VMF Audio File Format

http://www.downloadatoz.com/file-extensions/vmf-file-extension.html

I have also seen (but not tested) the idea that they are pretty much .wav files.  before you download anything, try renaming it to .wav and opening it.

Yes, I too came across that statement on how they were really WAV files.  I tested that and it didn't work.  I've tried VLC, Media Player, etc. trying to play it.

Thanks Nrisimha, but unfortunately I can't play the file.  I think I have every codec out there, but I just can't find anything to play this.  

I have two questions - first, did you maybe TRY to save this file as MP3 in the way I described it before?

And second - can you send here or upload on an server only one your VMF file because I will then know how to help you.

thanks

Nrisimha

Yes, unfortunately I can not record or convert for which I can not play.  

The file attached has a bmp extension to allow upload.
5171617B.bmp

Please, look at this. I have a VMF file and installed Media Info that shows informations about any audio or video file. And it show these data and it is a really VMF file:

 
But, for your file that I have renamed to VMF I don't give any information:

 

Sorry, but it is something strange. This file hasn't any AUDIO information. So, I can see that it is not an AUDIO file, nor video or image file.
Media Info recognize every type of audio, video and image type.

And ... it is a very strange that file has only 114 kB.


Nrisimha

It looks like the original program may have broken the file into two different parts, one being a VMF file and the other a CTL file.  Perhaps it combined on the fly for voice recording?  I have attached both files in the zip file.  

You forgot to attach the zip file with the *.CTL file.

Yes, something is definitely missing.  The software might just use the CTL file as a "settings" file (CTL = Control ?), or else it is somehow merged by the software.  The VMF file is devoid of a proper file header that might have indicated whether it was raw "WAV" type data, or kind of text based like a Midi (*.mid) file.  Whether or not the additional CTL file will give any better clues is something I won't know until I see it though.

Hello,

Well, it is not necessary to install another DSP TrueSpeech codec, because this codec is installed during the Windows installation:


This codec has name tssoft32.acm and is placed in C:\Windows\System32 folder ( you can browse in Windows Explorer and see that codec is there ) and it works OK under Windows XP and users very rarely have a problem with it, but the problem is, this codec sometimes can't be found by Vista or Windows 7.

Why is this codec important? Because Yahoo Messenger use this codec !!!

So, these users have to manually add a codec or download a codec from Internet and then rename the old tssoft32.acm file into tssoft32.old and copy a "fresh" tssoft32.acm codec file into C:\Windows\System32 folder. But, that is not all. You will have to add this codec with Add new hardware in Control Panel.

Download link is:

http://www.down-dll.com/index.php?file-download=tssoft32.acm


I have to say one thing - this file 5171617B.vmf that aaeandcee was attached in his post is damaged.

Because, I can play all other VMF files on my PC, but not 5171617B.vmf. I am also attached an image with information from MediaInfo Lite that shows there is not information about this codec, in the header of this 5171617B.vmf file where this information has to be placed.

Well, my VLC can't recognize this format and many other formats, because VLC has his own codecs.
It is OK for some files. But it is not OK for displaying a movies that are in WMV9 format and some of them VLC can't recognize or gives a totally distorted video image.
Then I mark option in the VLC "Use external codecs" that is in Options into Codecs option and VLC will use a WMV9 codec that is installed with K-Lite Mega Codec Pack and will show this video correctly.
But won't play audio files with VMF extension !

In such a case, you have to do the next additional installation:

1. Download tssoft32.acm and put it into your C:\Windows\System32 folder.
2. Open the Control Panel and click on icon Add Hardware from Control Panel.
3. Click Next, select "I have already connected the hardware". Click Next.
4. Scroll down to the bottom of the "Installed hardware" list.
5. Choose "Add a new hardware device". Click Next.
6. Choose "Install the hardware that I manually select from a list" Click Next.
7. Choose "Sound, video and game controllers". Click Next.
8.Click on the "Have Disk" button and select "Browse"
9. Navigate to the "C:/Windows/System32" folder.
10. Choose "$winnt$.inf" and hit OK.
11. on prompt select Continue Anyway
12. Select "DSP Group TrueSpeech™ Audio CODEC" from the list.
Go on with click "Next" and "Finish". You will be prompted to "Restart your computer".
Click No and then Manually restart your PC


Well go to "Device Manager" and you will see an new device under "Sound, video and games controllers" - "DSP GROUP TrueSpeech(TM) Audio codec":


Now, you can play VMF audio files with a BS Player, Windows Media Player ( my WMP is crashed ), Media Player Classic and KMPlayer.
I have mentioned only a players that I have on my PC. VLC doesn't play VMF files.

