What is a CPI File and How to Open It?

Updated on May 28, 2021

When you record a video with a camera, you would find some CPI files in the file directory. You might have tried to open these files individually yet failed. So what is a CPI file and is there any good program that can open it? Read and find all the answers here. Besides, to play recorded videos more easily, you can convert the videos to a common format with the good video converter:

http://www.videoconverterfactory.com/download/hd-video-converter-pro.exe hd-video-converter-pro.exe

What Are CPI Files

Q1: I have some video files with a ".cpi" extension which I am not able to open nor view. How can I open these files/videos? Is it possible to convert CPI to MP4 with a CPI file converter or something like it?

Q2: Hi, I have recorded some videos with my Sony Alpha 6000 camera and there are CPI files along with MTS files. But I can’t access these CPI files somehow. Any suggestion?

A CPI file is a descriptive file used to describe an AVCHD or MTS video stream and it contains the related metadata including frame rate, frames per second, and aspect ratio. CPI files are primarily created by Sony and Panasonic associated with the AVCHD video format and it can be found in directory PRIVATE > AVCHD > BDMV > CLIPINF. As CPI files are video clip information files without any video or audio data contained, you can’t directly play it with a media player, let alone convert CPI to a video format. But if you want to view the clip information, there are some tools for you to open CPI files. Read on!

Also Read: XAVC S VS AVCHD l AVCHD VS MP4 l Best MTS Merger

How to Open CPI Files

View the Video Metadata

There is an array of programs for opening CPI information files. CyberLink and Premiere are the most popular options.

For Cyberlink PowerDirector 17 Ultra, visit this link:

https://www.cyberlink.com/products/powerdirector-video-editing-software/features_en_US.html?r=1

For Adobe Premiere Pro, visit this link: https://www.adobe.com/products/premiere.html

Besides, if you only want to view the metadata information of an MTS or AVCHD file, you can right-click on the video, and navigate to Details, where the description, video, and audio properties are displayed.

How to Convert Recorded Videos to MP4

As mentioned above, a CPI file is just an information file format associated with AVCHD or MTS files and it can’t be converted to a playable MP4 video format. However, if you want to play or edit the video you recorded with a camera since camera video formats like MTS and AVCHD are not widely accepted, you can grab AVCHD or MTS video out of the dictionary and convert it to MP4. For this purpose, a video conversion tool is a necessity. WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory Pro is a professional video converter. It will help you convert MTS and AVCHD to MP4 without any quality damage. Moreover, it supports 300+ video & audio formats conversion, enables you to clip, crop, rotate, and merge videos. The following how-to guide shows you the steps of converting your recorded videos using the video converter.

Three Steps to Convert MTS, AVCHD, and Other Videos to MP4

Before start, please free download free download and install the software on PC.

Step 1. Import Video Files into the Converter

Launch HD Video Converter Factory Pro, navigate to the Converter section. Click on Add Files to select and import videos from your computer, or directly drag and drop multiple files into the window.

It offers batch conversion mode to convert up to 10 files at the same time.

Step 2. Choose MP4 as the Output Format

Select the output format icon on the right, and choose MP4 under the Video tab.

Although it’s impossible to convert CPI to MP4, you can edit the metadata manually, and view and change file information like bite rate, aspect ratio, resolution, frame ratio, etc. Just go to the Parameter Settings window to adjust parameters based on your needs.

Step 3. Initialize the Video Conversion Process

Click on the inverted triangle icon on the bottom to set the output folder for saving converted videos. Then hit Run to start the conversion process.

In Summary

What is a CPI file? Shortly, it is not an actual video file but descriptive file to AVCHD and MTS video streams. So you can’t convert CPI format to MP4. Furthermore, it’s a good idea to convert AVCHD and MTS to MP4 so as to easily play and edit the videos you have captured. If you still have any question, please feel free to contact us.

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