MPEG 2 Extension for VLC? (VLC can't play its own recordings?!?!)

[gastrof]

I played a home-recorded DVD thru VLC. I wanted to put the recording onto my computer's hard drive, and so started playing the DVD on VLC, and hit "record".

When the disc was recorded to the hard drive, I tried to play it thru VLC, but all I got was the audio. The screen was black.

It can't play a recording IT made?

I then tried to play the same recording thru Windows Media Player, and the player told me the computer needed an MPEG 2 video extension. It opened the Windows App store, and the extension downloaded. Windows Media Player can now play the video, but VLC still can't.

Is there a way to get VLC to use the same extension, or is there another version of the same extension that I can incorporate into VLC?

EDIT:
I might add here that trying to use WinFF to convert the video to .mp4, the results were an .mp4 that had no picture, just audio. AVIDEMUX 2.5.4, however, was able to show video on its own screen, and it successfully converted the .mpg video to an .mp4 that plays on anything. Why can VLC record off a DVD, but then not play back the very video it created? Help!

[usually_quiet]

Your computer details indicate that you are using Windows 7 and a Core2 Duo iGPU. However, you mentioned the Windows App Store. Does that mean that you have switched from Windows 7 to Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 and replaced that computer?

For what it's worth, VLC still works for me with Input /Codecs set up to use "Automatic" for hardware-accelerated decoding using Windows 7 Home 64-bit. Recent Intel iGPUs processors like my Haswell i5 seem to do a good job. Other than hardware-accelerated decoding, I think VLC is limited to using libmpeg2 or ffmpeg for MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 decoding, at least that is what its documentation pages say. https://wiki.videolan.org/VLC_Features_Formats/

[gastrof]

Your computer details indicate that you are using Windows 7 and a Core2 Duo iGPU. However, you mentioned the Windows App Store. Does that mean that you have switched from Windows 7 to Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 and replaced that computer?

For what it's worth, VLC still works for me with Input /Codecs set up to use "Automatic" for hardware-accelerated decoding using Windows 7 Home 64-bit. Recent Intel iGPUs processors like my Haswell i5 seem to do a good job. Other than hardware-accelerated decoding, I think VLC is limited to using libmpeg2 or ffmpeg for MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 decoding, at least that is what its documentation pages say. https://wiki.videolan.org/VLC_Features_Formats/

I'll have to fix that. Thank you. I'm currently running Windows 10 1809, 64 bit.

I've found the Input/Codecs settings, but mine is also set to "Automatic". I just can't see why VLC wouldn't be able to play back the video of a recording it made itself.

[pandy]

Why record DVD when you can just copy DVD to HDD... Not sure how recording works in VLC and overall idea to "record" something already recorded is bizarre...

[gastrof]

Why record DVD when you can just copy DVD to HDD... Not sure how recording works in VLC and overall idea to "record" something already recorded is bizarre...

How would you copy a DVD to the hard drive? All I want is the .mpg file, which VLC creates when playing back the DVD with the record button pressed. You weren't aware of that feature in VLC?

I want an .mpg copy of the recording, not all the folders from the DVD. Normally this works, but for some reason after the recording is made, VLC can't play the recording back... A recording that VLC made itself.

If nobody here understands what's going on here, I guess maybe I'll have to post on VLC's message boards and see if anyone there does.

[usually_quiet]

I have the latest Windows version downloaded from VideoHelp's software pages. Did you obtain VLC from VideoHelp or from the Windows store? The version available from the Windows store is called "VLC for Windows Store". It is slightly different from the "standard" VLC. The two versions have separate download links at VLC's website. See https://www.videolan.org/vlc/

[lingyi]

Why record DVD when you can just copy DVD to HDD... Not sure how recording works in VLC and overall idea to "record" something already recorded is bizarre...

How would you copy a DVD to the hard drive? All I want is the .mpg file, which VLC creates when playing back the DVD with the record button pressed. You weren't aware of that feature in VLC?

I want an .mpg copy of the recording, not all the folders from the DVD. Normally this works, but for some reason after the recording is made, VLC can't play the recording back... A recording that VLC made itself.

