Canon DSLR recorded a random DAT file amongst the MOV’s

[Karyn Reohr]

I think I figured out what happened…my assistant opened the battery case to change batteries while it was recording so the camera shut off in recording mode.

I am now thinking I have a corrupt DAT file that may still contain movie data (I’m hoping it does)! Several DAT to MOV software programs have failed to open it.

Does anyone know how I can repair a corrupt file, or one that was not “closed” properly during record mode?

Thanks,
Karyn

[Pete Burger]

To find out, if the file contains movie data, you could try opening it with the free VLC-player. It most of the times plays even corrupt files. Haven’t tried it with DSLR-video, but it almost always plays corrupt .wmv or .avi files, that won’t open in any other player.

Can’t help you with the question of how to repair the files, but maybe this could help you to assure, if there is usable movie data in it…

[Morton Molyneux]

You can try https://aeroquartet.com/

I used them to repair a corrupted clip earlier this year.

cheers

Morton

[Karyn Reohr]

Hi Peter,

I tried to open it with VLC. VLC “opened” it and the timeline started to play, but no video or audio appeared. It was like a silent file.

Thanks for the suggestion! I will try the other solution of that company, if anyone else has any other referrals to companies that will repair corrupt files in this situation let me know! (I.e. Situation is most likely that camera was abruptly shut off while recording to SD card and video data is now in a generic DAT container file which should have been in MOV).

Thanks,

Karyn

[Karyn Reohr]

Morton…you are a life saver. Can I send you a free drink? I wish I could over email!

It looks like their program is going to work for me. Thank you SO much, I really mean it. It’s the difference between getting paid for a $500 job, and not. But more importantly to my client, it’s the speech given by the sister of a beloved pediatrician in our community who died falling off a ladder putting Christmas lights up for his family. It really means a lot that the funeral video is intact.

Again thank you SO much for seeing this and responding to it.

Karyn

[Morton Molyneux]

Not a problem Karyn, glad to help. Now drinks by email that would be nice. A friend of mine fell off a ladder doing the same thing 4 years ago just before Christmas. Very badly broken ankle but survived. His wife will not let him forget it though.

The video clip that I had go bad was also the result of someone turning the camera off before stopping the recording.

cheers

Morton

[Jason Ramirez]

Hi, was this ever resolved, I too have this issue now.
??
Thanks

[Mac Amos]

Hi Karyn .. I have the same problem with you. My supposed to be .mov file turns to .dat file. I am not sure what happened. How did you sent your file for fixing? the .dat file alone? Thanks

[Angel Andres rosado]

Yes, I do believe the original poster’s problem was solved. Go to the website for the company named “Aero Quartet”.

I used them and they charged me about $10 per minute of repaired h.264 .mov video from my canon t3i ($63 for a 6m11s clip)

Here’s their link: https://aeroquartet.com/movierepair/repair.html

[Robert Newton]

Just want to pipe in here. SO glad I found this thread. A few months after we shot an event with a couple of 5Ds, found one critical .mov file was corrupt and reading as a .DAT file. https://www.aeroquartet.com service completely saved us. Salvaged the 2gig file and had it back to us in an hour. Cost us $95, but well worth it.

Robert N.