DVD-VIDEO movies are contained in VOB files (Video Objects). Depending on the length of the movie and the fact that each of these VOB file cannot have a file size greater than 0.99 GB, a given DVD-VIDEO may have several of these VOB files, each sequentially and specifically named and numbered.
Premiere Elements includes a feature for ripping and editing these VOB files from unprotected DVD-VIDEO on DVD disc. Essentially, the DVD disc is placed in the burner tray, and each of the VOBs is imported in the program. For
- Premiere Elements 11 - Add Media/DVD camera or computer drive/Video Importer
- Premiere Elements 10 and 9.0/9.0.1 - Get Media/DVD Camcorder or PC DVD Drive, Video Importer
- Premiere Elements 8.0/8.0.1 and 7 - Get Media/DVD (Camcorder or PC DVD Drive)/Adobe Premiere Elements - Media Downloader
- Premiere Elements 4 - Get Media/DVD, Digital Camera, Mobile Phone, Hard Drive Camcorder, Card Reader/Adobe Premiere Elements - Media Downloader
The Command Prompt approach might be characterized as the "hard way" and "longer" way to accomplish this ripping task, but it will be described for those who might find it of practical or historical value.
ISSUE
How to get the Command Prompt to work to create the DVD.VOB file for import into Premiere Elements on Windows XP 32 bit, Windows 7 64 bit, or Windows 8 64 bit?
SOLUTION
I wrote the how to for the Windows XP 32 bit Command Prompt for this seamless VOB ripping to get the DVD.VOB back in 2009. And, that went without glitches (except for typing errors when entering the data). Recently, when this same Command Prompt approach was used in Windows 7 64 bit or Windows 8 64 bit, it would not work, consistent permission denied and no files copied failures. The answer to that was beforehand setting up Command Prompt with Run As Administrator.
HOW TO
STEP 1
Getting Drive Letter and VOB File Names Information
Place the DVD disc with its DVD-VIDEO content in the computer's DVD burner drive tray. Note the drive letter for this burner.
In this example, the burner had a drive letter of D when Windows 7 64 bit was used in these tests; drive letter of F when Windows 8 64 bit; drive letter of E when Windows XP 32 bit.
Next explore the disc in the drive, opening the VIDEO_TS and noting the VOB file names involved.
In this example,
VTS_01_0.VOB,
VTS_01_1.VOB,
VTS_01_2.VOB.
These represented video files for a DVD-VIDEO formatted video of about 30 minutes duration.This same DVD-VIDEO on DVD disc was used in each of the 3 computer operating systems looked at.
Close out of DVD burner drive.
STEP 2
Finding the Command Prompt Location/Applying Run As Administrator
Windows XP Professional SP3 32 bit and Windows 7 Professional SP1 64 bit
Start/All Programs/Accessories/Command Prompt
For Windows 7, not Windows XP, Command Prompt had to be right clicked and Run As Administrator selected to get beyond access denied and files not copied failures. Run As Administrator was not a permanent set, needed to be set for each Command Prompt VOB ripping session.
Windows 8 64 bit
Command Prompt on this operating system also needed to be used with Run As Administrator. And, there were several places to make that set.
- Keyboard shortcut Windows Key + X to bring up the Advanced Settings which included Command Prompt and Command Prompt (Admin) with Command Prompt (Admin) being the required choice for this task each time.
- Metro Screen/All Apps/Windows System/Command Prompt which required the right click Run As Administration. Also, Metro Screen, just typing in of "Command Prompt". These two were not permanent sets and required a set before each VOB ripping session.
STEP 3
For Windows 7 64 bit and Administrator: Command Prompt
Production of DVD.VOB
In the Command Prompt window, you will see a header describing the computer, followed by:
C:\Windows\system32>_
Type exactly as you see in bold (D:) and then press Enter.
That will get you to the next line.
D:\>_
Type exactly as you see in bold (CD VIDEO_TS) and then press Enter.
That will get you to the next line,
D:\VIDEO_TS>_
Type exactly as you see in bold (COPY /b VTS_01_0.VOB + VTS_01_1.VOB + VTS_01_2.VOB C:\DVD.VOB) and then press Enter.
After that you just wait until you see all those VTS files listed along with "1 file(s) copied". The process can be staged where you see one file printing out at a time before you see the "1 file(s) copied" printed. Production of the DVD.VOB can take seconds to minutes to complete. Figure 1 is a screenshot at the end of the process when Windows 7 64 bit was used.
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| Figure 1/ Administrator: Command Prompt, Windows 7 Professional SP1 64 Bit. VOBs To DVD.VOB. |
For Windows 8 64 bit and Administrator: Command Prompt
Production of DVD.VOB
VOB files were ripped from the same DVD-VIDEO on DVD disc as in the Windows 7 64 bit testing. Steps and results were the same, except that the burner drive letter was F and typed in as (F:). Figure 2 is a screenshot at the end of the process.
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| Figure 2. Administrator: Command Prompt, Windows 8 64 Bit. VOBs To DVD.VOB. |
For Windows XP 32 bit and Command Prompt
Production of DVD.VOB
VOB files were ripped from the same DVD-VIDEO on DVD as in the Window 7 64 bit and Windows 8 64 bit testing. Steps and results were the same, except
- Process succeeded without Run As Administrator applied to Command Prompt.
- In the Command Prompt window, you will see a header describing your computer, followed byC:\Documents and Setting\Owner>_
- Burner drive letter was E and typed in as (E:)
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| Figure 3. Command Prompt, Windows XP Professional SP3 32 Bit. VOBs To DVD.VOB. |
STEP 4.
Searching for the DVD.VOB in the Local Disc C and Importing DVD-VOB into Premiere Elements
Open Premiere Elements and set the project preset (new project dialog = NTSC DV Standard or Widescreen (or PAL counterpart). Using Premiere Elements/Add or Get Media/Files & Folders. In the Add or Get Media dialog, set that dialog's "Look in:" to Local Disk C and its "Files of type" to All Files and select and open DVD.VOB which represents your VOBs in one file. After the DVD.VOB is conformed in Premiere Elements (watch for conforming in progress bar at bottom right of interface), drag the DVD.VOB to the Timeline.
Be careful typing in data in the Command Prompt. The absence of a bracket can keep this from working.
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ATR
