MKV to VOB Converter

Convert MKV to VOB: What This Tutorial Covers

This walks you through turning a Matroska (MKV) file into a DVD-Video VOB — the MPEG-2 Program Stream container that DVD-authoring software expects as input. Know two things before you start: this is a step backward in codec generation (MKV usually holds H.264 or H.265, and VOB requires older MPEG-2), and the file you download is a bare .vob, not a finished disc. If you just want a smaller, modern file that plays everywhere, convert MKV to MP4 instead and stop reading here.

How to Convert MKV to VOB

1. Upload Your MKV File: Drag and drop your .mkv onto the page or click "+ Add Files". Several files queue up and convert with the same settings.
2. Set Video Codec and Audio Codec: Open Advanced Options. Video Codec defaults to MPEG-2 (the DVD-Video codec) and Audio Codec to MP2; switch Audio Codec to AC3 if you need Dolby Digital for your authoring tool.
3. Set Quality Preset and Resolution (Optional): Use the Preset dropdown (defaults to "Very High (Recommended)") or Specific file size to balance size against fidelity, and Preset Resolutions to land on a DVD-legal 720x480 (NTSC) or 720x576 (PAL) frame.
4. Convert and Download: Click "Convert" and download your .vob. No sign-up, no watermark.

Walk-through: Making the VOB DVD-Authoring Ready

The defaults already target DVD-Video, but a clean disc needs the file to match the DVD spec, not just carry a .vob extension. The decisions that matter live under Advanced Options:

• Keep Video Codec on MPEG-2. This is the only codec a DVD player decodes (MPEG-1 is the VCD-era fallback). AAC and MPEG-4 video, which your MKV may use, are not legal in a VOB at all — they are re-encoded to MPEG-2 automatically.
• Pick the right audio. MP2 (the default) and AC3 are both DVD-legal. Choose AC3 if you want Dolby Digital surround in the authored disc; keep MP2 for the broadest compatibility with older authoring tools and PAL workflows.
• Set a DVD-legal resolution. Use Preset Resolutions to force 720x480 (NTSC) or 720x576 (PAL). A 1080p MKV left at full size produces a .vob that most authoring tools will reject or re-scale, so do the downscale here.
• Cap the bitrate so it fits a disc. DVD-Video video tops out at 9.8 Mbit/s, and professional discs average 4-5 Mbit/s. Use Specific file size or Variable Bitrate to stay in that range — leaving a high Quality Preset can push the MPEG-2 stream past what a single-layer DVD holds.
• Trim before converting. Use the Trim section's Time Range to export only the segment you need, which helps when fitting a feature plus extras onto one 4.7 GB disc.

MKV vs VOB at a Glance

Common Errors and How to Fix Them

• "The VOB won't burn / my authoring tool rejects it" — A bare .vob is not a disc image. DVD-authoring software (DVDStyler, ImgBurn workflows) imports the file and builds the VIDEO_TS folder, the IFO navigation files, and the disc layout around it. The .vob is the input to that step, not the finished product.
• "The output is bigger than my MKV" — Expected. MPEG-2 is a 1990s codec far less efficient than the H.264/H.265 inside most MKVs, so matching the original quality costs more bits. Cap it with Specific file size or a lower bitrate.
• "My subtitles and chapters disappeared" — A bare VOB written here does not carry the MKV's soft subtitle or chapter tracks. On a real DVD those live in separate .IFO/VobSub data the authoring tool generates; burn subtitles in during authoring, or keep MKV if you need selectable subtitles.
• "The audio is silent or won't play on a DVD player" — AAC is not legal in a VOB. If your MKV used AAC it is re-encoded to MP2 or AC3; make sure Audio Codec is set to one of those, not left in an incompatible state.
• "The disc plays the wrong size or stretched" — DVD-Video is 720x480 (NTSC) or 720x576 (PAL) only. Use Preset Resolutions to set one of those before converting, rather than leaving a 1080p frame the player can't display.

When This Doesn't Work

If the MKV is DRM-protected or corrupted, no online converter can re-encode it — repair or re-rip the source first. And if your goal is anything other than feeding a DVD-authoring pipeline, VOB is the wrong destination: it is a legacy disc format, and you will get a smaller, sharper, universally compatible result from MKV to MP4. To shrink an oversized MKV without changing format, the Video Compressor lets you target a size with "Same as source" output. Use VOB only when you specifically need an MPEG-2 Program Stream to author a disc.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this output a finished DVD or just a VOB file?

Just a .vob file. A playable DVD also needs a VIDEO_TS folder with the IFO and BUP navigation files plus the disc layout, which only DVD-authoring software (DVDStyler, ImgBurn workflows) can generate. The .vob you download here is the video object that goes into that authoring step — it is the input to making a disc, not the disc itself.

Will I lose quality converting MKV to VOB?

Usually yes. The MKV almost certainly holds H.264 or H.265, and VOB requires MPEG-2 — a generational downgrade. The picture is re-encoded with the older codec, so at a comparable bitrate it looks softer, and the file is often larger. There is no way to "upgrade" the older MPEG-2 codec back to the efficiency of the source.

Do my subtitle and chapter tracks carry over?

No. The bare VOB written here does not preserve the MKV's soft subtitle or chapter tracks. On an authored DVD, subtitles are stored as bitmap VobSub streams referenced by separate .IFO files that the authoring tool creates; if you need them, burn subtitles into the video during authoring, or keep the file as MKV for selectable tracks.

What audio does the VOB use, and what happens to my AAC track?

VOB allows MP2 (the default), AC-3, LPCM, and DTS — but not AAC, which is prohibited by the DVD-Video spec. If your MKV carried AAC, it is re-encoded to MP2 or AC3. Pick AC3 in Advanced Options if you want Dolby Digital surround for the disc; otherwise MP2 is the most broadly compatible choice.

What resolution and bitrate should I use for a DVD?

DVD-Video is 720x480 (NTSC) or 720x576 (PAL) — set one with Preset Resolutions. For bitrate, DVD-Video MPEG-2 video tops out at 9.8 Mbit/s and professionally encoded discs average 4-5 Mbit/s, peaking 7-8 Mbit/s in high-action scenes. In our testing, a 1080p MKV downscaled to 720x480 at the "Very High" preset produced a DVD-legal stream that imported cleanly into DVDStyler without re-scaling.

Should I convert MKV to VOB or to MP4?

For almost everything, MP4. It carries the same H.264 your MKV likely already holds, plays on every phone, browser, TV, and editor, and needs no authoring step. Only pick VOB when you specifically need to build a physical DVD from a DVD-authoring tool. If you are not making a disc, MKV to MP4 is the safer, far more compatible target.

How are my files handled, and how long do you keep them?

Files are uploaded over an encrypted connection, processed on our servers, and deleted automatically a few hours after conversion — no sign-up, no watermark, and your files are never shared or made public.