Convert fob to mp4

Joined
Nov 17, 2017
Messages
39
Reaction score
0
was not sure where to post this.

I have been looking into this for a friend who just bought my MacBook Air.
she has tons of dvd videos she has purchased and soon wants to travel to family.
for the long trip, she would like to bring movies with her but packing them all up very awkward.

I know when dvd is copied to MacBook it is in two folders, audio and video. VOB I believe is in the audio folder which is the key one to use.
Ideally would like to convert the vob files to mp4. AND if possible to join either vob or mp4 together to make one file.
she then wants to copy these files to external 2tb drive to take with her.
I can't see why this copying would not be considered copyright protection problem as she has purchased them and just wants copies for easy of travel.

I have been looking at the many options on internet for this possibility.
I had read that VLC will open VOB files but there were conflicting comments on that.

I found an app for Mac and windows. ideal share from the developer site...which sounds like it could work.
just don't know yet as they have not replied as to whether the files can be joined into 1 file.

there are so many out there and I was wondering if anyone else has had any experience with this.

and which viewer would be the best to use in this case.

thnx
 

Cory Cooper

Moderator
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
11,102
Reaction score
492
Hello,

-Which version of OS X?
-Where were the VOB files purchased from? It isn't normal to get VOB files when purchasing movies from online sources...you normally get MP4, M4V, etc.
-What are you using to copy DVDs to the MacBook?

C
 
Joined
Nov 17, 2017
Messages
39
Reaction score
0
am running Sierra. own purchased dvd movies on Amazon or in retail stores.
when I copy that DVD to my Mac...there are two folders..one containing several vob files.
I can't remember now how I did it. as I was not having any luck in converting to mp4 so just left files on Mac.
think I just put dvd into external rom drive and right click and copy...

checked into copyright protection rules in Canada..and apparently if DVD purchased by you and you use only for your own purposes it is legal. however, not so in US!
 

Cory Cooper

Moderator
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
11,102
Reaction score
492
OK, thanks.

Well, you cannot simply copy the contents of a DVD to your hard drive and play them, as you have found out. You need software to convert them to a playable format.

There are many that are available, such as:
Handbrake
RipIt
Mac DVDRipper Pro

Some of these apps require additional software to disable copy-protection, some don't.

The legality of making copies of DVDs is still a somewhat heated debate, especially when concerning electronically copyrighted material. It's something that needs to be mentioned for our protection, but it's your decision.

C
 
Joined
Nov 17, 2017
Messages
39
Reaction score
0
thank you. I did run into this squared5 app referred to online before tho was not sure about it.
I am fairly new to using my Mac and don't want to screw things up!!!

I did check into the copyright protection laws in Canada and apparently as long as your are
only making copies of your own purchased dvd for your own use only...should not be an issue.
Not so in US of course..as I have read.
 
Joined
Nov 17, 2017
Messages
39
Reaction score
0
OK, thanks.

Well, you cannot simply copy the contents of a DVD to your hard drive and play them, as you have found out. You need software to convert them to a playable format.

There are many that are available, such as:
Handbrake
RipIt
Mac DVDRipper Pro

Some of these apps require additional software to disable copy-protection, some don't.

The legality of making copies of DVDs is still a somewhat heated debate, especially when concerning electronically copyrighted material. It's something that needs to be mentioned for our protection, but it's your decision.

C
what I did was insert dvd I had purchased a few years ago into from drive.
the icon showed on desktop and I opened it and saw the video and audio files.
from there I could click open the video folder and open the vob files with VLC ..... tho that was not my aim.

I used handbrake to open one of the vob files to try it out. it got stuck in 2nd pass at 50% for just about an hour.
so I am assuming it is encrypted with copyright protection. so now am looking at squared5 tho I may have same issue as handbrake...that is if it an encryption issue.

I know there is DVD fab and DVD decrypter out there but don't think I'm going to bother with those. I used them while I was on Windows but don't want to do that on my MAC.
 

Cory Cooper

Moderator
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
11,102
Reaction score
492
The Handbrake Forums have directions to install the additional software. The other two I linked to don't need anything additional, but they cost money.

C
 
Joined
Sep 17, 2014
Messages
4,854
Reaction score
241
It is definitely a complicated process to try and use HandBrake, along with some other tools.
 
Joined
Nov 1, 2017
Messages
424
Reaction score
33
I used handbrake to open one of the vob files to try it out. it got stuck in 2nd pass at 50% for just about an hour.
The normal way to use Handbrake with dvds is to just insert the dvd into the drive, open Handbrake and then click on the Open Source button(if it doesn't open automatically).

You should get a Finder type window with the dvd in the "Sidebar". Click on the dvd icon. Ignore the Audio and Video files that then appear and just click on the Open button in the bottom right corner. Handbrake will then scan the dvd.

There are more Presets than you can shake a stick at in the latest version of Handbrake. I'd just scroll down to the bottom, click on the Legacy triangle and select Normal.

Then click on the Start button.
 
Joined
Sep 17, 2014
Messages
4,854
Reaction score
241
The normal way to use Handbrake with dvds is to just insert the dvd into the drive, open Handbrake and then click on the Open Source button(if it doesn't open automatically).

You should get a Finder type window with the dvd in the "Sidebar". Click on the dvd icon. Ignore the Audio and Video files that then appear and just click on the Open button in the bottom right corner. Handbrake will then scan the dvd.

There are more Presets than you can shake a stick at in the latest version of Handbrake. I'd just scroll down to the bottom, click on the Legacy triangle and select Normal.

Then click on the Start button.

That does not work. I just tried it with two DVDs, "Murder In The First", and "The General's Daughter". (By the way, each of them only had a VIDEO_TS folder). When I clicked on "Open", yes, HandBrake scanned each one, but then the error message, "No Valid Source Found", appeared after the scan completed.

As Cory correctly stated above, at least with Copy-protected DVDs, there are additional steps one needs to take to finally be able to use HandBrake. But those steps are complicated, to say the least!
 
Joined
Sep 17, 2014
Messages
4,854
Reaction score
241
OK, success! I obtained the software RipIt (http://thelittleappfactory.com/ripit/). It's fully compatible with High Sierra, OS 10.13.x. I used it to "rip" two commercial DVDs, "The General's Daughter" and "A Time To Kill". Then, for each "ripped" file, I used HandBrake to convert each of them to mp4. Finally, I was able to use VLC to watch either of them.
 

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Top