How can you open .264 files from home surveillance cameras.

[Mike Moya]

We had an attemptedburglary event and can't open the files to see

 

[hairystuff]

I use the NetViewer utility that came with my Swann DVR, its availiable on Swanns website:

http://www.swann.com/downloads/drivers/DVR_2500/Netviewer-Swann_V1.2.7.233-ENU.exe

http://www.swann.com/s/products/view/?product=975

Just use it in OFFLINE mode then use the [264 to AVI] button to convert your video to .AVI format then just use VLC to do the playback.

 

[dingo07]

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/index.html
Here you go

 

[hairystuff]

@Dingo07, VLC will not playback hardware DVR files because the files/streams are stored headerless, the utility that comes with DVRs usually just stamps the files with a header which can then be played back by VLC.

 

[dingo07]

I'm assuming he's using something like a DedicatedMicros matrix DVR, but it could be anything really

 

[the great randini]

what type of system do you have, we may be able to point you to a viewer.

 

[Web2Guru]

This is one of the pages that comes up when I searched for this exact problem, unfortunately none of the answers on other Closed questions were correct and many other answers didn't work for me.

I didn't try the Swann software posted here, but I did try a newer version of the same software and it didn't have an offline mode that I could find. I tried a few other things and finally found the easiest answer:

A free and simple .264 to .avi converter, worked perfectly for me:
http://www.thinkcctvsystems.com/store/cms.php?id_cms=9

Original answer (the second/updated link, not the first one on this post):
http://forum.videohelp.com/threads/338727-Please-help-RAW-264-file-needs-to-be-playable#post2141694

 

[runningsnail]

Thanks for the info, it is helpful

But I have to do this often and later decide to just use network cameras with software like netcam center

http://www.webcamsoft.com/en/netcamctr.html

I can view the video with media player with no need to convert the video format.

 

[phil_flinger]

I downloaded and used the 'AVI Generator for PC...' converter which I found at the following url.

http://www.lorextechnology.com/security-dvr-and-surveillance-dvr/ECO-Series-stand-alone-security-DVR/SER10001.p#downloadsTab

Although my CCTV DVR is not the model shown and was brought from Maplins, this converter worked fine and is simple to use.

 

[Kithkani]

I downloaded and used the 'AVI Generator for PC...' converter which I found at the following url.

http://www.lorextechnology.com/security-dvr-and-surveillance-dvr/ECO-Series-stand-alone-security-DVR/SER10001.p#downloadsTab

Thank you so much, this worked for some q-see .264 files that their own player software/converter software would not process on two seperate machines windows 7/windows xp. This software worked like a charm.

 

[atrxe]

@Dingo07, VLC will not playback hardware DVR files because the files/streams are stored headerless, the utility that comes with DVRs usually just stamps the files with a header which can then be played back by VLC.

Any ideas on how to add a header to the file without using the utility that comes with the DVR? I would like to backup an entire day of video, my DVR is set to record on motion, resulting in 1200 separate files. I downloaded the files to my machine via FTP, but they are useless without the header.

Thanks!

 

[litlmurphygirl]

Because of my job, I have to convert any and every type of video and audio file you can imagine. I can guarantee you, that if you download the latest version of Any Video Converter, (5.5 I think is the most current) and it's free, it will convert your .264 files to .avi, or other formats very easily. Open the program, then you can either drag your .264 files into the window to convert, or add manually by browsing. Select the type of output you want, ie. .avi, .mp4 etc, (there are LOTS!!) then click Convert Now. It's that simple. I've tried most of the others, and I have AVS as well but you have to PAY for that one! This free one is the best one I've found for most surveillance file types.

 

[sallyann4]

Because of my job, I have to convert any and every type of video and audio file you can imagine. I can guarantee you, that if you download the latest version of Any Video Converter, (5.5 I think is the most current) and it's free, it will convert your .264 files to .avi, or other formats very easily. Open the program, then you can either drag your .264 files into the window to convert, or add manually by browsing. Select the type of output you want, ie. .avi, .mp4 etc, (there are LOTS!!) then click Convert Now. It's that simple. I've tried most of the others, and I have AVS as well but you have to PAY for that one! This free one is the best one I've found for most surveillance file types.

I'm sorry but AVS doesn't open .264 video files for me.
I don't deny it's a very versatile program but it won't open these particular files.

 

[litlmurphygirl]

No no, I'm not saying AVS opens them, I'm saying Any Video Converter.

"I can guarantee you, that if you download the latest version of Any Video Converter, (5.5 I think is the most current) and it's free, it will convert your .264 files to .avi, or other formats very easily. Open the program, then you can either drag your .264 files into the window to convert, or add manually by browsing. Select the type of output you want, ie. .avi, .mp4 etc, (there are LOTS!!) then click Convert Now.

If you are still having problems, post back. Personally Any Video Converter does more in my opinion than AVS, as I have used both in my job. I still have both pograms but Any Video Converter has so far been able to convert all of my different files to date.

 

[Hool BeZobrazov]

I use the NetViewer utility that came with my Swann DVR, its availiable on Swanns website:

http://www.swann.com/downloads/drivers/DVR_2500/Netviewer-Swann_V1.2.7.233-ENU.exe

http://www.swann.com/s/products/view/?product=975

Just use it in OFFLINE mode then use the [264 to AVI] button to convert your video to .AVI format then just use VLC to do the playback.

Had a similar problem - *.264 file to open and no codec for it. This viewer (SWANN Netviewer) works just fine in offline mode not just to convert, and for playing file too. Windows XP SP 2; 1GB DDR; Pentium 4 @ 2.4 GHz. Thanks.

 

[mandmandmbaby]

We had an attemptedburglary event and can't open the files to see

In the file folder, go in and click rename. When renaming you can keep the first part but remove .264 and replace with .mpeg and it will not hurt the file. Then you can open up the file in powerdvd which comes with many laptops already but can also be downloaded online. Won't hurt the files or the computer😀

 

[Hellreign82]

Because of my job, I have to convert any and every type of video and audio file you can imagine. I can guarantee you, that if you download the latest version of Any Video Converter, (5.5 I think is the most current) and it's free, it will convert your .264 files to .avi, or other formats very easily. Open the program, then you can either drag your .264 files into the window to convert, or add manually by browsing. Select the type of output you want, ie. .avi, .mp4 etc, (there are LOTS!!) then click Convert Now. It's that simple. I've tried most of the others, and I have AVS as well but you have to PAY for that one! This free one is the best one I've found for most surveillance file types.

Hi

I've tried out th AVC software you've suggested as i'm also trying to make .264 file usable for my staff, however when I convert the file it doesn't come down with the audio it has in the CCTV viewer (just silent)

any ideas?

thanks

 

[Radbuch]

I downloaded and used the 'AVI Generator for PC...' converter which I found at the following url.

http://www.lorextechnology.com/security-dvr-and-surveillance-dvr/ECO-Series-stand-alone-security-DVR/SER10001.p#downloadsTab

Although my CCTV DVR is not the model shown and was brought from Maplins, this converter worked fine and is simple to use.

Thanks. I downloaded the lorex player and it played my zmodo files just fine.