fourcc changer Ruined my AVI file. Can I restore it

[troy]

I had a perfectly good 17gb avi file which was created using mediastudio from captured minidv recordings. I was playing around with avisynth and like an IDIOT I changed the fourCC code for this file. The original code had fourcc description code dvsd and the fourcc used code was two unknown characters that looked like ÿÿ. I changed both the codes to cdvc and the file will not play. When I try to restore the original codes the fourcc used codes can not be set the original ÿÿ. The program says I need to enter four characters. Now if I try to change both codes to dvsd the avi file is corrupted and shows some kind of mosaic pattern. when I look at the file with gspot it says that it has a corrupt avi headed. I did not do anything to this file except change the 4cc code with the avic fourcc changer. Can anyone help me???????????????????????????????

Wow this really sucks. I tried to convert using canupus and the output files all have this crazy mozaic picture. It is hard to describe except to say it is totally messed up. When I open it in mediastudio the file is still messed up and shows attributes like it is 720x576 25fps as if it is a pall video. It was made ntsc and I never converted it. It was working fine till I changed the 4cc code.

[Guest]

Try padding the code with two spaces, i.e.:
"ÿÿ "

[Mug Funky]

weird used code. try register a different DV decoder, and set the used code to DVSD like you did before. might work.

but try neuron's suggestion first.

[fccHandler]

:confused: What codec uses "ÿÿ "? It sounds to me like fourcc changer may be reading/writing the wrong location in the file.

Perhaps you could create another file in mediastudio using all the same settings as before (width, height, compression, and frame rate). Then open both avi files in a hex editor and try to find the four bytes which were changed, using the new file as a reference. It might also help to get familiar with the AVI format (http://msdn.microsoft.com/archive/en-us/dx81_c/directx_cpp/htm/avirifffilereference.asp). If you use VirtualDub's hex editor, it will highlight the header fields for you automatically.

[troy]

I tried neurons suggestion and now I am able to update the 4cc code but the avi file is still corrupted. I guess I will try to learn something about virtualdubs hex editor.

[troy]

I used virtual dubs hex editor and searched good avi files ÿÿ. It gave me a highlighted codes from A0: through C0:. I can see that the good avi files have different codes there than the bad avi file. I do not see where I can edit the hex in virtualdub. Is there a good way to edit this. It is a 17gb avi file.

[fccHandler]

A0 through C0, yes the damage is probably in that part of the header. To edit the values you click on them and type new values. As I said, it might help to brush up on your avi knowledge so you know what the values mean. The hex editor highlights the values in green and prints their names at the bottom of the window. I hope you're familiar with hexadecimal and Intel byte order. If not, at least you can try to copy the known good values from the good avi into the corrupt one.

Also make sure you uncheck the "open as read-only" box when you open the file, or else you won't be able to save your changes.

[troy]

That hex editor thing worked. WOW saved me a months work.