BCConvert

BCConvert is a free open source application I have written to assist with exporting video from BC CCTV devices.
My application can split the video and audio from the h264 files these devices use, for old and new cameras.
FFMpeg if found in the BCConvert folder is then used to create mp4, avi or mkv files.
BCNetSDK dll's can also be used to use the official conversion methods offered by the various official clients.

Discuss BCConvert on the forum.

>Forum

Download BCConvert from sourceforge.

>BCConvert Download

This page attempts to describe some noteworthy features, limits and bugs of the Shenzhen Baichuan Secruity Technology CCTV platform.
The platform is often abbreviated to Baichuan or BC.
I am not related to any company that has ever sold this device and any info is purely based on my personally understanding.

BC platform CCTV includes:
Reolink RLN8-410, RLN16-410
Swann NVR-7400, NVR-7300, NVR-7285, NVR-7085, NVR-7072
iNewCam DVR7904
Amcrest DVR-960H, Qcam
Dripstone 400503, 400505
eSSL NVR-PoE-9304, NVR-PoE-9308, B Series
VisionNet 185033 – 185040

The products had very wide spread distribution with Swann in 2017 and prior.
Swann appeared to be the main seller and distributor of the product up to 2017.
Since 2017 Reolink has been the main seller and distributor.
It is possible that Reolink is Baichuan and has taken over the retailing of the device since Swann has exited.

Swann, Reolink and Amcrest appear to have had software that was developed explicitly for or by them.
The other brands appear to have had less influence over hardware and software.

Unique features
Reolink:
Unique stripped down cameras that lack onvif and rtsp features since 2019. Full feature cameras are still available however.
Frequent and only updates of firmware, client and app since 2018.
Unique version number of client.

Swann:
Unique skin for chassis.
Unique stripped down NVR and cameras that lack onvif and rtsp features.
DDNS
More frequent updates of firmware, client and app up to 2017.
Unique naming and version number of client and app.

Amcrest:
Unique skin for chassis and Smart client.
Firmware offered 64bit Windows web browser plugin and a Mac browser plugin.
Unique version number of client.

The original websites for Shenzhen Baichuan Security Technology Co., Ltd were:
http://www.sz-bcs.cn - Offline

http://www.sz-bcs.com - Offline

The generic name for desktop client is "Smart Client" and the smart phone app is "StreamView".
Swann brand the software as "SwannView Link".
Reolink brand the the software as "Reolink Client" and "Reolink App".

The desktop software version is in the form x.a.b.c
Where x appears to represent a distributer code, eg the company that sold the unit and does not represent a typical software version number.
Eg x for Generic Windows = 1, Generic Mac & Swann = 2, Reolink Mac = 3, Amcrest = 6, Reolink Windows = 7.
a.b.c is the actual software version. Windows and Mac version numbers are not related.


Official software from Reolink, Swann, eSSL, VisionNet, Dripstone, iNewCam and Amcrest.

Downloads here

BC CCTV NVR's have had issues with being able to convert their video files to avi or mp4 for many years.
Common export issues are:
Wrong framerate for night video
Video cut short
No audio

The latest client from Reolink solves most of these problems for NVR and cameras running firmware from 2018 and newer.
But Reolink client does not fully support older cameras.
While the client can play audio from old cameras in the client, the client does not keep the audio when exporting to mp4.
The Reolink client can also cut video files short. This is often caused by corruption in the source file the NVR recorded.

The software clients can be group by their export conversion method and the limitations of that method.

Known Software versions:
BCSDKWrapper.dll - MP4 OldnoA/NewGood
Reolink 7.2.2.33
Reolink 7.2.2.31 (untested)
Reolink 7.2.2.20 (untested)
Reolink 7.2.2.18 (untested)
Reolink 7.2.2.12 (untested)
Swann 2.2.2.8
Reolink 7.2.2.7 (untested)

BCNetSDK.dll - MP4 Oldbad264/NewGood
iNewCam 1.1.2.46
Swann 2.1.2.43

BCNetSDK.dll - h264 or AVI(option) OldwA/NewBad
VisionNet 1.1.2.28
Swann 2.1.2.28
eSSL 1.1.2.27
Swann 2.1.2.27
Reolink 7.1.2.22 (untested)
Swann 2.1.2.10 (untested)
VisionNet 1.1.2.9
Dripstone 1.1.2.9
Amcrest 6.1.2.3
eSSL 1.1.2.1

HCNetSDK.dll - h264 or AVI(option) OldwA/NewBad - NHD-805 with video, NHD-818 no video
Dripstone 1.0.2.35
Swann 2.0.2.35 (untested)
eSSL 1.0.2.25
Swann 1.0.2.22 (untested)

Conversion guide:
NewGood = New format with audio
NewBad = New format is unusable form
OldwA = Old format with audio
OldnoA = Old format no audio
Oldbad264 = Old format is bad 264

Reolink 7.2.2.33 < Best for new cameras with audio and old with no audio. Least video playback issues
SwannView Link 2.1.2.27 < Best for old cameras with audio and obtaining h264 file for old or new

I believe the newer x.2.x.x clients require newer firmware on NVR to function fully.
Old firmware and new client leads to no mp4 download.

New format - h264/aac audio = 2018 and after
Old format - h264/adpcm audio = 2017 and before