Q: Importing VOB files into iMovie

If you need to convert the VOB files in the TS-Folder of the DVD back to DV which iMovie is designed to handle, you need mpegStreamclip:

http://www.squared5.com/svideo/mpeg-streamclip-mac.html

which is free, but you must also have the  Apple mpeg2 plugin :

http://store.apple.com/us/product/D2187Z/A/quicktime-mpeg-2-playback-component-f or-mac-os-x

(unless you are running Lion in which case see below))

which is a mere $20.

Another possibility is to use DVDxDV:

http://www.dvdxdv.com/NewFolderLookSite/Products/DVDxDV.overview.htm

which costs $25.

For the benefit of others who may read this thread:

Obviously the foregoing only applies to DVDs you have made yourself, or other home-made DVDs that have been given to you. It will NOT work on copy-protected commercial DVDs, which in any case would be illegal.

And from the TOU of these forums:

Keep within the Law

1. No material may be submitted that is intended to promote or commit an illegal act.
2. Do not submit software or descriptions of processes that break or otherwise ‘work around’ digital rights management software or hardware. This includes conversations about ‘ripping’ DVDs or working around FairPlay software used on the iTunes Store.

If you are running Lion or later:

From the MPEG Streamclip homepage

The installer of the MPEG-2 Playback Component may refuse to install the component in Lion. Apple states the component is unnecessary in Lion onwards, however MPEG Streamclip still needs it. See this:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3381

To install the component in Lion, please download MPEG Streamclip 1.9.3b7 beta above; inside the disk image you will find the Utility MPEG2 Component Lion: use it to install the MPEG-2 Playback Component in Lion. The original installer's disk image (QuickTimeMPEG2.dmg) is required.

The current versions of MPEG Streamclip cannot take advantage of the built-in MPEG-2 functionality of Lion. For MPEG-2 files you still need to install the QuickTime MPEG-2 Playback Component, which is not preinstalled in Lion. (The same applies to Mountain Lion and Mavericks even though they have it preinstalled.) You don't have to install QuickTime 7.

hello, maybe you can try convert the VOB file to iMovie format using iorgsoft video mate. It is a video converter like mpeg streamclip. But it is not free as mpeg streamclip. however, you can free trial it first before processing a purchase.

I've used AppGeeker for sometime now. happy with the result, I mostly convert it for .mov format, but it will do video to other formats as well.

The main reason why you can not transfer VOB video files from to iMovie, incuding iMovie 8/9/11 is that iMovie still can’t recognize VOB format. As far as I know VOB is basically a MPEG-2 video file which is stored in Video_TS folder in a DVD. As this kind of video file usually contains one or several audio tracks and subtitle tracks that are multiplexed together into one stream form, it is not so easy to playback or edit.

If you’re in such a situation, there is an easy way to fix the issue - convert VOB for iMovie, I've had the pleasure of using bror soft video converter for mac these past few months. It supports creating high quality Apple InterMediate Codec(AIC) MOV files which ensures maximum editing quality and efficiency when working with iMovie.

Here is a workaround for you: http://lauralily10.tumblr.com/post/63520022702/vob-to-imovie-how-to-convert-and- import-vob-files-to

You need to go to system preferences / security&privacy and allow apps dowloaded from anywhere.  To select the anywhere option, you will have to click the lock to make changes and enter and administrative password.  This may open you up to security problems if the software that you download is malicious. If you want to take a chance with this software, reset the allow apps setting to something more restrictive after downloading.

Another option for converting VOB is Wondershare Video Converter, but it costs $60.