VGZ Video

VGZ files are compressed video files that use [http://www.vguard.net/E_company.htm Chateau Technical's] propriety H.264 codec. They are usually found in security camera DVRs.

There is an embedded timestamp that is security coded. The VG player software allows you to convert to AVI format, but you lose the overlaid timestamp when you do this.

VG Player

[http://www.gkivdo.com/VG%20Player.exe VG Player for Win2000/XP] is a player used to playback video recorded by the DigitalVDO recorder. The video files are compressed using Super Motion Image Compression Technology (SMICT).

The VG Player can be used to playback video, enhance the video quality, make video clips and to take snap shots.

The VG Player also has a image format converter tool to convert the SMICT format to AVI format. Be careful as compression ratio is very high - 1Mb .vgz may be 400Mb plus uncompressed.

Converting vgz files to avi is rather pointless if you are hoping to collect video as evidence. The time code on the original video is security protected and will deliberately not appear on converted video. Otherwise converted avi could be opened in a video editor where all sorts of tricks could be performed. You need the original vgz file for evidence.

External Links

[Chateau Technical News (english) http://www.vguard.net/E_news.htm]

[http://www.cctvforum.com/archive/post/VGZ_file_converter-7886-1.html Some good technical info here]

[http://www.gkivdo.com/download.htm Playback software for VGM and VGZ files]

Rebadged versions of player software

[http://www.ever-tec.com/English/download.html EV PLAYER Ev-Tech Video Capture Card's Video Player Applications. V5.4]

[http://www.ionitusa.com/home.aspx Ionit USA (the sole master distributor of Chateau products in North America]