Converting .dat to divx

[RDRULES]

I have been trying to convert a vcd to divx using all the possible programs listed on the divx-digest site downloads section. Have already wastes about 20 man hours in doing that. All the files seem to be giving errors.

First I converted the dat's to .mpegs using vcd gear.
Then tried to use virtualdub. After encoding about 80% of a file, virtualdub gives an error saying "Mpeg audio error: not enough data to encode frame".
For another file, even after repairing using vcd gear, vdub gives an error something like "error in packet stream" and does not even open the file.

Then I tried using a smaller file(fragment). Virtualdub refuses the file saying "sync error". FlaskMpeg and Xmpeg convert the file to .avi but the output contains only audio, no video.

I tried Graphedit and I-media avi renderer as suggested in the how to convert stubborn dat's article. It gives no error, and finishes the encoding, but the window doesnt close. And when I close it manually, the file is unreadable by any player, including WMP, The Playa, or even virtualdub.

I really want to convert these movies, to conserve disk space.
I would appreciate any help.
Thanks!!

[setarip]

Have you tried VCD Cutter?

[UncasMS]

why would you want to convert from dat to avi in the first place?

[RDRULES]

Sorry for not replying earlier!!
My connection kept being broken whenever I wrote a reply.

Anyways, I have managed to solve the problem.

Firstly, thanks for all the replies.
VCD cutter wasnt the real problem, I know it can be used to make proper cuts of VCD's so that VirtualDub will open them but vdub was also not opening other full mpeg files due to some errors in them.

And I want to convert .dat to Divx for the simple reason of saving disk space. A .dat takes 600 odd MB on the hard disk while an avi takes only 250. An amazing reduction!

The solution is in using the old codec of divx.
Divx 3.11 Fast Motion did a nice job of converting the .mpg (made using VCDGear2.0) to a Divx avi. It takes a hell of a lot of time, but it works.
Rest I followed the instructions given in the "How to convert Stubborn MPEG's article", i.e used Graphedit and the Imedia AVI renderer.
A note: The download link to Graphedit doesnt work!!

Thanks again for the replies....

RD