Newbee here with DMSS software, download clip problem.

[sealevelPete]

Greetings y'all,
Newbee to DMSS software, but pretty tech savvy. My work has multiple security cams, some sort of DVR and DMSS software. It was setup years ago and all but forgotten about. I have figured out the basics and can playback and clip footage I need.

The problem is: I can save footage to my Android phone in MP4 format for MOST of the cameras. I have one camera that the saved clip shows up as an MP4 on my phone but cannot play in any media player I have tried. The file does not have a preview icon like the others clips I download. I have identified 2 cameras that do not produce a usable MP4 file. Of course the footage I need is one of them.

If I try to share any of the clips to WhatsApp, it comes through as a .DAV file.

I would appreciate any help or, if this is not the correct forum, could someone point me to the correct one.
Thanks in advance,
sealevelPete

 

[bigredfish]

What are the model numbers of the 2 problem cameras? Any idea on how old they are?

And the model of the NVR/DVR...

 

[alastairstevenson]

I have one camera that the saved clip shows up as an MP4 on my phone but cannot play in any media player I have tried.

Would you be able to share a small sample of footage from that camera so the file can be analysed?

 

[sealevelPete]

What are the model numbers of the 2 problem cameras? Any idea on how old they are?

And the model of the NVR/DVR...

Sorry, I do not have access to that information. I know I am new to cctv, but would it matter? I would think it is DMSS that receives the feed and that software saves the feed as mp4 or dav? Unless the camera is sending the DAV format and DMSS can play it and save it, but not convert it?
Thanks, sorry for the delay getting back to you.

 

[wittaj]

Sorry, I do not have access to that information. I know I am new to cctv, but would it matter? I would think it is DMSS that receives the feed and that software saves the feed as mp4 or dav? Unless the camera is sending the DAV format and DMSS can play it and save it, but not convert it?
Thanks, sorry for the delay getting back to you.

Yes it is important - the make/model is important as different models do different things as well, along with the firmware it is running. DMSS is for Dahua cameras and although it may be able to see an ONVIF video feed, it might not be able to do anything with converting out the video. That could be either a limitation of the NVR or its firmware or how the camera was entered into the NVR initially.

 

[sealevelPete]

Would you be able to share a small sample of footage from that camera so the file can be analysed?

I wish I could, but that is the issue. I have a 30 minute clip from a specified camera I ne

Yes it is important - the make/model is important as different models do different things as well, along with the firmware it is running. DMSS is for Dahua cameras and although it may be able to see an ONVIF video feed, it might not be able to do anything with converting out the video. That could be either a limitation of the NVR or its firmware or how the camera was entered into the NVR initially.

Thanks for the info. I won't be able to provide that info unless it is in DMSS. I have no access to the server room and the camera in questions is 20 foot up a pole. Can't do what I was tasked to do if the company won't give me access to what I need.
ed to get to the customer.

 

[wittaj]

Yeah you are in a tight spot for sure.

I don't think DMSS lets you see model names and firmware version of NVR or cams.

Any chance you can take a picture of the problem camera and we might be able to identify which brand it is.

Worse case, what about doing a video capture of your phone playing the clip? Better than nothing.

 

[sealevelPete]

Would you be able to share a small sample of footage from that camera so the file can be analysed?

Sorry, I was interrupted and did not mean to post an incomplete reply. When I save the playback to my android phone or fire tablet, the clip in question is labelled as an mp4, but cannot play in android or google photos media player. It does play fine in VLC. If I share it to whatsapp, it is shared as a .DAV file. I tried an online converter but it turned the 317MB file into a 9G monstrosity. I sent on the mp4 and asked the customer to see if it will play for him in VLC.

 

[alastairstevenson]

It does play fine in VLC.

In VLC you can get info on the codecs in use, in the Tools menu when the file in question is playing or paused.

 

[sealevelPete]

In VLC you can get info on the codecs in use, in the Tools menu when the file in question is playing or paused.

The codec for the mp4 file that will not play on android/google plays in VLC - Codec MPEGH Part2/HEVC(H.265), same as the good camera. The only difference is the bad file has higher resolution and slightly lower frame rate.

 

[sealevelPete]

Yeah you are in a tight spot for sure.

I don't think DMSS lets you see model names and firmware version of NVR or cams.

Any chance you can take a picture of the problem camera and we might be able to identify which brand it is.

Worse case, what about doing a video capture of your phone playing the clip? Better than nothing.

The camera on the right is the issue. Camera straight on produces workable mp4s.

 

[wittaj]

That appears to be a Dahua dome. I wonder if they have a smart codec or H265 going on that camera and that is causing your issues?

 

[sealevelPete]

That appears to be a Dahua dome. I wonder if they have a smart codec or H265 going on that camera and that is causing your issues?

What are the model numbers of the 2 problem cameras? Any idea on how old they are?

And the model of the NVR/DVR...
Got access to the NVR - Dahua N141B2P2. Trying to find a monitor now.

 

[bigredfish]

That appears to be a Dahua dome. I wonder if they have a smart codec or H265 going on that camera and that is causing your issues?

Wondering same.

 

[sealevelPete]

Here are the remote configs. Going to see what I can do on the NVR this afternoon.

Camera A	Channel 05	Time Difference*	no clock
Remote Configuration	Camera Setting - Main	Encode Mode	H.265
MP4 Download: No		Resolution	D1
		Frame Rate	20
		Bitrate Type	CBR
		Bitrate	512
Camera B	Channel 08	Time Difference*	+26
Remote Configuration	Camera Setting - Main	Encode Mode	H.264
MP4 Download: Yes		Resolution	D1
		Frame Rate	30
		Bitrate Type	CBR
		Bitrate	1024