Subscriber Discussion

Exporting To AVI And MP4 Wont Play In Windows Media Player - Dahua Specific Or Common Issue?

JH
Jay Hobdy
Dec 19, 2018
IPVMU Certified

When we export to either of these formats, we usually get an error regarding a Codec or the video just plays blank.

We have seen this over the last 2-3 years on a regular basis so it's hard to remember specifics, but it is usually an NVR4216, with Smart PSS and a Windows machine

If we use VLC, everything works great in either format.

 

Do other VMS have the same issue or is this a Dahua issue? Any easy fix other than using VLC? or exporting Dahua's player?

 

 

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Dec 19, 2018

I've had the same issue in the past with Dahua systems. Their tech support was useless sending us documents on how to export instead of addressing and trying to understand the actual issue. 

The only workaround we have seen is what you mentioned using VLC. 

Avatar
Sean Nelson
Dec 19, 2018
Nelly's Security

Common. As common as chinese manufacturers not wanting to make their stuff work in any other browser than IE. 

VLC is the player of choice for sure.

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RS
Robert Shih
Dec 19, 2018
IPVM

Sean Nelson's got it on the nose here. Typically I recommending to export the native format first anyway and then use the player from the toolbox to make the conversions, which sometimes yields better results in standard players.

JH
Jay Hobdy
Dec 19, 2018
IPVMU Certified

Do not post in any of my threads, you are dead to me... 

 

I feel like a pup whose mom abandoned him...

 

:)

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #2
Dec 19, 2018

What resolution is the video?  Microsoft Windows Media Player has a limited resolution that it can decode.  I don't remember if it is anything higher than 2Mp, or 3 or 4...

VLC just works, and of course, you should normally keep the video in the "proprietary" player.

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #3
Dec 19, 2018

Hikvision has the same issue.

 

One workaround that I have found to work is to upload the footage to Google Drive. Google fixes the codec issue and makes the file a usable file in WMP.

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U
Undisclosed #4
Dec 19, 2018

I'm not sure that this would apply to .mp4 exports, but keep in mind that any .avi export is done so using a specific .avi codec (like XVid, DivX, Cinepak, etc).

When manufacturers use a proprietary .avi codec to 'encode' their exports, the machine that wants to view the export (using WMP) needs to also have the same .avi codec installed to 'decode' the exported video file.

For example:

I have hundreds of old Geovision video files from back in the day that we recorded for whatever reason.

Because they were encoded with a specific Geovision H.264 .avi codec, when I try and play them in WMP on any machine that doesn't have this GEOh264 codec installed, it either tells me it can't play it or it just plays a blank scene.

As soon as I install the Geoh264 .avi codec on the machine, the video plays back fine.

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JH
Jay Hobdy
Dec 19, 2018
IPVMU Certified

Well its reassuring to know we are not the only one. We may have to put it into our SOP to download VLC along with SPSS.

 

Do other VMS suffer the same issue such as Milestone, Genetec, Avigilon, and more importantly Digital Watch Dog and Vivotek?

 

 

PK
Patrick Kelly
Dec 19, 2018

Note: I work for DW

Jay, 

I have been using DW Spectrum for more than 6 years. I am not aware of any issue playing an AVI created in DW Spectrum. Creation of MP4 is a relatively new capability from AVI but again, I am unaware of any issue.

But I should stipulate, since DW Spectrum can also act as a media player, capable of playing AVI and MP4 (actually multiple videosat the same time) its been more than 6 years since I have had the need to open WMP, to play single video. 

 

 

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #5
Dec 19, 2018

It’s a codec issue.

Installing K-Lite Codec Pack resolves the issue: https://www.codecguide.com/download_kl.htm


Here are the instructions on the Wiki: https://dahuawiki.com/AVITroubleshoot

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