File encoding for /cgi-bin/loadfile.cgi

[astone]

I'm attempting to download a media file between times using the amcrest HTTP API.
/cgi-bin/loadfile.cgi

I am successfully making the request and getting back the file using the following endpoint:

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http://172.27.8.14/cgi-bin/loadfile.cgi?action=startLoad&channel=1&startTime=2021-01-26%2000:10:00&endTime=2021-01-26%2000:10:30&subtype=0

The file that comes back seems to be the appropriate size but I can't find a way to play it.
I assume the file is in DAV or AVI format but that doesn't seem to be the case.

I have attempted to use the Amcrest Smart Player, VidCoder, and now I'm attempting to use FFmpeg.

How can I use this file from the API request?!

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ffprobe.exe -i "loadfile (5).cgi"

Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from 'loadfile (5).cgi':

  Metadata:

    creation_time   : 2021-01-25T23:00:00.000000Z

    major_brand     : isom

    minor_version   : 512

    compatible_brands: isomiso2avc1mp41

  Duration: 00:05:00.10, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 4237 kb/s

    Stream #0:0(und): Video: h264 (avc1 / 0x31637661), none, 1920x1080, 4194 kb/s, 30 fps, 30 tbr, 1k tbn, 2k tbc (default)

    Metadata:

      creation_time   : 2021-01-25T23:00:00.000000Z

      handler_name    : VideoHandler

    Stream #0:1(und): Audio: aac (LC) (mp4a / 0x6134706D), 16000 Hz, mono, fltp, 31 kb/s (default)

    Metadata:

      creation_time   : 2021-01-25T23:00:00.000000Z

      handler_name    : SoundHandler

When I attempt to use ffmpeg I get lots of these

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[h264 @ 000002d43a341a40] Invalid NAL unit size (1402382542 > 10260).

[h264 @ 000002d43a341a40] Error splitting the input into NAL units.

[jack7]

I've not used loadfile before, but you might try the HandBrake program to see is you can transcode to a readable file.

[GaryOkie]

So what device are you trying to get files from? If it's an Amcrest camera with not-so-old firmware, it should be MP4. If Dahua, it's DAV.

To confirm what format the device is configured to record media in, run:
<ip_addr>/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=getConfig&name=Record[0].Format

I have no idea why you are getting a file named with CGI extension. Try renaming it to DAV and see if any Dahua s/w can view it, like SmartPSS. If it can, this s/w can convert it to MP4. FFMPEG didn't use to support DAV viewing or conversion, but I haven't tried it lately. It might be able to now.

For what it's worth, I've tried to use loadfile to get files directly from AD110 SD-Card but found the API support for it flaky as heck and tends to take it offline or freeze it.

[Revo2Maxx]

This is an old Thread, However there are some that are asking in current time. So if they happen to get to this thread. If you look at the file in the Download Dir, Right click and choose to play it in VLC if you have it installed on your machine anyway.. It will play as listed with VLC..

Also as GaryOkie as posted rename the file to .dav and it will play in VLC or Smart Player..

[cradrew]

For what it's worth three years later, I have found my software version (V2.820.00AC000.0.R, Build Date: 2022-03-25) to return a bunch of concatenated JFIF files in response to a loadfile.cgi request.

After splitting up (with a separate script) the returned file into its component, individual JFIF files, I see that they span the time interval specified and come in sets of three in which sets the images are one second apart, e.g. 15:01:01, 15:01:02, 15:01:03; 15:02:33, 15:02:34, 15:02:35...

The interval between triplets is not constant and I don't know what controls that.

Overall, the loadfile.cgi experience is pretty poor and undocumented. I've about exhausted my hacking skills and not completed what I set out to do.

[Revo2Maxx]

What controls the time is in the cameras WebUI under snapshots. However keep in mind if you happen to change the time from anything over 1 second anytime you try to pull a 1 second image it won't work. In other words. You can pull an image every 30 seconds by a scripts if it was setup for 1 second in the WebUI. However if you setup for 30 seconds, if you script fires off the command you would get the first one, However once the system found an issue with any type of delay your image will be empty until it happens to fall on that right time again. However keeping it at 1 second the image fires off almost every time unless there is some large packet drop and or image didn't save because of some other error within the cameras.