Help converting VOB for playback in Windows Movie Maker (newbie).

[tooham]

I have a few DVDs I want to convert for playback in Windows Movie Maker, but am unsure of the best VOB to AVI or MPEG converters. I need audio and picture quality retained. It'd be great if there was freeware and an explanation of how to convert the files. Also, are there any better freeware programs for Windows besides Movie Maker? I use Vista. Thanks.

[Baldrick]

I would try vob2mpg to convert your dvd to one single mpg file, no quality loss. But editing mpg in wmm is very buggy.

You could also convert the dvd to dv-avi or avi mjpeg/huffyuv that it is better to edit in wmm, but it's not as simple as vob2mpg. I would probably use avidemux, load the first main .vob from the dvd, under video choose dv-avi or mjpeg or huffuv, under audio choose lpcm wav, save as an avi.

Or use a dvd/mpeg editor like mpeg video wizard dvd that can import dvd vobs directly. Not free though.

[tooham]

I installed Avidemux, but when I try to open the VOB files, I get this message:

This looks like an MPEG, do you want to index it? Whether I say yes or no, it does not append it and ultimately cannot open the file. Did I install correctly? Can you walk me through this? Thanks.

[Baldrick]

Commercial DVD? Then must you decrypt if first using dvdfab decrypter. If not then I don't know because it works fine with all dvd vobs I have tested...But you have several more converters to try like winff, super, xvid4psp....

[tooham]

It's actually a DVD containing DVR-recorded specials.

I'll let you know how the other converters you recommended work out.

[tooham]

Ok, I tried winff and when I import the AVI into WMM, only audio plays back. It enters the audio/music portion of the timeline.

[poisondeathray]

Did you try any of the other suggestions? Please report what you have tried and what did not work

Can you open a sample file from the DVR in gspot and mediainfo, and post the information? We need to know more information about what kind of files these are.

[tooham]

Ok, I opened the file in gspot and this is the information:



Let me know if I must provide more information besides the fact that I want to have the audio and video played in WMM.

[qpskfec]

What is the desired end result?

You are starting with a DVD and you want it "played" in WMM? If all you want to do is play the DVD then use VLC or Media Player Classic to play the DVD.

If you want to re-author the original DVD to produce a new one, then I wouldn't use WMM. If you are starting out with DVD compliant MPEG video, then there's no point in converting it to another format.

I would edit the clips in an MPEG editor like VideoRedo, then load into a DVD authoring program to create a new DVD. I use DVD Movie Factory, but I think DVD Flick, which is free, will also work. (I have been meaning to try out DVD Flick)

[tooham]

I want to edit portions of the video out in WMM, unless you know a better free program that I can do that in.

As of now I cannot open the files in WMM, so I need help converting them.

[t0nee1]

Not sure why Avidemux didn't work for you...Maybe b/c you seem to, not have an AC3 decoder...Install the AC3 filter...

[poisondeathray]

gspot says you don't have a MPEG2 codec installed, so you probably can't play it back in a directshow player e.g. WMP11, MPC

a couple of free ones are ffdshow (you have to enable MPEG2) in the configuration, or Stinky's MPEG2 codec

for free simple editors, you can try mpg2cut2 , but it won't be frame accurate (ie. the cutsite may be a bit off the exact place where you want to cut).

cuttermaran is frame accurate, but you need to demultiplex into elementary streams (video & audio)- it might be a bit difficult to use at first for beginners

avidemux should work, but for some reason it didn't work for you (did you try the newest version) ? It doesn't rely on external decoders, so you shouldn't have to install anything else

[tooham]

Ok, I will try to fix the problem with ffdshow and avidemux.

For ffdshow, what should I be downloading if I have Vista?

[qpskfec]

I want to edit portions of the video out in WMM, unless you know a better free program that I can do that in.

As of now I cannot open the files in WMM, so I need help converting them.

If your goal to produce a new DVD, then converting MPEG to AVI back to MPEG is very inefficient.

Use one of the free mpeg cutters as mentioned above and load the files in DVD Flick to re-author.

[tooham]

I'll try that, but can someone answer my last post for reference?

[poisondeathray]

click on the ffdshow link and download it from the author's website

if you have 64bit os, download the 64bit version

[tooham]

Done. How can I apply the proper codec to my files in ffdshow and what should I do exactly with avidemux (step-by-step, please)? Hopefully the answers to these questions will solve my problems.

[poisondeathray]

avidemux doesn't rely on ffdshow

ffdshow is for directshow players and editors (e.g. mpc, wmp11)

start menu=>programs=>ffdshow > ffdshow video configuration (red icon)=> mpeg2 set to libavcodec

for avidemux, use the latest build http://avidemux.razorbyte.com.au/
it should automatically append the files if sequentially numbered . If not, you can append them manually (file=>append). All you have to do is open it and say yes to indexing. I know you already tried, but make sure you have the latest version.

If you can't get it to work in avidemux, try mpg2cut2 . Another option is cuttermaran, but it is a bit complex at first. There is a step-by step guide pdf you can download from the author's site.

[zoobie]

sometimes, you can just change the vob extension to mpg and it works...but you'll need the mpeg2 codec of course...

[tooham]

Can one of you inform me on what to do in avidemux again? All I've done is change the codec in ffdshow.

[poisondeathray]

1) open the video

2) say yes to index

3) say yes to append

4) if it doesn't automatically append, manually do it using file=>append

5) use the mark in/ mark out segments to mark the segments you either want to keep or delete. e.g. if you want to delete commercials, just mark the beginning and end, push delete (use the "a" and "b" to mark in/out, use the "<<" , ">>" to move to keyframes)

6) video sidebar set to copy, audio set to copy, format set to mpeg-ps, press save with extension (e.g. "myfile.mpg")

[tooham]

Ok, final question.

Which application of avidemux do I open?

avidemux2_cli, avidemux2_gtk, avidemux2_qt4, avsproxy, or avsproxy_gui?

[tooham]

Ok, nevermind that. I was successful using avidemux, but only audio plays in WMM. The full video and audio plays in other programs like WMP. Ideas?

[poisondeathray]

Why are you using WMM ? You said you wanted to keep the quality - if that's true, you shouldn't be doing any re-encoding

Go back and read over this thread, and the reasons not to use it

You can do the simple editing in avidemux or some of the other options already mentioned