How to play a *.media file from a security camera?

[gladiator]

I have a cheap wifi enabled security camera and the footage is all broken down to tiny .media files e.g.

0000.media 0012.media they are like 1MB each.

I ran the file through MediaInfo and this is what I got:

General
Complete name : C:\Users\Win10\Desktop\Camera Footage\12\1597205400_0600\0534.media
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
File size : 559 KiB
Duration : 6 s 63 ms
Overall bit rate : 755 kb/s
FileExtension_Invalid : avc h264 264

Video
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : Main@L4.1
Format settings : CABAC / 1 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, Reference frames : 1 frame
Duration : 6 s 63 ms
Bit rate : 755 kb/s
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate : 11.875 FPS
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.031
Stream size : 559 KiB (100%)

Much thanks in advanced.

[Hitchhiker]

Try this.

1. Open Tools ---> Preferences and click "All" at the bottom (to the left of the Reset Preferences button).
2. In the menu which opens type "demuxers" (without quotes) in the search field top left.
3. Expand Input /Codecs below the search field and click Demuxers which will open the menu on the right.
4. The Demuxer module is set to Automatic by default. Using the dropdown menu click "H264 video demuxer" to select it (it's about 2/3rds the way down).
5. Click Save, exit and restart vlc.

[gladiator]

Many thanks for the quick reply, I have the Demuxer set as "H264 video demuxer" but VLC still will not play the *.media files.

Dragging the file into VLC does nothing.

[shaodan1997]

Since MediaInfo can read the video encoding information, I think the problem is related to the container. Would you mind providing a file if it doesn't have sensitive information?

Or you can try to use something like ffmpeg or mkvmerge to remix them into a universal container.

ffmpeg -i 0000.media -c copy 0000.mkv

or

mkvmerge -o 0000.mkv 0000.media

There also has tools in GUI to do it like MKVToolNix-Gui or VLC itself, but since VLC won't open this file as you say, you should just try them.

[gladiator]

Since MediaInfo can read the video encoding information, I think the problem is related to the container. Would you mind providing a file if it doesn't have sensitive information?

Or you can try to use something like ffmpeg or mkvmerge to remix them into a universal container.

ffmpeg -i 0000.media -c copy 0000.mkv

or

mkvmerge -o 0000.mkv 0000.media

There also has tools in GUI to do it like MKVToolNix-Gui or VLC itself, but since VLC won't open this file as you say, you should just try them.

Absolutely, here it one folder zipped up: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1z00EFK ... sp=sharing

The structure is just folders by dates e.g.
\10
\11
\12 for the days in August and within each date, is around 120-150 folders containing these .media files. Am sharing just one of them

[shaodan1997]

I deal with them into a 10 minutes file:https://1drv.ms/u/s!AngeRT2RKe4xgYBqhmA ... Q?e=AfksVA

If you just want to make each file played by VLC, you can follow the command I post above. Both FFmpeg and mkvmerge(a part of MKVToolNix) in CLI or MKVToolNix-Gui in GUI can deal with these files.(Transcoding tool in VLC seems won't deal with them)

However, each file only has about 6 seconds video, it could be inconvenient to play them back. So it would be better to combine them.

The structure of your folders looks like Date/folder1...folder* as you say. And I think each folder* contains ten minutes video divided into several *.media files. The name of these files is increase by time though looks discontinuous, so sort them by name and combine them in order then you can get a 10 minutes file.

There are several way to do it. If you don't want to use CLI, MKVToolNix-Gui can deal with it.

Just enter the folder you want to combine, sort them by name. Then add the first file (file name with smallest number) into "Source file"(chose "All file(*)" in file type). Right click the added file, click "Add files as additional parts", then chose all the remaining files. Then just click "Start multiplexing". A combined file will be generate.

Since you have around 120-150 folders, using batch processing would be more efficient. But I have no experience in this area.

[gladiator]

I deal with them into a 10 minutes file:https://1drv.ms/u/s!AngeRT2RKe4xgYBqhmA ... Q?e=AfksVA

If you just want to make each file played by VLC, you can follow the command I post above. Both FFmpeg and mkvmerge(a part of MKVToolNix) in CLI or MKVToolNix-Gui in GUI can deal with these files.(Transcoding tool in VLC seems won't deal with them)

However, each file only has about 6 seconds video, it could be inconvenient to play them back. So it would be better to combine them.

