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VOB files are commonly found on DVDs. Opening VOB files on Mac requires third-party players – QuickTime cannot decode the format. Many macOS players, even free ones, can handle .vob files. It’s a matter of choosing the right one for you. Since this media format can contain audio, video, and subtitles, it’s useful for the player to have lots of customization options. Read on and find out what these apps have to offer.
Play VOB Files with QuickTime
VOB files commonly contain MPEG codecs, which should be playable in QuickTime. However, the player can’t handle the .vob container. So VOB playback in QuickTime is impossible. If you’re trying to play VOB files on Mac, use a different player app, some of which are presented in this article.
Third-Party Apps to Play VOB Files on Mac
Try one of the VOB-compatible solutions presented below. When you’re trying to figure out which app is the best, the first step is to look at its advantages. Is surround sound more important? Or maybe your main priority is streaming. Plus, don’t overlook the downsides – some players are great, but they’re really brought down by their worse aspects.
1. Elmedia as a VOB Player for Mac
Elmedia Player is a macOS media player capable of opening VOB files on Mac. It can select between multiple audio or subtitle tracks, making it the perfect app for this format. There are many ways that audio and subtitles can be configured in Elmedia Player. A 10-band audio equalizer is available – it can be set up manually, or with presets. Subtitles can be moved and visually customized. This is certainly the best video player for Mac, combining high media compatibility with many additional features. Preview thumbnails, bookmarks, and playlist management make it convenient and easy to use.
How to Open VOB Files on Mac With Elmedia Player
- Find Elmedia Player on the Mac App Store or get an installer directly from its website.
- Load the VOB file in one of these ways:
- Drag the .vob from Finder to Elmedia Player’s window or its taskbar icon.
- Select File > Open on the Menu Bar. Find the file manually.
- Right-click the file and use the Open With > Other dialog if you want to use Elmedia Player by default.
- Drag the .vob from Finder to Elmedia Player’s window or its taskbar icon.
- And that’s about it.
2. VLC – An Alternative Way to Open .vob Files on Mac
VLC is a decent option for VOB playback. It’s free and is extensively compatible with DVD formats, even supporting menus. This VOB player for Mac has an impressive selection of video and audio effects and gives users a lot of control over playback.
On the other hand, its unwieldy interface takes getting used to. Some less-than-necessary features are “front-loaded”, causing confusion for new users. And trying to use advanced settings – including interface customization – will require internet research. Finally, VLC is developed by an open-source community, which means that it won’t always catch up to the regularly updated and well-supported commercial products.
Opening VOB Files on Mac With Conversion
When there are no other alternatives, VOB files can be converted to a QuickTime-compatible format. We don’t recommend this approach, since file conversion is difficult and time-consuming, and the result will lose some quality and metadata (mostly, the interactive menus) in the process. Instead, use a player that supports .vob, such as Elmedia Player.
1. EaseFab Video Converter Ultimate
The EaseFab Converter can perform batch operations and offers enough settings to produce any desirable output. The batch capabilities are especially useful due to the fact that VOB files usually come in groups. EaseFab includes cropping and trimming as well and can add tracks to converted media. Even with its advantages, it’s still tedious in comparison to just opening .vobs in a compatible player. Since it’s a paid app, EaseFab Video Converter is only a viable choice if you explicitly need to convert lots of videos.
How to Convert VOB in EaseFab
- Launch EaseFab Video Converter.
- Click the Add Video button at the top of the window and select your VOB.
- Select the MP4 profile and click the checkbox next to your video.
- Press Convert.
What are VOB Files?
VOB is a special format created for DVD disks that combines audio, video, and subtitles into a single stream. Other metadata, such as menus, are included as well. The use of the VOB format is a convention that makes DVD players more or less interchangeable and able to play most disks. Because they include all the data from the disk, VOBs are commonly ripped and stored as-is. Plus, there aren’t really any ways to convert them without losing the menu. Thus, video archives are likely to keep .vob files for preservation purposes.
Conclusion
Despite its age and the decreasing popularity of optical disks, VOB is a widespread format, and it’s not going away anytime soon. Considering the available solutions, it’s better to use software like Elmedia Player to watch VOB files on Mac directly. A good video player will let you improve .vobs with video and audio effects. And features like bookmarking or playlist management would come in handy, too.