If nobody here understands what's going on here, I guess maybe I'll have to post on VLC's message boards and see if anyone there does.

Use DVD2MPG to quickly and easily convert VOBs to MPG. If you're still having issues converting the .mpg, someone will likely be able to tell you which options in the program to fix your problem.

[pandy]

How would you copy a DVD to the hard drive? All I want is the .mpg file, which VLC creates when playing back the DVD with the record button pressed. You weren't aware of that feature in VLC?

nope, doesn't use VLC since pre 0.9

I would try to copy files from DVD (some of them are accessible from Windows and i assume from Linux too).
Secondly there is few dedicated applications to copy DVD with functionality that allow to manipulate some components (audio tracks, subtitle tracks etc). Extension vob is in fact a mpg (MPEG Program Stream) (so changing extension vob to mpg is correct).

Give a chance to dedicated DVD copy application - https://www.videohelp.com/software/sections/decrypters-dvd-rippers and perhaps https://www.techradar.com/news/the-best-free-dvd-ripper .

[lingyi]

How would you copy a DVD to the hard drive? All I want is the .mpg file, which VLC creates when playing back the DVD with the record button pressed. You weren't aware of that feature in VLC?

nope, doesn't use VLC since pre 0.9

I would try to copy files from DVD (some of them are accessible from Windows and i assume from Linux too).
Secondly there is few dedicated applications to copy DVD with functionality that allow to manipulate some components (audio tracks, subtitle tracks etc). Extension vob is in fact a mpg (MPEG Program Stream) (so changing extension vob to mpg is correct).

Give a chance to dedicated DVD copy application - https://www.videohelp.com/software/sections/decrypters-dvd-rippers and perhaps https://www.techradar.com/news/the-best-free-dvd-ripper .

While a VOB is an mpeg stream, it contains additional header info that may cause issues when trying to edit. Programs like DVDVOB2MPG (VOB2MPG is reported not to work on Win 10, my system included) strip the additional info and make it compliant for editing.

Edit: Use the right tool for the job. Which in this case, just renaming a .vob to .mpg or using VLC is not.

"3.What is the difference between a VOB file and an MPEG file?

Below are some text about the VOB file that may be helpful for you.

1. VOB stands for "Video Object" as defined in DVD specifications. Although a vob file is also an MPEG file, it has additional data that a standard MPEG decoder will not understand, e.g., the private data, which only a DVD decoder will understand. Those data include information about the file offsets and time duration of all chapters included in the VOB file.

2. Whenever a vob file is edited, some of those information will no longer be valid and may be discarded by the editor; and some other data ("user data" in the MPEG specs) which include the caption texts, will be preserved by the editor. This is why that the editor does not have a VOB format for saving.

3. To write back the edited VOB files to a DVD disc for playback on a standard DVD player, you will need to go through another process called DVD authoring, which can be done using Womble's DVD Maker, or using another DVD authoring software."

http://www.womble.com/support/FAQ09.html

[lingyi]

The OP's DVDs are home recordings, so he doesn't have to use a separate program to rip them. He can just extract (with 7-Zip or Bandizip) the folders/files from an .iso directly to the hard drive.

[gastrof]

The OP's DVDs are home recordings, so he doesn't have to use a separate program to rip them. He can just extract (with 7-Zip or Bandizip) the folders/files from an .iso directly to the hard drive.

I don't want the .iso. As explained, I want the .mpg.

Here's the really weird thing...

I just tried to record a second home-made DVD using VLC, and the .mpg that VLC created IS playable on VLC. I'm guessing the mpeg 2 extension must have been needed for the recording end of things too.

That first DVD I recorded, its .mpg still won't play on VLC, but this new one will. I'm now guessing that any more VLC recordings WILL easily play on VLC. VERY strange.

I'm going to try and re-record the first DVD now, and see if it comes out all right.

[lingyi]

My error. I was thinking you had the disc ripped to .iso on your hard drive.

