About System Information Files

[AlanW]

After a very long interlude I’m back on the case of rescuing some of my old SD recordings that I tried to copy onto my PC (via FTP over the LAN, with mixed success) to edit with VideoRedo -- after a software and hardware snafu I found none of the recordings on my PC disk would play, except one, which I’d backed up anyway – it has an intact System Information File containing a file called WPSettings.dat

I can’t remember what the problem was with the Humax disk at the time. The recordings have all the .ts etc files but no System Information Files, only a file alongside them called .series that I can’t read. Is there a way to recover the proper WPSettings.dat for these recordings, or are they hosed? Can anyone offer any pointers or repair ideas or tips?

Thanks a lot! – Alan W / PE

 

[prpr]

The recordings are encrypted. You need to decrypt them. Search the forum for the standard guides.
If you are decrypting off the original device, then you need its MAC address and serial number. If you don't have those then forget it.
WPSettings.dat is some hideous Windoze file. It has nothing to do with anything related to this. The .series file is also irrelevant.

 

[AlanW]

So I could stick them back onto the original recorder and try again?

 

[prpr]

Try what again?
FTP does not do decryption. You need to copy via USB if you want that to happen.

 

[Black Hole]

Hi Alan,

Is there a way to recover the proper WPSettings.dat for these recordings

WPsettings.dat is nothing to do with anything, certainly not whether your files are useable, and didn't come from the HDR-FOX. This is something that has been generated on your PC, presumably part of your backup process. Ignore it.

I found none of the recordings on my PC disk would play

The usual reason for this is that the recordings have not been decrypted. They are encrypted on the HDR-FOX disk, and remain encrypted if you copy them by FTP without taking any other measures.

So I could stick them back onto the original recorder and try again?

There are up to four file associated with an HDR-FOX recording. The .ts file is the payload, but the .hmt file is essential for the HDR-FOX to understand the .ts file. If you still have the .hmt file associated with each .ts file, then "sticking them back" will result in encrypted .ts files being playable on the original HDR-FOX.

Once returned, there are a variety of options available to decrypt the .ts. See Things Every... (click) section 5 (and click through).

However: so long as you know the serial number and MAC of the original HDR-FOX, we have tools for Windows and Linux which can decrypt the .ts (see Things Every... as above), and the .hmt is not required. If necessary, the .hmt can also be regenerated (in the HDR-FOX) using the CF (WebIF >> Browse Media >> [select .ts] >> Opt+).

 

[AlanW]

Hi Alan,


WPsettings.dat is nothing to do with anything, certainly not whether your files are useable, and didn't come from the HDR-FOX. This is something that has been generated on your PC, presumably part of your backup process. Ignore it.


The normal reason for this is that the recordings have not been decrypted. They are encrypted on the HDR-FOX disk, and remain encrypted if you copy them by FTP without taking any other measures.


There are up to four file associated with an HDR-FOX recording. The .ts file is the payload, but the .hmt file is essential for the HDR-FOX to understand the .ts file. If you still have the .hmt file associated with each .ts file, then "sticking them back" will result in encrypted .ts files being playable on the original HDR-FOX.

Once returned, there are a variety of options available to decrypt the .ts. See Things Every... (click) section 5 (and click through).

However: so long as you know the serial number and MAC of the original HDR-FOX, we have tools for Windows and Linux which can decrypt the .ts (see Things Every... as above), and the .hmt is not required. If necessary, the .hmt can also be regenerated (in the HDR-FOX) using the CF (WebIF >> Browse Media >> [select .ts] >> Opt+).

Brilliant! Very helpful, thank you. I'll go try all that and see how far I get. I am nudging towards re-copying them via USB instead. My LAN is far too slow. Thanks again.

 

[Black Hole]

My LAN is far too slow.

It's more likely to be the HDR-FOX bottleneck than your LAN. Transferring to/from USB is no faster.

If you still intend to edit the recordings by VideoRedo (or whatever) on the PC, the decryption utility for Windows is the way to go (no file-moving required).

As an aside: copying a file set* to USB decrypts it in the process, but so does copying to the HDR-FOX from USB.

* StDef, or unprotected HiDef, .ts+.hmt minimum. Using the standard Humax copy (handset menus) facilities automatically copies/moves recordings as a file set.