What is the BNP file format?
The .bnp extension is used in system data files created by Sony digital camcorders that record video in HD resolution using the AVCHD format. These are metadata index files that contain information referring to the actual video clips - the .m2ts files stored on the memory card - and are read by the camera's internal management system.
.bnp files allow the camera to display information about recorded videos, such as recording dates and the number of stored clips. Deleting a .bnp file may result in problems with playing or browsing videos directly on the device. This can be resolved by transferring the video recordings to a computer, where the .bnp file is not required for the clips to play correctly in standard media software.
.bnp files are created automatically by the camera system alongside each recorded video. After being generated, they are stored in the device's main management directory, AVF_INFO. A typical example filename is AVIN001.BNP. These files are binary and proprietary - their internal layout is undocumented - and they are not intended to be opened or edited directly by users or third-party software.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWA BNP is a small passive binary management file with no executable content, so it is harmless. The only real risk is data-management confusion: deleting or moving these AVCHD management files (BNP and the AVF_INFO folder) can stop the camcorder from listing or playing recordings - back up the whole AVCHD folder intact rather than cherry-picking files.
Format details
in a nutshell- Bingo / Bitmap-on-screen palette and other niche binary data - A handful of unrelated programs (games, embedded tools) have used '.bnp' for their own private data; none are mainstream and they are unrelated to Sony camcorders.
Programs that open BNP files
Windows1 app
(none - BNP is not meant to be opened)
Open-source There is no useful viewer for a .bnp itself. Instead open the actual video - the .MTS/.M2TS files in the AVCHD STREAM folder - in VLC. Technical details
deep spec| Developer | Sony |
| Format type | Binary metadata index sidecar (proprietary) |
| MIME type | application/octet-stream |
| Storage location on device | Always written to the `AVF_INFO` management directory on the recording media |
| Associated video format | AVCHD - paired with `.mts` and `.m2ts` video clip files on the same memory card |
| Purpose | Stores recording dates, clip counts, and playback index data for on-camera display and navigation |
| Typical filename pattern | `AVIN001.BNP`, `AVIN002.BNP` (sequential numbering per memory card slot) |
| File size | Typically a few kilobytes to several megabytes; grows with the number of recorded clips on the card |
| Internal structure | Undocumented proprietary binary; no publicly known magic bytes or stable file signature |
| Creation method | Auto-generated by camcorder firmware alongside each new recording session; never created manually |
| User-editable | No - written and managed exclusively by the camera firmware |
| Third-party software support | None - no known consumer or professional application can read or write this format |
| Platform of origin | Sony AVCHD camcorders (late 2000s onward); found on Memory Stick and SD card recording media |
| Deletion impact | Removing the file from camera storage can prevent the device from listing or playing recorded clips; transferring clips to a PC removes the dependency |
| Cross-platform behavior | Can be copied to any OS as a raw binary, but serves no function outside the originating Sony camcorder |
| Released | Sony AVCHD/Memory Stick camcorders, late 2000s |
| Specification | en.wikipedia.org |
BNP conversions
Community Q&A
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