Free online MOD to DAT converter

What the MOD format is

In the Video category, MOD is a camcorder recording format used by JVC Everio and some Panasonic devices. A MOD file normally contains MPEG-2 Program Stream video, often with standard-definition interlaced footage and an accompanying AC-3 or MPEG audio stream; the matching .MOI file stores recording metadata.

MOD files commonly appear after copying recordings from a camcorder, alongside folders such as SD_VIDEO. Some players identify the content correctly after the extension is changed to .MPG, but renaming does not convert the video or make it VCD-compatible.

What the DAT format is

For video, DAT usually means the MPEG-1 Program Stream stored on a Video CD, commonly found as AVSEQ01.DAT inside the disc's MPEGAV folder. It is intended for VCD players and software that expects VCD-formatted MPEG-1 data.

A VCD DAT normally uses 352×240 pixels at 29.97 fps for NTSC or 352×288 pixels at 25 fps for PAL, MPEG-1 video near 1,150 kbit/s, and 44.1 kHz stereo audio. Its main compatibility advantage is support by older VCD hardware and authoring applications, but it has lower quality than typical camcorder MPEG-2 footage.

How to actually convert MOD to DAT

Using the built-in online converter

You can convert the file for free on 101convert.com without installing software. Open the site's Video converter, add the .MOD file, choose DAT as the output format, start the conversion, and download the resulting file. Use a local method instead when the recording is private or too large to upload.

Using FFmpeg on a computer

FFmpeg is suitable when the output must conform to a particular VCD standard. Check the source first:

ffprobe input.MOD

For a PAL source or PAL VCD, create a VCD-compliant MPEG stream:

ffmpeg -i input.MOD -target pal-vcd output.mpg

For an NTSC source or NTSC VCD, use:

ffmpeg -i input.MOD -target ntsc-vcd output.mpg

After checking that the output plays correctly, change only the filename extension:

mv output.mpg output.dat

On Windows, use:

rename output.mpg output.dat

The FFmpeg -target pal-vcd and -target ntsc-vcd presets select the required MPEG-1 video, frame rate, dimensions, bitrate, MPEG audio, and 44.1 kHz sampling rate. If the destination software accepts ordinary MPEG rather than a complete VCD image, the resulting .dat file is usually sufficient; authoring an actual disc may additionally require a VCD authoring application.

Quality and compatibility limitations

Converting a MOD recording to VCD DAT is normally lossy: MPEG-2 footage is decoded and encoded as lower-resolution MPEG-1. Keep the original MOD files for archiving and perform the conversion from those originals rather than from a previously compressed copy.

Choose PAL or NTSC based on the source and destination player. Mixing standards can produce incorrect frame rates, playback judder, or an image that older hardware refuses to display. If the MOD contains AC-3 audio, the VCD conversion must transcode it to MPEG audio; this is expected and may alter loudness or synchronization slightly.

Renaming input.MOD to input.DAT does not perform this conversion. It only changes the label, leaving the original MPEG-2 stream and container unchanged.