Ripping VCD's that were created using Toast

[rudeboy]

I have Mac OS X so I can't even play VCDs unless I change the start up disk to 9.2 and run the old OS, but we won't go there. When you burn VCDs in Toast it makes a dat file that can't be read by anything trying to extract the dat. DVD players can read it, and OS 9 programs such as Quicktime can play it but it looks like it's impossible to rip the Toast vcd once you've burned it.

I've found you can't even copy the main dat file Toast creates on the disk to your HD once the disk is burned. I even tried using Virtual PC to see if I could do anything with some PC apps that I could with Mac ones but VPC doesn't even recognize the disk. I've even looked through the help documents that came with Toast and checked there website and nothing even warns you that once you burn a VCD using Toast, that's it, you can't get that original mpeg back.

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Okay....boy do I feel like a dork. While I was typing this I kinda figured out a way to do what I was asking. It's a real pain but it works....kinda. While I was typing the above I was making a disk image of a vcd I burned awhile ago. After I made the disk image of the VCD in Toast I mounted that and looked inside. I was able to move the dat file from the mounted disk to my HD. I then used VCDGear 1.6d to convert the dat to an mpeg but it produced a movie that was nothing but black screen and white characters. The entire converted movie was like that. So although this is not the outcome I wanted, I think I'm a bit closer to figuring this out. At least i have the dat on my HD to mess around with and everything.

[major]

try to use Astarte CD-Copy to copy the MPG track and do a VCDGear RAW-MPG conversion.

[rudeboy]

There are no mpg files, just dat files. These are all the files that toast created on the disk. The AVSEQ01.DAT in the MPEGAV folder is the actual movie, you can tell by it's size.

CDI
AVSEQ01.DAT
VCD
VCD.RTF

MPEGAV
AVSEQ01.DAT

VCD
ENTRIES.VCD
INFO.VCD

[major]

Astarte CD-Copy then VCD Gear

[AntnyMD]

Is it better to do the RAW > MPG conversion within the full OS 9? I tried a DAT > MPG conversion via Classic and it didn't work as I expected. In fact, if I recall correctly, it refused to start the conversion. Anyhow, I gave up. Now that I think of it, Classic mode is still pretty hard to figure in terms of what will work in it and what won't.

[Ross]

If the VCD is written in mode 2, Classic will not read the disk data, only mode 1 disk. You must re-boot in OS 9. Hope Apple will fix this soon!

[rudeboy]

Okay I changed my startup disk to OS 9.2 and started it up. Using ASTARTE CD-Copy 2.0.3e I selected the second track which was an mpeg, it said the first track was an iso. It saved the mpeg as Track 02 MPEG.mpeg. Just for kicks I tried opening that file in Quicktime and nothing happened.

I then used VCDGear 1.6d ƒ to convert that mpeg file to an mpeg so i could play it on my computer and have the option of burning it. I converted it with the .mpg->.mpg option and I tried .raw->.mpg. Both times it produced a 640MB movie that was two seconds and all black. It also looked like it had a 16:9 aspect ratio, which the original movie didn't, but that's besides the point because even movies that are widescreen play with bars on the top and bottom.

I don't think I'm doing anything different from what you guys are suggesting but I'll keep trying and see what happens. Thanks.

[rudeboy]

A thousand apologies everyone. I forgot I installed a bunk version of Quicktime 6 and it screwed up my Quicktime in OS X. I tried opening both those files using my Quicktime in OS 9 and they played! Only thing is if you skipped around the screen went white but if you watched it all the way through, everything played all right. Besides when you burn them they play fine. Thanks for all the help guys. I owe you guys my first born.

*WARNING: THIS POST IS NOT A BINDING CONTRACT*

Later Days

[Ross]

While in OS 9.2, launch Quicktime and open the dat file on the CD, DO NOT double click, it may lock-up OS 9. The mpeg1 movie should play fine.
If you have QT Pro, you can then save the move as disired. (this process does work) If this does not work, you may not have a valid VCD/mpeg1.