If you really want to know is your VMF file correct you can download a FREE Portable version of KM Player from a list of sites:

http://www.mirrorcreator.com/files/XNGPR7PU/The_KMPlayer_v3.1.0.0_R2.zip_links


When you open KMPlayer you can go to Options and Sytem filter manager and Audio Compressors you will see the list of codecs that KM Player can RECOGNIZE and play the files that are encoded with such a codec. In the list is also DSP Group TrueSpeech(TM) Audio Codec:



And now you can play VMF files that are OK suc is Windows XP Startup.vmf


Windows-XP-Startup.css

You need just rename Windows-XP-Startup.css into  Windows XP Startup.vmf

And play it with KM Player.


good luck

Nrisimha

CTL File Extension:
FAXWorks uses it to keep information about each fax sent and received.
http://www.geocities.com/~budallen/file-ext.html#C

OK, I'm going to check out what Nrisimha has posted.

Dear BillDL,

Don't waste your time with installation.

First you have to check Windows XP Startup.vmf file.

So, first do this:

Go to Start-->Programs-->Accessories-->Entertainments and open Sound Recorder.

Select for File types just All files (*.*). Select Windows XP Startup.vmf file and open it.

Try to play it.

It works on my PC excellent. Of curse the sound is terrible.

If there will be any problem then you can make the installation that I have described in the post above.

good luck

Nrisimha

OK, so it is clear that your *.VMF file is either corrupt OR it was not encoded using the DSP TrueSpeech codec.  The "Windows-XP-Startup.vmf" file certainly contains the tell-tale "RIFF" header used by audio files such as WAV, but do we know for certain that the FaxWorks software created the same file header and encoded the file in the same way?  As we all know, more than one company can end up using the same file extension for different types of files even though it should not happen.

aaeandcee

Do you have any other VMF files that you could upload for us to look at?

Yes, I can play YOUR file.  I knew that it would play before I even opened it in an audio player because I could see the RIFF file header in a hex editor/notepad.  While it is a good idea to know that aaeandcee's file might be corrupt, perhaps we should wait to see if he can upload another VMF file so that we can verify whether that is what the FaxWorks software created or whether that one file is corrupt.

I have included all the samples I've got in the attached file.

Nrisimha,  My recorder applet doesn't have the option for me to open a file?  

 
If you have another way for me to open this file that would be great.  I'm running Windows 7, but can easily build a VM to go to whatever level we need.

Thanks!

I knew that it would play before I even opened it in an audio player because I could see the RIFF file header in a hex editor/notepad.  While it is a good idea to know that aaeandcee's file might be corrupt, perhaps we should wait to see if he can upload another VMF file so that we can verify whether that is what the FaxWorks software created or whether that one file is corrupt.


Hello,

If you see my post that was sent at 12/21/11 08:58 PM, ID: 37322556, you can see what information give MediaInfo Lite.
For file 5171617B.vmf there is NO information about that file.
For Windows XP Startup.vmf you can see correct information and codec is shown - DSP Group TrueSpeech.

I also use FFPROBE.EXE to detect a codec, but it was waste of time.

And now ... what information gives KM player for 5171617B.vmf when the playing starts:



Nrisimha

I have attached both files in the zip file.  

Sorry, but you forgot to attach a ZIP file.
Post it again.


Nrisimha

If you have another way for me to open this file that would be great.  I'm running Windows 7, but can easily build a VM to go to whatever level we need.


Did you read my recent post that I have wrote for 90 minutes with all those explanations?

Download Portable KM Player that is FREEWARE and you don't need to install it and make any setting in Registry, because it is PORTABLE version with all needed codecs. Just UNZIP this ZIP file in an empty folder and you will have only two portable files. You will play an audio or video if you double click on the file KMPlayer.exe. And that Player can recognize all EXTERNAL codecs including DSP Group TrueSpeech codec !

So, download it from the list of several servers. Here it is and you can choose any server among 20 servers for downloading, but first wait at least 30 seconds for displaying this list:

http://www.mirrorcreator.com/files/XNGPR7PU/The_KMPlayer_v3.1.0.0_R2.zip_links


good luck

Nrisimha

I had to rename all vmf extension to bmp and all ctl extensions to jpg to allow upload.
VMF-CTL.zip

Thanks, I will go to see that now.


