To assist in playback of .avi files containing video encoded with the FJHT, IMM4. IMM5 and IMM6 Codecs, I have pre-configured a SMplayer portable pack. It is in my shared box down the right side of the page.
Unzip this and run it from anywhere on your PC – It will also run from a pen drive.
In the root you will find smplayer.exe – Run this for the GUI.
In the folder named mplayer, you will find the Cmd line interfaces of Mplayer and Mencoder. (You can use Mencoder to extract images and transcode material).
In the folder mplayer/mplayer you will find the codecs.conf file with the new codecs added in.
In the folder mplayer/codecs you will find the .dll files.
IMM5 File playing in SMplayer using the internal Codec
Upon testing an IMM5 file, it plays perfectly but when taking a frame grab using the SMplayer interface – it gets flipped upside down! Just something to be aware of. Remember that as this is a portable version, the taking of frame grabs is disabled by default so remember to go into preferences and create a location for these to be saved before using this function.
Finally, and it may not be anything to do with the Codec itself but the compression seen in this IMM5 has to be some of the worst I have seen in years. It highlights the importance of ignoring your live images and reviewing what you are actually recording in order to test the viability of your system.
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how can i download this player with the codec integrated?
i found it. thank you very much
i can’t found it. there is no shared box.
https://spreadys.wordpress.com/2013/12/04/shared-box/
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Thanks this really helped me tonight. I had to convert a video from that crazy IMM5 format to MP4. I used your mplayer setup to decode the relevant section into pngs (mplayer infile.avi -ss 2:20 -vo png) and then ffmpeg to convert it to mp4 (ffmpeg -r 15 %08d.png out.mp4) (the %08d is what was required since the file names were in the format 01234567.png). Thanks for your effort and for posting these useful tools! I could not find any other real lead anywhere, so without your help I think I would have been stuck.
Thanks for your kind comments George. I am glad the information helped.
Hi George, would you be able to give me a bit more detail instructions of how you convert it to mp4. I have no idea which program to download so I can’t even play it yet.
In the Shared Files box on the right of this page is the “Spreadys_Mplayer.zip”. I think I downloaded that one. Then I ran the included mplayer.exe as I explained in my post. This resulted in a bunch of PNGs images that I then reassembled with the ffmpeg program (google it). I wasn’t able to play the original very well with the windowed player so I used the method I just outlined to convert it to an MP4 which then played pretty much anywhere. Sorry for the delay responding.
Which program should I download? I downloaded a few but can’t get smplayer to play it. Can you help?
Hi there,
What are you trying to play. What’s the 4CC of the video you’re having issues with. I’ll try and help the best I can.
I have avi video with IMM5 coder and I can not player it.
There are three posts on here all relating to this type of file. IMM4 and MEncoder, IMM5 and IMM6, and this one. The Spreadys Mplayer pack that is over in the BOX on the right has all the codecs installed. If this still won’t play it then there is a chance that it is corrupted in some way. This is quite regular with these files.
If you are happy to make it available to me, I will gladly take a look.
If you place it in a Dropbox or similar and send me the link via private twitter or linkedin.
I got it, thank you very much.
I am trying to play a security video with IMM5 encode. I read your instructions but I could not figure out which file in your “Shared Filed” is the portable smplayer that has the coder build in.
Try the Spreadys Mplayer.zip
When you hover over it, it will come up with a tooltip saying its the SMplayer with all the codecs installed.
Job done – another video playing!
hello
if you have a flipped binary video codec
add flip to the codecs.conf entry to fix this…
also , if you have new codecs to add, i am happy to add them to official mplayer and samples.ffmpeg.org repo 🙂
-compn
Thanks for the offer. When I get a new one that Mplayer can deal with, I will let you know
THANK YOU SO MUCH for this! Instrumental in viewing DVR footage.
Thank you! Because of this site and the downloaded software – Spreadys Mplayer.zip – I was able to run .avi encoded with IMM5 🙂
Thanks everyone for the continued support. Glad that the Player helped you.
Thanks a lot! Your player really helps!
Thanks so much for posting the IMM5 codec. My boss had a file from a surveillance camera that I could NOT get to play on any except the original machine it was created on. It was of high importance, and I spent the entire morning trying to figure out how to get it to play properly.
I downloaded and installed your IMM5 codec, and the video played perfectly.
Thanks again for making it available for download.
very good job. A friend of mine managed to play imm5 videos using your work. thank you very much. your work is unique.
Thank you for your kind words. Glad it helped.
