He took a working video from the same camera and copied its "header" information over to the broken CPDA file. 🎥 Phase 3: The Recovery
The file had the .mp4 extension, which usually signifies a standard video container. However, when Alex tried to play it, the media player flickered and crashed. The "Cpda" prefix was the clue—it wasn't just a video; it was a . 📂 Phase 1: Understanding the Container
Alex knew that an MP4 file is like a box. Inside, there should be: The actual moving images (H.264 or H.265). Audio Data: The sound.
Sometimes files have two extensions or prefixes (like CPDA). This usually indicates a proprietary format used by specific hardware.