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TICKET ARCHIVE -> Cannot import VOB file to imovie

rosscopeco - Nov 11, 2007 - 3:39 pm

Hi, I raised a similar question several days ago but I fear I may have asked the wrong question. I cannot import some .vob movie files on my mac to imovie. I recently upgraded to a mac from a pc and whilst transferring my movie files over to the mac I discovered that a VLC media player (that had been downloaded onto my pc without my consent) has converted the movie files to only open in the VLC player. I've now got all the movie files onto my mac but they will not import into imovie despite them still showing .vob format. Help please!

earthsaver - Nov 11, 2007 - 11:00 pm

As far as I know, iMovie doesn't support .vob files. I'm not sure how you mean that it was impossible to open them in any player other than VLC on your PC, but further, iMovie is an editing application designed to import movies you took with a camera. Is that what you're trying to do?

If you just want to play them, I know VLC supports .vob, as you found on the Windows side. I recommend downloading the Mac version.

- Ben

rosscopeco - Nov 12, 2007 - 6:34 am

Yes that is what I'm trying to do. The files originate from a sony dvd camcorder. In the past once the dvd is full on the camcorder I've just been finalizing the dvd (on the camcorder) and then putting it into an usb external dvd drive on the macbook pro. As soon as I open imovie it detects the dvd in the external drive as a camera and downloads the files. The difference here is that I saved the original dvd's from the camcorder to my pc hardrive as I needed to reuse the dvd's. Is there any way in which I can import them from my hardrive into imovie as I want to edit them.

I've just thought of something else....if I make / burn new dvd's from my mac hardrive, imovie might see them in a different light if I go through the same process as above? Any thoughts?

rosscopeco - Nov 12, 2007 - 6:51 am

Yes that is what I'm trying to do. The files originate from a sony dvd camcorder. In the past once the dvd is full on the camcorder I've just been finalizing the dvd (on the camcorder) and then putting it into an usb external dvd drive on the macbook pro. As soon as I open imovie it detects the dvd in the external drive as a camera and downloads the files. The difference here is that I saved the original dvd's from the camcorder to my pc hardrive as I needed to reuse the dvd's. Is there any way in which I can import them from my hardrive into imovie as I want to edit them.

I've just thought of something else....if I make / burn new dvd's from my mac hardrive, imovie might see them in a different light if I go through the same process as above? Any thoughts?

earthsaver - Nov 12, 2007 - 7:06 am

You could try, but I don't think it works that way. My first thought is: did the camera record as .vob or some other format? Can you simply change the file extension to .avi, perhaps, and make iMovie read properly? Or, instead of wasting a DVD, you could try using Disk Utility to make a DVD Master image containing the files; not sure how to tell it to make the image appear like an original DVD, though.

What version of iMovie are you using? According to Apple, "you can import video from any file in one of the following formats: MPEG-4, DV, or .mov files." Knowing that VLC is capable of playing but not saving/exporting movies, I wonder how you ended up with .vob files in the first place.

rosscopeco - Nov 12, 2007 - 9:19 am

The camera records in .vob format. I'll try changing the file extensions on the pc as the mac just shows the files in 'finder' as execu files? . Not sure how to make DVD master image. It's imovie '08 version 7.1. I'm still convinced this VLC media player is the route of the whole problem. Do you know of any free programmes that converts VLC files to DV, .mov etc? Will let you know how I get on when I get home.

earthsaver - Nov 12, 2007 - 10:19 am

Are you saying the Finder doesn't recognize them as .vob files? If that's the case, try renaming them, adding the .vob extension. Perhaps that will be the simple solution. Also possible that changing the extension to .dv would allow iMovie to import them properly. Otherwise, I'm happy to reopen your question for another tech to tackle.