Answers.Body: <p>Using <a href="http://ffmpeg.org/download.html" rel="noreferrer">ffmpeg</a>, a free command-line tool, you can convert these DATs to MP4 (or MKV):</p>
  
  <pre><code>ffmpeg -i input.dat -c:v libx264 -crf 20 -c:a aac -b:a 128k -movflags +faststart output.mp4
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Your VLC output doesn't mention it but if the inputs are interlaced (likely), then use</p>
  
  <pre><code>ffmpeg -i input.dat -vf yadif -c:v libx264 -crf 20 -c:a aac -b:a 128k -movflags +faststart output.mp4
  </code></pre>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-09-27T04:32:46.027Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2017-09-27T04:32:46.027Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Gyan
Answers.Body: <p>When you say archive, do you mean for long-term storage, such as in a library or museum? If that's the case a lossless, well-documented, open-source codec and container is what you want. FFV1 in a matroska continer (.mkv file) is my preferred archival codec / container format, and it's gaining popularity in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GLAM_(industry_sector)" rel="nofollow noreferrer">GLAM</a> sector.</p>
  
  <p>Once again, FFMPEG is the tool of choice for making these–FFV1 is a codec developed by the creators of FFMPEG. A good page on how to encode FFV1 <a href="https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/Encode/FFV1" rel="nofollow noreferrer">here</a>, and an example would be:</p>
  
  <pre><code>ffmpeg -i input_video.dat -c:a pcm_s16le -c:v ffv1 -level 3 -coder 1  -context  1  -g 1  output.mkv 
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>For archival purposes I would <em>not</em> de-interlace because of the loss of resolution, and because it alters the source substantially.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-09-27T13:09:24.223Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2017-09-27T13:09:24.223Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: stib
Body: <p>Each file is around 350-650 MB.  </p>
  
  <p>This is the media information from the Files:  </p>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/kBcWf.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://i.sstatic.net/kBcWf.png</a>  </p>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/DLeSw.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/DLeSw.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>
  
  <p>How could I better archive it? </p>
  
  <p>Easily convert &amp; archive a bunch of low res Video CD DAT files MPEG 1/2 to newer better format such as MKV or others?  </p>
  
Tags: <conversion><file-formats>
Title: Easily convert & archive a bunch of low res Video CD DAT files MPEG 1/2 to newer better format such as MKV or others?
UserDisplayName: Alex S
ThreadText: # Easily convert & archive a bunch of low res Video CD DAT files MPEG 1/2 to newer better format such as MKV or others?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2017-09-26)
  
  Each file is around 350-650 MB.
  
  This is the media information from the Files:
  
  <https://i.sstatic.net/kBcWf.png>
  
  [![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/DLeSw.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/DLeSw.png)
  
  How could I better archive it?
  
  Easily convert & archive a bunch of low res Video CD DAT files MPEG 1/2 to newer better format such as MKV or others?
  
  **Tags:** conversion, file-formats
  
  
  ---
  
  ## 2 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2017-09-27. Score: 5
  
  Using [ffmpeg](http://ffmpeg.org/download.html), a free command-line tool, you can convert these DATs to MP4 (or MKV):
  
  ```
  ffmpeg -i input.dat -c:v libx264 -crf 20 -c:a aac -b:a 128k -movflags +faststart output.mp4
  
  ```
  
  Your VLC output doesn't mention it but if the inputs are interlaced (likely), then use
  
  ```
  ffmpeg -i input.dat -vf yadif -c:v libx264 -crf 20 -c:a aac -b:a 128k -movflags +faststart output.mp4
  
  ```
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2017-09-27. Score: 2
  
  When you say archive, do you mean for long-term storage, such as in a library or museum? If that's the case a lossless, well-documented, open-source codec and container is what you want. FFV1 in a matroska continer (.mkv file) is my preferred archival codec / container format, and it's gaining popularity in the [GLAM](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GLAM_(industry_sector)) sector.
  
  Once again, FFMPEG is the tool of choice for making these–FFV1 is a codec developed by the creators of FFMPEG. A good page on how to encode FFV1 [here](https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/Encode/FFV1), and an example would be:
  
  ```
  ffmpeg -i input_video.dat -c:a pcm_s16le -c:v ffv1 -level 3 -coder 1  -context  1  -g 1  output.mkv 
  
  ```
  
  For archival purposes I would *not* de-interlace because of the loss of resolution, and because it alters the source substantially.
  
  
  ---
  
  