How to Convert VOB to MP4: Digitize Your DVD Collection

Why Digitize Your DVDs Now?

DVDs do not last forever. The aluminum layer that stores data degrades over time — a phenomenon known as disc rot. Studies show that pressed DVDs can last 30-100 years under ideal conditions, but recordable DVDs (DVD-R, DVD+R) degrade faster, often within 5-15 years depending on storage conditions. If you have a collection of home movies, purchased films, or educational content on DVD, converting them to MP4 is the most reliable way to preserve them.

Beyond preservation, there is a practical reason: DVDs are inconvenient in 2026. Most laptops no longer have optical drives. Smart TVs, tablets, and phones cannot play discs. Streaming your own content from a home server or cloud storage requires digital files. Converting VOB to MP4 solves all of these problems.

This guide covers the complete workflow: extracting VOB files from DVDs, understanding their structure, converting to MP4 with optimal settings, and preserving subtitles, audio tracks, and chapter markers.

Understanding the DVD File Structure

When you open a DVD's VIDEO_TS folder, you will see files like these:

VIDEO_TS/
  VIDEO_TS.BFO
  VIDEO_TS.IFO
  VIDEO_TS.VOB
  VTS_01_0.BUP
  VTS_01_0.IFO
  VTS_01_0.VOB
  VTS_01_1.VOB
  VTS_01_2.VOB
  VTS_01_3.VOB
  VTS_02_0.VOB
  VTS_02_1.VOB

Here is what each file type contains:

The key insight: a single movie or video is split across multiple VOB files (VTS_01_1.VOB, VTS_01_2.VOB, etc.) because of the 1 GB file size limit imposed by the UDF filesystem. You need to process these files together to get the complete video.

Step 1: Extract VOB Files from DVD

Using Your Computer's DVD Drive

If your computer has a DVD drive, simply copy the VIDEO_TS folder to your hard drive. On macOS and Linux, the DVD will mount as a volume — just drag the folder to copy it. On Windows, open the DVD in File Explorer and copy the VIDEO_TS folder.

Using an External USB DVD Drive

Any USB DVD drive works for extraction. They cost around $20 and connect via USB-A or USB-C. Copy the VIDEO_TS folder just like with an internal drive.

If the DVD Is Copy-Protected

Many commercial DVDs use CSS (Content Scramble System) encryption. Tools like MakeMKV can read encrypted discs and output unencrypted MKV files. Note that circumventing copy protection may be restricted by law in your jurisdiction — see the legal section at the end of this guide.

If you already have MKV files from a DVD, our guide on how to convert MKV to MP4 covers the next step.

Step 2: Convert VOB to MP4

Method 1: Online Conversion

For quick conversions of individual VOB files, our video converter handles VOB input directly:

1. Open the MP4 converter.
2. Upload the VOB file (or the largest VTS_XX_N.VOB file for a quick preview).
3. Adjust quality settings as needed.
4. Convert and download.

Note that each VOB file is only one segment of the full video. For complete movies, use FFmpeg or HandBrake (methods 2 and 3 below).

Method 2: FFmpeg (Full Control)

FFmpeg can process individual VOB files or concatenate multiple segments into one MP4.

Convert a Single VOB File

ffmpeg -i VTS_01_1.VOB -c:v libx264 -crf 18 -preset slow \
  -c:a aac -b:a 192k -movflags +faststart output.mp4

Concatenate and Convert All VOBs from One Title

# Method A: Concat protocol
ffmpeg -i "concat:VTS_01_1.VOB|VTS_01_2.VOB|VTS_01_3.VOB" \
  -c:v libx264 -crf 18 -preset slow \
  -c:a aac -b:a 192k -movflags +faststart movie.mp4

# Method B: Concat demuxer (more reliable for many files)
# Create file list
echo "file 'VTS_01_1.VOB'" > vob_list.txt
echo "file 'VTS_01_2.VOB'" >> vob_list.txt
echo "file 'VTS_01_3.VOB'" >> vob_list.txt

# Concatenate and convert
ffmpeg -f concat -safe 0 -i vob_list.txt \
  -c:v libx264 -crf 18 -preset slow \
  -c:a aac -b:a 192k -movflags +faststart movie.mp4

Convert with Deinterlacing

Most DVDs are interlaced (480i for NTSC, 576i for PAL). Deinterlace for proper playback on modern displays:

ffmpeg -i "concat:VTS_01_1.VOB|VTS_01_2.VOB|VTS_01_3.VOB" \
  -c:v libx264 -crf 18 -preset slow -vf yadif=0 \
  -c:a aac -b:a 192k -movflags +faststart movie.mp4

Convert with Specific Audio and Subtitle Tracks

DVD VOBs often have multiple audio and subtitle tracks. List them first:

ffprobe -v error -show_streams VTS_01_1.VOB

Then select specific tracks:

ffmpeg -i "concat:VTS_01_1.VOB|VTS_01_2.VOB" \
  -map 0:v:0 -map 0:a:1 \
  -c:v libx264 -crf 18 -preset slow \
  -c:a aac -b:a 192k -movflags +faststart movie.mp4

The -map 0:a:1 selects the second audio track (zero-indexed), which is often the director's commentary or an alternative language.

