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Editing Security System videos
I have a client looking to retrieve files from a security system and have us edit in FCP. So far they have sent us .avi’s that I can’t open on my mac or pc. Anyone have any luck with doing this or similar situations? Or can you suggest another forum I could post to for this type of task?
I’d like to offer them a suggestion for a setup that could export files usable with FCP or at least files that I could easily convert to .mov. Thanks. -
8 Replies
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AVI is just a wrapper, it says nothing about what kind of file it actually is. Ask them if they know anything more about the format, or what they could possible export to.
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Do you have Perian installed?
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Yes, try Perian and MPGStreamclip.
Hopefully the codec is supported by QT.
rafael -
[Rafael Amador] “Yes, try Perian and MPGStreamclip.
Hopefully the codec is supported by QT.”Just to make it clear. Install Parian to be able to play the avi, then use MPEG Streamclip to convert it to a FCP friendly editing format.
**Hindsight is always 1080p**
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Tried Perian and Streamclip. Just get a white playback screen.
Must be an unusual codec. -
Security systems are known to use odd codecs. Ask if theirs came with a disc. It will probably have a player on it. If it does, it will almost certainly be PC only.
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[Martin Curtis] “Security systems are known to use odd codecs. Ask if theirs came with a disc. It will probably have a player on it. If it does, it will almost certainly be PC only.”
So right.
Isvery possible that that codec don’t even exist for Mac.
I wouldn’t waist time and try it in a PC.
rafael -
Steve,
Did you find a solution?
A few years ago I had a similar situation. The file only played in proprietary software on the PC. I couldn’t convert it. I ended up using the SVHS out of a graphic card on my PC and recorded that onto my MAC, then edited that. Lost some quality, but the quality of the original wasn’t very good to begin with, and the client had no other options.
David
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