How to get video out of this 1800T Humax? Multi-Chunk's

R

Robert H

New Member
Hello all

Ok, To be honest, I got this Humax on New year sale and never used the recording transferring until now.

I've recorded the perfect clip of new about local school closing down, althought I miss the starting but I thought i would rewind then press recording and it would record as normal. I think this is the cause that it creates the 3 chunk. files which I find it frusting to convert as I would like to convert them to video file on DVD so I can give to local school for their media purpose and useful for them.

My structure of the Humax Recording is .

BBC Oxford News_20150715_1829.ts (Folder)
-chunk.0 - 1kb
-chunk.1 - 90,240 kb
-chunk.2- 60,644 kb

BBC Oxford News_20150715_1829.hmt (file) 14kb
BBC Oxford News_20150715_1829.nts (file) 131 kb
BBC Oxford News_20150715_1829.thm (file) 43 kb

Sorry if I were to specify everything as I just would like to get video out soon so I can give to local school.

Thank you all in advance.
 
I'm still looking for a solution to this having first noticed the bug in 2013 on a HDR-2000T. The HDR-2000T and the HDR-1800T run the same software and so share the same bugs.
https://myhumax.org/forum/topic/corrupt-recordings

The same recordings cannot be played by DLNA either.

Since posting the bug in the MyHumax . org forum I've had some manual SD recordings export OK, but the majority of SD manual recordings to end up having the file structure you describe.
 
I appreciate this is annoying, but can it not be worked around by assembling the chunks in a video editor?
 
Black Hole said:
I appreciate this is annoying, but can it not be worked around by assembling the chunks in a video editor?
Click to expand...
The individual chunk files will not play by usual players that can play exported standard definition ts recordings. A video editor assembling the individual files into a whole would not make them playable.
 
I guess that means they are still encrypted.

Try this: perform a binary concatenation of the chunk files into a .ts with the same name as the .hmt, then import it back to the HDR, then re-export it.

From memory, in DOS (or a command window in Windows) the command would be:
Code: 
copy /b file1+file2+file3 output_file
This may invalidate the .hmt file, if the .hmt refers to the individual chunk files rather than the existence of the chunk files being sufficient for the Humax to interpret them, but it's got to be worth a try. The hmt can be analysed to see what it says.
 
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Using a short HD recording that had the chunk format:
1. Exported the recording via USB and checked that the HDR can play the exported recording from the external drive;
2. On a PC checked that the recording was of the 'chunk' variety;
3. On the external drive in a separate folder copied the side card files;
4. Using a PC's command prompt all the chunk files (bar the file with the "0" ) where concatenated in extension sequence;
5. Renamed the concatenated file so that it was the same name as the side car files and also had an extension of "ts";
6. Moved the newly created "ts" file to the same folder as the copied side car files;
7. Used foxy on the HMT file of the manipulated recording;
8. Reattached the external drive to the HDR;
9. Checked that the HDR can play the manipulated recording directly from the external drove;
10. Copied the manipulated recording from the USB drive to the HDR's internal drive (using a new location);
11. Checked that the HDR can play the manipulated recording from its internal drive;
12. Copied the manipulated recording back from HDR's internal drive to the USB external drive (using a new location);
13. Checked that the HDR can play the manipulated re-exported recording from the external drive;
14. Attempted to play the newly exported file on a PC using software that would normal work on Humax HD and SD ts files.

The result was that the video picture is fine but the sound is almost non existent with just the occasional squeak

Also tried those steps with some variations.
On step 4 if the "0" file is included then the video will not play at all at 11, 13 and 14.
If an SD recording is used then the recording will not play at all at 1, 9, 11, 13 and 14.
 
It is sort of progress. Robert's recording was SD - not HD.

It may be that the decryption attempt on export of SD is updating the HMT file but not the chunk files. With the my HD programme the decryption was not attempted on the initial export which would have resulted in the chunk and the HMT files not becoming out of sync encryption wise.

The work round for that would be to either initially FTP the recording and side car files off the HDR or find away of reversing the HMT file update that occurs - an undo foxy process. And then, after taking similar steps to that my HD programme was subject to, sort out the audio.
 
