Problematic AVI

I have a problematic AVI file. However - the data I need is all there. It just seems every piece of software I use to try and make something of it, finds some way to crash and burn.

I captured video to an .avi file using virtualdub.

General
Complete name : E:\Projects in progress\FNV\David Lee Roth - trimmed.avi
Format : AVI
Format/Info : Audio Video Interleave
Format settings : BitmapInfoHeader / PcmWaveformat
File size : 7.18 GiB
Duration : 28 min 41 s
Overall bit rate : 35.8 Mb/s
Frame rate : 29.970 FPS
Writing library : VirtualDub2 build 44282/release
IsTruncated : Yes

Video
ID : 0
Format : CineForm
Codec ID : CFHD
Codec ID/Info : CineForm 10-bit Visually Perfect HD (Wavelet)
Duration : 28 min 41 s
Bit rate : 32.9 Mb/s
Width : 640 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate : 29.970 (30000/1001) FPS
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:2
Bit depth : 10 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 3.568
Stream size : 6.58 GiB (92%)

Audio
ID : 1
Format : PCM
Format settings : Little / Signed
Codec ID : 1
Duration : 28 min 41 s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 1 536 kb/s
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 48.0 kHz
Bit depth : 16 bits
Stream size : 315 MiB (4%)
Alignment : Aligned on interleaves

For some reason, virtualdub saved it to some broken state, which wasn't immediately obvious until months later when I go to use it.

So, now I go to use this file in my Vegas session, and Vegas does it's lovely little trick of freezing permanently if I dare to highlight the file in the file browser frame - before I can even dare try to drag it into the session. Which is rather typical of Vegas when it decides it doesn't like a file I'm trying to work with - I like the layout of the editor, but damn is Vegas picky about what it will work on, which is rather frustrating given the complete lack of standardization that one is forced to deal with when trying to work with video.

So, ok, lets take a look at the file - VLC give me an error anytime I try to open it that since the file index is broken or missing, seeking will not work correctly.


the build index then play option works, which proves that my data is there and I shouldn't have to dig out my VCR and redo all the work. But - this is just a temporary fix to playback in VLC, not a repair for the file.

Ok - so lets try and repair it.

avidemux will not open the file. It just says the attempt to open the file failed.

Ok - well - surely opening it in virtualdub, and then just re-saving it using the same formatting should output a new file with a proper index, right?

WRONG!

Not sure why virtualdub insists on continuing to output a broken version of this file, but it does.

So, what gives?

How can I get this damn data in a working format that doesn't make Sony Vegas cry, so I can actually get back to doing something productive?

Remux it to mkv with mkvtoolnix and load the new mkv in Vegas.

Can you try to open this file in VTCLab analyzer (https://media-analyzer.pro) and post the picture of the result?

You need the right codec to view or manipulate the video and you can find it here: https://www.softpedia.com/get/Multimedia/Video/Encoders-Converter-DIVX-Related/GoPro-C...-Decoder.shtml

It's not a codec issue, I have the codec loaded, and I've confirmed Vegas to be able to work with other videos captured using the same codec.

I believe this is a problem with files I've trimmed - that is, I did a VHS capture, and didn't catch when the tape reached the end and had a long period of nothing captured. My capture was done using virtualdub, so I decided to just open the file in virtualdub, select the section I wish to save to trim off the blank end, and resave it using save as old format avi - which should accomplish the task of having a trimmed version of the file.

But the files I did this process with came out broken like this.

I've found that if I open the file in virtualdub, and select a segment I need to work on, and save out just the segment, that seems to be fine. But resaving the whole file isn't.

Perhaps there's a size or length limit I'm encountering? For some reason virtualdub has no problem capturing files this long, but does have a problem saving them that long? Not sure.

I did attempt to open the file in the VTCLab analyzer link provided, but the output is huge, not something I can post a picture of, and a massive amount of text to copy/paste.

I suppose I've stumbled onto a bug in virtualdub that results in files saved without an index, or with a problematic index, and I need a stable and consistent method to resave a file that builds a new index.

Ok, so much for that workaround - I have another capture I need to use, tried saving a segment again, but this time another broken file.

I am beyond pissed that my hard work continues to be sabotaged by what is essentially extremely poor programmers that can't figure out how to code programs that do what they're supposed to do. I use them - I get garbage - and then I have to clean up their mess!

Absolutely ridiculous! People need to actually do their damn jobs right! If I did work like this in my job, I'd be unemployed!

Calm down. No point in getting worked up about software that was built years and years ago, for free, that doesn't work for you. The software isn't going to change so try something else.

If you just want to trim off a part of your VHS AVI, use Direct Stream Copy (on the Video menu) and "Save Video...". That's with VDub 2. For VDub 1.9.11 use "Save as AVI".

I created a cineform video to test myself, to cut a clip from it, in Vdub2, set video and audio to direct streram copy,
set the in and out points, use file/export/stream copy

Originally Posted by armyofquad

I use them - I get garbage

If you could share some small example of such garbage, I would try to analyze what's wrong with it.

Here's a test cineform video

It doesn't appear to be Cineform itself, it's the particular file:

Originally Posted by armyofquad post #5

I've confirmed Vegas to be able to work with other videos captured using the same codec.

Originally Posted by Alwyn

It doesn't appear to be Cineform itself, it's the particular file:

Originally Posted by armyofquad post #5

I've confirmed Vegas to be able to work with other videos captured using the same codec.

Perhaps the op should reencode this to ffv1 in vdub2,
see what happens

Did you try to open/save the problematic avi with other/original versions of Virtualdub?
I often still use that version to edit/cut my avi captures.

Good news - I figured out how to get segment saving to work again. What I would find to be a reasonable end user assumption would be that the selection of "save as old format avi", will save with the same properties and settings as the source avi. However, what is not immediately obvious, is that closing and reopening virtualdub resets the video-compression setting to uncompressed, and the compression setting on the source avi does not fall under the umbrella of "old format".

So, one must always set that compression setting anytime opening virtualdub, unless you want to save as uncompressed.

So now I'm back to having a way of making working segments out of my broken index VHS rips, and have been able to limp along another project past the finish line.

I still need to confirm my theory of file length creating a problem - I cannot remember for sure whether or not my failed attempts to resave the entire file was done with the compression set correctly. I think one of my tests did, but I am not certain, I will need to verify.