You can play almost any VOB file with VLC Player, which is available for all major operating systems. With very similar functions, you can also use MPC-HC in Windows. If you have a Plex media server, convert the VOB file to MKV format to make it easier for you to stream the file without losing quality. You can also burn VOB files back to a disc and play them on a regular DVD player. You cannot play encrypted VOB files.
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Method 1 of 4: Using VLC Player
Step 1. Start a web browser and visit videolan.org
VLC Player is an open-source video player that you can get for free. This program can play almost any type of video file, including the VOB format.
Step 2. Click the “Download VLC” button
Your computer will automatically download the correct installer for the operating system you are using. If you downloaded the wrong installer (say you're on a Mac, but downloaded the EXE file), just click the logo for your computer's operating system below the download button.
Step 3. Run the VLC installer once you have finished downloading it
The installation process will begin. You can find this installer file in the Downloads folder, or in the Downloads section of your web browser.
Step 4. Follow the given instructions to install VLC
The process will be different for Windows and MacOS computers, but you can leave it in the default settings.
Step 5. Run VLC Player
Once you have VLC installed, run the program from the Start menu (for Windows) or the Applications folder (for MacOS).
Step 6. Click the "Media" (for Windows) or "File" (for MacOS) menu
Several menu options for opening media files will appear.
Step 7. Select "Open Folder" (for Windows) or "Open File" (for MacOS)
This will allow you to open the VIDEO_TS folder that contains the VOB files.
Step 8. Browse to the folder containing the VOB file
The folder is usually named VIDEO_TS if the file is a direct rip from a DVD.
Step 9. Open the desired folder to start playing the VOB file
When you open the folder, VLC Player will start playing the video as if you were inserting a DVD disc. You can access the DVD menu, special features, chapters, and various other bonuses.
Method 2 of 4: Using MPC-HC (Only for Windows)
Step 1. Check if your computer is running 32-bit or 64-bit Windows
You'll need to know this in order to download the correct MPC-HC version.
- Press Win+Pause or right-click "Computer" in the Start menu, then select "Properties".
- In the window that appears, take a look at the entry " System type ". If it says "64-bit" or "x64", you are running a 64-bit system. If it says "32-bit", "x86", or doesn't say anything about the bits, you are running a 32-bit system.
Step 2. Visit the MPC-HC website
MPC-HC is a free, open source media player. This program can play VOB files and almost all other video formats. You can download it for free at mpc-hc.org/downloads/
MPC-HC is only available for Windows computers
Step 3. Click the “Installer” link for the Windows version you are using
This will download the installer program from the MPC-HC site.
Step 4. Run the installer and follow the given instructions
The file size is not large and it only takes a few moments to download. Once downloaded, run the installer and follow the given instructions to install MPC-HC. You can leave it in the default settings.
Step 5. Run MPC-HC once you have finished installing it
There are several options to choose from, you can run them from the installer, or look for a program shortcut on the desktop.
Step 6. Click the "File" menu and select "Quick Open File"
A file browser window will open.
Step 7. Browse to the folder containing the VOB file
When you rip a DVD file into VOB format, you will usually have a folder called VIDEO_TS which contains all the VOB files. Find and open this folder in the file browser.
Step 8. Select the "VIDEO_TS.ifo" file
This file contains the contents of the DVD so you can play the menus and all the special features.
You can select any of the VOB files, but you'll only be playing the DVD portion of the file
Step 9. Open the file
The DVD will play from the beginning, loading the proper VOB files if needed.
Method 3 of 4: Using Plex Media Server
Step 1. Download MakeMKV
Plex takes a long time to read VOB files so it's a good idea to use MakeMKV to convert them to MKV. The quality of the files will not decrease, but the menus will disappear. Chapters are still being maintained.
Visit makemkv.com/ and click the "Download MakeMKV for Windows" link to download the installer
Step 2. Run the installer and follow the given instructions
You can leave all installation settings by default. MakeMKV will not install any adware.