Nrisimha

aaeandcee

The file that Nrisimha has attached as "Windows-XP-Startup.css" (to be renamed as "Windows-XP-Startup.vmf") is simply a *.WAV file that will play as a WAV file (if you change the vmf extension to wav) in any program that supports WAV files, as long as the system has installed the decoder to match what it was encoded with and the programopening it is able to use shared codecs.  In this case Nrisimha has just taken the original "Windows XP Startup.wav" file, opened in Windows Sound Recorder (or other audio editor) and done a File > Save As and chosen the "DSP Group TrueSpeech™ Audio CODEC" as the encoder.

I don't bother inspecting audio files in any third party software to determine what type of encoding it has.  I just open it in Notepad and if you know what header info to look for then it is pretty easy to identify a WAV file because you will always see "RIFF" and "WAVEfmt" on the top line in Notepad.  If it doesn't have that, then it is not a proper WAV file and will not open as a WAV file even if renamed with that extension.

I have just refreshed and see that we have some updated comments.  I have also just looked at your attached VMF and CTL files.  The VMF files do not have the RIFF header or any headers with commonality, so they are either different from Nrisimha's VMF files or have been corrupted.  The CTL files contain only a small amount of binary data that seems to be hardware (printer?) control characters or something similar.

Nrisimha has said: "I can play all other VMF files on my PC, but not 5171617B.vmf".  While that may be the case, what I would find most helpful is to know whether those other VMF files on Nrisimha's PC were created by FaxWorks or other similar Voice Modem software.

The file that Nrisimha has attached as "Windows-XP-Startup.css" (to be renamed as "Windows-XP-Startup.vmf") is simply a *.WAV file that will play as a WAV file (if you change the vmf extension to wav) in any program that supports WAV files, as long as the system has installed the decoder to match what it was encoded with and the programopening it is able to use shared codecs.

BillDL,

It is not an "great discovery". In fact you talk about something that I have explained before in a post from 12/21/11 08:58 PM, ID: 37322556 and, of course I attached a file where you can see this and I will attach the SAME file again, because you had discovered a "hot water" !

You can see a DSP TrueSpeech codec displayed:


Also today's post from 12/24/11 02:32 PM, ID: 37334095 shows the same what I "did wrong":

@Nrisimha:

Hello,

Well, it is not necessary to install another DSP TrueSpeech codec, because this codec is installed during the Windows installation:



But, you claim when you rename Windows-XP-Startup.vmf into Windows-XP-Startup.wav then you can play it in any player, because it is - how you said "It is simply a *.WAV file that will play as a WAV, as long as the system has installed the decoder to match what it was encoded with and the program opening it is able to use shared codecs."

In any player that has support for this codec? Just rename  Windows-XP-Startup.vmf into Windows-XP-Startup.wav and try to play it with Winamp or VLC.

I can't play Windows-XP-Startup.wav in VLC and Winamp. VLC has its own codecs and you can also enable to "Use external codecs" in VLC "Options".
But, I can't play this file. Although it has WAV extension. In Winamp also.

I have tried something else - to convert a 4100820A.vmf file using FFMPEG to an mp3 file with a name 4100820A.mp3.

And I have this image with one information that is unusual - the FFMPEG can't detect codec parameters, but it shows that it is a mp2 format:


Very strange ...

Nrisimha

Nrisimha

You are missing my point.

You took a Windows WAV file and re-encoded it with a Windows codec.  It plays in some of your audio applications apparently by using the same codec that it was encoded with.  You also apparently have some other VMF files that play in the same applications and appear to have been encoded in the same way.

Although all your information about what YOUR VMF files display in a hex editor and how they are encoded is interesting, clearly the VMF files that aaeandcee has are NOT the same as the ones that you have.  We both suspected that the first file attached by aaeandcee must be corrupt, but this has been followed by several others that are much the same.

aaeandcee needs to open HIS files, not YOURS.

He apparently doesn't have files that have been encoded with the same codec as you are suggesting, or else all the files he attached are corrupt.

Could it be that they were encoded using an entirely different codec?

aaeandcee

HERE is an FTP server containing the setup files for "Faxworks Speakerphone" version 3.0.4.0 software.

On the 2nd page there is a ZIP file named "MESSAGES.ZIP"

When downloaded and unzipped, it is full of VMF files that are much more similar to those attached by you than the one attached by Nrisimha.  There is no header information in any of them.

I have installed this software and I am in the process of testing it.  I copied your VMF and partner CTL files to the VOICENEW folder and I can load the "LOGS" dialog that shows the following details of the messages:
File size, duration, voice quality (4-bit), time, and what would be the day if the program was year 2000 compliant.
  Unfortunately nothing happens when I click the Play button and I will need to ascertain why this is.  I have seen some updates for the FaxWorks program, but need to do a bit of reading.

