playing .dat video with quicktime

Question

Level 1

0 points

playing .dat video with quicktime

I recently erased and reinstalled OS X 10.4.11 and have just noticed that the .dat video files i have (copied from vcds of my colleagues' work) are now not opening with QuickTime Pro (7.0.4). I have previously been able to open them all without problems.

I followed the advice in previous posts and downloaded MPEG Streamclip which has been very useful in converting them to .mov files I can watch, but I really would like to know what happened. I use Flip4Mac to convert WMV files (but had that installed previously) and since the reinstall have installed Perian, which I have since disabled in the hope it will solve the problem...with no joy.

Anybody know what might have changed in the mix that is preventing QuickTime from opening .dat videos?

Thanks

macbook pro, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Apr 1, 2008 5:44 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Apr 1, 2008 6:11 AM in response to bensterben

Try editing the file extension using the Finder. Change .dat to .mpg and see if they open in QuickTime.

Reply

Answer 2

bensterben Author

Level 1

0 points

Apr 1, 2008 8:07 AM in response to QuickTimeKirk

thanks quicktime kirk. i really appreciate your fast response. unfortunately i tried as you suggest and quicktime still says it's unable to open the file.

it gives this alert message: QuickTime cannot open the file: "AVSEQ01.mpg"
it is not a file that QuickTime understands (-2048)

again, i don't understand why this was not an issue previously with such files. any other ideas?

benster

Reply

Answer 3

Apr 1, 2008 8:25 AM in response to bensterben

I haven't played with VCD's in ten years. They are simply MPEG-1 files "burned" on CD media and QuickTime Player allows playback of MPEG-1.
The -2048 error implies MPEG-2.
If you just want to view them use the free VLC app. Or continue to convert them using MPEG Streamclip (also free).

Reply