Convert G64 to AVI

Security footage exported from Genetec Omnicast or Security Center may arrive as a G64 file that ordinary video editors cannot open. Converting it to AVI makes the footage usable in older Windows software, evidence workflows, or editors that require an AVI container; a Commodore 64 G64 image requires a completely different process.

What the G64 format is

G64 is an ambiguous extension. In surveillance systems, it usually identifies a proprietary Genetec video export containing recorded camera footage and, depending on the export, associated audio, timestamps, or authentication data. Genetec Omnicast is an older product name; current installations commonly use Genetec Security Center and Security Desk.

G64 also denotes a Commodore 64 disk image. That version contains 1541 disk data, including GCR-encoded tracks and sometimes copy-protection information, not video frames. VICE and OpenCBM users use it to preserve and run C64 software. Identify the source before choosing a converter: Genetec software is required for a surveillance G64, while VICE and a screen-capture workflow are required for a C64 disk image.

What the AVI format is

AVI is a Microsoft multimedia container, not a single video codec. It can contain codecs such as Motion JPEG, MPEG-4, or uncompressed video, with PCM or other audio. AVI remains useful for older Windows applications and editing systems that expect an AVI file, but MP4 is normally more compatible for modern playback and distribution.

For an editable export, Motion JPEG with PCM audio is widely supported and avoids inter-frame decoding, but it produces much larger files than H.264 in an MP4 container. An AVI file may also inherit codec, frame-rate, audio, file-size, and compatibility restrictions from the program that opens it.

Convert a Genetec surveillance G64

1. Keep the original G64 unchanged. It may contain evidence metadata, authentication information, or a proprietary structure that is lost in a normal AVI export.
2. Open the recording in the Genetec installation that created it, normally Security Desk or a compatible Omnicast workstation. Use the investigation or playback view to select the camera and exact time range.
3. Choose the product's video export command and select AVI if it is offered. Select the required camera, audio track, resolution, frame rate, and codec; Motion JPEG with PCM audio is a practical choice for older editing software. Menu names and available formats vary by Genetec version, server configuration, user permissions, and installed codecs.
4. If the workstation exports only a Genetec-native G64 package, open that export with the matching Genetec Video Player or Security Desk version and use its export or conversion command. A generic file converter cannot normally decode the proprietary recording, and changing .g64 to .avi does not convert it.
5. Open the resulting AVI in the intended editor or player and check the complete time range, audio synchronization, frame rate, image quality, and any watermark or timestamp overlay. Retain the original export for verification.

Online conversion services are generally unsuitable for Genetec G64 files: they may not support the proprietary codec or authentication data, and uploading surveillance footage can disclose sensitive material. Use an authorized Genetec workstation or Genetec-supplied player instead.

Convert a Commodore 64 G64 image

A C64 disk image cannot be converted directly to AVI because it contains executable disk data rather than recorded video. Mount it in VICE, normally x64sc, with File → Attach disk image → Drive 8. Boot the image or load its program with LOAD"*",8,1 and RUN.

Capture the emulator with OBS Studio using Window Capture and the emulator's audio output. Use the machine's native timing—typically 50 fps for PAL or approximately 59.94/60 fps for NTSC—and integer scaling to keep pixel edges sharp. Record to MKV first, then convert the completed capture with FFmpeg:

ffmpeg -i c64-session.mkv -c:v mjpeg -q:v 3 -c:a pcm_s16le -ar 48000 c64-session.avi

This records what the emulator displays, including loading screens, disk errors, menus, and user input; it does not preserve the original disk structure or copy protection. VICE releases with a media-recording feature may capture directly, but the exact menu and output support vary by release. Preserve the G64 separately.

Quality and compatibility limits

AVI exports can lose Genetec-specific search metadata, event information, encryption, authentication, and forensic integrity. They should be treated as viewing or editing copies unless the export procedure and file chain meet the requirements of the relevant organization or legal process.

Do not stretch C64 footage unnecessarily: its display pixels are not always square, and resizing can blur hard-edged graphics. For surveillance footage, avoid changing the frame rate or recompressing more than necessary. If the target software accepts MP4, H.264 or H.265 in MP4 is usually smaller and easier to distribute than AVI, but it is not a substitute when an AVI-only workflow is required.