VOB files will not play audio?
 

I have a digitizing business, and a client brought me an external hard drive that contained VOB files.
He apparently dragged the files directly from a DVD to the hard drive instead of ripping them. He no longer has the original DVDs.
The files are contained in a "Video_TS" folder.
I can convert the VTS_.VOB files into mp4 files, but they will not play the audio.
I tried several software programs including HandBrake. HandBrake list the audio file as "Unknown(LPCM).
Does anyone have a suggestion on how to convert these files into a video format with sound?

Just for fun you should ask VLC to open up the folder containing the VOB files (which in theory should be named VIDEO_TS). VLC should recognize that it's a DVD image, and allow you to navigate the menu and watch the files. That'll be the easy way to confirm that the audio's there.

Since VOB files contain both audio and video, I doubt that's actually the problem. It sounds like there might be an issue that the audio encoding isn't being recognized. Try pointing Handbrake at the folder too, and see if it then is able to figure out the audio encoding.

-Chuck

Thanks for the suggestion
 

Chuck it does appear the audio is there, just no sound.
When I open a VOB file in VLC Media Player and open "Current Media Information" and look at the Statistics tab, I see the Audio being decoded.

DVDVob2Mpg

https://www.videohelp.com/software/DVDVob2Mpg

Don’t open the VOB files
 

What I was saying is to ignore the VOB files themselves. They’re part of a DVD. You process the DVD in VLC or Handbrake by opening the Folder they’re contained in. Try that and see if you get audio. It may help to rename the folder VIDEO_TS if its not.

Thanks for your continued help.
 

I tried opening individual files and the folder.
In other words, I selected just the folder - no luck, I have selected just one file - no luck, and I have merged 4 files into one VOB file and tried that - no luck.

I tried DVD Vob2Mpg.0, MPEG_Streamclip, and Power 2Go.
With Power2Go I used the option "Burn DVD Folder" back to a DVD to see if I could get it play sound on a DVD.

When you play the DVD directory in VLC does it work? (chapter navigation, menu, etc?)

I still think that this is a problem with the audio encoding used. VLC may see the audio track, but be unable to to decode it. That "Unknown" seems like the culprit. If you can get VLC to work, I suspect that Handbrake will work too. Given that audio & video codecs generally aren't part of applications, it doesn't surprise me that other apps don't work also.

What was used to create the DVDs in the first place? Was it some kind of DVD recorder that he attached a camcorder to? I suspect that digging into issues people had with that DVD recorder will give you a clue if you could figure out the make & model.

-Chuck

FYI:
VOB = Video OBjects file in the DVD-Video spec -- and it includes audio
IFO = InFOmation file
BUP = BackUP of the IFO file

VOB cannot be renamed, as it is more than just MPEG data (or audio data), and has nav data that makes a mess if trying to edit/etc without proper extraction. Hence Bogilein's link to VOB2MPG, but there are others. It's best to extract immediately from a disc, using DVD Decrypter in IFO mode, without file splitting (options).

If not audio:
- VOB contents damaged
- no audio in VOB
- attempting to play/edit VOB directly, which is not how DVD-Video spec works

Power2Go is lousy software for DVD-Video burning. Cyberlink has always been bad at this.
Use Imgburn (freeware).

I was curious about what BUP stood for.
If I had the disk or the original tape I could solve this problem.
I only have the VOB file to work with which was dragged to a hard drive back in 2012.
My guess is my client assumed this would save the file properly.

-- merged --

Thanks again for your suggestions.
There is not a DVD directory - no menu, navigation, etc. It is one video file.

I have no idea what was used to record the video. My client just dragged the video folder from a DVD to his hard drive back in 2012. He no longer has the DVD or the videotape. All I have to work with is the folder that was copied to his hard drive.

-- merged --

I downloaded a trial version of PAVTUBE Video Converter Ultimate since it had many options.
It listed the audio of the VOB files as:
pcm_dvd
48000hz
Channels: 2
Bit Rate: 1536000

No luck with this progams so far in restoring the audio.

Try installing IMGBurn, Make sure the folder has an exact DVD structure, Point IMGBurn to the folder, it should recognize it and asks you to burn it as DVD not DATA, click yes and let it create a DVD-Video for you, Try it on a stand alone DVD player or computer, if it plays audio then rip it back to hard drive the right way.

This is one avenue I have not tried yet.
I will let you know the results.

Thanks.

-- merged --

Good News and Bad News.
Good News - you got me to install ImgBurn - love the program.
Bad News - did not solve the audio problem - still no sound with the video.
As Thomas Edison famously said - this is not a failure but elimination of a solution that didn't work.
Thanks for the suggestion.

Yikes, Pavtube. It's almost malware-like payware.

Did you try NLE software? I know they suck but maybe if you drop the VOB file in the timeline it will recognize the audio, Alternatively if you could share a sample of the shortest VOB file here and at videohelp some folks are geniuses when it comes to video programs and they might find a workaround for ya.

I will have to look into how to get a short section of the .VOB file.

-- merged --

That is why I only tried the Trial Version.
I'm just looking for options.
I think I'm running out of options and may have to agree with your conclusion - corrupt audio on .VOB file.

-- merged --

As I was uploading, I noticed that .VOB files are not on the list for files that can be uploaded.
I tried.

-- merged --

As for NLE Software, I use DaVinci Resolve Studio.
No luck with it.
I even tried it with an older version of Adobe Premiere Elements - No luck.

Upload to Videohelp.com they have 500MB limit, as to the file type, you have to put it in zip folder.

That's not the solution. :ohmy:

Try now. :)

Problem .VOB file with audio
 

I have attached a sample of the .vob file with the audio issues if anyone wants to take a stab at it.

Problem .VOB file with audio
 

Here is another copy of that problem audio, this one is not in a zip folder.
Thank you lordsmurf for fixing the extension option for a .vob file.