Using Sage to Archive DVDs (Library Software) or Software Recommendations Please ...

[Exile]

Hey Guys,


I'm in the early staging of building my own PVR and along with that I've decieded to backup and archive all of my DVDs to hard drive for quick access on multiple TV's (hopefully running on some type of a server software with client ability). I took a look at SageTV and although it appears you can play DVD's and import media, I'm not sure it supports the features I want to make it a real DVD archive.

Anyway, here are the key Library features that I definitely want to have. Like I said, if SageTV doesn't have the option or support it, any software recommendations would be appreciated.

Library Features via a GUI from a Remote

Add, Edit, Remove and Search Movies by actor, title or description.

Browse Movies by Actor or Title.

Multiple Compression Options

Thumbnail Option for each DVD. This is something I hoping I can do. I would love to be able to pull off the thumb from online of the DVD Box and then add it to each movie. Maybe it would show up when I hit the movie from a search and hopefully I could be able to just view all of my movie boxes and choose a movie that way as well.

Multiple Import Options (DVD Transfer Options) - Obviously I'd want to be able to import the DVD's but being able to import them in several different formats would be great.

Speedy - Hoepfully this software if it's not SageTV would be pretty fast at doing everything. I have about 400 DVD's I want to move on this box and I figure I'm going to have to build a 2TB Raid Array to support it. With 500 GB drives at $150 now, it's too cheap to not do it anymore.


Thanks for the suggestions and advice in advance.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by Exile

Anyway, here are the key Library features that I definitely want to have. Like I said, if SageTV doesn't have the option or support it, any software recommendations would be appreciated.

These are in regards to SageTV's features...

Library Features via a GUI from a Remote

Yup, Sage natively supports playback/browsing of ripped DVDs, if they're in a file/folder format (not ISOs).

Add, Edit, Remove and Search Movies by actor, title or description.

We'll start by saying Sage doesn't natively import metadata, but if there, it can display it. There are some customizations that provide this functionality though.

You might need to elaborate on what you want exactly. There are really two parts to a DVD server:

The setup, ripping, metadata configuration, etc. This is done outside SageTV. The best tool (for Sage) for metadata is DVD Profiler. I do all this on my desktop.

The frontend/interface, this is done in Sage.

Browse Movies by Actor or Title.

By default Sage just displays the filenames and a thumbnail if it's there, but like I said, there are some customizations that allow importing of metadata.

None support search by actor yet, though I'd like that feature myself...

Multiple Compression Options

Sage doesn't do any ripping, you'll need to use your favorite external software for that.

Thumbnail Option for each DVD. This is something I hoping I can do. I would love to be able to pull off the thumb from online of the DVD Box and then add it to each movie. Maybe it would show up when I hit the movie from a search and hopefully I could be able to just view all of my movie boxes and choose a movie that way as well.

You have to provide the thumbs, but Sage will display them by default.

Multiple Import Options (DVD Transfer Options) - Obviously I'd want to be able to import the DVD's but being able to import them in several different formats would be great.

Sage supports a wide variety of file formats, but again, doesn't do any ripping (well, I guess there are customizations that can rip as well).

Speedy - Hoepfully this software if it's not SageTV would be pretty fast at doing everything. I have about 400 DVD's I want to move on this box and I figure I'm going to have to build a 2TB Raid Array to support it. With 500 GB drives at $150 now, it's too cheap to not do it anymore.

There's really no fast way to rip DVDs, you just have to work your way through them.

[bcjenkins]

Originally Posted by stanger89

There's really no fast way to rip DVDs, you just have to work your way through them.

Maybe not fast, but definitely easy if you have the money. Buy a couple of firewire changers (holds 200 per) http://www.amazon.com/Sony-VGP-XL1B2...0?ie=UTF8&s=pc and check out http://www.mammothi.com/index.php?show_aux_page=12 for automation.

I have a changer, just haven't pulled the trigger on the software yet. There is a free alternative, but I haven't had the time to script it out.

B

[Exile]

Thanks for the reply. Sounds like Sage will do some or stuff I want to accomplish.