BTW the file is abbv as SMPlayer, but I believe it is actually labeled as Spreadys_Mplayer.zip”
^ Hey Spreadys, very nice program my friend, thanks a ton for making this. Was able to view a CCTV generated IMM4 AVI file. It did everything easily, intuitively and effectively. Thanks a ton for this great tool.
Thanks DH, I have to say that the main interface and Mplayer itself is none of my doing (wish I could code!!). I have just added a number of proprietary codecs to the configuration. Glad it helped you out.
For those who can’t see the “Shared Files” box on the right, you will need to display insecure content. Exactly where to click to do this depends on which browser you are using.
Thanks for the info Rasjid
I have allowed my browser to display insecure content – but I am getting the error message “Sorry. Box.net server is not responding now.” Any other way to get this file? Thanks!
So Sorry Ryan. Trying to figure out why the Box Widget is not working!! In the meantime, the direct link is here: https://app.box.com/s/vm5v13axwosi329yhlj4e8ykwsnsbzox
I keep getting connection failed
If you are referring to the direct BOX link – I have just tested it and it appears fine at this end. If you are behind a network firewall then it may be blocking the BOX sharing application. You can try going directly to BOX by using the link on the right side (In the Widget named Shared Files on Box.net).
Your program was unable to play my IMM5 file.
I got this error when I tried to play it:
MPlayer interrupted by signal 11 in module: decode_video
ID_SIGNAL=11
– MPlayer crashed by bad usage of CPU/FPU/RAM.
Recompile MPlayer with –enable-debug and make a ‘gdb’ backtrace and
disassembly. Details in DOCS/HTML/en/bugreports_what.html#bugreports_crash.
– MPlayer crashed. This shouldn’t happen.
It can be a bug in the MPlayer code _or_ in your drivers _or_ in your
gcc version. If you think it’s MPlayer’s fault, please read
DOCS/HTML/en/bugreports.html and follow the instructions there. We can’t and
won’t help unless you provide this information when reporting a possible bug.
Any thoughts?
Any chance you could Dropbox the file for me to take a look at. Send the link to david(at)spreadys.com if you’ve hit a problem, no doubt someone else will!
Sure, I will email it to you at the very least!
Hello,
Disregard the above post, I was able to get it to work with Windows Media Player of all things.
Thanks,
-Kyle
The fact the WMP is able to decode it means that the IMM5 directshow codec is installed in that computer. Remember that it does not mean it will play on another computer. Glad you got playback. I would still be interested in taking a look and figuring out the crash. May help others in a similar situation.
Sure thing! I’ve sent it to you!
I have tried the download and it says that the DL has started, but nothing happens. Firewall disabled, still nothing. I am trying to open a very important file, so I am really hoping to find a way to get this. Thanks in advance for any help.
Apologies, investigating the issue today…
Waiting for the bandwidth to be reset – should be 24hrs.
So the entire folder would DL, but not individual files. I had a friend with a decent connection grab the entire thing and peel off the player. Very odd. Did the job, thanks for putting this out there.
Brilliant. Thank you!
Hey Spreadys I just want to say you’re more than awesome for putting this mplayer together. I have a IMM5 that I could play anywhere and your mplayer pulled It right up. Can you assist me in converting the avi to an mp4. THANK YOU!
Thanks for the feedback. It can be converted with Mencoder and there is an example here…
https://spreadys.wordpress.com/2013/03/29/imm4-codec-and-mencoder/
This example goes out to an uncompressed file that can then be transcoded to anything else after that.
The easiest option though – if not for forensic work, is to install the IMM5 codec and then utilize a transcoder that can read from your windows codecs.
I have CCTV footage of a car accident i had but its been put with this daft codec thing, i clicked on your shared files but was asked for a password
I had to password the storage due to automated bots… It’s “validate”
Hi Spreadys,
Firstly Thank you, not much else on net regarding this format/player… spent far to long looking for backupplayer.exe that “IMM5” file usualy plays with; i am unable to get this program from source of video.
I manage to play the file via the player as mentioned above. However I am not as clever as George (post above @ top) and am struggling to decode the video into another format which would be extremely useful. IMM5 to AVI that will play on VLC via windows and also on a Ipad (using VLC app)
(NOTE:I am not in a position to share the file sadly due to the nature of the CCTV footage contained.)
is it please possible to comment or email me instructions on how this can be done.
again thank you!
JP
In my shared files Box (Link up near the top down right side) there are two sets of zip file. Remember you need a password for the BOX files – its ‘validate’.
