unable to play .DAT file

[arshad3m]

hi guys,
can anyone tell me how to play .DAT files?
i can play all the other formats, like .avi, .divx, ram, rmvb, wmv and mp3...
iv installed mplayer and smplayer which supposed to play all the formats.
can anyone tell me whats the problem is.?

thank you very much.

[dmyersturnbull]

Hey, arshad3m.

On Windows, .dat is an arbitrary filename extension that's program-specific; it loosely means "data file". On Linux, the extension is even less meaningful because *nix systems don't rely on filename extensions. What program created these files?

[Chilly Willy]

If by a DAT file you are referring to a file on a Video CD, then from what I've gathered MPLAYER & TOTEM is SUPPOSED to have a plugin to do this. - I think I read that VLC is to.
(Please note: the above info is what I READ as I have NO experience with this, so take it as is...)

Otherwise, you are messing with a (M$ -?) data file as already noted.

[arshad3m]

thanks for the replies guys,
what i mean by .DAT file is, the video file on a VCD.
but my mplayer doesn't play it

[Chilly Willy]

I found MPLAYER to be a pain to get to work for ANYTHING. I'd try another player & see what happens.