Imm4 Player

[Daria]

We have a player, the video footage inside an avi container, a text file detailing the export process and one detailing the Motion Detection activations. We also have a set-up file to install a codec.

Looking at the player first, when it runs, I notice a small uncompressing dialogue box appear. By looking at this, it reveals that this is just a self executing file to uncompress the player into my C:\Temp folder. Looking in here reveals the actual player. By looking at its properties, I find a few issues that cause a little concern.

Now we know where the player is, I can copy all these files out and save them into a new folder for permanent usage without having to extract every time. Opening the player and loading the video hits another problem.

Mplayer is able to play files independently due to having its own Codecs folder. By placing the VCMIMM4.dll file into this folder and then opening the avi file within Mplayer, it played in Win7 without the need to install the Codec. I actually used the standalone SMplayer GUI found in my software pack but it will work in any flavour of the software.

Back to the Virtual machine again, I installed the latest Network client for the DVR where this export originated from. Part of the install included an archive player that was an updated version. It is not available by itself but comes built into the client. By removing this part only from within the Virtual Machine, it could be used for standalone playback within Win7.

From running a few tests I was concerned with the fact that the video was being presented in all software as 704576 however the overlay information revealed 352 x 288. When using the Backup Player, it produces still images at 640480! It turns out, after extensive research, that the video is recorded by the DVR at 352 x 288 but it is exported at 704 x 576. THERE IS NO WAY TO GET AROUND THIS. It happens automatically during export from within the DVR! You need to be aware of this horrendous issue. Again, who comes up with these ideas?

-vf decimate=-0:99999,scale=352:-2,flip > This is a list of three filters. It starts with a decimate filter detailing that if the frame is the same as the previous one, it can be removed. Then it is scaled back to its original size. Finally it is flipped. This was found to be necessary as the transcoding process reversed the image.

The -ss means start seek, so I have stated that the encode starts at 38mins and lasts for 60 seconds (-endpos 60). Remember that this is 60 seconds of video time and not realtime. The player indicates that it should be 12FPS. I could add in to the command -f 12, but I prefer to do this during any presentation transcode and not for frame / image analysis.

I dont think so. Most surveillance video is Windows based so you will need to deal with them in windows first before moving over into the Mac environment. You could use a virtual environment using Virtualbox if you have a copy of windows at hand. Then use the codecs to enable decoding. Transcode to uncompressed mov and then drag over into MAc OSX.
Good luck

No problems Michael, glad it helped. I just wish CCTV manufacturers realised that after recording something important, people actually have to play it, interpret it and perhaps share that footage with others.. Perhaps one day eh?

It is unclear from descriptions and videos of the players you suggested if hotkeys exist for playback speed, play/pause, etc. Forevid seems to be no longer developed as their website is practically blank.

If you have installed the IMM5 codec , then the easiest way is using then any player that can also convert. Virtualdub can do it, as along as you have the directshow input driver installed, allowing access to directshow codecs.
By following the instructions above though you can avoid this and simply convert it.

Now the important part - mplayer is coded to look for the windows DLL VCMIMM4.dll, however, medibuntu installs a lowercase version that mplayer would not recognised out-of-the-box. Thus to fix this, create a VCMIMM4.dll file in the codecs folder.

As part of a legal matter, I received a copy of a security video encoded using what appears to be an 'IMM5' codec, apparently often used by police. I also received a copy of 'BackupPlayer', which can play this video. Note that no media player I have installed, including VLC, is able to play it. IMM5 does not show up in the standard codec packs, and Google searches are surprisingly fruitless.

How about (and this is really the last option) using a desktop recorder tool (Fraps, VLC - yes, it can do that too.) and recording the video as it plays in that "BackupPlayer"? Since it's CCTV footage, it's probably low-resolution and framerate anyway, so you shouldn't have any noticable quality loss when doing that.

The article IMM4 Codec and MEncoder describes how the authorconverted IMM4 video to other formats, so my advice is to read it carefully.The codec was found to reside in VCMIMM4.dll, which would still probablyneed to be registered with regsvr32.