Go to the drive with your disc.
Copy the VIDEO_TS folder over to your hard drive.
Open DVDVOB2MPG
Select all VOBs
Check Convert input files and add them to one single file
Click Convert to MPG
Done!

Or keep using VLC as a hammer to drive a screw

[gastrof]

My error. I was thinking you had the disc ripped to .iso on your hard drive.

Go to the drive with your disc.
Copy the VIDEO_TS folder over to your hard drive.
Open DVDVOB2MPG
Select all VOBs
Check Convert input files and add them to one single file
Click Convert to MPG
Done!

Or keep using VLC as a hammer to drive a screw

While I appreciate your effort, none of this tells me why the record feature on VLC isn't working. I mean, it's there for a reason, and it's very easy to use. You're playing a video, you hit record, and it records the file. I don't understand why it's not working right. But then, as explained above, once the mpeg 2 extension was installed, VLC seems to have benefited. The next DVD I tried to record WAS playable by VLC.

Next, a third disc, and a second attempt at recording the first one.

[pandy]

While I appreciate your effort, none of this tells me why the record feature on VLC isn't working. I mean, it's there for a reason, and it's very easy to use. You're playing a video, you hit record, and it records the file. I don't understand why it's not working right. But then, as explained above, once the mpeg 2 extension was installed, VLC seems to have benefited. The next DVD I tried to record WAS playable by VLC.

Next, a third disc, and a second attempt at recording the first one.

As you providing very limited amount of information and at the same time you are asking for rarely used functionality of not so popular multimedia player then don't expect quick and accurate answer...
Firstly analyse received stream why it doesn't play (perhaps some stream analyzer)?
Issue may be related to decrypting library not present in VLC build you are using (AFAIR official distribution lacks of few things and missing libdvdcss may be one of them).

[usually_quiet]

While I appreciate your effort, none of this tells me why the record feature on VLC isn't working. I mean, it's there for a reason, and it's very easy to use. You're playing a video, you hit record, and it records the file. I don't understand why it's not working right. But then, as explained above, once the mpeg 2 extension was installed, VLC seems to have benefited. The next DVD I tried to record WAS playable by VLC.

Next, a third disc, and a second attempt at recording the first one.

Which VLC were you using, "VLC for Windows Store" version or the standard desktop version, "VLC for Windows"? There is a difference. The following is a quote from the Windows Store listing for VLC:

⚠ ⚠ Beware! This VLC does not feature all the features of the classic VLC! It does not support DVD or Blurays! Use the desktop version instead! ⚠⚠

Beyond the lack of decryption libraries, I don't know what those differences are. I thought maybe the lack of a valid MPEG-2 license from the MPEG LA for decoding video could be the problem but as the remaining US patents for MPEG-2 expired this year, an MPEG-2 decoder license should not be required anymore.

[lingyi]

There's a lot of additional info that can be added to a .vob or .mpg that can cause issues and VLC may be passing them through:


[Attachment 47513 - Click to enlarge]
From DVDVOB2MPG

Try running the file you're having issues with through mpeg-vcr, http://womble.com/products/vcr.html which will output a clean .mpg file. There's a free 30-day trial.

[usually_quiet]

There's a lot of additional info that can be added to a .vob or .mpg that can cause issues and VLC may be passing them through:


[Attachment 47513 - Click to enlarge]
From DVDVOB2MPG

Try running the file you're having issues with through mpeg-vcr, http://womble.com/products/vcr.html which will output a clean .mpg file. There's a free 30-day trial.

I don't think MPEG-VCR will be of help. Three weeks ago, I tried to install the latest trial of MPEG-VCR on a Windows 10 PC running version 1709. MPEG-VCR would not go past the validation window. None of the compatibility settings made any difference. I also tried the older version available from Womble's website, with the same results.

[lingyi]

Ahh...you're right! I haven't used it in years and it won't even open in Win 10. MPEG Video Wizard DVD 5.0 opens, but crashes with I load a .vob

I just opened a .vob in Avidemux and chose Mpeg2 (ff) (Mpeg Encoder does work) and output as Mpeg PS Muxer (ff) and it gives me a .mpg. I don't know what it stripped anything though.