Tool for processing corrupt Quicktime files

Thomas Richter · July 21st, 2009, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay Bloomfield

I just checked the file with QT Atom Viewer and the mdat atom is corrupt. Everything beyond that in the file cannot be read properly, because the length of each atom entry is stored with each atom and if the length doesn't match the atom's actual data length, the entire atom is corrupt.

If the MOV file metadata is corrupt, you are stuck using a hex editor (I use HHD Neo). Else, Apple's own Dumpster is the best way to edit MOV files, on a PC, except for Vista x64.

Yes, that's exactly my finding too. And I fixed the mediadata Atom manually in the Hex editor and added the missing meta data at the end (moov box). Now it opens:

attempted repair 24fps-maybe.mov
(as promised yesterday)

Jay, thanks for your technical specifications - without it I could have never gotten it to actually load. However, in my programs (Quicktime, VLC and TMPEG Enc.) it still doesn't play back any content (just as if it didn't have the codec). Could someone please check in Premiere, Cineform, Vegas and Virtual Dub again? Also, could someone send me a 10 sec file right from the camera so I can give it the perfect meta information?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tramm Hudson

It was deliberately low-key to avoid getting everyone's hopes up.

Well, I will try to get mine down again. Btw, a crazy but possibly constructive idea I wanted to share with you. What about keeping the timebase as it is but freezing all camera processes for 1/180th of a second, 30 times a second just after sensor readout. Some kind of "thread.sleep" or "delay" function. You get a 30p file that would play back real time when slowed to 25p.

Thomas

Tom Daigon · July 21st, 2009, 04:42 PM

Thomas I will check it with with the tools I use at the commercial production facility I am senior editor at (After Effects, FCP, Avid and MPEG streamclip). Not the ones you requested but valid apps to give it a go.

Tom Daigon · July 21st, 2009, 04:56 PM

OK. It does open...and all apps report a H.264, 1920 x 1080, 4:27 sec., 30 FPS clip.
BUT, it comes up black in After Effects , Quicktime Pro , FCP and in MPEG streamclip
it opens up green. It does play back, but only the reported colors are evident.

Thomas Richter · July 21st, 2009, 05:14 PM

Yes, exactly my findings. Shame, I thought better players may do the trick. There are two possibilities:

1) the media data Atom is completely broken (nothing can be done then, as far as I know)

2) my meta data (moov box) is wrong. I don't own a 5DII, so I used the meta header from a supposedly "raw" 5DII file instead. I am not certain it really is raw, unmodified 5DII output.

Once I get a real, 10 - 12 sec long/ ca. 40 mb large original 5DII file, I can use that instead. I think this repair option is still promising.

Tom Daigon · July 21st, 2009, 09:39 PM

I tried 3 times to send you a 45.5 mb 5D file (10 sec,) but the site kept giving me a fatal error message after a 15 min. upload. Sorry. Maybe someone else will have better luck

Thomas Richter · July 22nd, 2009, 02:16 PM

Hi Tom,

thanks so much for your efforts. Attached a little tool I coded to extract just the Moov Box from a .mov so it becomes small enough to simply email. Please upload the moov box file here or send it to me via mail.

In case we will have to fix files on a regular basis to continue the framerate experiments I can just expand the tool to do whatever we need.

Tom Daigon · July 22nd, 2009, 06:06 PM

Thomas. I am on a Mac Pro. I unzipped the Moov box extractor. How am I supposed to utilize it? When I try to run the exe file it says "The contents of the file Moov Box Extractor.exe can not be extracted with this program." How do I tell it to extract the H.264 file. Its a little obtuse. Tried several approaches to use it, but none worked. Is this meant for the PC?

Thomas Richter · July 23rd, 2009, 03:01 AM

Tom,

sorry. I never thought about Mac OS actually. The little application was written in Microsoft C# (part of the .Net framework) and needs Windows.

Thanks for trying. I think we will leave it here. If someone else wants to provide a different Moov Box for me to try, I'll give it another go. For now I think we have to conclude Tramm's settings must have created a totally corrupt file.

Let's hope Tramm finds some non-corrupting framerate settings inside his wizard hat one day :D

Thomas

Tom Daigon · July 23rd, 2009, 07:46 AM

Thomas,
Sounds good.

Thomas Richter · July 23rd, 2009, 04:11 PM

Found an original 10 second 5D II clip on the web and used its meta data to fix Tramms file.

However, I get a black picture and just loud noise on the audio track. I think there is nothing more to fix. Unfortunately.

July 21st, 2009, 04:56 PM	#18
Tom Daigon Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 170	Attempted Repair Clip OK. It does open...and all apps report a H.264, 1920 x 1080, 4:27 sec., 30 FPS clip. BUT, it comes up black in After Effects , Quicktime Pro , FCP and in MPEG streamclip it opens up green. It does play back, but only the reported colors are evident.

July 21st, 2009, 04:42 PM	#17
Tom Daigon Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 170	Thomas I will check it with with the tools I use at the commercial production facility I am senior editor at (After Effects, FCP, Avid and MPEG streamclip). Not the ones you requested but valid apps to give it a go.

July 21st, 2009, 05:14 PM	#19
Thomas Richter Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Frankfurt, Germany Posts: 181	Yes, exactly my findings. Shame, I thought better players may do the trick. There are two possibilities: 1) the media data Atom is completely broken (nothing can be done then, as far as I know) 2) my meta data (moov box) is wrong. I don't own a 5DII, so I used the meta header from a supposedly "raw" 5DII file instead. I am not certain it really is raw, unmodified 5DII output. Once I get a real, 10 - 12 sec long/ ca. 40 mb large original 5DII file, I can use that instead. I think this repair option is still promising.

July 21st, 2009, 09:39 PM	#20
Tom Daigon Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 170	I tried 3 times to send you a 45.5 mb 5D file (10 sec,) but the site kept giving me a fatal error message after a 15 min. upload. Sorry. Maybe someone else will have better luck

July 22nd, 2009, 06:06 PM	#22
Tom Daigon Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 170	Thomas. I am on a Mac Pro. I unzipped the Moov box extractor. How am I supposed to utilize it? When I try to run the exe file it says "The contents of the file Moov Box Extractor.exe can not be extracted with this program." How do I tell it to extract the H.264 file. Its a little obtuse. Tried several approaches to use it, but none worked. Is this meant for the PC?

July 23rd, 2009, 03:01 AM	#23
Thomas Richter Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Frankfurt, Germany Posts: 181	Tom, sorry. I never thought about Mac OS actually. The little application was written in Microsoft C# (part of the .Net framework) and needs Windows. Thanks for trying. I think we will leave it here. If someone else wants to provide a different Moov Box for me to try, I'll give it another go. For now I think we have to conclude Tramm's settings must have created a totally corrupt file. Let's hope Tramm finds some non-corrupting framerate settings inside his wizard hat one day :D Thomas

July 23rd, 2009, 07:46 AM	#24
Tom Daigon Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 170	Thomas, Sounds good.

July 23rd, 2009, 04:11 PM	#25
Thomas Richter Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Frankfurt, Germany Posts: 181	Found an original 10 second 5D II clip on the web and used its meta data to fix Tramms file. However, I get a black picture and just loud noise on the audio track. I think there is nothing more to fix. Unfortunately.