Robert H said:
I've recorded the perfect clip of new about local school closing down, althought I miss the starting but I thought i would rewind then press recording and it would record as normal. I think this is the cause that it creates the 3 chunk. files which I find it frusting to convert as I would like to convert them to video file on DVD so I can give to local school for their media purpose and useful for them.

My structure of the Humax Recording is .

BBC Oxford News_20150715_1829.ts (Folder)
-chunk.0 - 1kb
-chunk.1 - 90,240 kb
-chunk.2- 60,644 kb

BBC Oxford News_20150715_1829.hmt (file) 14kb
BBC Oxford News_20150715_1829.nts (file) 131 kb
BBC Oxford News_20150715_1829.thm (file) 43 kb
Click to expand...
The chunk files are still encrypted. These will first need to be decrypted before they can be processed by your computer's applications and bunt to a DVD.

1. Export the standard definition recording and its side card files via FTP to a PC. Use FTP and not the USB!;
2. Using a PC's command prompt concatenate all the chunk files (bar the file with the "0" );
3. Rename the concatenated file so that it is the same name as the side car files and also has an extension of "ts";
4. Using FTP copy the side car files and the new ts file back to the HDR but in a different location to the original recording.
5. Via USB copy the manipulated recording from the HDR's internal drive to a USB external drive. The recording on the external drive will now be decrypted and in the same format as any other recordings that have not been chunked. It is now playable independently of the HDR and can be converted to DVD format and burnt.
 
Black Hole said:
I guess that means they are still encrypted.

Try this: perform a binary concatenation of the chunk files into a .ts with the same name as the .hmt, then import it back to the HDR, then re-export it.

From memory, in DOS (or a command window in Windows) the command would be:
Code: 
copy /b file1+file2+file3 output_file
This may invalidate the .hmt file, if the .hmt refers to the individual chunk files rather than the existence of the chunk files being sufficient for the Humax to interpret them, but it's got to be worth a try. The hmt can be analysed to see what it says.
Click to expand...

I'm sure I did post this somewhere - probably on this forum (or maybe it was the other one!). Luke's explanation is a valid representation.
BH's DOS commands seem to be correct (copy/b chunk.1+chunk.2 somefile.ts)
The .hmt IS valid if you put the suitably renamed .ts file back onto the Humax - replacing the folder.ts.
I normally rename the folder (in this case BBC Oxford News_20150715_1829.ts) to something else (prefix the name BAK_) and then copy somefile.ts to BBC Oxford News_20150715_1829.ts on the Humax via ftp - not requiring any movement of .hmt, .nts, .thm file.
When I originally posted this bodge I did say this needs to be automated. I am looking into this as part of the on-going attempt at developing the remote interface (unfortunately written in Java and taking forever to get right!)
 
EEPhil said:
When I originally posted this bodge I did say this needs to be automated. I am looking into this as part of the on-going attempt at developing the remote interface (unfortunately written in Java and taking forever to get right!)
Click to expand...

It appears that back in November I wrote a test Java program that scans through "My Video" looking for .ts folders - de-chunks them, renames the .ts folder .bak (a problem - the Humax doesn't notice that so you have to delete remotely - Oops my mistake, ignore) and uploads the new combined .ts file. (and forgets to delete the version on your PC!) It is VERY basic and has no help. I could make this available if there is any demand, people recognise it is basic, have Java and know how to run a .jar file and there is somewhere to shove it for distribution (careful!!).
 
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EEPhil said:
I'm sure I did post this somewhere - probably on this forum (or maybe it was the other one!).
Click to expand...
I'd not only forgot your post, I forgot its contents and forgot that I posted a like against it!
Here is a link to it http://hummy.tv/forum/threads/hdr-2000t-copy-recordings-to-usb-drive.5702/#post-74572

I could have done something else yesterday if I remembered that the fix had already been found! At at least I've got my FTP working now and so I didn't wast all my time.

There are a couple of things that I am still curious about:
(1) Why does including the chunk.0 file cause the reconstruction process to fail?
(2) If the process is adapted for HD recordings by including foxy why was the sound not properly audible for me but it was for you? I guess that is one for me to investigate!
But are you sure that the HD recordings you patched up were OK audio wise?
 
