VS Pro X2, Problem Importing .VOB files, "Not a valid DVD...

[Dave H]

Hello! I've searched Corel's site, as well as this useful user board forum, and the broader web of course too.

While I've seen earlier postings here dealing with different aspects of this topic, none seem to fit my circumstances, or resolve them where I have been able to attempt them.

I have multiple .VOB and other files in a "VIDEO_TS" folder that I can't import using either the "File/Insert Media to Timeline" or the "Capture/Insert Digital Media" function of this VS Pro X2 software version. In both attempted instances I am presented with a error message that reads: 'Not a valid DVD Volume. Report ID: 0x8000408fe(2302)".

As background, these .VOB originated from my own personal DVD's recording that failed to "finalize" due to an electrical disconnect with that Liton recorder, or software failure. Using the Isobuster software, and the page 3 instructions for it found on the excellent website of http://www.dvdrepairtips.com/unfinalized-dvds.html, I created the file that I'm attempting to import into VS. I don't believe this remedial step of using Isobuster is the cause of my VS problem, as the .VOB files it created are functional as proven by their playing in VLC media player software. Thus, I don't want to be chasing ghosts along that path, unless you can be certain that is where I should be going.

I believe my problem rests with VS, and in particular the VS Pro X2 software version which precedes the present X3 version now currently for sale.

I would appreciate your expert input of a detailed, accurate and working nature that would assist. And, if I've missed a post somewhere, I offer apologies for not locating it....or, if I've stupidly overlooked a simple aspect of this problem! Operator error is always present!

...Thanks, Dave
Post edited by Admin. Removed the large font size tags.
Ron P.

[Ken Berry]

Welcome to the forums! Could I ask you in future to use a lower size font in your posts, please...

If I understand you correctly, this Video_TS folder is on your computer, rather than on a disc. But could you please confirm this.

The probable reason you are getting that 'Not a valid DVD volume' is probably because it ISN'T a valid video DVD. As you probably know, when you burn a video DVD either to disc or to a DVD folder, it creates both an Audio_TS and a Video_TS folder, which contains your.vob files, .bup (backup) files and .ifo (information) files. But buried in them is code to tell a player -- or computer player -- that they are in a valid DVD structure. Again if I understand you correctly, your attempt to burn a DVD failed and you found a way to copy files into the DVD Folder which you happened to call (or was it ISOBuster?) Video_TS... Again, any correction of my assumptions would be welcome... But when you tried the "Insert Video" route, X2 (and other versions) are incapable of "seeing" .vob files with that extension. And when you tried the "Insert Digital Media" route, VS could not see any code identifying it as valid digital media.

Again, as you may be aware, .vob files are really only DVD-compatible mpeg-2 files in disguise. Have you tried simply renaming your .vob files with the .mpg extension instead, and then tried inserting them using Insert Video? That usually works...

[Dave H]

Thanks Ken for the prompt response!....and the detailed explanations.

I confirm that the 'VIDEO_TS' file is on my computer, not a disc, and that its contents were created by the 'Isobuster' software. It was simply renamed by me.

I used Isobuster to capture the failed finalization disk from the Liton DVD burner, because VS won't recognize the original, failed disk in the computer's drive. I wanted those unfinalized files to be inserted into VS for editing and eventual burning.

Furthermore, the .VOB files were read and played individually by the VLC video program to confirm their readability.

I tried renaming the .VOB files to MPEG, and was prevented from doing. I obviously didn't go through the proper steps. I will reattempt. However, shouldn't VS be programmed to read .VOB files as a matter of course?

Hopefully this clarifies the situation, and that you can advise further.

...Thanks again, Dave

[teknisyan]

Hello Dave,

If you copied both an Audio_TS and a Video_TS folder on your hard drive you can also try FILE > INSERT MEDIA FILE TO TIMELINE > INSERT DIGITAL MEDIA.

screen_04.png (22 KiB) Viewed 8520 times

[Ken Berry]

Abiel -- he said in his first post that he already tried that without success:

...I can't import using either the "File/Insert Media to Timeline" or the "Capture/Insert Digital Media" function of this VS Pro X2 software version.

