CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

Bucketfoot · Joined: 17 Mar 2006 Posts: 698 Location: Centennial, CO

So far the only video I've been keeping on my server is either camcorder stuff or things for all of our ipods, but I've been considering putting my dvd collection on there as well.

What format do you guys use for this?

Do most of you just keep it in the native dvd format, or do you re-encode to something smaller?

My playback device would probably be a PS3, although I do have a PC in my theater that I could look at using as well.

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 6:43 pm Post subject:

The easiest is drag and drop each movie to it's own folder but I'm sure the archivers will pop in and suggest a Divix /Mpeg4 compression with a phancy front end that shows you a movie poster.

ecrabb · Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 8:37 pm Post subject:

Bucketfoot, do you want to re-compress or not (in other words, do you have lots of storage, or not)?

The PS3 is great as a nice, simple, trouble/maintenance-free appliance, but isn't as powerful or flexible as an HTPC. The main problem is that it won't play VOB, MKV or MPEG-4 w/AC-3 or DTS. So, you have to rip/convert to MPEG-2 w/AC-3 for the PS3, or a different format (like MPEG-4 w/AAC). None of those options will give you menus, extras, or alternate audio tracks - just the main feature.

If the PS3 issues don't sound acceptable, then you'll want to look at the plethora of options to rip DVD for HTPC playback.

SC

Bucketfoot · Joined: 17 Mar 2006 Posts: 698 Location: Centennial, CO

I have quite a bit of storage (currently have about 3TB free on my server), but then again I don't want to fill it with movies. I don't care too much about bonus feature or alternate audio, but would prefer to have captions available.

I obviously haven't looked into this much yet, but I would have thought the PS3 would have supported VOB.

ecrabb · Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 10:02 pm Post subject:

You know what? Maybe it will play VOBs, but not with subtitles... Or, maybe it was without menus... I can't remember, now. There have been several major PS3 updates since the last time I did any testing, and it's just been way too long since then... I'll let somebody else say what does/doesn't work.

I watch so little SD anymore, I kind of lost interest in ripping DVD's altogether. Except for kids' movies, and then I don't care about any details, anyway.

SC

bbfarmht · Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 10:32 pm Post subject:

I have been been downloading Mikes gui. I had also been thinking of using the PS3 for the viewing. I am also curious if anybody has used the ps3 successfully for this.

Although I guess I will be putting together a new pc for ripping so maybe I will just use the pc.

WanMan · Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 10270

How many DVD's are we talking about Bucketfoot?

Bucketfoot · Joined: 17 Mar 2006 Posts: 698 Location: Centennial, CO

WanMan · Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 10270

That's a healthy inventory you got there. You easily have four times the number of DVDs that I have. Smile

lovebohn · Joined: 16 Mar 2006 Posts: 181 Location: Wisconsin

I would just use DVDFab, decrypt it and strip out all of the menus, subtitles and different audio and save it as an ISO files in its own directory. I did this with a few DVD's to use on a networked media player and it worked great. I did have to use the DVD though and not the ripped Video_TS folders for some reason. The ISO's would not play on the media player. DVD Fab should be free for this type of use.

http://www.dvdfab.com/download.htm

Bucketfoot · Joined: 17 Mar 2006 Posts: 698 Location: Centennial, CO

Yep, I ended up using DVDFab (already had it and used it frequently for ipod & pocketdish conversions).

For now, since I've got the space, I've been going with full ISO files (not stripping out anything). I've got an Asus O!Play in the kids playroom and they have loved using this to watch movies off the server.

Bucketfoot · Joined: 17 Mar 2006 Posts: 698 Location: Centennial, CO