One of the Zips is this SMplayer with codecs installed.
The other is the IMM4-5-6 Pack. This contains all the players and also the Directshow codecs. You could use the codec and then use any converter that can read your Directshow compatible codecs. Virtualdub with the Directshow input driver, and then the FFdshow codec output would work.
Just wanted to pop by and say thanks for this post. Was able to use it to open some surveillance video for one of our detectives. Thanks again:)
Big thanks for the tutorial on how to do this, a great idea of yours to package a working mplayer/mencoder together. Keep up the good work!
Thanks
Thank you for this. I am a support person for a local PD and we are always getting surveillance videos that will not decode properly in VLC Media Player or SuperPlay. This worked flawlessly. Excellent job!
No problems Doug – Remember that all my tools and decoders and ffmpeg scripts are all now built into Amped FIVE. When you get the budget to supercharge your video evidence workflow – take a look… you won’t be disappointed!
hi, i recently had my vehicle stolen and my management has given me a copy for the video footage and it is giving me the IMM5 code and i have tried to download some codec programs and some others but had no luck. i just want to play the video back to try and get a clear picture of the people who took it. please help!
Hi there, Have you downloaded my version of MPlayer from my shared files… the link is in a widget down the right side. The folder is password protected with the word – validate
Look for Spreadys Mplayer… this should accept your IMM5 AVI and you can then view it.
Hello, I’m an Italian lawyer and I’m trying to play a security video (with IMM5 encode) related to a traffic accident. Unfortunately, I always find the same problem when I try to run the video with SMplayer. I can upload the video without problems. Can you help me? Thanks.
Here is the problem:
===================================================================
MPlayer interrupted by signal 11 in module: decode_video
ID_SIGNAL=11
– MPlayer crashed by bad usage of CPU/FPU/RAM.
Recompile MPlayer with –enable-debug and make a ‘gdb’ backtrace and
disassembly. Details in DOCS/HTML/en/bugreports_what.html#bugreports_crash.
– MPlayer crashed. This shouldn’t happen.
It can be a bug in the MPlayer code _or_ in your drivers _or_ in your
gcc version. If you think it’s MPlayer’s fault, please read
DOCS/HTML/en/bugreports.html and follow the instructions there. We can’t and
won’t help unless you provide this information when reporting a possible bug.
[h264 @ 6525C9A0]negative number of zero coeffs at 12 4
[h264 @ 6525C9A0]error while decoding MB 12 4
[h264 @ 6525C9A0]concealing 345 DC, 345 AC, 345 MV errors
===================================================================
Hi there, I have not used this for some time as the decoding of all all IMM type videos are now built into Amped FIVE.
It may be that newer versions of the IMM encoded videos are not compatible.
Did it come with a player? There are a few specific players for IMM AVI files and these may present the enclosed date and time information as well.
If you have tried the players, and perhaps even the codec installer, but are still having a few issues… email me at info(a)forensicvideo.training and I will send an upload link so I can review the file.
Yes, there is a setup file and the BackupPlayer software in the folder but they do not work. So I used your IMM Pack. I installed the codec but WMP has the same problem as SMplayer. While your portable BackupPlayer software (found in the IMM5_AVI_0-2-0-1 folder) gives a RunTime error. I tried them all. I am desperate. It’s really important for me to be able to see the whole video. I just sent you an email with a link to the folder on wetransfer.com. If you can convert the video to mp4 or help me in any other way, I will be infinitely grateful. Thanks again. Your work is fantastic.
Today is 9/13/18 (almost 2019), and I was ecstatic to find this webpage and read some of the comments about viewing IMM5 encoded video. I am currently extracting video surveillance footage from an old generic DVR unit which will not allow me to backup video in any other means except for the default chosen which is “MSVC – IMM5”. I’ve tried a few things, and could get the video to play, but for some reason your Mplayer have perfect quality. The local Police department and State police will be extremely happy, and I am so glad you’ve kept this page operating still after all these years! You are a life saver!!!!!
No problems Andrew, glad you have found it useful. The Mencoder decoding is now built into Amped FIVE, so if your local police have that they should be good to go, without having to use my old workaround!
Thank you so much. You are awesome. It is now 2019 and your stuff is still helping desperate people with imm5 encoded video problems. Just want you to know you are the best!
Thank you very much
This makes it possible to view IMM5 files.
It was hard to find the download link at first, but it was in the right share box.
Please understand that I am not good at English because I am Korean
But anyone can do it if they read the text well.
It says page does not exit when trying to download!