Can't copy files in *.dat form VCD

[Edward]

Parameshwara Bhat wrote:

> Hello List,
> 
> I have played files with extensions *.dat with both 'xine' and 
> 'mplayer'.The vcd of the film "Unfaithful" has three files in the 'MPEG' 
> folder,Music01.dat,Music02.dat,Music03.dat.I played this file from the 
> cd in Windows Media player as well as SiS mmplayer.Now I copied those 
> files to a separate directory and later opened them using both Mplayer 
> and Xine.
> 
> Xine even has a file filter for *.dat type of files.Mplayer like its 
> namesake Mediaplayer doesn't automatically filter the files but once 
> selected using filter "all files",it plays it anyway.But both these 
> programs fail to run the same files from the CD when tried with Play 
> File.(They can very well play the VCD containing these files)whereas if 
> these files are copied to harddisk they can play it.
> 
> Curiously within Linux,these files cannot be copied off CD.But,once in 
> Windows,you can copy them and store them.Both Xine and Mplayer play them 
> now once they are stored like this. And that's how VCDs are kept on the 
> harddisk by all my friends here.
> 
> This is curious.Could anybody shed more light?

This discussion has been had before. A .DAT file on a VCD is not simply 
a renamed MPG file, but very similar.

The VCD format has less check summing bits on the CD than a standard 
data CD, as an error on the disk is less likely to cause serious 
problems, and you can actually fit more data on a VCD than a regular 
one. Not significant amounts, but a little more.

If you're going to store .DAT files on your hard drive like that to play 
them, you're wasting space. I suggest stripping the extra overhead of 
the DAT and leave yourself with an mpeg instead.

Search google on how to do it. I've done it before - there's not much to it.

Regards,
Ed.