What Is a Video TS Folder?

If you looked in a video DVD with Windows Explorer, you would likely find a "VIDEO_TS" and an "AUDIO_TS" folder. These folders are present on commercially available DVDs and are automatically created by DVD software when you build your own DVDs. DVD players specifically look for these folders to find specific content, which is played through your TV or computer monitor.

1. VIDEO_TS Folder

   • The VIDEO_TS folder resides in the root directory of the DVD and houses all the information for playing back a DVD. This information includes the video content, menus and instructions for playback.

   VIDEO_TS Files

   • Three file types exist in the VIDEO_TS folder. The primary video content is contained in one or more .VOB files. These files are restricted to 1GB in size, so if your video content cannot fit within that file limit, multiple .VOB files are created. Information about how the DVD is played and what .VOB files should be accessed is contained in several .IFO files. These files are backed up in .BUP files.

   AUDIO_TS Folder

   • Similar to the VIDEO_TS folder, the AUDIO_TS folder houses information on audio content. This folder may be empty on video-only DVDS, or those whose audio is exclusively integrated into the .VOB files within the VIDEO_TS folder.

   Converting VIDEO_TS Folders

   • Several programs, such as Hand Brake, CloneDVD Mobile and Auto Gordian Knot, can convert the contents of a VIDEO_TS folder into a single .AVI or .MPG file. This conversion reduces storage space requirements when keeping copies of your personal DVDs and allows them to be played with your computer's media player.