Unable to convert VOB to anything other than AVI

[gremlint]

This shareware acts very strange, and I'm almost ready to conclude that it's junk.  I converted one file from VOB to MP4, but when I try it again (with another file) it "finishes" (with a "Ding!") in about one second with no result.

I get the same failure when I try to convert from VOB to DV or MOV.

[Case]

If ffmpegX stops almost immediately, then the first place to look for clues is the Process Information log. This should hold information on what the app was trying to do.
You may access this log by clicking the blue "i" in the ffmpegX Progress window, which should hold one entry for each conversion/operation since the app's launch.
If you post the content of this log here, then we can look at it and comment on it, and hopefully suggest a remedy.

If you are converting from a DVD, then it is not recommended to convert each VOB file separately.
One could merge all the VOB files that make up one DVD title set into one big file (first choice), or convert from a VIDEO_TS directly (less options, not recommended for post processing in editors).

[gremlint]

If you post the content of this log here, then we can look at it and comment on it, and hopefully suggest a remedy.

Here it is:

FFmpeg version CVS, Copyright (c) 2000-2004 Fabrice Bellard
Sun Aug 19 13:51:30 EDT 2012
Mac OSX universal build for ffmpegX
libavutil version: 49.0.0
libavcodec version: 51.9.0
libavformat version: 50.4.0
Input #0, mpeg, from '/Users/me/Desktop/VIDEO_TS/VTS_01_1.VOB':
Duration: N/A, bitrate: N/A
No audio or video streams available

[Case]

Duration: N/A, bitrate: N/A
No audio or video streams available

I did not expect that. I had a few possible error messages in mind, but this was not among them.
Is this VOB file playable in any software player?

[Case]

Duration: N/A, bitrate: N/A
No audio or video streams available

Did you perhaps copy the VIDEO_TS folder from a DVD with copy protection, without tools that remove said protection?

[gremlint]

Is this VOB file playable in any software player?

Yes, I can play it with "DVD Player" (which came installed with this iMac) or QuickTime.

Did you perhaps copy the VIDEO_TS folder from a DVD ...?

Yes, I copied the VIDEO_TS folder to my desktop.  If there was copy protection, I did not remove it.  The DVD is one that I recorded from a VHS cassette, using a Sony recorder.

[Case]

The DVD is one that I recorded from a VHS cassette, using a Sony recorder.

I expect such recordings to not have any copy protection, or the recorder would have prevented the copy.

One more thing to look at is the permissions of the files and folders: It may be set is such a way that some apps do not have access to it. I have seen this happen when copying from a DVD.
Change it as follows:
- VIDEO_TS folder: Read/Write access for everyone
- All files inside the VIDEO_TS folder: Read access for everyone

[gremlint]

Read/Write access for everyone

I just checked, and the sharing was already set to full access for everyone.

I have no idea what's going on with ffmpegX.  I can still convert VOB files to AVI, but that doesn't help, because iMovie does not read the AVI format. 

[gremlint]

It just happened again.  I transferred the VIDEO_TS folders from two more DVDs.  I was able to convert one VOB file into MP4 format, but then all other attempts to convert the other files ended in complete failure.  Even the second VIDEO_TS folder wouldn't work.

[Case]

If you can't get ffmpegX to work, then I suggest looking into HandBrake for DVD to MP4 conversions.

[gremlint]

I downloaded HandBrake, and it works very well. It seems to also have more features than ffmegX. Thank you !!!