how to convert dat file for editing in premiere 1

[mikalji]

I have some dated digital portfolio in CD-ROM format, how can I converted these DAT files and export them into Premiere for a quick face lift?

 

[icrf]

What format is the video of a "dated digital portfolio", or is that the format and I'm just clueless? I couldn't imagine it's any form of vfw, some versino of mpeg or quicktime maybe? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
...but I'm just a C man trying to see the light

 

[mikalji]

Sorry I forgot to mention my portfolio/ showreel were converted onto a VCD format for previewing and I was hoping to convert that file (movie) so that I can edit myself in Premiere. Thanks for your help- cheers!

 

[icrf]

Yeah, should work very simply. When the VCD is in the drive, look at it in a file explorer. It should contain a few directories. In the one labeled 'MPEGAV' (or at least it is on vcd's I've created with nero) there is a list of .DAT files. Each file is a chapter/track from the vcd. These files are just .MPG files renamed. You should be able to copy them from there off the CD to the hard drive, and rename the .DAT extention to .MPG and import them like normal files.

If your VCD's directory structure is different, just look through it for any files large enough that could be video tracks, copy them and rename them to .MPG and they should import/play fine. A VCD is just a constant bitrate MPEG1 video with MP2 audio. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
...but I'm just a C man trying to see the light

 

[mikalji]

Thanks for that- it's easy when you know how! What other programming skills do you have, anything related to Director? Will catch you up later on and once again thank you for your advice! mikalji

 

[icrf]

I do most of my video work with the simpler (and cheap/free) applications, like VirtualDub and TMPGEnc. I've actually dumped videos to .tga images and done work with those in Perl, then reassembled. But no, not any director work. Is that the Macromedia software? I did a very very tiny bit in Authorware a little more than a year ago, but that's about it from that company. Never even touched flash.

Really and truly, I'm a programmer, in Perl and C/C++ who has a small video editing hobby. I help where I can. This forum doesn't seems to have but three or four active members, I'm just trying to do my part.

And in looking back, I think I completely missed the detail in your original post about them being DAT files. I do this stuff too late at night to be efficient.

Happy computing. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
...but I'm just a C man trying to see the light