Would anyone be kind enough to tell me examples of various data file formats available for CCTV. It depends on the DVR yes?

Different file formats that video is exported to or the files that the unit actually write to the drive when it records?

Dvr's typically record in a .mov , .avi , .divx , and .mpg file formats as the backup footage that the units export. Now when it comes to the recording that the units usually record to the drive directly it's proprietary file formats that I've always seen, meaning you're not able to take the hdd out place it into a computer and it show you a bunch of movie files.

Your questions a little vague but I answered best I could, let me know a little more specifically what you're looking to know if you can please.

Thanks,
John

Hi John,

I was reading your response to this post and have a question that you might be able to answer for me.

You mentioned that "when it comes to the recording that the units usually record to the drive directly it's proprietary file formats that I've always seen, meaning you're not able to take the hdd out place it into a computer and it show you a bunch of movie files."

The problem I have is that my security dvr cleared the drive when the drive was full.....although it was not supposed to. However, I pulled the hard drive out of the DVR as soon as I saw what happened. Only 1 % of the drive had been used up when it started recording from the beinging again.

I know the format of the drive is not recognized when you hook it up to a PC but I have a program "R-Studio" that recognizes any drive regardless of format and recovers all files it finds.

Now I have recovered all files from the drive but I can not view the videos as you have indicated they are proprietery formats.

Since the remote DVR viewer I have for my unit only lets me play back files if I connect to the DVR unit and am not able to point it to anywhere else I am stuck with how to view the files that I recovered from the hard drive.....as there is some stuff I need to save from what was recorded.

Can you help me solve this problem.

Thanks,
KC

Does your dvr have the capability to record to cd or dvd, is there a player that is also recorded to the cd/dvd? Most client software that I have used has the ability to play files on the computer that it is saved to, which allows you to playback from saved files.