Run BackupPlayer setup.exe and install the IMM4 codec. Then download and play on Realplayer 16. That has a converter that allows you to convert for different devices. Works perfectly for me. Nicely converts to .m4v despite being IMM5 codec

You can download the codec form this side -camera-systems/security-and-surveillance-cameras-system-with-lcd-monitor/L23WD-Series-1-p#downloadsTabSelect: Codec - L23WD Series.When installed the codec you can open the file with potplayer and then by right click in the viewer window select video capturing, convert the file in a mkvRegards Martin

I have some security camera footage I need to analyze for a client. It's a 704x480 AVI using an IMM4 codec. It plays in WMP on several computers, however PPro does not like this codec. IMM4 VCM is new to me, but after reading up on it, it appears to show up in several security DVR products.

I'd like to get Adobe PPro happy with this format so I can load the files. I want to tile them up and scrub through hours of footage. Also, it is imperative that I maintain the quality of the picture (well....it's a poor quality image...typical surv cam footage....but I cannot afford to alter the image any further) and if I cannot get PPro hip to this format natively, I'll have to figure out a way to convert it, and in order to preserve the picture, that will probably mean uncompressed AVI, which, given the amount of footage, will really suck.

Usually the driver comes with that if you do a backup from your DVR to a CD or USB. It will have a player, video, info, setup.exe. If you run the setup.exe, you should be able to play in anyplayer. I am trying to upload the setup file and having a hard time. Will update to this thread once I have the link from a fileshare site.

The IMM encoder is commonly used by video recorders used in monitoring systems. To play such files you need dedicated players, often very limited compared to popular video players such as VLC, GOM Player or PotPlayer.

IMM Video Converter allows you to convert such video files to AVI and MP4 using very popular video encoders: Xvid and x264. To convert audio tracks MP3 encoder is used.
After conversion, video files can be easily played in any modern video player.

The process to backup and play recorded video surveillance footage on a Windows PC requires the use of the Windows CMS software that is included with all iDVR-PRO DVRs. These DVRs support analog CCTV cameras and the latest HD-over-Coax type security cameras.

Follow these instructions to backup / export recorded video surveillance footage from an iDVR-PRO DVR to a Windows computer. These instructions assume that you already have the CMS software for iDVR-PRO installed on your Windows PC and that your DVR connection is already configured. If it is not, please follow these setup instructions first. Then, follow the below instructions.

Once the Windows CMS client is connected, you most likely want to playback recorded video on the DVR to identify the time frame of the video event that you want to export. Click on the Playback Tab in the upper left. Then select the date and time where you want video playback to begin from the Play Controls on the left. You can also use the time-line scrubber on the bottom of the screen to select the specific hour and minute. Then, press the play button located on the Play Controls on the left.

After you identify the time frame of video that you want to backup, enter the Start Time and End Time into the Backup window on the left. You also need to select which security cameras that you want video exported from. Then, click the Backup button. Another Backup window will open. In this Window, you can select to save the exported videos to the Windows desktop, choose a specific local file path, or export to a Media drive (such as a USB thumb drive). If you choose the local file path, click the Browse button to select the specific directory location to save the exported video files. CCTV Camera Pros recommends leaving the Codec format set to "Direct". Click the Start Backup button after choosing these options.

After the backup process completes, open Windows Explorer and browse to the location that you specified to export to. In this demo, I exported video from 4 security cameras. In addition to the 4 video files, the software also exports a video codec installer and 4 SMI information files. If this is the first time the you are playing back exported video from an iDVR-PRO DVR on your Windows PC, run the IMM4 Codec installer first. This will enable Windows Media player to recognize the video files.

Many customers want to experience video playback on their Windows PC before they decide to purchase an iDVR-PRO. For your convenience, we have made the original exported files used to make the above instructions and demo video available to download. Please follow these instructions to download and playback the below video backup files on your PC.

If you do not currently have an iDVR-PRO and would like to log in to the demo unit at our office, please request a demo login below. You will be able to log in from iPhone, iPad, and Android mobile devices. You can also log in from Macintosh and Windows computers. Please click here to request a demo login.

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