Although your suggested steps are somewhat different, I think they lead to the same process in the end.

Regarding the inability to recognise a .vob file, this is due to the fact that it is a special kind of video file, which has extra flags or code written in to it that make it clear it is part of a DVD. And the Insert/Import Digital Media is the route devised for that operation -- to recognise the .vobs as videos. But since your video doesn't have the necessary code that VS can recognise, that operation won't work.

I am surprised you can't change the extension name. Is that because Windows returns some sort of message? If so, what? Normally it is just a matter of right clicking on the file in [My] Computer or Windows Explorer and choosing 'Rename'... Or perhaps you are blocked from doing that since the files are still embedded in an ISO folder, and you would somehow need to mount the ISO folder for Windows to recognise it as a virtual drive...? (Just thinking out loud...)

[BrianCee]

I have found on occasions in the past that when people have problems renaming files it is because they have the option "hide known file extensions" set in Windows preferences - this means that the .vob bit is hidden in Windows Explorer and people just add .mpg to the file name they can see and then get an error - because windows now thinks the file is called 'VTS_01_1.vob.mpg'

[Dave H]

Success!

I have now been able to rename all the '.VOB' extesions to 'mpeg' and then, using only the 'File\Insert Media File To Timeline\Insert Video' function, I was able to place it in VS. However, only after it opened up the 'VIDEO_TS' folder and I selected all files with different extensions including the '.mpeg' ones. VS then read each one, rejected all the non '.mpeg' files one by one and eventually produced a 'play list' that I could reshuffle the order of the '.mpeg' files that it eventually accepted.

The 'Insert Digital Media' function did not work, nor the 'Capture\Import Digital Media' pathway. They both produced the 'Not a valid DVD volume' error message as seen before. So, I perceived there is an inappropriate difference in the coding of these three functions, which I believe are meant to operate in the same manner? I trust that Abel Corel NA, can confirm that and will note that this should be noted and fixed by Corel, as well as the ability to read .VOB files too.

I surmise that there is an edit check by the software into what files are found in the 'VIDEO_TS' file that it is reading and expecting to pull content from? When VS finds any file but a video file it then produces the nonsensical "'Not a valid DVD Volume. Report ID: 0x8000408fe(2302)" error message. It would be appreciated if Corel would also reformat that message for greater clarity, as well as now document this function and circumstances fully in their support material. I'd like to ensure that fixed problems don't go around the horn again and again!

My initial, renaming problem of the '.VOB' to '.mpeg' is as described by Brian Cee. I'm not sure how it happened, for I believe I followed the same process on my second, successful go around.

In conclusion, the 'Isobuster' software successfully read my original, unfinalized problem DVD and produced .VOB files that when manually renamed to '.mpeg' extensions by me, were subsequently captured only through VS Pro X2's function pathway of: 'File\Insert Media File To Timeline\Insert Video'.

Thank you gentlemen for your assistance. Unless you have something to add, I believe this thread can be closed after Corel takes note of the problem for action as they deem appropriate.

..Sincerely, Dave

[Ken Berry]

... except for the fact that you have completely missed the point of what I said above. Your Video_TS was NOT a valid DVD volume. It was a volume/folder made by a non-video program and simply called, by your own admission, Videso_TS by you. These things do NOT make a valid video DVD. There has to be code which not only VS, but all other editing software plus DVD players look for, which tells them all that something is a valid DVD volume, and if they don't find that code, they cannot read the folder/volume. In other words, that message is absolutely correct and moreover, in plain English.

I would hurriedly add here that I do not work for Corel...

As for the program being able to read .vob files, well it can, using the "Insert Digital Media" function. But at the risk of repetition, you can only use that function if you have a valid DVD volume, which you of course don't!!

