.mp4 conversion

scot · May 27

Is anyone here experienced at converting various forms of digital video - .vob etc - into .mp4, and can give me some advice on how to do it? Things I need to know about: a good easy to use program (doesn't have to be a free one), required computer capability, and how to know what the various files on a disc might be. Things like that. I have discovered that over time, discs that I recorded from VHS, in fact most of my "homemade" DVDs will no longer play on my various home DVD players. They'll still play on my computer DVD drive, but who knows how long they'll last as the internal substrate on the disc deteriorates. I have a lot of gypsy jazz video going back 25 years and I don't want to lose it. If you can help please PM me. Many thanks!!

billyshakes · May 27

Good luck! I have nothing to offer but my support and well wishes.

Russell Letson · May 27

I haven't had to mess with this for a while, but for non-commercial (that is, non-copy-protected) DVDs there are quite a few solutions. I refreshed my memory by Googling "convert dvd to mp4 free" and found this three-year old PC Mag article:

https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/best-free-dvd-rippers

I notice that VLC is mentioned--I've not used its conversion function, but it's otherwise my workhorse video player, and it's been around long enough that any tricky bits are probably documented somewhere on the web.

There's also this guide (from the Minitool site):

https://videoconvert.minitool.com/video-converter/dvd-to-mp4.html

It's hard to know exactly what to recommend without knowing a bit more about your computing platform (Windows? Mac? Hardware power/age?), but Googling around should give you a good idea of what works. (But watch out for those sponsored links at the top of the search results.)