<p>Given that the drone camera is a cheap model from China, I think it's entirely possible that the camera modules is broken and could be outputting incorrectly terminated <code>.avi</code> files.</p>
<p>In earlier comments, you explain that no files are created when a known-good SD card is used to record video with the drone. My prior experience with camera modules for cheap Chinese-made RTF (<em>ready-to-fly</em>) drones has shown that there can be serious quality issues with the recorders. I used to have a Syma X5 model which I upgraded with the OEM camera module. The whole camera solution was shoddily made and implemented.</p>
<p>Based on the observations with the files created on the first SD card, one of which is unplayable but &gt;0 bytes in size and the others which are entirely empty, this seems likely. Zero-size or otherwise corrupted video files are a common symptom of an incorrectly-terminated video stream. The <code>.avi</code> file format supports many kinds of video streams (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_Video_Interleave" rel="nofollow noreferrer">wiki</a>), but the drone camera most likely uses some kind of MPEG codec with interframe compression, which is more susceptible to corruption or incorrect stream termination than a full-frame uncompressed stream.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-28T07:48:14.310Z
2020-12-28T07:48:14.310Z
ifconfig
<p>One common cause of incorrectly terminated video files is when you stop recording by just unplugging the drone battery. Ensure you're using the correct method to stop recording.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-20T07:59:04.237Z
2021-07-20T07:59:04.237Z
Robin Bennett
<p>I am using an HS-Series Holy Stone drone. I was able to get one video recording, but every subsequent video recording indexes the recording, but no duration time, and no actual video in it even when it says it has 23 Mb of video.</p>
<p>I am using VLC to view it since my MacBook Pro does not support <code>.avi</code> files.</p>
<p>What is going on?</p>
<p>Here is the VLC UI:
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/MfdR4.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/MfdR4.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>Notice how the first recording shows 00:59 seconds, but each subsequent recording I tried, shows no Duration, yet at least one of them has 25MB...of what I have no idea.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-18T01:22:35.860Z
Hrm. Could you elaborate on what you mean by "indexes the recording"? Maybe also show some screenshots of the SD card folder and VLC codec/metadata tabs.
ifconfig
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-21T17:19:43.607Z
Hrm. This either looks like either corrupted storage or a bum camera module. Could you try swapping out the SD card? Also, please post a comment when you respond to my comments so I get notified, I just happened to stumble across your question today and notice it was edited.
ifconfig
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-25T21:37:34.123Z
@ifconfig, I swapped out the SD card but with the second SD card there seems to be absolutely no data in it and I know i just did a recording. So either its the SD Cards or VLC or the drone, which does not help. Any suggestions on a better tool to view `.avi` files than LVC? I tried it again thinking perhaps I did not insert the SD card correctly, ensuring I did so the second time and still nothing. So after two different SD cards and things just get worse, I think its the drone.
Daniel
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-25T22:32:59.370Z
Can you confirm that the SD cards work properly in any other device? VLC is perfectly fine for `.avi`s.
ifconfig
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-26T12:25:43.620Z
@ifconfig, the first SD card that was able to record one video on the HS-Series drone does not work on other devices. The second SD card that recorded nothing at all with the drone is able to record on other devices.
Daniel
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-27T01:06:13.900Z
Well, I think this confirms that the first SD card is a dud right now, but I'm not sure what to make of the second one.
ifconfig
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-27T01:35:29.653Z
Given that the drone camera is a cheap model from China, I think it's entirely possible that the camera modules is also broken and could be outputting incorrectly terminated `.avi` files.
ifconfig
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-28T03:31:44.403Z
@ifconfig, I can accept that as an answer. It was one of the first drones I ever bought. Not that I didnt have my problems with the DJI Phantom 4. After about a year of light usage, the battery supposedly died. Honestly don't know if its the battery or the device, but DJI support believed it was the battery.
Daniel
<troubleshooting><video><video-recording>
Video being indexed on SD card, but no duration time and no actual video recorded
Daniel
# Video being indexed on SD card, but no duration time and no actual video recorded

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-12-17)

I am using an HS-Series Holy Stone drone. I was able to get one video recording, but every subsequent video recording indexes the recording, but no duration time, and no actual video in it even when it says it has 23 Mb of video.

I am using VLC to view it since my MacBook Pro does not support `.avi` files.

What is going on?

Here is the VLC UI:
[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/MfdR4.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/MfdR4.png)

Notice how the first recording shows 00:59 seconds, but each subsequent recording I tried, shows no Duration, yet at least one of them has 25MB...of what I have no idea.

**Tags:** troubleshooting, video, video-recording
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Hrm. Could you elaborate on what you mean by "indexes the recording"? Maybe also show some screenshots of the SD card folder and VLC codec/metadata tabs.  
> **username_1**: Hrm. This either looks like either corrupted storage or a bum camera module. Could you try swapping out the SD card? Also, please post a comment when you respond to my comments so I get notified, I just happened to stumble across your question today and notice it was edited.  
> **username_0**: @ifconfig, I swapped out the SD card but with the second SD card there seems to be absolutely no data in it and I know i just did a recording. So either its the SD Cards or VLC or the drone, which does not help. Any suggestions on a better tool to view `.avi` files than LVC? I tried it again thinking perhaps I did not insert the SD card correctly, ensuring I did so the second time and still nothing. So after two different SD cards and things just get worse, I think its the drone.  
> **username_1**: Can you confirm that the SD cards work properly in any other device? VLC is perfectly fine for `.avi`s.  
> **username_0**: @ifconfig, the first SD card that was able to record one video on the HS-Series drone does not work on other devices. The second SD card that recorded nothing at all with the drone is able to record on other devices.  
> **username_1**: Well, I think this confirms that the first SD card is a dud right now, but I'm not sure what to make of the second one.  
> **username_1**: Given that the drone camera is a cheap model from China, I think it's entirely possible that the camera modules is also broken and could be outputting incorrectly terminated `.avi` files.  
> **username_0**: @ifconfig, I can accept that as an answer. It was one of the first drones I ever bought. Not that I didnt have my problems with the DJI Phantom 4. After about a year of light usage, the battery supposedly died. Honestly don't know if its the battery or the device, but DJI support believed it was the battery.  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-12-28. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

Given that the drone camera is a cheap model from China, I think it's entirely possible that the camera modules is broken and could be outputting incorrectly terminated `.avi` files.

In earlier comments, you explain that no files are created when a known-good SD card is used to record video with the drone. My prior experience with camera modules for cheap Chinese-made RTF (*ready-to-fly*) drones has shown that there can be serious quality issues with the recorders. I used to have a Syma X5 model which I upgraded with the OEM camera module. The whole camera solution was shoddily made and implemented.

Based on the observations with the files created on the first SD card, one of which is unplayable but >0 bytes in size and the others which are entirely empty, this seems likely. Zero-size or otherwise corrupted video files are a common symptom of an incorrectly-terminated video stream. The `.avi` file format supports many kinds of video streams ([wiki](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_Video_Interleave)), but the drone camera most likely uses some kind of MPEG codec with interframe compression, which is more susceptible to corruption or incorrect stream termination than a full-frame uncompressed stream.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2021-07-20. Score: 0

One common cause of incorrectly terminated video files is when you stop recording by just unplugging the drone battery. Ensure you're using the correct method to stop recording.


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