Parsing "video.vob" files on multiple DVDs...NEED HELP!

Magnum100 2010-02-06 11:15:23 UTC #1

Here is my situation...

I am trying to save my old "Hi-8" tapes to DVD and I am having issues.

I have multiple 1 and 2 hour Hi-8 tapes that I am running from my Sharp View Cam...through a Dazzle unit (Pinnacle DVC100 Rev:1.1...purchased as a refurb)...onto my Toshiba Laptop (Satellite A105...purchased from Costo a few years back). All of the video files seem fine...but when I copy them to a DVD there is usually occassional frame freezing during playback...it gets progressively worse towards the end of the video...and worse on the longer videos vs shorter.

As a result I am trying to parse the video files from a 2 hour video on to 3 DVDs...thus placing less video on each DVD with hopes of the freeze frames being eliminiated.

I am using NeroVisionExpress 3.0.1.34 to create the video with menus and chapters. My video has the following files:

VIDEO_TS.BUP
VIDEO_TS.IFO
VIDEO_TS.VOB
VIDEO_01_0.BUP
VIDEO_01_0.IFO
VIDEO_01_1.VOB
thru
VIDEO_01_8.VOB

Fot the first DVD I copied:
VIDEO_01_1.VOB
VIDEO_01_2.VOB
VIDEO_01_3.VOB

and it seemed to work ok.

For the second DVD I copied:
VIDEO_01_4.VOB
VIDEO_01_5.VOB

and I cant see anything..no image...no nothing...

I know I messing up something, but I am very unfamiliar with video files and such. Any asisstance would be greatly appreciated...

Kerry56 2010-02-06 11:32:37 UTC #2

You cannot cut .vob files off like that. The structure of dvd-video doesn’t allow this.

What kind of files are you getting from the Dazzle unit? Are they already in dvd-video format, or are they avi or mpeg2 perhaps? You really want to split the video before putting them into dvd-video format if possible.

If you can capture in avi format, then split them with AviDemux or Virtualdub. You can split the mpeg2 files with AviDemux also (though I don’t believe it is optimal for this) or you can use the free trial of VideoReDo TV Suite, which is a frame accurate mpeg editor.

If you want to work with the dvd-video you have now, you can cut the video in two with DVDShrink in ReAuthor mode, using the Start/Stop Frame tool. You select the first section by hand, save it as a complete dvd video, then go back and select the second section and save it. You lose menus using this method.

If you want menus on both, it would be better to work with the video before putting them in dvd-video format. Having said that, it is possible to cut them in the trial of VideoReDo TV Suite, then work with each section to make new menus…so that is a possible solution for you if all you have is dvd-video. Nero might be able to do this also, but I don’t trust it not to reencode and lose quality.

Now, going back to your original problem, which is skipping towards the end of the movie. That is a classic symptom of poor quality media and/or burning too fast. I suggest getting some Verbatim 16x disks and burning them at 8x speed. See if that helps.

CDuncle 2010-02-06 11:40:28 UTC #3

You cannot split files like that and expect DVD to play.
All the info for DVD is in VIDEO_TS.IFO and VIDEO_TS VOB, so if you do what you did it will be missing those files in other disc and not play. Also do not think you can just copy those files to other splits, it is not going to work.
If you want to make sorter files, you have to split main video and create three or whatever new DVD.
In your post you did not say if you are using DVD or DVD-DL for burn. It may explain some of the problems you are having.

I guess Kerry56 posted while I was typing

Magnum100 2010-02-06 12:40:23 UTC #4

[QUOTE=Kerry56;2491999]You cannot cut .vob files off like that. The structure of dvd-video doesn’t allow this.

VIDEO_TS.BUP
VIDEO_TS.IFO
VIDEO_TS.VOB
VIDEO_01_0.BUP
VIDEO_01_0.IFO
VIDEO_01_1.VOB
thru
VIDEO_01_8.VOB

Are these considered DVD-Video format?

Can I convert these to an AVI or MPEG2 format and then split them up? What would I use?

I apologize for the naive questions…

BTW - I was burning on to Magnavox DVD+R (1-16x) discs (4.7 GB Data - 120 Minutes video)

Thanks…

Kerry56 2010-02-06 13:31:53 UTC #5

[QUOTE=Magnum100;2492014]The Dazzle unit generates the files and formats that I posted originally as follows:

VIDEO_TS.BUP
VIDEO_TS.IFO
VIDEO_TS.VOB
VIDEO_01_0.BUP
VIDEO_01_0.IFO
VIDEO_01_1.VOB
thru
VIDEO_01_8.VOB

Are these considered DVD-Video format?

Can I convert these to an AVI or MPEG2 format and then split them up? What would I use?

I apologize for the naive questions…

BTW - I was burning on to Magnavox DVD+R (1-16x) discs (4.7 GB Data - 120 Minutes video)

Thanks…[/QUOTE]

Yes, these are dvd video, found within a Video_TS folder.

You can convert these to mpeg2 without loss of quality by running them through Vob2Mpg, which is a free program. The output would be one big mpeg2 file. As I’ve been trying to point out, dvd-video isn’t a great format for doing editing in, but neither is mpeg2. It is best to use a tool that is specifically designed for working with mpeg2, which is why I recommended the fully functional trial of VideoReDo TV Suite. If you are just going to make one cut, however, you are probably ok just using AviDemux, which is completely free. Both AviDemux and VideoReDo TV Suite could accept the dvd-video without running through Vob2Mpg first, but they will essentially do the same process before you can start editing in them. Its your choice of how to import to the editing program.

Once you have the sizes you want in the mpeg files, you would have to reauthor them to dvd format. Nero Vision can do this for you. Just make sure it doesn’t re-encode them. There are other authoring choices around, like DVDStyler or GUIforDVDAuthor, but you may want to try Nero first if you are familiar with it. If you use the trial of VideoRedo TV Suite, it can build the dvd-video structure also.

Before you go to all this trouble, I’d try some better quality disks and burn them at 8x. I recommend Verbatim since they are good, and not too hard to find (Best Buy or Office Max). Sony might be another alternative. If you don’t mind waiting for an order to arrive from an online shop, get some Taiyo Yuden 8x +R disks from Rima.com or Supermediastore.com.

CDuncle 2010-02-06 14:51:03 UTC #6

[QUOTE=Kerry56;2492019]
Before you go to all this trouble, I’d try some better quality disks and burn them at 8x. I recommend Verbatim since they are good, and not too hard to find (Best Buy or Office Max). Sony might be another alternative. If you don’t mind waiting for an order to arrive from an online shop, get some Taiyo Yuden 8x +R disks from Rima.com or Supermediastore.com.[/QUOTE]

You have all those files on hard drive ready for burning. Try to play them with a software player on your computer to see if they play fine.
I agree with Kerry, the disc you are using is not too reliable and fast burning does not help.
There are free players like VLC or KMP player. Window Media Player may not play those files, but you can try.
I see you have Nero, try to use that player first.

Magnum100 2010-02-06 19:10:51 UTC #7

Thanks “Kerry56” and “CDuncle”,

I have already downloaded the trial version of “VideoReDo” and I will go and try some Verbatim CD (and burn them slower)…

Let see what happens…but I need to learn how to use VideoReDo…hmmm

Thanks