvr box
    Perhaps you can take an original transferred file and use gspot or avicodec to check the file format. Then you could post that screen shot on this thread so that others may look at the details.

    If it is a high def dvr with a firewire port than chances are you a transferring a transport stream file. Many programs are capable of reading them for editing. Projectx can demux them. hdtv2dvd is another for conversion to dvd.

    Perhaps with a screen shot of the file detail others can help point to a more useable conversion program for your situation.
    Donatello - The Shredder? Michelangelo - Maybe all that hardware is for making coleslaw?
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  3. Thanks, I will post a screen shot.
    The manufacturers software does not utilise the cpu at all, it also appears to be a totally standalone application. Trust me its rubbish.

    Will post back later.

    Thanks
    I used to be indecisive but now I just cant make my mind up.
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  4. Member yoda313's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by aiw
    The manufacturers software does not utilise the cpu
    I"m not sure I follow. All applications use the cpu to some extent, otherwise they would not function. Perhaps you mean it isn't eating up a ton of processor priority?

    Anyway perhaps the screenshot will shed some lite on it. Good luck.
    Donatello - The Shredder? Michelangelo - Maybe all that hardware is for making coleslaw?
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    Originally Posted by aiw9800proman
    Unfortunately it doesnt like the files as it opens them at weird sizes like 191 x 52 and then crashes on encoding. It has opened some of them and converted them really quickly but the majority get resized to very tall and skinny.
    Having been bitten by a similar problem at work recently (client sent us a vid in a funny format with .DVR extension), in my research for that I discovered that many DVR (for surveillance cams) mfrs use proprietary file formats. Probably based on a standard like MPEG2 or MPEG4 (because you can get chipsets for this), but with additional features in the file. I would guess that's why your divx reader "kind of" recognizes the format.

    Ie. you need to ask the DVR mfr to check compatibility.
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  6. aBigMeanie aedipuss's Avatar
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    why use a dvr? what was the footage shot with? if you have the original cam tapes why not transfer those direct to the computer and convert from there.

    if you really used a proprietary surveillance type cctv dvr you are out of luck as mpack mentioned. it's been worked on many times here and no one has converted a video from one of those without the original software and password.
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  7. Thanks for all the replies.
    I use a dvr because I need to record endless hours of footage, there are no tapes and its all stored on hard drive.
    Apparently the dvr manufacturers claim that the special codecs are used to comply with cctv laws.
    Dr divx has succesfully encoded a few of the files but I cannot understand why it cant convert all of them if it can convert a few ? They are all the same format so it doesnt make sense.

    Anyway im attaching a gspot screen cap.

    Thanks

    I used to be indecisive but now I just cant make my mind up.
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  8. Member yoda313's Avatar
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    Ok it says its an mpeg 4 variant. That is an unusual aspect ratio to with a 720x288 resolution. That may hinder some generic one touch converter programs.

    Have you tried using virtualdubmod or virtualdubmpeg2 to open this file? If it truly is mpeg4 it might have better luck opening. Also check out the wide range of mp4 software packages out there in the tools section on this website for more options.
    Donatello - The Shredder? Michelangelo - Maybe all that hardware is for making coleslaw?
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  9. aBigMeanie aedipuss's Avatar
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    you should try contacting the manufacturer and find out what mpeg-4 system they use to record with. it's probably a hardware encoder as the video appears to be an mp4 transport stream encoded with just i and s pictures and afaik there isn't a single software encoder that can do that. it's also seemingly recorded at 1/2 pal - 720x(576/2) resolution and i'd guess maybe 13fps.

    the only type of mpeg-4 that allows "s" pictures is the extended profile.
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  10. Thanks again,

    Im now getting very close to solving this with dr divx. The files are all 720 x 480 pal at 12 fps and ive just set up a custom profile at 720 x 480 resolution and its opening all of the .avf files, this is a miracle because all of the other freeware (including all versions of vdub) wont touch them even if I change the file extension from avf to avi.

    If any of you feel like continuing to help I would be grateful if you could make suggestions for dr divx, when it crashes on encoding it appears to be the resize filter drffmpeg thats causing it. If I can solve this then im sorted.

    Thanks again
    I used to be indecisive but now I just cant make my mind up.
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  11. aBigMeanie aedipuss's Avatar
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    try mediainfo on one of the source files. i'd still say they are probably pal 720x576 maybe interlaced at 24fps. that way every frame could be showing as half a picture (720x288).

    that could explain why the resize filter doesn't like them.
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    Here's how to get your AVF files working in Dr. DivX in 30 seconds. No joke. Even VLC can now open the tinkered file.

    1. Download a hex editor.

    2. Replace the first 4 bytes "AVF0" with "RIFF".

    3. Save

    Example:
    AVF0F6BAVI LIST....hdrlavih8
    becomes
    RIFFF6BAVI LIST....hdrlavih8

    Dr. DivX may still report an incorrect resolution. After the change above, check the resolution with MediaInfo and use the reported resolution.

    Insane, isn't it?
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