Using the QuickTime MPEG-2 Playback Component with VOB files

If you have the optional QuickTime MPEG-2 Playback Component installed with QuickTime 6 or later, you can play back video in Video Object (VOB files), which are used in the DVD-Video specification and contain the mutiplexed audio and MPEG-2 video data.

Sometimes QuickTime Player needs a little help to recognize VOB files when opening them from the Finder. If a VOB file doesn't open by simply double-clicking it, do these steps:

  1. Select the VOB file (.vob) in the Finder.
  2. From the File menu, choose Get Info.
  3. From the Open With pop-up menu in the Info window, choose Other. A Choose Other Application window appears.
  4. From the Enable pop-up menu, choose All Applications.
  5. Navigate to the Applications folder and select QuickTime Player.
  6. Click Add. If you see this alert...
    You don't have privileges to change the application for this document only. Do you want to change all similar documents to open with the application "QuickTime Player?"
    ... then click Continue.

This should set Mac OS X to open VOB files in QuickTime Player whenever you double-click them in the Finder. The MPEG-2 Playback Component may ignore the audio portion of the stream, but the video will play back normally. Please note that the component will not play back encrypted VOB files, such as those found on commercially-produced DVDs, in QuickTime Player.

Related documents

304656: "QuickTime MPEG-2 Playback Component plays only first 4 GB of file"

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Published Date: Feb 18, 2012