Windows MEdia Format - DAT from streams (Play DAT files or convert them to WMA, WMV)

[gxdata]

By looking in the cache (Internet Explorer) I can sometimes see the DAT files that result from Windows Media format streaming audio.

I can copy these to a folder on my system.

Looking at them with a text editor, they show the words 'windows media audio v2' (amongst other hex) near the start of the files.

Surely there's a simple utility that can convert this to .WMA files?

Similarly, I would think that .DAT files resulting from (windows) streaming video might be converted to .WMV files.

EDIT: Found a similar post from 2006, in which someone stated -

Originally Posted by Stream Recorder

As for .dat files in the cache folder, they're useless. Haven't seen any program that can make them playable.

- but I don't believe it!


Can anyone give me help on this?

Originally Posted by gxdata

Similarly, I would think that .DAT files resulting from (windows) streaming video might be converted to .WMV files.

EDIT: Found a similar post from 2006, in which someone stated -

- but I don't believe it!

It was a post created by me, seemingly respected member of these forums

I still have no idea how to play .DAT files or how to convert them to .WMV or .WMA files. And I don't really see any sense in that, because packets coming to Windows Media Player can be captured by WM Recorder or freeware WebVideoCap

Freeware utility VideoCacheView v1.50 by Nir Sofer allows you to convert .DAT files from the cache of your Internet Explorer or Firefox to .WMV, .WMA files. So if you play an MMS Windows Media stream fully, you may copy it from the cache of your browser with a freeware utility.

VideoCacheView is also useful for copying FLV files from the cache of your browser streamed through the HTTP protocol.

[hades]

Stream Recorder is right. VideoCacheView can convert .DAT to .WMV files. If you have the cache (.DAT) file, you can create a VideoCacheView.exe shortcut and append the following command at the end of the target line.

/copymms <Source .dat file> <Destination .wmv file>