The structure of your folders looks like Date/folder1...folder* as you say. And I think each folder* contains ten minutes video divided into several *.media files. The name of these files is increase by time though looks discontinuous, so sort them by name and combine them in order then you can get a 10 minutes file.

There are several way to do it. If you don't want to use CLI, MKVToolNix-Gui can deal with it.

Just enter the folder you want to combine, sort them by name. Then add the first file (file name with smallest number) into "Source file"(chose "All file(*)" in file type). Right click the added file, click "Add files as additional parts", then chose all the remaining files. Then just click "Start multiplexing". A combined file will be generate.

Since you have around 120-150 folders, using batch processing would be more efficient. But I have no experience in this area.

wow!! you are simply Godsend. Able to get it working, thank you so much!

I'll go through the 150 folders manually since there is a critical video I am looking for, someone damaged my vehicle, but don't know the timestamp.

[mederi]

MediaInfo can decode the video chunks and VLC should be able to play them. Please open a ticket https://trac.videolan.org/vlc/
Show us the intruder damaging your vehicle

[gladiator]

Just one more question as I am going through the folders to multiplex the .media files. Some of them have an error and I only get a portion of the files multiplexed 20mb or so but it comes out corrupted and will not play.

Including the link to the zip file to see if anyone can help me with those folders https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lkfk9f ... sp=sharing

[shaodan1997]

It seems that MKVToolNix won't identify some of the .media files, and I did find a way to combine them, it could be a little complicated.

I don't know if you has been used FFmpeg . You can download it, and just copy and put FFmpeg.exe into the folders you want to deal with.

Then use cmd or powershell, enter your folder, use this command to copy the video stream in .media file into a .mp4 file.

Code: Select all

.\ffmpeg.exe -i filename.media -c:v copy filename.mp4

transfer all of the .media files into .mp4 files

You can use following batch processing to transfer all of the .media files in a folder to .mp4. Just save it as a .bat file, and put it with ffmpeg.exe into your folder.

Code: Select all

for %%a in (*.media) do .\ffmpeg.exe -i %%a -c:v copy %%~na.mp4

then MKVToolNix will deal with these .mp4 files smoothly. And for some reasons, you should click"Appending files" rather than "adding as additional parts".

[mederi]

Try VLC 4: https://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.ph ... 79#p508379
Perhaps there is a software bundled with your security camera to play/edit/export recorded videos.

[mjvan]

I deal with them into a 10 minutes file:https://1drv.ms/u/s!AngeRT2RKe4xgYBqhmA ... Q?e=AfksVA

If you just want to make each file played by VLC, you can follow the command I post above. Both FFmpeg and mkvmerge(a part of MKVToolNix) in CLI or MKVToolNix-Gui in GUI can deal with these files.(Transcoding tool in VLC seems won't deal with them)

However, each file only has about 6 seconds video, it could be inconvenient to play them back. So it would be better to combine them.

The structure of your folders looks like Date/folder1...folder* as you say. And I think each folder* contains ten minutes video divided into several *.media files. The name of these files is increase by time though looks discontinuous, so sort them by name and combine them in order then you can get a 10 minutes file.

There are several way to do it. If you don't want to use CLI, MKVToolNix-Gui can deal with it.

Just enter the folder you want to combine, sort them by name. Then add the first file (file name with smallest number) into "Source file"(chose "All file(*)" in file type). Right click the added file, click "Add files as additional parts", then chose all the remaining files. Then just click "Start multiplexing". A combined file will be generate.

Since you have around 120-150 folders, using batch processing would be more efficient. But I have no experience in this area.

I'm using the LittleLelf camera shown here: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B086SQ8Y17 (Security Camera Littlelf WiFi Camera Wireless IP Camera-1080P Indoor Camera, Baby Monitor Camera with 2-Way Audio/Night Vision/Motion Detection/Instant Alert, Upgraded Monitor for Pet/Baby/Elder)

These instructions worked perfectly for me on a folder by folder basis. I'm hoping someone can now create a batch file to recursively do this for the multiple folders that this camera creates.

