How to play '*.data' files from security camera SD card?

Question

I have a 'smart' security camera (linked below). It works fine, however play back through the app is a pain. I want to download the video from the SD card for back up and for easy playback, however they are in a strange file format. The folder tree look like this:

\---record
    \---2019
        \---09
            +---18
            |   |   20190918.index
            |   |   
            |   +---00
            |   |       000001.data
            |   |
            |   +---01
            |   |       010000.data
            |   |

I'd like to play the data files (they are 200~Mb so assume they are the video files). I assume the index file is how the app retrieves the data files for playback. I can't open it in any text editor to get anymore information.

I have tried using vlc player and googling but I can't find anyone in the same situation (lots with .h264 files, but those solutions didn't work for these files).

Camera: https://www.kogan.com/au/buy/kogan-smarterhome-1080p-smart-wi-fi-pan-and-tilt-camera/

Solution 1

I have a similar cheap wifi camera ("LSC Smart Connect Indoor-IP Camera" from Action) which also uses a .data file format to store the files on a SD card. After some digging it turned out I was simply able to convert the files using ffmpeg (https://ffmpeg.org/download.html)

Try converting your file like this:

ffmpeg -i 0000010.data outfile.mp4

Solution 2

The camera does not support what you are trying to do.

However, that doesn't mean that you cannot backup the data. It just means it's not going to be accessible in the way you wish.

To backup, copy the entire SD card contents to a folder on your computer. Now it's backed up.

It's important that you backup to a different folder each time.

To restore you'll copy the entire contents of the desired folder back to an SD card and then put that back in the camera.

This requires you have the camera.

If you want to keep this camera but not have your use it for recovery you'll have to use them means it supports to convert the files.

The root of the problem is that you purchased this basic camera and are expecting a feature of doesn't offer.

Solution 3

I finally figured out how to convert the YESKAMO security camera .data video to .mp4.

1. Use video converter "Prism by NCH Software"
2. [Output format] .mp4
3. [File Options]
4. [Compressor] MPEG4
5. Drag and drop your .data files to the white area
6. [Convert]

Comments

[Ravindra Bawane]

How are you supposed to get video off of the camera? Is that method working? If it isn't you should contact support for the camera.

[Ravindra Bawane]

Based on what I've read this device plays video only over various smart home devices and so the means your using may not be supported.

[user1095239]

The app works, but the way to save video is very tedious (you can't just export data you have to press a 'record' button while you are watching, meaning you would need to sit there manually 'recording' all the saved footage hour by hour). I'm also worried that I won't have access to the footage if I don't have access to the app. Hence why I want a backup of the SD card that I can use on my PC.

[sawdust]

The specs for your camera states that the video codec is H.264. "I can't open it in any text editor" -- Not surprising. You need to use a binary/hex editor. If the files truly have no header/preamble at all, then you may have raw data files, which is rather unusual.

[JohnLBevan]

Thank-you. This worked for the UNIOJO WiFi Security Camera. Since there are many download options, should it help others, I used: ffmpeg-N-100939-gb7251aed46-win64-gpl.zip.