Converting AVI encoded file with an IMM5 codec

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.

I would very much like to transcode this into a more common format, as it contains a deeply important moment, and I want the option of viewing this video for decades to come.

Handbrake is unable to handle the file, presumably because I do not have the IMM5 codec installed. Anyone have any pointers?

ChrisInEdmonton

Posted 2013-04-07T22:48:43.000

Reputation: 8 110

Does VLC from videolan.org play the file? – cybernard – 2013-04-08T03:35:25.757

1As noted, VLC is unable to play the file. – ChrisInEdmonton – 2013-04-08T13:18:44.013

Ha. IMMEDIATELY after opening the bounty, I found that the BackupPlayer includes a setup.exe which installs the codec. Still doesn't allow handbrake to transcode it, though. It claims to be copy-protected. This is proving difficult. This video is immensely important to me. – ChrisInEdmonton – 2013-04-10T16:17:02.953

Answers

If all else fails, you can try Virtualdub: http://virtualdub.org/ It offers the option to export to a series of BMP files, which you can then stitch together using a more common codec.

Did some googling, and IMM5 seems like a pretty obscure format, possibly without open-source implementation, too.

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.

Jeroen Baert

Posted 2013-04-07T22:48:43.000

Reputation: 485

Interesting approach, one I had definitely not considered. If no better option (probably, an option where I buy a license to the IMM5 codec) comes up, I may have to try this. – ChrisInEdmonton – 2013-04-08T13:20:14.050

Thank you. Using virtualdub (and possibly after installing the codec), I was able to transcode it successfully. I sincerely appreciate this. – ChrisInEdmonton – 2013-04-12T04:36:22.547

@ChrisInEdmonton: How did you install the codec? – harrymc – 2013-04-12T13:08:52.583

I installed it by running the 'setup.exe' included with the backupplayer. It does NOT provide the time stamp (relevant in this case) when viewed in e.g. Windows media player, but it was 'close enough' for my purposes. I'll use backupplayer while Windows OS's can run it, and transcode when that's no longer true. – ChrisInEdmonton – 2013-04-12T20:04:16.210

This obscure format seems to be produced by a number of DVRs that use the Infinity encoding chip. The references that I have found relate to the IMM4 codec, but may still be worth trying.

The article IMM4 Codec and MEncoder describes how the author converted 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 probably need to be registered with regsvr32.

MPlayer counts IMM4 among its supported formats and may install the codec, as also explained in the above article.

I have found a download on the cctvone.com website that seems to have an installation file for the IMM4 codec, found here and again here. I have no personal experience with that website.

There may also be some connection between the IMM codec family and the GeoVision CCTV MPEG4 Codec, so you might try installing that as well.

harrymc

Posted 2013-04-07T22:48:43.000

Reputation: 306 093

Thank you. You have impressive google skills. I will try this out in the next few days and report back (and, obviously, assign the bounty if successful). – ChrisInEdmonton – 2013-04-10T18:48:33.190

This was not successful. I presume it is because the video was encoded using IMM5 instead of IMM4. However, I'm sure your answer will help others in a similar situation. – ChrisInEdmonton – 2013-04-12T04:37:09.503

My next suggested step would have been to change inside the file the codec now stamped as IMM5 into IMM4, hoping that the differences are minimal. But as your problem is now solved there is no point. – harrymc – 2013-04-12T13:08:17.297

See this blog, too:

https://spreadys.wordpress.com/2013/05/18/portable-smplayer-with-fjht-imm4imm5-and-imm6-codecs-included/

the link is taken from this reddit thread:

https://www.reddit.com/r/techsupport/comments/1un7cx/converting_this_imm5_avi_file_into_something/

In particular, I've installed the mm4,5 and 6 codec and played the video with Windows Media Player successfully.

luca76

Posted 2013-04-07T22:48:43.000

Reputation: 113

FFmpeg now has a decoder for files encoded with the IMM5 codec. It is not in a released version yet so in order to use it, you will have to build it from the master branch.

It was added on August 29th in this commit

06needhamt

Posted 2013-04-07T22:48:43.000

Reputation: 111

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

British Dave Video Forensics

Posted 2013-04-07T22:48:43.000

Reputation: 1

-2

You can download the codec form this side https://www.lorextechnology.com/security-camera-systems/security-and-surveillance-cameras-system-with-lcd-monitor/L23WD-Series-1-p#downloadsTab Select: 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 mkv Regards Martin

Martin Wermuth

Posted 2013-04-07T22:48:43.000

Reputation: 1