How can I import a .vob format without loss of audio/video quality?

[legz]

Hello, I have problems by importing my .VOB format clip into Adobe.

When I do that the audio sounds somehow different. Here I have the videos for comparison

[changed vod to vob, mod]

[Warren Heaton]

Yikes!  That's unexpected for sure.

While this adds an extra step, have you tried exporting the audio from VLC Player and then dropping that under the picture in Premiere Pro?  You could also opt to export the picture and sound form VLC Player.

You could also try Handbrake, Mac Video Ripper Pro or DVDxDV Pro (that last one is for professional convention of DVD-Video to video editing formats, but it hasn't been updated and may require an older version of macOS to run).

You could also double-check that your Premiere Pro is up-to-date.  Sometimes that resolves issue like this.  Sometimes it does not.

-Warren

[Kristian Gabriel]

Wow! That is definitely a difference and unfortunately very common. While VOB files can play fine from a desktop level, it is better to decompress them into an intermediate codec for smoother decode in Premiere. Even converting VOB to H.264 can greatly improve the playback. I'm with Warren on the fact that Handbrake is a great choice if you continue to have issues with with the conversion. So as a summary:

Review: VOB is not a great editing format and should function better in an intermediate codec.

One Possible Solution: Use Media Encoder to encode to a Quicktime/Prores, Quicktime/Cineform or at least an H.264.

Backup Possible Solution: Use Handbrake or 3rd Party to encode to another, more stable codec for editing.

The reason I would probably use Prores or Cineform is that the audio can be decompressed to an uncompressed format like a WAV or AIF conversion--they can often fix tricky audio. There are other options for fixing but this is what I would try first. Good luck!

[Roland Kahlenberg · Accepted solution]

VOB files are essentially MPEG-2 files - you can change the file extension from VOB to MPG and it should play back fine. I'm in agreement with Warren to pull out the audio separately and then match it back in PPro - it's obvious PPro has issues dealing with the highly compressed audio segment of the video. Kristian is also right to re-encode the VOB to a more compliant format for editing. If you are going to H264, try setting a bitrate of 10-25 Mbps - test out a short section before proceeding, to see which bitrate best meets your needs and storage capabilities.

[ClairdJ]

I have just changed the file extension on an old .VOB file to .MPEG and the audio now works perfectly. I had been trying to import into Premiere Pro and the audio was not playing at all. Thank you!

[Roland Kahlenberg]

You're very welcome. 🙂

[Ann Bens]

Do what we did in the old days: convert to plain old sd-mov or dv avi for windows.

You can do this with CS6 which is more forgiving with old footage.

[Abambo]

It's really a long time ago that I had to do such hacks. VOB files are relatively complex multiplexed video and (multiple) sound files. There exist tools to demultiplex VOB files without converting.

You may find more info here:

https://forum.doom9.org/index.php

[Stan Jones]

Abambo makes a good point regarding the structure of vobs.

What is multiplexed in the vob file can be many streams, video, audio, subtitles, etc. And there can be more than one audio stream. And sometimes, you get vobs from disks done using very unstandard specs.

I would use MediaInfo to look at what the audio stream(s) have in them.

Extracting the audio stream without converting can save quality loss. But here the more important problem may be whether the audio stream you are extracting is the wrong one, or whether it is in an odd format.

[Ann Bens]

dv avi/mov sd is visual lossless.

[ABECKER2022]

I've been searching for awhile to find a good way to convert a .VOB file format to a .MP4, .MOV, or other without losing sound! I finally tried Apple MacBook Compressor and that worked like a charm.

[FLBreen]

I have been able to copy VOB files from a DVD to the PC drive and then Import the VOB file to Pr V23 with no need to change the .VOB suffix. The result is that the video file (up to 1GB for each VOB file)  has both audio and video and it has much better quality than using Handbrake or any other ripping app that prduce much smaller mp4 files. The problem is that in the Pr sequence the video is about 1 second ahead of the audio. 

[McMedia]

Here's what worked for me (PPro v24.xx)

1. Copy all the VOB files off the DVD to a local drive
2. Open VLC - (videolan.org)
3. Convert the desired VOB file(s) to WAV file(s), 48k, 192 bitrate, stereo (Use VLC player to convert)
4. Bring the VOB files and the WAV files into a Premiere project
5. Start a new sequence with the VOB file (PP will only process the video not the audio)
6. Sync the WAV file in that same sequence
7. Export Mp4 or whatever

I'd rather just use Media Encoder to transcode, but it won't quite do it. All the best!

[Averdahl]

Here's what worked for me (PPro v24.xx)

1. Copy all the VOB files off the DVD to a local drive
2. Open VLC - (videolan.org)
3. Convert the desired VOB file(s) to WAV file(s), 48k, 192 bitrate, stereo (Use VLC player to convert)
4. Bring the VOB files and the WAV files into a Premiere project
5. Start a new sequence with the VOB file (PP will only process the video not the audio)
6. Sync the WAV file in that same sequence
7. Export Mp4 or whatever

I'd rather just use Media Encoder to transcode, but it won't quite do it. All the best!

By @McMedia

Why all those steps when you just can import the .vob-files directly and edit them?

I just did that, just imported the files, from some home authored old concert movies and the only thing i had to do was to merge one or two .vob-together befor importing them My file explorer Directory Opus did that.