VOB to DV: Convert Video from VOB(DVD Media File) to DV(Digital Video Cassette) with River Past Video Cleaner, VOB2DV converter, conversion

What is VOB?

VOB standards for "Video Object". It is the file type to store video on a DVD disc. It is actuallly a MPEG-2 video, with special extension to support PCM, AC3, DTS audio, subpictures, and button navigation commands.

To decode DVD-VIDEO, you will need both GPL MPEG-2 Decoder, and AC-3 Decoder.

What is DV?

The format was first called DVC (as in Digital Video Cassette), later it was called simply DV. It is used in many consumer and professional grade digital camcorders.

Digital video (DV) can be captured from a DV camcorder, stored in a file on the user's computer, or stored on tape using a video tape recorder (VTR).

On Windows, DirectShow based DV capture program normally capture the DV into an AVI file. However, QuickTime based software would generally create a .DV file without the AVI header.

To convert video to DV, please have Apple QuickTime is installed.

Launch River Past Video Cleaner

Once River Past Video Cleaner is installed properly, launch Video Cleaner.

Install Decoders

To decode DVD, you need to have a couple of free decoders installed.

The first one is GPL MPEG Decoder.

GPL MPEG Decoder

Next, install AC-3 Decoder Filter.

AC-3 Decoder Filter

Add VOB File

Click on the "Add Files" button on the tool bar. The standard file open dialog appears. Select "VOB - DVD Media(*.vob)" in its "Files of type" combo box.

You should only use "Add Files" to select VOB files if they are generated by a DVD authoring software and each VOB file represent a single video clip. Do not use "Add Files" to add the VOB files on a DVD disc or DVD image.

A DVD contains many video clips, which are then divided into cells/chapters. All of the video clips are then streamed together in one big block. The VOB files on the disc is just a way to divide the block into 1GB files to be compatible with older operation systems like Windows 95, who has a file size limit.

Each VOB file on the DVD may contain multiple videos. Each video may span over multiple VOB files. If you use "Add Files", only the first clip in that particular VOB file will be parsed and added.

This picture below makes it easier to understand.

In this case, if you use "Add Files" to add VTS_01_1.VOB, you will only get the still menu. If you use "Add Files" to add VTS_01_2.VOB, you will get the end of chapter 3... This is how file based decoding works.

If you want to convert from a DVD disc or DVD VIDEO_TS directory image, use "Add DVD". We will parse the DVD information and find all the cell breaks. You will get to select which cell to convert, from 2 to 5. Still menus are ignored.

River Past Video Cleaner

Select output format

Use the setting panel on the bottom of the window to control the output format. Click on the toggle to the left of the "Output Format" label to expand the panel. Select "DV - Digital Video" as the "File Type".