Here is are the what the folders look like on my microsd stick

https://imgur.com/vB80HEN

[tg44]

I wrote a small nodejs script https://gist.github.com/tg44/bf6756c461 ... fccb314538. Not tested on windows, but should work with minimal effort, pls leave a comment for others if it worked for you.

Can sb help me how to convert the audio too? I have the same *.media files, and my ffmpeg only saw the video stream, but my phone (with the blitzwolf app) plays audio too (Blitzwolf BW-SHC2). My info file has "codec: 2" in it. I don't know if my ffmpeg has some missing codecs, or the file has no audio stream at the start (which I saw somewhere as a problem, but no documented solution). Could sb successfully convert the audio with the video too?

[paoley]

I wrote a small nodejs script https://gist.github.com/tg44/bf6756c461 ... fccb314538. Not tested on windows, but should work with minimal effort, pls leave a comment for others if it worked for you.

Can sb help me how to convert the audio too? I have the same *.media files, and my ffmpeg only saw the video stream, but my phone (with the blitzwolf app) plays audio too (Blitzwolf BW-SHC2). My info file has "codec: 2" in it. I don't know if my ffmpeg has some missing codecs, or the file has no audio stream at the start (which I saw somewhere as a problem, but no documented solution). Could sb successfully convert the audio with the video too?

I also have the same issue, I have no sounds. I got mp4 files but without sound.

[paoley]

I email support for the o littleelf at support@littlelf.com and they send me an software (the beta version ) to view the files. The software has indeed sound, but I could not find any information codec. I would rather use ffmpeg and converted everything into a more standard container but I have not found a way to do it without loosing sound .

[lentilsandbeans]

It seems that MKVToolNix won't identify some of the .media files, and I did find a way to combine them, it could be a little complicated.

I don't know if you has been used FFmpeg . You can download it, and just copy and put FFmpeg.exe into the folders you want to deal with.

Then use cmd or powershell, enter your folder, use this command to copy the video stream in .media file into a .mp4 file.

Code: Select all

.\ffmpeg.exe -i filename.media -c:v copy filename.mp4

transfer all of the .media files into .mp4 files

You can use following batch processing to transfer all of the .media files in a folder to .mp4. Just save it as a .bat file, and put it with ffmpeg.exe into your folder.

Code: Select all

for %%a in (*.media) do .\ffmpeg.exe -i %%a -c:v copy %%~na.mp4

then MKVToolNix will deal with these .mp4 files smoothly. And for some reasons, you should click"Appending files" rather than "adding as additional parts".

I am a complete beginner with all of this and I am trying to convert .media files to something watchable (i.e. mp4). The first script here using powershell and ffmpeg.exe has worked for me (yay!) but I am doing this one file at a time (boo). Sorry for being so dumb, can you please explain (for a total beginner) how to do the batch file?

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help me!

[Lotesdelere]

The first script here using powershell and ffmpeg.exe has worked for me (yay!) but I am doing this one file at a time (boo). Sorry for being so dumb, can you please explain (for a total beginner) how to do the batch file?

Open Notepad, copy and paste the script text, save it as WhatYouWant.bat (the .bat extension is what counts) and run it.
This .bat file, FFmpeg.exe and your videos must all be in the same folder.

[Masterofloki]

I email support for the o littleelf at support@littlelf.com and they send me an software (the beta version ) to view the files. The software has indeed sound, but I could not find any information codec. I would rather use ffmpeg and converted everything into a more standard container but I have not found a way to do it without loosing sound .

It's been 2 years. Did you find a way to do it with sound now?

[Masterofloki]

I wrote a small nodejs script https://gist.github.com/tg44/bf6756c461 ... fccb314538. Not tested on windows, but should work with minimal effort, pls leave a comment for others if it worked for you.

Can sb help me how to convert the audio too? I have the same *.media files, and my ffmpeg only saw the video stream, but my phone (with the blitzwolf app) plays audio too (Blitzwolf BW-SHC2). My info file has "codec: 2" in it. I don't know if my ffmpeg has some missing codecs, or the file has no audio stream at the start (which I saw somewhere as a problem, but no documented solution). Could sb successfully convert the audio with the video too?

It's been 2 years. Did you find a way to do it with sound now?