I will need to leave this until later though, it is now Christmas day.

Bill

And do you REALLY want to know what is inside these VMF files ?

Listen then these files. You only need to rename extension SWF to WAV:

VOICEREC.zip

So, now you can't claim that VMF files are specially encoded.

When you open Voice and Fax log then you can see on the right an button "Save as".
Press that button:


Instead VMF format you have to select WAV format, write a filename of your WAV file and save it:



Now, you can listen these WAV files. With other files I will work after Christmas.


Nrisimha

Nrisimha, did you listen to the WAV files after you created them with the FaxWorks software?
All I hear in the re-encoded WAV files is heavily clipped noise like somebody using a vacuum cleaner.
If you are able to hear a voice, what multimedia application are you able to hear this?

Nrisimha, did you listen to the WAV files after you created them with the FaxWorks software?
All I hear in the re-encoded WAV files is heavily clipped noise like somebody using a vacuum cleaner.
If you are able to hear a voice, what multimedia application are you able to hear this?

Do you ask me this serious or you are just joking with me?

Did you read well what I have written:

Listen then these files.

So, BillDL - listen to these WAV files. And everything that you can hear is not "heavily clipped noise like somebody using a vacuum cleaner."

If you cannot recognized this sound, then I have to explain to you what it is.
This is a sound of the an "dinosaur" modem with "excellent" speed of 14 400 bps and such modems were in use a 20 ( twenty ) and less years ago.

But OK. I accept your joke. Because, I suppose that you don't think that I am such a fool.
All these files I played on my PC with Winamp and with VLC and with Media Player and Windows Media Player and with BS Player and with KM Player and with Sound recorder and with ACID Pro and Nero Wave editor and Wave Pad Sound Editor and with Audacity and with Acoustica Audio Editor and with ZOOM Player and with Arcsoft Sound Recorder and with ......... sorry, but it make no sense.

regards

Nrisimha

I am not trying to make a fool of you and I am not making a joke.  I am fully aware that the voice recordings were done over an old Modem, but all I can hear is loud hissing and no voice.  I have tried reducing the hissing, but still no voice.

Did you hear a voice?  That is all I am asking.

Could you please download GSpot, open one of the WAV files, and tell me what Codec is being used to play the file.
http://www.headbands.com/gspot/
http://www.headbands.com/gspot/v26x/GSpot270a.zip

You probably already have a program that tells you exactly which installed codecs are being used to render a an audio file that is playing, in which case if you could just use that instead of GSpot.

Either way, I would be keen to know what codec is being used on your computer to play the WAV files so that you can hear the voice content, because I cannot hear any voice in the audio on my computer (Windows XP SP3).

Actually, it's not a hissing.  It is a humming, buzzing, and hissing.  Just noise.  As I said, like a loud vacuum cleaner.  And in case you think I am interrogating you or trying to pick holes in your comments, this is not the case.  I am trying to ensure that if aaeandcee listens to these WAV files and hears exactly the same as I do, then we have some suggestions ready so that he can hear the voice that he is hoping to hear.

Did you hear a voice?  That is all I am asking.

Dear BillDL,

You are right. I was only saving these 4 VMF files so I have two choices - to save it as VMF files or WAV.

But, I cannot say that "there was a voice" in VMF files and "that voice was lost" during the saving this
into WAV files.

The codec that Faxworks use is PCM Audio.

And I also want to make something to hear a voice.

But, an question for you - do you really think that during conversion an voice was lost and the only that stayed is a modem sound?

I think it is very strange - because, if there is a CLEAN voice and only voice in VMF files
then there is a no conversion in ALL the world that can SAVE that voice in a WAV files and the result
is a MODEM sound instead of VOICE !!!


regards

Nrisimha

I'm not at all sure about whether these files actually have contained a voice recording, or whether the conversion from low quality audio to another form of low quality audio has drowned the existing voice content with noise.

With audio files (as well as images and video) if the file is saved as a low quality audio encoding, then some content is inevitably lost and can never be restored even by re-encoding at a higher quality, so the actual quality during the "Save As" to .WAV isn't the issue here.  I am just wondering whether the program is using its own codec that is ruining an otherwise audible voice recording.

I found a file named "FX_MWAVE.DLL" in another FTP site with other FaxWorks setup files.  It is version 3.0.4.0 (Product Version 3.00 f) and its properties describe it as "FaxWorks MWAVE routines".  I placed it in the FaxWorks program folder hoping that it would be an updated encoder, but there is no difference in the converted WAV file.

