years later, Vegas/Magic is still dropping the ball and can't crack/open/read MP4 files... Still can't read my AVC encoded H264 file, which makes Vegas - guess what? USELESS. I don't want to have to fiddle with it, install extra sh!t, turn off hardware decompression, fool with drivers, I JUST WANT IT TO WORK. Figure it out. Or, people will buy something else. It's that simple.
Are you looking for help or just to vent? We are happy to help.
If you have taken three deep breaths and have calmed down a little, and then want help from a peer-to-peer user forum, then post information about your media file here.
And don't forget to delete the swear words from your first thread - we're very allergic to that.
yeah yeah. it's just a MP4 with AVC video in it. I have a right to be pissed off. it's not like I'm trying to inject some fancy new format that came out yesterday. Making excuses and pointing the finger at me for being irritable won't help.
What system do you have and what version of Vegas are you running. Without this we can't help.
Vegas is very happy with MP4 H264 - but it needs the correct config for the hardware to work. Also it is not that happy with variable frame rate H264 which some phones/drones use.
What VP version are you using?
MAYBE I'm extra put-out because I work at Microsoft in the video editing department. In fact, 10 years ago, I used to help Vegas when it still used to be under Sonic Foundry. Look, here's the point, Vegas, Magix, whatever: TRY decoding it using the HW decoder. If it doesn't work, fall back to a software decoder. If it doesn't work, fall back to another one. Try until something works. use good decoders, not open source junk. Pay somebody good $ to write one for you.... This is kid-stuff knowledge.
Is it possible for you to upload this test file somewhere for others to try?
Well, good luck with that.
We "can" help you, but not without a little cooperation. We are your peers! We do not deserve your nastiness.
In order to receive peer support, the following information is required, INCLUDING the all-important file properties in section C.
https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/important-information-required-to-help-you--110457/
Man up or seek assistance elsewhere. Vegas has decoded and encoded h264 AVC since version 9.0c
While you are waiting patiently for a response, the Community Rules will make some good light reading for you.
https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/community-rules/
This is a waste of my time. MP4 + AVC should "just work". You know that, they know that, I know that, we all know that. When I open up the video editor and it doesn't, that's just irritating. I shouldn't have to wonder what gas to put in my car, if I put gas in the car, it should GO. Same principle. If you don't get it, well, sirs, you don't get it. I know what I'm talking about, I've spent the better portion of my life developing release-quality video codecs and editing software. I work in the Research department of Microsoft, so YEAH, I have a little background in what I'm talking about. You telling me to "man up" is endearing. Years ago, I helped write some of the import/export plugins for Video Vegas. I'm that old, and I've been doing it that long.
Video is here: https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ah1Ane6ivEaXgd8Qut_3bJdg8eq0yQ?e=QzOxdO
Vegas Pro 18.0.
Vegas' properties says this:
General
Name: ChucksBuck.mp4
Folder: C:\Users\erich\Desktop
Type: MP4 Video File (VLC)
Size: 6.21 MB (6,362,708 bytes)
Created: Friday, November 13, 2020, 10:24:00 AM
Modified: Friday, November 13, 2020, 10:55:00 AM
Accessed: Friday, November 13, 2020, 6:22:41 PM
Attributes: Archive
Other metadata
Regions/markers: no
Command markers: no
Media manager
Media tags: no
MediaInfo says this:
General
Complete name : C:\Users\erich\Desktop\ChucksBuck.mp4
Format : MPEG-PS
File size : 6.07 MiB
Duration : 11 s 980 ms
Overall bit rate : 4 249 kb/s
FileExtension_Invalid : mpeg mpg m2p vob vro pss evo
Video
ID : 224 (0xE0)
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : Main@L4.1
Format settings : CABAC / 2 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, Reference frames : 2 frames
Duration : 11 s 980 ms
Bit rate : 4 164 kb/s
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Variable
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Stream size : 5.95 MiB (98%)
Color range : Limited
Color primaries : BT.709
Transfer characteristics : BT.709
Matrix coefficients : BT.709
Text
ID : 189 (0xBD)
Format : RLE
Format/Info : Run-length encoding
Duration : 11 s 940 ms
it's just a codec. it's CABAC. You crack the MP4 file format, you strip the data packets, you send them to the codec, you gather up the output, you look at the produced timestamps, you put them in a cache, you keep decoding until you get another frame. It doesn't matter if the frame rate is variable, it doesn't matter if it's really an MPEG program stream.container frame != codec format. This is just needed thoroughness in the file splitter and codec sender... I've had to do exactly this code, with AVI. People used to stuff MP4 video inside AVI file format, we had to decode it.
Your file is not "just an MP4 with AVC video in it."
In fact, it is the most corrupt, non-compliant Frankenfile I have seen thus far in 2020. This was caused by multiple generations of incorrect encoding. Don't shoot the messenger; I'm only presenting the facts.
Format : MPEG-PS NOT! FileExtension_Invalid ! : mpeg mpg m2p vob vro pss evoVideo NOT! Frame rate mode : Variable So I guessed Format : RLE NOT ! Format/Info : Run-length encoding NOT! Duration : 11 s 940 ms ??
I'm sure with your vast experience you could not have done this, maybe a download, perhaps? However, rest assured that Vegas does not repair corrupt files. And please don't tell me it "plays ok," that means zero for decoding to raw bits for nonlinear editing.
