How to deal with .DAT (MPEG 1 muxed) files

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Level 1

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How to deal with .DAT (MPEG 1 muxed) files

Hi all,

Based on article: 42996, I understand importing MPEG 1 muxed files (.dat) files to iMovie and exporting to iDVD will give me a clip without audio. The article recommends using a third-party utility to convert the clip to DV format for use in iMovie project.

I got MPEG Streamclip but I don't know what feature I should use. Export to DV or Demux? I tried demux to M2V and AIFF but can't import the result m2v file....

K

MacBookPro 2.16GHz Core Duo 2GB/100GB, Mac OS X (10.4.10)

Posted on Apr 26, 2008 1:45 PM

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Answer 1

Jon Walker

Level 6

19,489 points

Apr 26, 2008 3:02 PM in response to ktsang

I got MPEG Streamclip but I don't know what feature I should use. Export to DV or Demux?

Use the "Export to DV" and not "demux." Multiplexed ("muxed") content is a stream of data which contains blocks of audio data interspersed with blocks of video data. Demultiplexing is primarily used to divide the "muxed" stream into two separate "elementary" streams of data -- usually an MPEG-2 video file which points to a separate AIFF audio resource file when dealing with MPEG2/AC3 or MPEG2/PCM content such as found in VOB containers. If you are importing to iMovie '08, then MPEG Streamclip can also be used to convert to AIC, M-JPEG, MPEG-4, or H.264 files that are also iMovie '08 compatible.

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Answer 2

ktsang Author

Level 1

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Apr 26, 2008 4:53 PM in response to Jon Walker

I don't need to edit the video...Can I use 'Export to QuickTime' and drag the .mov directly to iDVD to finish the project?

Previously I was using QuickTime Player to open the .dat file, then export to QuickTime. But once I play the final product created from iDVD, there is no audio...

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Answer 3

Jon Walker

Level 6

19,489 points

Apr 26, 2008 5:26 PM in response to ktsang

Previously I was using QuickTime Player to open the .dat file, then export to QuickTime. But once I play the final product created from iDVD, there is no audio.

That is why you need to use an MPEG-based, third-party converter. The QT "engine" only converts the video content. If you want to retain the audio, you need an MPEG-based media "engine" to bridge the gap between "muxed" content and QT. (I.e., MPEG-1 is only playback compatible with QT applications -- not convertible or editable.

Depends on what codecs you use. Export to quicktime will put the audio and video compression formats you select in an MOV file container but then iDVD has to convert whatever format you send to MPEG-2 and AIFF files which are then multiplexed to 1 GB VOB files as your "title" set. Files must be "conversion" compatible with QT. Once again, I would recommend either DV or AIC/AIFF here. These compression formats produce large files because the have high video data rates. On the other hand, because they have high video data rates, they generally produce the best quality.

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Answer 4

May 1, 2008 5:07 PM in response to Jon Walker

Jon Walker
I don't know whi you are but thanks. You made it so even a simple guy like me was able get get my music videos onto my iPod.

step1. goto: http://www.squared5.com/svideo/mpeg-streamclip-mac.html
step2: download the player version that you require
step3: open the player
step4: file - open movie (find your video on your harddrive and open)
step5: file - export to MP-4
stpe6: click the iTunes button to the top right
step7: click make mp-4 at the bottom

thanks a million

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