Retrievingt files from a DVR HDD

[williamm 0]

I am an Arson Investigator in Texas and I need to retrieve data from a DVR HDD.

 

I have a Western Digital 750 Gig HDD that was taken from an AVTech (Possible Model # AVC798A)DVR involved in a fire. THe HDD appears to be in good working condition still as our IT Dept. was able to make a mirror image of the HDD as well as pull some video streams from the HDD.

 

My problem now is that I cannot open any of the files which appear to be .stream files. I have tried VLP, UM Player, Windows Media Player, and Video Viewer (which is from the DVR manufacturer).

 

I am hoping someone on here may have some insight and can possibly assist me in removing this data.

 

Thank you

[isoplus3513 0]

Try 'ELECARD ABC HD PLAYER'. I've heard someone had a luck with it playing a .stream file recorded on a 'AVTECH AVC798Z' model.

Good luck!

[williamm 0]

Thanks, Isoplus.

 

I tried that but when I tried playing the file it gave me a message that it was an unsupported file and wouldn't play. Someone told me that a .stream file may be Unix? I am unfamiliar with this type of file.

 

Thanks again.

[Robin2 0]

What kind of investigator are you and why do you use a image of a unknown DVR model. Sounds fishy to me.

[williamm 0]

Robin,

 

I am an arson investigator. My job is to determine the cause and origin of fires. (Arson, as defined by Miriam Webster -- the willful or malicious burning of property (as a building) especially with criminal or fraudulent intent). The DVR in question was located inside a building where a suspicious fire occuerd and I am attempting to access the files on the DVR in an attempt to identify the suspects.

 

Hope that explains your question.

 

Thanks

[Robin2 0]

Why does AVTech not give you their full support then to resolve the issue? Would be good PR for them.

 

A wild guess would be to try to change the extension to .AVI and then try to play it in varous players. Works with some players that essentially store their files in a kind of mjpeg standard. Otherwise my best bet would be to contact AVTech support.

[srfrmac87 0]

If you have the resources, go on ebay, craigslist, etc. and buy the same make/model (I saw you weren't sure if you had the right one). If you do it that way, then you won't have to shell out the amount of money that is needed for a new one, just please make sure you get one that is still working. Take your time to view/extract what ever files are needed through the DVR. When your done with it, sell it again. We have had to do that a couple of times. I hope it all works out for you, I know that feeling. Let us know the result if you are able to get anything, I am interested in learning what happens.

[williamm 0]

As it stands, AVTech provided a dropbox link to their video player which did allow me to play / view the files we were able to recover. I am working with the mfg in an attempt to possibly recover some data which may be more video files. The files I have viewed all stop at 2:46 am, just prior to the start of the fire, which leads us to think there may by more data we haven't been able to retreive and view.

 

Thank you all for your input/suggestions and I will keep you posted on the outcome.

[srfrmac87 0]

Hopefully it is more data and not someone that knew about the camera system.