The version numbers of the FaxWorks Speakerphone software that I have installed from the files HERE:
are:
File Version: 3.0.4.0
Product version: 3.00 d
All the program files installed show the copyright to "SofNet, Inc" in the file properties but the running program shows the following in the "About" dialog:
FaxWorks with Voice and data version 3.00g.238
Copyright Global Village Communication 1992-96

The The OEM.INI file in the program folder contains this:
Product Name=Boca VDF

I have seen "Boca VDF" being discussed in other help sites where people are asking about FaxWorks.

The program is a 16-bit version intended for Windows 3.1 and 95, but because Win98 had a DOS subsystem under its 32-bit OS, the program runs in it also.  There is a "FX_WIN32.DLL" in the program folder which probably has been a later update to act as a "shim" in 32-bit operating systems.

I found 4 apparently related FaxWorks updates HERE on the Gateway FTP site that appear to update the software to Product version 3.00G.312 if installed in order:

fwqfix.exe
158to251.exe
swr014ag.exe
vdf_up.exe

I will try these out later and see what happens.

Perhaps the "Play" button in the software interface when viewing the message logs would send the audio stream to a Voice/Fax modem with its own little speaker in an ISA or PCI slot, or to an external modem connected to the COM port, and the modem would render the sound through its own speaker in a better quality after stripping out the "noise".  I am not even sure if I have a modem with a speaker to try and test this with though.

I have tried something better. In my folder C:\FAXWORKS\GREETING there are a 96 VMF files.

If someone will try to get something like a information of the codec for that VMF files you will waste your time.

Did you try to convert VMF file to WAV, just for testing purpose, because it makes no sense that in
folder C:\FAXWORKS\GREETING are all the VMF files that can be converted to WAV files and the only you can hear is MODEM sound instead of HUMAN VOICE.

So, I did it. And I have converted the file FAX_ATCH.VMF into FAX_ATCH.WAV.

Try to guess - is there any modem sound?

Here it is in attachment. You just need to rename FAX_ATCH.PSD into FAX_ATCH.WAV.
And listen this WAV file - but not like a last time. It is not an success, but it give to us orientation what we will do next.

good luck

Nrisimha


FAX-ATCH.psd

I did look at the VMF files in the "GREETING" folder, but at first I couldn't see a way of loading them into a dialog that had the "Save As" button available.  I tried the "More" button to open the popup dialog and clicked "Open Sound File", but all I had was a "Play" button and no "Save As" option.  I eventually got one of the "greeting" VMF files to show in the "Open Logs" dialog by just copying it to the "VOICENEW" folder and making a copy of one of the other *.CTL files in that folder which I renamed the same as the VMF I had copied there.

So with that method I was able to convert a couple of the greetings VMF files to WAV files and they played fine.

If we can now just figure out the differences between the sound profiles of the files originally attached by aaeandcee (now converted to WAV files) and the pre-recorded "greetings" files converted to WAVs, then perhaps we can eliminate the noise to reveal a voice underneath.

I have messed around with Audacity to see if I can get the noise profile and filter out certain frequencies, but I still cannot reveal a human voice.

I have asked a question in the "Digital Forensics" zone just to see if the professionals have any audio filtering software:
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/27510106/Recovering-Voice-Audio-Content-From-Recorded-Message.html

Hi

there are lots of vmf to mp3 converter please fine the link below

http://search.brothersoft.com/index.php?act=search.index&keyword=vmf-to-mp3-converter

I get the same results by modifying the key words used in the search:
http://search.brothersoft.com/?act=search.index&keyword=shit+to+mp3+converter

Did you find any particular ones that you could point us to that specifically mention "VMF" as the input format?

Would it help for me to post more files?

This is a file format just was on the market early, didn't have a lot of users, and disappeared.

Thank you aaeandcee.  I am sorry that we weren't able to recover the actual voice from the files.

Hello aaeandcee

I thought that you might be interested in monitoring the following question:
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/27572133/How-to-listen-this-vmf-file.html

The member is asking about a voice-recording in *.VMF format.  It appears to be a much more modern 32-bit answering service software and he is trying to install thwe software on a Windows 7 64-bit system to try and hear the VMF recordings.

You might want to open a fresh question about your own issue, attach a couple of your own VMF files to it, and add a comment in the question by that other person asking the experts currently engaged in trying to find a solution there to have a look at your new question.

Who knows, maybe the software that they are currently looking at might be able to play your voice messages.  It's worth a try.

Bill