VOBs in wrong region

[mikedamirault]

I have VOBs on my computer that I am planning to burn to DVD, whenever I go to view them in WMP (as I can do with most VOBs), I get a region error (I have a photo I can send if needed, the photo is really big so I didn't want to input it yet), i've tried some programs to change to to region 1, but it looks choppy and does not play right, does anybody know of a good program that can convert the VOBs over to Region 1 without skipping? Thanks to all who reply.

Sorry if this is in the wrong area, i'm new here and don't know where to post most stuff yet

[redwudz]

DVD43 can do that. But I think your problem may be PAL video. The region should have no effect on 'choppiness'. They use regions to control the release of DVDs for different parts of the world. Here are the regions:


If the VOBs are 25fps framerate, that may be your problem.

And this is not media. Moving you to Newbie General.

And welcome to our forums.

[mikedamirault]

Thanks, that might be what it is, I didn't think of that, thanks again for your help

[mikedamirault]

is there any easy-to-use program to change PAL VOBs to NTSC VOBs?

[redwudz]

ConvertXToDVD might work for you. You may need to convert the VOBs to a MPEG-2 file. You can do that with VOB2MPG.

To get the best quality, it's often not a simple conversion. Here's a few guides for some different methods: https://www.videohelp.com/convert#4;41

[MOVIEGEEK]

Also try FreeDVD.

[DarrellS]

ConvertXtoDVD should do PAL VOB to NTSC VOB conversion. DivXtoDVD would.

[mikedamirault]

Ok, this may seem a little picky, but there is a reason (this may be the only time i'm converting videos like this and I don't have a lot of money to spend towards converting software, and I don't like programs that "stick", that is, even after uninstall, some files stay and take up space, I had a bad experience with an older computer of mine)

Is there a free, easy, PAL VOB to NTSC VOB converter that works after being unzipped without install? (I used a Region changer program that worked like that, it is what led me to this point)

I don't know if it's in PAL or if it's in NTSC and just choppy, I ran IFOedit and it said it was in NTSC, but i'm not sure if it was true, I opened the VOBs in WMP and they run choppy, all the DVD playing programs I have require the movie to be played from the disc, just for an idea on how it plays, the audio track plays from normal to fast and vice versa and the video seems to skip a lot

I don't want to have to save to MPG because I want to keep the menu, all of the special features, different language tracks, and subtitles

[redwudz]

VLC media player can also play VOBs directly. It uses it own codecs, so it's one way to check if you are having a codec problem with the file or the problem is with the file itself.

I'm not aware of any program that is not installed that could convert a PAL VOB to a NTSC VOB. DivxToDVD is one of the few freeware converters that can do that conversion with decent quality and consistency.

You can use individual programs and extract the MPEGs out of the VOBs, then convert the framerates, then author them back to a DVD. This process takes some studying. PAL>NTSC DVD conversions can be fairly complicated to get the best quality without having sync problems. If you have a PAL capable DVD player, you can output the video to another DVD recorder and get the simplest conversion. No computer needed.

[guns1inger]

I am not convinced this is a PAL problem, for a couple of reasons.

a) PCs are format agnostic. WMP doesn't understand PAL or NTSC. It will play 23.976 fps, 25 fps and hell, even 15 fps. It won't play a VOB in a choppy fashion because it is PAL or because it is NTSC.

b) Post the region error message. Use MS Paint to crop it if you have to, so you can just post the message itself.

c) You have not said how you came by these VOBs. If they were ripped from a commercial DVD, how ? Most rippers remove the region code or set it to all regions by default.

d) I cannot work out from the first post if you ever played the vobs before trying to remove the region code. The impression is that you did not, in which case it is likely that they were choppy to begin with, and depending on the origins, may just be poorly authored or corrupt.

I don't believe we have enough information to move forward on with any degree of certainty.

[mikedamirault]

I am not convinced this is a PAL problem, for a couple of reasons.

a) PCs are format agnostic. WMP doesn't understand PAL or NTSC. It will play 23.976 fps, 25 fps and hell, even 15 fps. It won't play a VOB in a choppy fashion because it is PAL or because it is NTSC.

b) Post the region error message. Use MS Paint to crop it if you have to, so you can just post the message itself.

c) You have not said how you came by these VOBs. If they were ripped from a commercial DVD, how ? Most rippers remove the region code or set it to all regions by default.

d) I cannot work out from the first post if you ever played the vobs before trying to remove the region code. The impression is that you did not, in which case it is likely that they were choppy to begin with, and depending on the origins, may just be poorly authored or corrupt.

I don't believe we have enough information to move forward on with any degree of certainty.

a) I have another movie that I got in the same fashon, it worked just fine, well, it was region 1 NTSC to start with.

b)Ok, as soon as I get on my laptop (I am at a different placwe right now, I don't have my laptop with me), I will post the picture

c)I'd rather not say

d)I played the VOBs before I changed the region, it just gave me the "DVD is not formatted to play in this region" error (to give an idea of how it looked like, it showed the "FOX" logo statue with the spotlight thing with the following text over it)



something like the image above, just with the message on it

[Abond]

i've tried some programs to change to to region 1

Can you give more info about this? Which programs and how?
BTW, vob files don't contain region info. WMP is stupid and (more important) very close tight to the system, it is IMO not good. Which other players you tried?
To give you an example why WMP could be wrong - the Europe (PAL) and Japan (NTSC) are region 2.

[mikedamirault]

i've tried some programs to change to to region 1

Can you give more info about this? Which programs and how?
BTW, vob files don't contain region info. WMP is stupid and (more important) very close tight to the system, it is IMO not good. Which other players you tried?
To give you an example why WMP could be wrong - the Europe (PAL) and Japan (NTSC) are region 2.

The programs I used to change the region I forget at this time (I will check ASAP)

As for other players, the only media player that reads VOBs are WMP, the only other program that can play them is some VOB to m2v file converter or something like that, not sure though, and the files don't even play right in it

[guns1inger]

VLC and MPC can both play VOBs. If they can't, then the quality of the VOBs is immediately in question.

[mikedamirault]

I have VOB Blanker installed, I don't really know how to use it though, I think if I learned how it use it, it should work

[guns1inger]

to do what ? I you want it just to preview you are better off with a dedicated player.