Help me with a computer issue please boffins.

Trying to view some CCTV taken off a digital system onto a USB stick. This was downloaded as about 25 .dvr files. The system, like most, also downloads an .exe file to the USB which is a player for the .dvr files.

The files were then copied from the USB stick to DVD-R discs, and due to the volume this required 2 DVDs. This was done using a dedicated machine that simply makes direct copies from one media to another. The .exe file for the player only copied to the first disc i.e. 1 of 2.

I can watch the files on the first disc fine, but not the second, as the player isn’t there. So far I have tried:-

– copying the .exe file to the desktop and saving it onto the second disc, but the discs are protected so it won’t do that.

– copying the .exe file to the desktop, then putting the second disc back in the PC, but while I can open the player and find the .dvr files they don’t play properly and the footage doesn’t come up.

– copying the .exe file and .dvr files off the second disc to the desktop, then saving all to a new DVD-R and also a formatted USB stick, but in both cases that’s the same as above.

– watching the .dvr files on the .exe player while via the desktop. As above.

The footage is definitely on the second disc because if I open files on Windows Media Player I can see its there, but unfortunately WMP can’t split up the multiplex footage so it’s there but unwatchable.

The original USB stick is not available.

Any suggestions?

Get another USB stick as big as the original and put ALL the files on it?

Copy the files from the second disc to your PC, swap discs and run the player from the first one?

EDIT: That’s a better idea ^^

I’ve tried that with a few of the .dvr files and it doesn’t seem to work.

VLC can normally play most things

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwGP78oZkOs

Tried that too Cougar, no joy.

Stop using shite formats 🙂

Have you tried converting the DVR files to something like *.avi?

http://www.bigasoft.com/articles/convert-dvr-with-dvr-converter.html

VLC isn’t playing them either.

I don’t think I have much choice what format they’re in!

I’ll see if I can change them…

I assume the player uses some sort of proprietary format? When you run the EXE file does it use a standard File Manager dialogue or something also proprietary?

I’m just wondering if there’s some sort of file sequencing involved and it therefore needs ALL the files to be present on the same Volume

Maybe. It doesn’t play them in sequence though, I can pick and choose which time period I want (each file is about five minutes of footage).

easiest would be to load them onto youtube and then post the URL here, I think

Which “time period” or which Filename? If the former then my sequencing theory has some credence. Can you put ALL the files onto one volume?

My guess is scotroutes* is right. Like when you’re un-RAR-ing and need all files on the same volume.

*in all this time, I’d always read it as scrote routes 🙂

WebMarshal won’t let me download the converter software.

Might have to just send it off to the computer people tomorrow.

easiest would be to load them onto youtube and then post the URL here, I think

Nice try 🙂

Can you put ALL the files onto one volume?

I don’t think my duplicator machine can copy discs to USB, although I can dig the manual out, but I’ll try on the PC.

I’ve just spotted a couple of other .exe and .dll (some sort of decoder ?) that I wasn’t copying over. Perhaps it’s that? With the first disc in it just worked opening the player .exe file, I didn’t really pay attention to the other bits 😳

I’m just putting the two discs back on to a formatted USB stick to try that.

How do you play the videos (the ones you can)? Do you double click on the file or the exe then select the file?

My guess is scotroutes* is right. Like when you’re un-RAR-ing and need all files on the same volume.

*in all this time, I’d always read it as scrote routes 🙂

Copy everything from both cds into one folder on your hard drive. (sorry if you’ve tried that).

Yeah, you’ll need the DLLs too.

I had been copying the .dvr files (off disc 2) and the player .exe file (off disc 1) to the desktop/disc/USB, but not the .dll or other .exe files.

I’m now copying EVERYTHING off both discs to the desktop to see if that works…stand by.

Hooray! Looks like it was simple user error/ignorance.

Thanks for the assistance.

Cool! I’m at home with a migraine so any distraction is good 🙂

So, I’m in:

Professor Plum, library, lead piping

Close – two out of three.