File Formats Question

[Zachg]

I'm currently taking a video production class, and I've been picked to mix our class film. When I got the audio files that were recorded on location (foley hasn't started yet), they were all in .DAT format, so they wouldn't open in Soundtrack Pro, Final Cut Pro, Itunes or garageband. I haven't had a change to test my Pro Tools rig at home will like them or not, but if it doesn't, what are my options?

I'm sure there should be a way, is there a prgram or something I could use. A quick "google" didn't show much... will keep looking though.
Help!!

Zach

[bleen]

On what were the files recorded? Can you change the extension to .wav and have them show up?

It sounds more like a resource file than an audio file. Perhaps the audio was saved elsewhere?

[Zachg]

The files were recorded with a Roland/Boss CD-2 recorder, recording to a CF card, for a whole 25 minutes of audio. :)

I transfered everything that was on the card onto the Mac, so i hope the files weren't saved elsewhere. I'll post all the details of the files and the other ones, once Im at school tomorrow. i haven't transfered the files to my home machine on yet.

Thanks for the sugestions, ill try them out ASAP.

Zach

[Mixwell]

I think a ".DAT" files are MPEG-1 encoded audio found in a ".DAT" file on a video CD. There are some free .DAT to .WAV converters out there. Try to Goggle ".DAT to .WAV converters"

[Zachg]

I think a ".DAT" files are MPEG-1 encoded audio found in a ".DAT" file on a video CD. There are some free .DAT to .WAV converters out there. Try to Goggle ".DAT to .WAV converters"

Thanks Adam!!

I'll see what I can find.

Zach

[Dan]

I think a ".DAT" files are MPEG-1 encoded audio found in a ".DAT" file on a video CD. There are some free .DAT to .WAV converters out there. Try to Goggle ".DAT to .WAV converters"

You could be right, but ".dat" is a generic extension that could mean anything. Are the file sizes roughly correct for a 25 minute recording?

The files were recorded with a Roland/Boss CD-2 recorder, recording to a CF card, for a whole 25 minutes of audio. :)

I transfered everything that was on the card onto the Mac, so i hope the files weren't saved elsewhere. I'll post all the details of the files and the other ones, once Im at school tomorrow. i haven't transfered the files to my home machine on yet.

Thanks for the sugestions, ill try them out ASAP.

Zach

Your location guy doesn't know how to use his own equipment. From the CD2 manual (http://media.rolandus.com/manuals/CD-2_OM.pdf):

“.DAT” files are in a special format used only by the CD-2. Do not attempt to play them on your computer.

Skip to page 63 in the manual and you'll find instructions for converting the recorded audio to wave on the recorder itself. Hopefully, your location guy hasn't erased the card yet.

Not to get on too much of a tangent (and I know you aren't the guilty party Zach), but compatibility is one good reason not to buy cheap junk digital gear. This is not the only thing I've seen record to some proprietary format that forces you to jump through special hoops to get it into some format that's usable. Some camcorders do it and cheaper point-and-shoot cameras are notorious for it.

-Dan.

[Mo Facta]

I'm surprised it doesn't have some sort of software utility for these type of things, especially since Roland claims you can "get audio in and out with ease".

Seems like the only way to do this is to convert to .wavs right on the machine itself, as Dan suggested.

Cheers :)

[Zachg]

So, today the teacher that's overseeing/producing the video, finally remembers to tell the location guy and me that the files are in a weird format...
He said we'll be able convert them, the cards havn't been deleted yet.
Thank god for redundancy!!

Thanks for the suggestions everybody, ill probably update this with more questions/problems as the project move on...
it be my recording/mixing diary: The adventures of whythehelldidisignupforthisprojectman!! :D

Zach