---
title: "Transfer and transcode digital video files"
canonical: "https://help.vicon.com/space/Nexus216/11603014/Transfer%20and%20transcode%20digital%20video%20files"
format: markdown
---
If a video file within the currently open trial has already been transferred and/or transcoded, Nexus automatically loads the new version of the file.

In Nexus 2.16 and later, if you're moving your video data to a different location from that where it was originally saved, or if the transcode video xml files are accidentally deleted or become corrupted, you can use an advanced option to ensure that any raw video (VVID) files on the capture drives are added to the transcode list. For more information, see [Recover video files](#VideoTransferRecovery).

**To transfer and transcode reference video files:**

1. On the **Data Management** tab, in the **Show File Transfer/Batch Processing interface** (see [About transferring and transcoding](https://vicon-help.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/Nexus216/pages/11610229)), click the **Video Transfer** button.
  The list in the **Trial** column includes all digital video capture trials created during video capture.
2. From the list, specify the video files to be transferred in any of these ways:
  - Click the corresponding check box to select a specific trial.
  - Click **Select All**, **Select Transferred** or **Select Untransferred** to select the required trials from the list.
  - Click **Select None** to clear all previously selected trials.
3. In the **Video Transfer** area, from the **Output Options** area select one of the supported codecs (**h.264 MP4** or **h.264 AVI**) for compressing the selected video files prior to transfer or select **Uncompressed**.   
In Nexus 2.13 and later, you can select only the H.264 codec to transcode captured video files, and you can choose from five quality options, ranging from **Best Quality/Largest File** to **Lowest Quality/Smallest File**. The H.264 codec is compatible with Theia.   
For versions of Nexus earlier than 2.13, we recommend that you use the FFDShow codec. You can download it from the [Third-Party Plugins page](https://www.vicon.com/downloads/third-party) on the Vicon website.   
For information on installing and setting the correct options for the FFDShow codec, see [Install the FFDShow codec](#InstallFFDShow).
4. Click the **Transfer Video** button to start transferring the video files associated with the selected trials. Any specified transcoding is performed as the first stage of the transfer process.

> ❌ **Caution**   
> ❌ Do not attempt to capture data while a file transfer is in process. Interrupting this process may result in problems with the data capture or file transfer. Allow the file transfer process to complete, or click the **Cancel Transfer** button to manually stop the process before starting a new capture.

During transfer, the progress column in the trials list indicates the transfer status:

- Blank: File transfer process idle
- Yellow moving bar: File transfer process in progress
- Green static bar: File transfer process successfully completed
- Red static bar: File transfer process failed or canceled

In addition, the **Selected files** counter enables you to check easily on the progress of the transfer of large numbers of video files.

![image](media://f1172aa5-22ac-489b-8779-9079a7f8a489)

The counter displays both the number of the current video and the total number of videos that are being transferred. 

> Macro (scroll-pagebreak)

## > Macro (anchor)

Recover video files

In Nexus 2.16 and later, if you're moving your video data to a different location from its original location, or if the transcode video xml files are accidentally deleted or become corrupted, you can use the advanced option, **Rebuild Transcode List** to ensure that any raw video (VVID) files on the capture drives are added to the transcode list.

To use this option:

1. In the **Communications** pane ensure the **Video Transfer** window is displayed.
2. Below the file list, click **Show Advanced** to display the advanced options.
3. To add any files that may still be on the capture drives to the list, click **Rebuild Transcode List**.
4. In the Rebuild Transcode List dialog box, click **Yes** to continue.
  Nexus scans the active folder and looks for VVID files that are still located in their original capture paths.   
Trials that are found with untransferred video files are added to the transcode list.

# > Macro (anchor)

Install the FFDShow codec

Unless you are using Nexus 2.13 or later, we recommend the FFDShow codec for transcoding your raw video files. (In Nexus 2.13 and later, you can use only the H.264 codec to transcode captured video files.)

**To install this codec:**

1. Visit the [Third-Party Plugins page](https://www.vicon.com/downloads/third-party) on the Vicon website.
2. Click on **FFDShow Codec** and download the file.
3. Install the downloaded **FFDShow.exe** file.
4. Accept the default options, ensuring that on the **Select Components** screen, the **VFW Interface** option is selected.
5. Click **Start > All Programs > ffdshow > VFW Configuration**.
6. On the **Encoder** tab, ensure **Generic** is selected, then select the following options and click OK:
  - Encoder: **MPEG-4**
  - FOURCC: **XVID**
  - Mode: **one pass - average bitrate**
  - Bitrate (kbps): **900**
  - Maximum I frame interval: **10**
  - Minimum I frame interval: **1**
7. In Nexus, you can now select the FFDShow codec from the list of available codecs in the **File Transfer** area of the **Data Management** tab.