Convert VOB to MPEG — Free Online Tool
Convert VOB files from DVD discs to MPEG format, re-encoding the MPEG-2 video and transcoding AC-3 Dolby audio to MPEG-1 Layer II (MP2) audio. This is ideal for extracting DVD content into a broadly compatible MPEG file for legacy players, broadcast systems, or archival workflows.
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FFmpeg Command
Copy this command to run the same conversion locally with FFmpeg on your desktop. Download FFmpeg
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Settings
Note: Browser-based encoding uses approximate quality targets. For precise CRF compression, copy the FFmpeg command above and run it on your desktop.
Estimated output:
Conversion Complete!
DownloadHow It Works
VOB files contain multiplexed MPEG-2 video, AC-3 (Dolby Digital) audio, subtitle streams, and DVD navigation data inside a DVD-specific container. During this conversion, the MPEG-2 video stream is re-encoded at a high quality setting (-q:v 2, near the top of the scale) and the AC-3 audio is transcoded to MP2 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer II), since MPEG containers do not support AC-3. The VOB container's DVD-specific data — including subtitle streams, multiple audio tracks, and chapter markers — is stripped away, as the MPEG format does not support these features. The result is a clean, self-contained MPEG file with a single video and audio track.
What Each Flag Does
| Flag | What it does |
|---|---|
ffmpeg
|
Invokes the FFmpeg tool, which handles all demuxing, decoding, re-encoding, and muxing for this VOB-to-MPEG conversion entirely in your browser via WebAssembly. |
-i input.vob
|
Specifies the input VOB file. FFmpeg automatically detects the DVD Program Stream container and identifies the multiplexed MPEG-2 video, AC-3 audio, and any subtitle streams inside it. |
-c:v mpeg2video
|
Re-encodes the video stream using the MPEG-2 encoder, which is the required and most compatible video codec for standard MPEG files and matches the video codec already present in the source VOB. |
-c:a mp2
|
Transcodes the audio from AC-3 (Dolby Digital) — which is native to DVD/VOB but unsupported in MPEG containers — to MP2 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer II), the standard audio codec for MPEG program streams. |
-q:v 2
|
Sets the MPEG-2 video quality using the VBR quantizer scale, where 1 is highest quality and 31 is lowest. A value of 2 produces near-maximum quality output, minimizing re-encoding artifacts when downconverting from a DVD source. |
-b:a 192k
|
Sets the MP2 audio output bitrate to 192 kilobits per second, which is a standard broadcast-quality bitrate for MP2 stereo audio and balances file size against audio fidelity after the transcode from AC-3. |
output.mpeg
|
Defines the output filename and tells FFmpeg to mux everything into an MPEG program stream container (.mpeg), which strips the DVD navigation structures from the original VOB and produces a clean, standalone video file. |
Common Use Cases
- Extracting the main feature from a DVD VOB file to play on legacy set-top boxes or media players that support MPEG but not VOB or AC-3 audio
- Preparing DVD-sourced video for broadcast or cable playout systems that require MPEG-2 program streams with MP2 audio
- Converting home DVD recordings to MPEG for editing in older non-linear editing software that lacks native VOB support
- Archiving DVD content in a simpler, container-agnostic MPEG format without DVD-specific metadata or navigation structures
- Creating MPEG clips from DVD footage for use in presentations or video projects where AC-3 audio is not supported by the target application
- Reducing compatibility concerns when sharing DVD-ripped content with users on systems that cannot decode AC-3 Dolby Digital audio
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, there is some quality loss even though both formats use MPEG-2 video, because the video is being re-encoded rather than stream-copied. Each re-encode introduces generational loss through re-compression artifacts. Using the default -q:v 2 setting (near the highest quality end of the 1–31 scale) minimizes this loss, but for the absolute best results you should work from the original VOB source rather than a previously compressed copy.
AC-3 (Dolby Digital) audio is not a valid audio codec in the MPEG program stream specification, so it cannot be carried inside a standard .mpeg file. The MPEG format natively supports MP2 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer II) and optionally MP3 or AAC. This conversion transcodes the AC-3 audio to MP2, which is the most standard and widely compatible audio format for MPEG containers.
They are not preserved in the MPEG output. VOB files can carry multiple audio tracks (e.g., different languages) and DVD subtitle streams, but the MPEG format does not support multiple audio tracks or subtitle streams. Only the first (or default) audio track is transcoded to MP2, and all subtitle data is discarded. If you need to retain subtitles or alternate audio, consider converting to a format like MKV or MP4 instead.
To adjust video quality, change the -q:v value: lower numbers (closer to 1) mean higher quality and larger file sizes, while higher numbers (up to 31) mean lower quality and smaller files. The default is 2 for near-maximum quality. To adjust audio bitrate, change the -b:a value — for example, use -b:a 256k for higher-fidelity MP2 audio or -b:a 128k to reduce file size. Valid audio bitrate options for MP2 include 64k, 96k, 128k, 192k, 224k, 256k, and 320k.
Yes, on the command line you can use a shell loop to batch process. On Linux or macOS, run: for f in *.vob; do ffmpeg -i "$f" -c:v mpeg2video -c:a mp2 -q:v 2 -b:a 192k "${f%.vob}.mpeg"; done. On Windows Command Prompt, use: for %f in (*.vob) do ffmpeg -i "%f" -c:v mpeg2video -c:a mp2 -q:v 2 -b:a 192k "%~nf.mpeg". The browser-based tool processes one file at a time.
A standard .mpeg file produced by this conversion is not directly playable from a DVD disc structure — DVD-Video requires a specific IFO/BUP/VOB file set with navigation data. However, the MPEG-2 + MP2 codec combination used here is DVD-compatible at the codec level, meaning many standalone DVD or Blu-ray players that support MPEG file playback from USB will play it. Compatibility varies by device and manufacturer.
Technical Notes
VOB files are essentially MPEG-2 Program Streams with DVD-specific private data, so the video codec itself (MPEG-2) is shared with the output format. However, FFmpeg cannot stream-copy the video from VOB to MPEG without re-encoding because the VOB container embeds DVD navigation packs and private stream data that must be stripped. The re-encode at -q:v 2 uses the Variable Bit Rate (VBR) quantizer scale, which typically yields a high-bitrate output close to the original DVD quality. The audio transcode from AC-3 to MP2 is a lossy-to-lossy conversion — the original AC-3 surround sound (which may be 5.1 channels) will be downmixed to stereo MP2, since MP2 in typical MPEG files is a stereo format. This means spatial audio information from Dolby Surround is lost. The output MPEG file has no chapter markers and no metadata fields for title or track information, as the MPEG format has very limited metadata support compared to modern containers like MKV or MP4.