Need Help With Video CD Conversion

[John Kemker]

Last week, my sister gave me a bunch of books and CDs that my ex-wife had given her for me. Among them was a VCD containing my 4 July 2000 Level 3 Cert flight. I can play it on my BluRay player but not from my desktop computer. None of the video players I have will play it back. I need someone to help me convert it to an MP4 or MPEG (preferred) file.

 

[Marc_G]

Are you sure the disc is not a Blu-ray? Or, does the disc mount on your computer, but the file format/encoding isn't recognized?

I used to rip a lot of discs to files but it has been a while and the tools may be different now. Try MakeMKV which is what I use for a lot of stuff. Once you get it off the disk in an MKV format many utilities can convert it to MP4 or whatever.

 

[John Kemker]

Are you sure the disc is not a Blu-ray? Or, does the disc mount on your computer, but the file format/encoding isn't recognized?

I used to rip a lot of discs to files but it has been a while and the tools may be different now. Try MakeMKV which is what I use for a lot of stuff. Once you get it off the disk in an MKV format many utilities can convert it to MP4 or whatever.

Positive. It identifies as a VCD when I put it in the Blu-Ray player and also when I insert it in my Linux box. VLC says "Your input can't be opened" and reports it cannot open multiple different files, including a .DAT and a .RTF.

 

[Marc_G]

Interesting! Can you provide a screenshot of the directory of the disc?

 

[Marc_G]

Another question: is the disc a DVD, or is it actually an older format CD hosting video files?

 

[John Kemker]

Huh. Found an article that recommended opening VLC, then going to "Media", then "Open Disc..." and selecting /dev/sr0.

It's playing on my desktop as I write.

 

[CoyoteNumber2]

Strange. VLC should play a VCD no problem.

Find the video file on the disc (I think it's avseq01.dat), copy it to your PC and rename it to .mpg, then try that file in VLC. It should be just plain old MPEG1.

Edit: sorry, just saw that you got it working.

 

[John Kemker]

Strange. VLC should play a VCD no problem.

Find the video file on the disc (I think it's avseq01.dat), copy it to your PC and rename it to .mpg, then try that file in VLC. It should be just plain old MPEG1.

Edit: sorry, just saw that you got it working.

No problem!

I tried to copy it. I got an error when I tried to copy the avseq01.dat file to disk. VERY odd.

I was hoping to convert it so I could share it with you folks.

 

[bjphoenix]

Isn't handbrake the tool that people use to rip videos to their computer?

 

[John Kemker]

Isn't handbrake the tool that people use to rip videos to their computer?

Handbrake is having problems reading it, also. I'm looking for other tools to try.

 

[CoyoteNumber2]

Is it scratched? You can try it in a different optical drive if you have one. Different drives have different tolerances for errors.

You're running Linux, right? Can dd make images of CDs? It might be able to skip past any read errors.

 

[John Kemker]

Woohoo! VLC let me convert it to MP4 and it plays fine!

I'll need to post it to YouTube and share it. What's the appropriate sub-forum to share it in?

 

[John Kemker]

Done.

 

[manixFan]

VLC = the

It’s crazy how useful that app is.


Tony.

 

[John Kemker]

I'ma ask folks that watch the video to PLEASE give me a thumbs-up on YT if you like it!