Step 3. Run MakeMKV
You can run it from the installation wizard, or from a shortcut on the desktop.
Step 4. Click the "Open file" button
It's in the upper-left corner of the MakeMKV window. The button looks like a camcorder icon above a file.
Step 5. Browse to the folder containing the VOB file
If you are ripping a VOB file from a DVD disc, it will usually be in the VIDEO_TS folder. Look for this folder in your file browser to view its contents.
Step 6. Select the "VIDEO_TS.ifo" file
This is the master file for VOB files, which tells the media player in what order the files should be played. By selecting this file, you are instructing MakeMKV to load all VOB files into an MKV file.
Step 7. Choose the title you want to use
For movie files, this will be the full movie title. If your DVD contains multiple episodes of a TV show, you'll need to create an MKV file for each episode (this makes it easier for you to select an episode when using Plex).
You can also select the audio track and subtitles you want to include. MKV supports multiple tracks for each title
Step 8. Start the remix process
MakeMKV will create an MKV file based on your selected title and audio settings. The time it takes to do this will vary depending on the size of your VOB file.
Step 9. Add the MKV file you created to the Plex library
Plex can read and transcode MKV files quickly so it should be able to play your new MKV files without any problems. Usually, Plex will automatically search for the correct information for your video. To add media to a Plex server, search the wikiHow article on how to set up a media server using Plex.
Method 4 of 4: Burn VOB to DVD
Step 1. Download ImgBurn
This free program lets you create playable DVDs using the VOB files in the VIDEO_TS folder. The resulting DVD disc can be used in any DVD player that supports burning discs. Visit the download page on the official ImgBurn website to download this program.
- When choosing a mirror, make sure you choose a download link that doesn't require a dedicated download manager. The safest place to download it is on mirrors 5 and 6.
- Don't choose ImgBurn in Mirror 7 because the provided installer contains additional adware that you must reject when running the installation process.
Step 2. Run the setup program
Once you've downloaded it, run the installer from the Downloads folder. You can leave it in the default settings.
Read the on-screen instructions carefully as it is possible that the installer may contain adware (depending on the mirror you used to download it from)
Step 3. Run ImgBurn
After you install the program, a shortcut will appear on the desktop. Once executed, the main menu of ImgBurn will be displayed.
Step 4. Select "Write files/folders to disc" from the menu
This will open Build Mode, which will create an image file from your VOB file, then write it to a DVD disc. All menus and features on the original DVD will be retained in Build Mode.
Step 5. Click the "Browse for a folder" button
This will open your file browser. It's to the right of the "Source" field.
Step 6. Select the VIDEO_TS folder
This folder contains the VOB files that you want to burn to a DVD disc. When this folder is opened, all the VOB files it contains will be loaded into ImgBurn.
Step 7. Click the "Calculate" button
The button that looks like a calculator is in the lower-right corner. The image file size will be determined, and you will be told whether you should use a single-layer or dual-layer DVD disc.
Step 8. Enter the recommended disc type
After the file size is calculated, the entry " Min. Req. Media " will be displayed. Use this entry as a guide for selecting the type of blank disc to insert. Most movies must be burned onto a DVD±R/RW.
Step 9. Click the “Options” tab
Several disc options will be displayed.
Step 10. Select "ISO9660 + UDF" from the "File System" menu
Your disc will be encoded to be read by the DVD player.
Step 11. Click the Labels tab
This you can use to add labels, which will help the media player to read the DVD disc.
Step 12. Enter a label in the "ISO9660" field
You can enter any label, as long as it doesn't use spaces.
Step 13. Click the “Copy” button which is next to the “ISO9660” field
The labels you enter are automatically entered into another appropriate field (the labels must match).
Step 14. Click the "Build" button
Your project will start burning onto a blank DVD disc in your computer's drive. The time it takes to complete will vary depending on your DVD burner and the size of your video.
Step 15. Play the DVD disc you burned
Once the DVD is finished burning, you can use it in almost any DVD player. Some DVD players may find it difficult to read the disc and not be able to load the video.