Method 3: HandBrake (GUI Option)

HandBrake is a free, open-source video transcoder with a graphical interface:

1. Open HandBrake and select Open Source > choose the VIDEO_TS folder.
2. HandBrake automatically detects titles, chapters, and tracks.
3. Select the title to convert (usually the longest one is the main feature).
4. Choose the MP4 container and your desired preset.
5. Select audio tracks and subtitle tracks to include.
6. Click Start Encode.

HandBrake excels at DVD conversion because it reads the IFO files to properly identify titles, chapters, and tracks. It also handles CSS decryption if libdvdcss is installed.

Choosing Quality Settings for DVD Conversion

DVDs are 720x480 (NTSC) or 720x576 (PAL) at roughly 5-8 Mbps MPEG-2. Here are recommended settings for different goals:

For a detailed explanation of CRF values and bitrate, read our video bitrate explained guide. If you plan to compress the output further, our video compressor tool can help.

Preserving DVD Subtitles

DVD subtitles are bitmap-based (VobSub format), not text. You have three options:

Option 1: Burn Subtitles into the Video (Hardcoded)

ffmpeg -i "concat:VTS_01_1.VOB|VTS_01_2.VOB" \
  -filter_complex "[0:v][0:s:0]overlay" \
  -c:v libx264 -crf 18 -c:a aac -b:a 192k output.mp4

This permanently embeds subtitles into the video. They cannot be turned off but are visible on every player.

Option 2: Convert to Text Subtitles

Use a tool like SubRip or VobSub2SRT to OCR the bitmap subtitles into SRT text, then embed:

ffmpeg -i "concat:VTS_01_1.VOB|VTS_01_2.VOB" \
  -i subtitles.srt -c:v libx264 -crf 18 \
  -c:a aac -b:a 192k -c:s mov_text output.mp4

Option 3: Keep as External SRT

Simply place the SRT file alongside the MP4 with the same name — most players will load it automatically. For detailed instructions, see our guide on how to add subtitles to video.

Batch Converting a DVD Collection

If you have ripped dozens of DVDs to your hard drive:

#!/bin/bash
# Batch convert all VIDEO_TS folders
for dir in */VIDEO_TS; do
  title=$(dirname "$dir")
  vobs=$(ls "$dir"/VTS_01_*.VOB 2>/dev/null | grep -v '_0.VOB' | sort | tr '\n' '|' | sed 's/|$//')

  if [ -n "$vobs" ]; then
    ffmpeg -i "concat:$vobs" \
      -c:v libx264 -crf 18 -preset medium -vf yadif=0 \
      -c:a aac -b:a 192k -movflags +faststart \
      "${title}.mp4"
  fi
done

For more on batch workflows, check out our batch processing files guide.

Extracting Audio from DVD

Sometimes you want just the audio — concert DVDs, audiobook DVDs, or spoken-word content. Use our audio converter or FFmpeg:

# Extract as high-quality MP3
ffmpeg -i "concat:VTS_01_1.VOB|VTS_01_2.VOB" \
  -vn -c:a libmp3lame -b:a 320k output.mp3

# Extract as FLAC (lossless)
ffmpeg -i "concat:VTS_01_1.VOB|VTS_01_2.VOB" \
  -vn -c:a flac output.flac

For music DVDs, consider reading our FLAC vs MP3 comparison to choose the right audio format.

Trimming and Editing During Conversion

You can trim content during conversion to remove opening menus, end credits, or unwanted sections:

# Start at 2 minutes (skip menu), end at 1 hour 45 minutes
ffmpeg -ss 00:02:00 -to 01:45:00 \
  -i "concat:VTS_01_1.VOB|VTS_01_2.VOB|VTS_01_3.VOB" \
  -c:v libx264 -crf 18 -c:a aac -b:a 192k output.mp4

Our video trimmer provides a visual timeline for precise trimming. You can also use the crop video tool to remove black bars, or the rotate video tool if the source was captured at an incorrect orientation.

Legal Considerations

The legality of DVD ripping depends on your jurisdiction:

• United States: The DMCA prohibits circumventing copy protection (CSS), even for personal backups of DVDs you own. However, enforcement against individuals making personal copies has been essentially nonexistent.
• European Union: Most EU countries allow personal copies of media you own, though circumventing DRM is a gray area.
• United Kingdom: Currently, making personal copies of copyrighted DVDs is technically illegal.
• Canada: Personal copying of media you own is generally permitted.

This guide covers the technical process of converting VOB files. We are not providing legal advice — consult local laws regarding DVD copying in your jurisdiction.

Summary

Converting VOB files to MP4 preserves your DVD collection in a modern, universally playable format. The key steps are:

1. Copy the VIDEO_TS folder from your DVD to your hard drive.
2. Identify the content VOB files (VTS_XX_1.VOB through VTS_XX_N.VOB).
3. Concatenate and convert using FFmpeg, HandBrake, or our online video converter.
4. Use CRF 18 with the yadif deinterlace filter for optimal quality.
5. Preserve audio tracks and subtitles as needed.

The MP4 converter handles individual VOB files for quick conversions, while FFmpeg gives you full control for batch processing an entire collection. Either way, once your DVDs are converted to MP4, they are accessible on any device — phones, tablets, smart TVs, and media servers — with no disc drive required.