With regards to the server/client questions in detail. I guess in the end, I want to have all my TV's hooked up so that each TV can access all of the DVD's from the Movie Library "Server". I take it each TV will need it's own SageTV client or a client running on it's own computer that will allow each one to access all the movies. Hopefully the all of the TV's will be able to access all the movies and the GUI (hopefully I'll find one that allows me to search or preview thumbnails (preview by alphabetical, actor, director, year, running time or category) and maybe even some custom setup search fields / descriptors options such as movie year, search descriptions, running time, etc that will display the results in either thumbnail or some type of text indexing.

I'm willing to do all the ripping, archiving and setting it up on external software. That's totally cool with me but in the end, I want to be able to access all the data across all my TV's with a single remote with no keyboards. Basically like a SageTV or Tivo Client but for movies instead of TV that's a server with client access.

I guess from what you said Sage won't allow me to do those type of specific searches so does anybody have any recommendations on any other software that does? I've done some searches on Google but haven't seen or found anything yet that will do it. I wouldn't think it would be that hard really.

Does MCE offer it? I've never seen it and don't own a copy yet so I'm clueless.

Any other suggestions and ideas are incourged and appreciated.

Originally Posted by stanger89

These are in regards to SageTV's features...



Yup, Sage natively supports playback/browsing of ripped DVDs, if they're in a file/folder format (not ISOs).



We'll start by saying Sage doesn't natively import metadata, but if there, it can display it. There are some customizations that provide this functionality though.

You might need to elaborate on what you want exactly. There are really two parts to a DVD server:

The setup, ripping, metadata configuration, etc. This is done outside SageTV. The best tool (for Sage) for metadata is DVD Profiler. I do all this on my desktop.

The frontend/interface, this is done in Sage.



By default Sage just displays the filenames and a thumbnail if it's there, but like I said, there are some customizations that allow importing of metadata.

None support search by actor yet, though I'd like that feature myself...



Sage doesn't do any ripping, you'll need to use your favorite external software for that.



You have to provide the thumbs, but Sage will display them by default.



Sage supports a wide variety of file formats, but again, doesn't do any ripping (well, I guess there are customizations that can rip as well).



There's really no fast way to rip DVDs, you just have to work your way through them.

[bcjenkins]

1) You can view DVDs across MVPs now with version 6.0. At 99/unit, makes more sense instead of buying PCs for each TV.

2) Stanger indicated that stock out of the box, Sage doesn't do the sorting you wish, but there are add-ons available. If something doesn't exist today, likely there is someone willing to put the pieces together. I know you can filter for the items you requested in the TV section, presumably the same logic applies to the DVD section if the plugin is available.

B

[dvd_maniac]

hopefully I'll find one that allows me to search or preview thumbnails (preview by alphabetical, actor, director, year, running time or category)

I believe SageMC will allow this.

I have around 1500 movies, Most from dvd rips and some from Sage recordings. I encoded them using H.264 (Nero Recode & Staxrip) and a 100 minute movie shrinks down to about 500-600MB without any noticable quality loss. Much more time then just ripping but less money in hardware.
Then you could use SageTV with the SageMC customized GUI to search IMDB database and import the metedata which is then searchable by description.
So if you search for an actor or year or whatever then anything that is in the details should show up.
Not really a SageMC user but just tried it out and it worked.
Maybe somebody else that reguilarly uses SageMC could chime in with more details

[garyellis]

But, will H.264 play across the MVP's? and will the FF and RW work on the MVP for H.264, if they do play across the MVP

I'm just sensitive because I converted some MPEG2's to AVI files to save space and I can't use the FF or RW function on the MVP for the converted file...

Gary

[dvd_maniac]

I'm honestly not sure. I don't have one to try but would like to know this myself.

[petereader]

I will second dvd_maniac's suggestion for SageMC. I had demands very similar to Exile's for my 400+ DVDs, and although SageMC didn't meet all of them I "settled" for it. As it turns out, MLBdude did a fantastic job with this stv and flachbar's updates have taken it to a new level of functionality. I guess what I was looking for was a browser similar to iTunes that would include actor and director columns. Although SageMC doesn't have that, it does have a text search that will allow you to search for just about anything that's imported with the metadata. I personally use the imdb search to save the metadata for my movies (it will save all the info you are asking for as well as a thumbnail cover image with just the click of a button), but you can also use DVD Profiler (as mentioned by Stranger). If you have more specific questions as to how these functions work I will be more than happy to quide you through them when I get home tonight, but my suggestion, based on what your asking for, is that SageMC will get closest to providing what you're looking for.