You could try a recode in Handbrake, VideoRedo, or rewrap in Avisynth or ffmpeg. That's about your only hope, but do let us know if you get it sorted, with civility, of course. Good luck!
And please skip the 2nd person instructions. We don't do that, nor does Vegas, nor do we know anyone who does.
I can't open it in VEGAS at any settings, or in Resolve, unless I re-wrap it. VLC and MPC-HC will open it.
What camera recorded it?
A simple rewrap to a proper mp4 container is all that is needed.
that is my POINT. it shouldn't need a re-wrap. Two people just proved my point. This is a feature-lag on Vegas' fault, not something I am missing. You think I'm the idiot here? Imagine all the people out there trying to open their files, discouraged that their 'trial software' won't open their security-camera footage they just proudly downloaded off their SD card (that's what this is), and decide, "oh well, **** it, I'll go use handbrake instead" (which DOES work, because IT goes through the work of separating the file container format from the stream compression format contained within the file format).
I'm not going to argue about it any more. I'm a big Vegas fan. If Vegas engineers read this and decide it's too much trouble, no skin off my nose, I have bigger fish to fry. If somebody wants to work with me about this, I'm sure they still know how to get in touch with me, or can PM me. I still work at Microsoft, I'm still an adjunct into the video editing department, and can still arrange help.
that is my POINT. it shouldn't need a re-wrap. Two people just proved my point. This is a feature-lag on Vegas' fault, not something I am missing. You think I'm the idiot here? Imagine all the people out there trying to open their files, discouraged that their 'trial software' won't open their security-camera footage they just proudly downloaded off their SD card (that's what this is), and decide, "oh well, **** it, I'll go use handbrake instead" (which DOES work, because IT goes through the work of separating the file container format from the stream compression format contained within the file format).
I'm not going to argue about it any more. I'm a big Vegas fan. If Vegas engineers read this and decide it's too much trouble, no skin off my nose, I have bigger fish to fry. If somebody wants to work with me about this, I'm sure they still know how to get in touch with me, or can PM me. I still work at Microsoft, I'm still an adjunct into the video editing department, and can still arrange help.
Security camera footage isn't so popular for video editors. I'd rather Magix focus on support cameras like the a7sIII and phones and then circle back to unusual formats like this.
What NLE are you able to use this in without any transcoding?
that is my POINT. it shouldn't need a re-wrap. Two people just proved my point. This is a feature-lag on Vegas' fault, not something I am missing. You think I'm the idiot here?
It's a possibility. Resolve and Premiere won't open it either
From my experience with actual security systems, the manufacturer would supply a utility to export video for use outside their system. I'm unaware of how the doorbell cameras and "Internet of things" folks do it because I have zero interest in owning one.
The video sample that you shared doesn't have a frame rate specified (per Mediainfo). I rewrapped your sample and picked 29.97p. The result opens in Vegas Pro 9.0e through 17-452. The rewrapped sample can be had here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1n-it6zCWqVYeBYyCqUm4vkcz9V3UNQZi/view?usp=sharing
You should disabuse yourself of the belief that anything with an MP4 extension should "just work".
I work in the Research department of Microsoft, so YEAH, I have a little background in what I'm talking about.
If so.... explain this?
Double click on Win10 to run the media in default Movies & TV app results on this.
I wonder if Microsoft has an employment condition about how employees need to conduct themselves on social media and other public venues and avenues to avoid their employees projecting a poor image of Microsoft by inappropriate comments where it is clear that the person is a Microsoft employee. I would have thought that a behaviour requirement is in effect with most large companies and government departments/agencies these days.
"You think I'm the idiot here?"
With such an explosive behavior out of something simple, and spewing it on everyone here who is offering their contribution, it doesn't matter one bit who you are proclaiming to be, Yes my good man, YOU ARE!
@eric-frazer I had no luck either loading your sample security cam. footage into VP18, which I appreciate is your main concern. It did play in VLC and MPC-HC
I used my VFR2CFR util, uses ffmpeg, see my profile for download link, to transcode your 25fps footage. It then loaded into VP18 aok.
I also found that the "HIK" security camera "Player" also played your non-transcoded footage, it shows focus grid's also, see screenshot.
The fact is simple -- hardware manufacturers who write and tag their own encoders are clueless. They don't care about industry standards or best practices. Or whether anyone can use them without their proprietary utilities. Examples include makers of security equipment, pocket cameras, motherboards, capture devices, teevee converters, and toys for kids. When all of these consumer devices came out, the licensing authorities found themselves toothless, and Apple became the biggest offender.
Whether Vegas should endeavor to sanitize every miscoded, misflagged, ill-conceived open source garbage format in existence, and deep-scan every file it receives to ferret out bad flags, as if some kind of Swiss Army Knife, that would serve to repurpose the whole reality of nonlinear editing. We have ffmpeg and AVS, and a whole host of ffmpeg-reliant freeware muxers / converters to do just that. And, as mentioned so often on these forums, Vegas "becoming" a VideoLan poser would violate many of its commercial licensing agreements with legitimate, compliant codec developers, some of whom do go back to Sonic Foundry, around the turn of the 21st century.
As far as people posting unvetted "qualifications," they are here to snow you. For instance, if the OP, "In fact, 10 years ago, [I] used to help Vegas when it still used to be under Sonic Foundry," then he was the loneliest man about Madison, because Sonic Foundry sold Vegas lock, stock, and barrel to Sony in 2003 -- he "hasn't" said he worked for Sony.