There has long been a debate, though, whether VS should be able to insert single .vob files directly via Insert Video, and if I recall corrently, with VS11/11.5+, that was indeed possible. But for whatever reason it was dropped again in X2 and X3... Corel has never offered an explanation, and I agree it would be useful if they reinstated that function.

I also agree that Corel's documentation for X3 and other programs is pretty woeful. This point has also been made to them many times, but if anything the situation has grown steadily worse as more and more technology enters the video and editing field, and the Corel manual stays steadfastly simplistic...

[Dave H]

Ken, thanks for the elaboration and clarification of your point about the structural composition of a "valid DVD volume." I now understand the situation a little better because of that. Thanks for making the effort to educate me. I need it!

This issue is deep in the weeds, but shouldn't the three, named VS pathways all function in the same, identical manner?

I.E. In my successful instance, VS recognized my manually renamed VIDEO_TS folder. It then allowed me down into see the VOB files which I had renamed to MPEG. Then successfully extracted them. That wasn't the case with the other two pathways.

Going through the other two pathways, I was stopped at the folder level and received the error message under discussion. This appears inconsistent, although I recognize that the difference in functionality might be understood by a more experienced person, or with better Corel labeling or supporting documentation....neither of which are of interest to Corel it seems.

On another point, I'm not certain about the 'IsoBuster' reconstruction software being a "non-video program". Its purpose is to salvage video files.It's function, documentation and recommendation appeared to offer a good solution to various DVD file problems. Again though, I'm not an expert in these matters. Only trying to muddle through...carefully, from my original problem of a non-finalized DVD.

Which, as it turns out, that particular DVID may have actually been finalized and just not playable in my DVD player. However, it displayed the same error message on the DVD player as other, truly non-finalized ones do. So, I'm presently back to now working through a real non-finalized DVD with less success.

My line of work has a recurring, common problem with non-finalizing or damaged DVD's at the source. Putting preventative measures in place during recording, and having remedial measures in place afterwords when it does occur, has been a real challenge! There appears to be a dearth of reliable, quality and complete information in one location about these technical remedial issues.

Thanks again for helping me out in this journey. And, for your tremendous, invaluable dedication to this web board. And yes, I understood you were not with Corel, but I took 'Abiel Corel Na' to be such a representative.

Most appreciatively, Dave

[Ken Berry]

Thanks -- and believe me, I know what a long hard journey it can sometimes be!!

As for my comment about IsoBuster not being a video program, I was admittedly imprecise. But what I meant was that it is not as specifically video-related program. ISOs are of course images of all sorts of discs, and video DVDs just happen to be one type it can handle. And of course that is where some of the confusion has arisen from. "Insert Video" just prompts VS to look in any folder for a valid video file, and it doesn't look for any specific folder code simply because your video could be in any folder, however named, on your computer. On the other hand, "Insert Digital Media" -- whether through the capture or through the straight right click route -- prompts the program to look for a disc or folder which has specific code which indicates it has been written as a *video* DVD or folder.

One of the reasons for maintaining this distincton between the two (not three, in reality) routes is that with .vob files -- whether written to a disc or in that format in a (valid!) DVD folder -- is that apart from anything else, they are limited in size to a maximum of 1 GB on a video DVD, according to the international DVD standard. That means that more often than not, the 1 GB break will occur in the middle of a scene. But with the magic of the DVD code written into that valid video DVD structure, the next .vob continues right one and you never notice the break. But an editing program like VS *does* see the break and ends at that point. Going the "Insert Digital Media" route in fact brings up a little screen which shows the whole folder tree, with thumbnails for every .vob. There is even a mini preview screen so you can tell exactly what you need to import e.g. the following vob if you need the start of it to continue the scene which was chopped off in the previous one... Then you tick those and begin the import. With the 'Insert Video" route, you already have a pretty clear idea that you are after clips a, b or z, and simply insert them.