vcdimager: cdxa2mpeg
2.1.7 'cdxa2mpeg'
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A program to strip the RIFF header on CD-XA format tracks containing a
RIFF header.
On Microsoft Windows, people would extract the payload tracks of
Video CD's (e.g the tracks other than the first one) by simply copying
the .dat/.mpg files as seen in the filesystem of a (Video) CD.
Since many MPEG players will play tracks copied this way, people tend
to think of these as an MPEG files, but they are not. Instead they have
a RIFF container around the MPEG stream, including some mode2 sector
headers prepended to each MPEG "sector". Presumably the RIFF container
is automatically inserted by the Operating System or filesystem; it
isn't part of a Video CD.
In such a setting, 'cdxa2mpeg' will extract the MPEG portion by
stripping off the (inserted) RIFF container and mode2 sector headers.
The name cdxa2meg refers to the fact that the program reads the CD-XA
format tracks and in such a circumstance where there is a RIFF header,
strips that off "2" make an MPEG file.
The ability to see or copy the .dat/.mpg requires some sort of
filesystem support to read or show the CD Mode2 XA tracks. Depending on
the Operating System and filesystem support, seeing MPEG tracks or
having the contained in a RIFF might not available or applicable.
A better, more universal way to extract MPEGs from a Video CD is to
use the '--tracks' option of 
vcdxrip.
Info Catalog
vcdimager: vcdxminfo
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