Free online MOD to VOB converter

What the MOD format is

Video MOD files are MPEG-2 recordings produced mainly by JVC, Panasonic, and Canon standard-definition camcorders. They commonly contain interlaced 4:3 or 16:9 video with MPEG-1 Layer II or Dolby Digital audio, and their internal streams are often similar to those in an MPG file.

Some camcorders store metadata in separate MOI files; the MOI file is not needed when converting the video itself. A MOD file may sometimes be opened after changing its extension to .mpg, but renaming does not create a VOB or change the stream format.

What the VOB format is

VOB, or Video Object, is the MPEG-2 container used inside a DVD-Video VIDEO_TS folder. A DVD VOB can contain video, audio, subtitles, navigation data, and menu-related information, so a VOB file copied from a disc is not simply an MPG file with a different extension.

VOB is useful when preparing DVD-Video media or supplying video to software that specifically expects DVD program streams. It is less suitable than MP4 for web sharing, mobile playback, or compact storage.

How to convert MOD to VOB

Convert with FFmpeg

FFmpeg is suitable when a standalone VOB-like MPEG-2 program stream is sufficient. Install FFmpeg, open a terminal in the folder containing the recording, and run:

ffmpeg -i input.MOD -map 0 -c copy -f dvd output.vob

This copies compatible streams without re-encoding. If the source streams are rejected by the DVD muxer, create DVD-compatible MPEG-2 video and AC-3 audio instead:

ffmpeg -i input.MOD -target ntsc-dvd -c:a ac3 -b:a 192k output.vob

Use -target pal-dvd instead for PAL footage. Replace the output target with ntsc-dvd or pal-dvd according to the recording standard, not the country where the computer is being used.

Create a playable DVD

1. Convert the MOD file to a DVD-compatible MPEG-2 file with FFmpeg if your authoring application cannot import MOD directly.
2. Open the converted file in a DVD authoring application such as DVDStyler.
3. Choose the correct NTSC or PAL project setting, add the video, create menus if required, and select Burn or Generate DVD files.
4. Use the generated VIDEO_TS folder, including its .VOB, .IFO, and .BUP files, rather than treating one VOB as a complete DVD.

For a one-file conversion without installing software, upload the MOD file to 101convert.com and select VOB as the output format.

Quality, compatibility, and limitations

Copying the streams preserves the original quality, but it only works when the video, audio, resolution, frame rate, and bitrate already fit the DVD specification. Re-encoding with -target ntsc-dvd or -target pal-dvd increases compatibility but cannot restore detail lost in the camcorder recording.

MOD footage is often interlaced. Keep it interlaced for DVD playback unless the target is a progressive display or web video; deinterlacing during conversion changes motion detail and requires an explicit filter. A VOB file produced by a converter may lack DVD navigation tables, menus, chapter data, or subtitles, so it may play as a video file while still failing as a disc image.