Luke said:
I'd not only forgot your post, I forgot its contents and forgot that I posted a like against it!
Here is a link to it http://hummy.tv/forum/threads/hdr-2000t-copy-recordings-to-usb-drive.5702/#post-74572

I could have done something else yesterday if I remembered that the fix had already been found! At at least I've got my FTP working now and so I didn't wast all my time.

There are a couple of things that I am still curious about:
(1) Why does including the chunk.0 file cause the reconstruction process to fail?
(2) If the process is adapted for HD recordings by including foxy why was the sound not properly audible for me but it was for you? I guess that is one for me to investigate!
But are you sure that the HD recordings you patched up were OK audio wise?
Click to expand...

No problem. You must have had the solution in the back of your mind from that previous post.

1) chunk.0: You'd have to ask Humax. But chunk.0 just seems to contain the text "chunk.0" - not a valid part of an encrypted video.
2) It's quite a while since I looked at this - let me just check... I've just done a quick short test from BBC1HD and the sound was OK on the reconstructed file on the Humax. I foxied it and moved it to a new folder (The move to a new folder causes the DLNA server to catalogue the file - see http://hummy.tv/forum/threads/how-to-download-humax-files-to-pc-decrypted.436/) Then streamed it to my PC (rather than copy to USB). My PC is too slow to play HD files properly - but using VLC the sound was perfectly OK.
 
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Luke said:
But are you sure that the HD recordings you patched up were OK audio wise?
Click to expand...
I had another look at this using chunked short recordings from various HD channels.
Initially I thought everything was OK. But I noticed the sound on some recordings was changing level. However, I can't play HD recordings properly on my PC and so I tried re-encoding one of the duff recordings to an SD standard. It played perfectly. I also noticed that, on my PC, by default I have .ts files playing by VLC and .mpg files by WMPlayer (with the ffmpeg codec). I tried playing one of the "faulty" .ts files in WMPlayer and didn't notice the sound fault.
Does this sound like the audio fault you've noticed? If so, can you try another player and see if the fault persists?
 
I recommend you download Splash Lite as your .ts player of choice - it does a very good job even on low powered machines (like mine), and seems to cope well with sound stream format changes.
 
Black Hole said:
I recommend you download Splash Lite as your .ts player of choice - it does a very good job even on low powered machines (like mine), and seems to cope well with sound stream format changes.
Click to expand...
I'll look into this. But, to be honest, I'm not that bothered with HD myself. I'd have to convert it to save it to DVD - so why not just use SD and remux it?

Having now tested Splash Lite on my PC, I can tell you that it doesn't work for me. Just as bad as VLC. What was once a good PC is now getting too old for this HD nonsense, it can't cope. :cry:
 
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EEPhil said:
I'll look into this. But, to be honest, I'm not that bothered with HD myself. I'd have to convert it to save it to DVD - so why not just use SD and remux it?

Having now tested Splash Lite on my PC, I can tell you that it doesn't work for me. Just as bad as VLC. What was once a good PC is now getting too old for this HD nonsense, it can't cope. :cry:
Click to expand...

If you put the HD files on a usb hard disk there are many ways of playing them back in HD. Including portable media players (from about £20.00) or of course the box itself using it's usb ports. You can play these back on a myriad of portable kit like smart phones tablets etc and of course on any TV with a hdmi socket.

A 500GB slim usb hard drive costs about £30.00, it fits in your pocket and holds the same as over 100 DVD blanks (Try putting these in your pocket). If you have a blu-ray player you can burn up to about an hour of HD (depends on the channel bitrate) to a DVD blank in HD using the AVCHD format.
 
grahamlthompson said:
If you put the HD files on a usb hard disk there are many ways of playing them back in HD. Including portable media players (from about £20.00) or of course the box itself using it's usb ports. You can play these back on a myriad of portable kit like smart phones tablets etc and of course on any TV with a hdmi socket.

A 500GB slim usb hard drive costs about £30.00, it fits in your pocket and holds the same as over 100 DVD blanks (Try putting these in your pocket). If you have a blu-ray player you can burn up to about an hour of HD (depends on the channel bitrate) to a DVD blank in HD using the AVCHD format.
Click to expand...
As I stated in an earlier post I'm not that bothered with HD - I was trying to look into Luke's question.

Do I get a mention in the "Dark Irish Stout" book of Records if I can get 100 DVD's in my pocket? :D
 
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