**SOLVED!** Convert VIDEO_TS / VOB files to IMovie-compatible format?

Try: http://www.squared5.com/svideo/mp...p-mac.html

Looks like that one requires me to purchase a $20.00 Qucktime plugin from the App Store to be able to export into those formats needed for iMovie

mpeg streamclip is probably the easiest option for software that will run on a Mac. To clarify, you're saying it requires you to purchase quicktime pro?

What version of OS X and iMovie are you running? If you're still running a version earlier than snow leopard, upgrade and Quicktime X will probably suffice.

If you have access to a PC, you might try SUPER [erightsoft.com]

The installer of the MPEG-2 Playback Component may refuse to install the component in Lion and Mountain Lion. Apple states the component is unnecessary in Lion and Mountain Lion, however MPEG Streamclip still needs it.

To install the component in Lion or Mountain Lion, please download MPEG Streamclip 1.9.3b8 beta above; inside the disk image you will find the Utility MPEG2 Component M. Lion: use it to install the MPEG-2 Playback Component in Lion or Mountain Lion. The original installer's disk image (QuickTimeMPEG2.dmg) is required.

The current versions of MPEG Streamclip cannot take advantage of the built-in MPEG-2 functionality of Lion and Mountain Lion. For MPEG-2 files you still need to install the QuickTime MPEG-2 Playback Component, which is not preinstalled in Lion and Mountain Lion. You don't have to install QuickTime 7.

Also read the information for Snow Leopard below.

The Snow Leopard upgrade DVD released on August 28, 2009 may wipe the content of the /System/Library/QuickTime folder during the upgrade process, and delete your MPEG-2 Playback Component installed in that folder. To use MPEG-2 files with MPEG Streamclip you have to reinstall the MPEG-2 component or restore it from a backup copy.

If you are going to upgrade to Snow Leopard

Open the /System/Library/QuickTime folder and drag the QuickTimeMPEG2.component file to your desktop to make a copy of it. Then upgrade to Snow Leopard. When the upgrade is complete, open the /System/Library/QuickTime folder again and move the QuickTimeMPEG2.component file from the desktop to the /System/Library/QuickTime folder (enter your administrator password if necessary).

If you already upgraded to Snow Leopard

You have to reinstall or restore your MPEG-2 Playback Component.

If you have a Time Machine backup of your System folder, then open the /System/Library/QuickTime folder, enter Time Machine and go back in time until you see the QuickTimeMPEG2.component file; select that file and then click Restore.

If you purchased the MPEG-2 Playback Component from the Apple Online Store, then you probably still have the DMG file that contains the installer. Use Spotlight to search for "QuickTimeMPEG2.dmg": if you find a file with that name, double-click it and then in the disk image, double-click the installer package for Intel Macs.

If you purchased the MPEG-2 Playback Component from the Apple Online Store but you can't find the QuickTimeMPEG2.dmg file, you can download the file again from the Apple Online Store if you remember the Apple ID used when you originally purchased it (if you forgot your Apple ID then go to Apple iforgot). Visit the Apple Online Store, click on "Account" in the store menu, then click "Downloadable Software Purchases," enter your Apple ID and password, and click the link to the QuickTime MPEG-2 Playback Component to download it again.

If you obtained the MPEG-2 Playback Component from the installation of Final Cut Studio, then you can reinstall it again from the Final Cut Studio DVD. Insert the DVD and use the Finder's Go menu > Go To Folder... command to get to the /Volumes/Final Cut Studio/Installer/Packages/ folder inside the DVD. Locate the QuickTimeMPEG2.pkg or the QuickTimeMPEG2Pro.pkg installer: double-click it to reinstall the MPEG-2 component.