Repairing a corrupted video file problems

Mystery57

Mystery57

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My Zoom Q2N was recording a performance by my friend on stage

Two MOV format files were created

The second one is almost the same size 3.2gb as the first one, which plays back ok on my Windows PC

The second one will not play - I think it has to be something to do with the battery pack failing and the video being stopped abruptly

Have tried numerous online suggestions and software which claims to repair corrupted files and NONE have worked so far, this also included the VLC player which was supposed to also be able to fix things

The error message reads "Error - the player could not read the correct codec on your system to play this file" - well obviously the codec is fine as the first completed video file would not play also.

Can anyone help at all ?
 
I think the clue lies in this > The second one is almost the same size 3.2gb as the first one < If they were the same they would have the same file size.
So the re is obviously a difference, there might be codec files online you could try?
 
I see what you are saying but the files were created continuosly (limitations for recording videos) so I feel this points to corruption of some sort when a file is saved, rather than a codec issue which has not happened in 4 years of using - this was first time my external battery pack failed, so its a bit like pulling out a cable before a file has saved properly ?
 
Almost certainly the file is corrupted due to the power loss at the end. You need someone with intimate knowledge of the internal structure MOV file format who may be able to either recover some of the video or reconstruct the missing/corrupt part of the file (likely to be something like an index that tells the player where in the file the video & audio tracks are, how big they are & what codecs are employed - since you have a working one that should be obvious)

Me? I'd try something like Handbrake on a copy of the broken file. It's a longshot but it just might work
 
Mystery57 said:
the files were created continuously (limitations for recording videos)
Click to expand...
Ah, I see, I thought perhaps you were using two cards recording at the same time 'for backup', one card ok and the other with this fault. Hmmm, not sure that is repairable.
 
I'm wondering if you can open the dodgy video in a video editer and cut off the last few minutes and add the last few minutes of the second working video. Maybe that will "fool" the software into thinking it's all there?
I'm obviously no video expert.
 
I think there are tools out there for this type of file error, I remember seeing someone made one for the GH5 a while ago on Reddit. The issue might be because the device didn't close the file because of the battery failure, which then makes it show up as corrupted. If you have After Effects, you may be able to open the file and export out to another format or export out the frames as a jpg sequence up to the point of corruption. Good luck.
 
Hi people just an update. Tried every piece of software I could find online - no luck. Softwarer tools and progs like vlc and ffmpeg didnt work either. So I emailed ZXoom suipport and they confirmed what I had thought that battery failuire caused the corruption on closing the file down - they dont have a fix which I found incredulous, and they were not allowed to recommended any one

So short of paying someone to try (the video isnt worth that) I have just given up on this. I had a look also in github but couldnt make head nor tail of anything there

Anyway thats all for the input on this
 
Possibly if doing the same in the future chuck out that Zoom Q2N bit of kit it can't do what you want . that is to make 2 recordings consecutively or sequentially. Most camcorders or even cameras now have 2 slots able to do either extremely well.Add a decent extrnl mic and your set up .
That Zoom Q2N runs on 2 xAA batteries which should have warned you about how long it is going to run for when recording.
I can fully understand why you bought it but something that cheap would have rung alarm bells, for me at least. We all make mistakes me makeing the most, that is how we learn.
I am not going to recommend any particular camcorder as that depends on budget, but I know there are ones far better to do what you want at a reasonable price,

Everyone here has their on ideas, so why not select ones you think you can afford and do the job then ask for advice on this forum. That is the way i would go and see what replies you get
 
Ive already got 2 camcorders I use, and the Q2ns work fine in conjunction - dont use AA, use powerbanks, but this time the one I was using gave a false reading. I also have a Rode VideoMic Pro+ which I use with my camera

Zoom Q2Ns are not cheap and I know a lot of musicians and sound mixers who swear by them in fact it was a professional sound mixer who recommended them to me, and he still uses his too - I've used them for 6 years now and it was the powerbank that caused the problem not the Zooms
 
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