getting movie files to play on a new iMac

[Otis226]

Hello,
I've been trying for for several days now to get my Mpeg movie files to play on a fancy new iMac without success. I've tried downloading Flipformac files that supposedly allow many unrecognized files to be played by Quick Time, and this didn't work. I also downloaded a copy of Windows media player for mac, and the files are still not recognized, (they have filenames like VTS_01.IFO, or .VOB) All these movies play fine on PCs with either win media player or cyberlink PowerDVD. Can anyone suggest a way to make my files work on this new Mac I have? Thanks much. Otis

[Baldrick]

Use VLC MEdia Player.

[whatsmyname]

Flip4mac only allows you to play WMV files. To play other formats, you need to install Perian.
http://perian.org/

Otherwise, use VLC as suggested.

[Case]

they have filenames like VTS_01.IFO, or .VOB

Looks like a DVD folder.
Launch Apple's DVD Player (pre-installed with every Mac).
File > Open DVD Media > Select VIDEO_TS folder > Click 'Choose' > Click the Play button in the Controller.

[rumplestiltskin]

Perian won't help with MPEG2 (which is what the VOBs are). You may want the QuickTime MPEG2 Component from Apple. (You -don't- need QuickTime Pro.) With the MPEG2 component installed you may also convert the video using any of the available tools; a good free tool is MPEG Streamclip.

However, if all you want to do is play the video, VLC is fine.

[Otis226]

Thanks for the suggestions, but none of them got my movie files recognized. Guess I'll have to call Apple tech support again and see if the person I get this time has a clue. Sure wish I lived close to an Apple store...next time you hear 'A Mac just works...' Don't believe it!

[pixel zombie]

i can play vob files without any problems, must be operator error...

[jman98]

Otis226 - By any chance is your disc a dual layer? I have an iMac at work and although it is supposed to be able to burn DVD+/-R DL discs, in reality it can't recognize them at all. It's not a big deal to me because it's a work computer and I have other options for burning, but if I was a home user and I bought this device I would not be pleased about that at all.

I did some reading and there is some possibility that a firmware update MIGHT solve the problem, but I am unwilling to update the firmware on the burner on the iMac. I've done firmware updates before under Windows, but I read too many dire warnings that this one might brick the burner, so I am unwilling to do it since, as I said, I have other options for burning.

Macs aren't perfect by any stretch of the imagination. I work with a bunch of hard core Mac fanboys of the worst type and I tire of the constant "Mac is wonderful" talk. One of them admitted to me that he has to run a certain program in a Windows virtual machine on his Mac because there is no Mac equivalent for it - imagine that.

[Otis226]

Thanks a lot for your input jman, no these aren't dual layer discs, as a matter of fact, they aren't discs, just movie files from discs. The thing is I can play the movies from the discs on this mac, but it doesn't recognize the files once they're downloaded onto the computer. These aren't copy protected either. So I can't figure it out. I did what someone suggested and tried VLC for mac, and that allowed me to play individual files, but not the whole movie together? Once again, if I'd know this I'd have continued to put up with the possible virus threats and stayed with PC's. I'll contact Apple tech support AGAIN, and see what they can come up with. I believe if I lived closer to an Apple store, this problem would be easier to solve with a live person nearby. Thanks again. Otis

[jman98]

Whatever you're doing is wrong. Look at one of the discs and tell us the name of each directory and what's on it. Or you can just answer this - are you dealing with DVD? You can tell because it has a directory called VIDEO_TS and inside that directory there are various .VOB and .IFO and .BUP files. If you have DVD and you just copied the contents to your hard drive, what you see is normal. DVD format breaks up movie files into pieces and players know how to play them one after the other, but you have to rip the disc exactly to your computer to do the same there.

[tomlee59]

To use VLC correctly, simply drag the VIDEO_TS folder onto the VLC icon. It sounds like you are selecting one VOB file at a time. Don't do that.

To use Apple's DVD player, follow Case's instructions precisely.

If you simply copied the DVD files onto your hard drive, things can still go awry, even if you believe that the original was not copy-protected. This problem occasionally crops up, and can be due to a variety of factors, such as damaged sectors (on either the original, or your target hard drive), slightly non-standard authoring (not unheard of, especially with discs produced by certain brands of recorders and capture boxes), etc. Quite frequently, running a ripping program (such as MacTheRipper, in its older free incarnation) will repair many of these problems. It may seem odd to have to run a ripper on an unencrypted disc, but it frequently works. You may wish to give this a try if neither VLC nor Apple's DVD player will work for you.

[londor]

All those files you are trying to play (VTS_01.IFO, .VOB, etc) should be inside a folder called VIDEO_TS. If they are not just create a folder and give it that name. Then, as Case already told you, open DVD Player which you will find in your Applications folder, in the menu bar go to File/Open DVD Media, navigate to the folder VIDEO_TS, click on "Choose" and the files should start palying as if you had inserted a DVD.

[Otis226]

A lot of advice for a novice, but I'll give it all a try, and let you know what happens...oh, the files that open when I click on the movie title are VIDEO_TS.BUP;VIDEO_TS.IFO;VTS_TS.VOB;VTS_01.0BUP,a nd things like that...I don't see any that are just VIDEO_TS, so I'll try creating that file and putting the rest in and see what that does. (I really started in the newbie/novice area, honest).

[Otis226]

Okay, so MAYBE I'm a slow learner...but I did create a VIDEO_TS folder and placed the rest of the files inside and low and behold, the movies play with being dragged to VLC or as Case tried to explain even using the DVD player. So thanks everyone for getting this mac novice feelling that I didn't waste a lot of money getting this iMac. Now onto figuring out how the heck to use iPhoto, iMovie, and some of the other apps that are here, geez, after 15 yrs. with pc's we're startin' all over...but really thank you very much for the help. Otis

[lordsmurf]

VLC

[lawnman]

Nothing like coming to a party late and suggesting something already suggested.

[terryj]

geez, after 15 yrs. with pc's we're startin' all over...but really thank you very much for the help. Otis

Welcome to our corner of the world Otis.


terryj

[lindan]

I have read the postings and have a different problem and wondered if anyone can help. I can't play any videos online or open my files in my hotmail, I'm new to imacs, its an older 2 core. Everything works well while playing a DVD ??? I'm at the wall!!!!! can someone help???

[budwzr]

Sure! What do you need?

[lindan]

I think that some original setting is not letting me play stuff and I have search all through the machine and can't sort it out. Any ideas???

[budwzr]

I think that some original setting is not letting me play stuff and I have search all through the machine and can't sort it out. Any ideas???

OK, is the apple lit up on the back? Or is it flashing?

[lindan]

I think that some original setting is not letting me play stuff and I have search all through the machine and can't sort it out. Any ideas???

OK, is the apple lit up on the back? Or is it flashing?

Not lit or flashing

[JimmyS]

Lindan, FYI, you're being scammed in the last two replys by the biggest MAC hater on the forum. You would be much better served waiting for someone that actually knows somthing about Macs.

[lindan]

thanks Jimmys

[Case]

I can't play any videos online

These are probably Flash videos (where these websites didn't provide for video playback using HTML5 specification, which would have similar features and doesn't require a third party plugin).
Install the Flash browser plugin and try again.