Play DVD on Server to Extender?

[Skybolt]

I have read the manual and it states that an extender (i.e. HD100) cannot play the DVD remotely, only a PC client can play a DVD locally. So I set up a RAID sytem and started ripping DVD's to that. Life is good.

After awhile and a few hundred rips later, I started ripping the TV series dvds to disk as well. That takes up more space then anything, like Babylon 5 all five seasons is close to 300GB. Ripping to AVI takes 2.5 hrs on a P4 3.8 per episode.

Besides a quad core for ripping, is there any way of playing the disc's on the server and watching them on the extender without ripping? Latel I have been ripping the disc and then deleting it. as my 5TB array is getting full.


Thanks,
Skybolt

[Polypro]

If the Extenders truly can not play CSS protected content, you would need AnyDVD(HD) running on the server, and share out the DVD drive.

P

[paulbeers]

Originally Posted by Polypro

If the Extenders truly can not play CSS protected content, you would need AnyDVD(HD) running on the server, and share out the DVD drive.

P

Yes this works just fine. You put AnyDVD on your server and share the drive (just as you would any video import folder) and your extender can play it directly. I've done this with Blu-Rays.

[Skybolt]

Wow, did I miss that one! - Thanks! I wasn't even thinking in that direction. Bad tunnel vision this week.

[Skybolt]

Originally Posted by Polypro

If the Extenders truly can not play CSS protected content, you would need AnyDVD(HD) running on the server, and share out the DVD drive.

P

Ok - I guess I don't understand where to go from here. I have AnyDVD runnig and the DVD drive is shared as "DVD" with everyone read rights. I see it just fine over the network, but just exactly how do I access it throught sage?

If I use it as an import dir then I need to rescan and Sage thinks that the DVD in the drive is there all of the time, If I use "Play other file" I need to open the vob's seperately.

Still confussed???


Thanks,
Skybolt

[CollinR]

Originally Posted by Skybolt

If I use it as an import dir then I need to rescan and Sage thinks that the DVD in the drive is there all of the time, SNIP...

Yup, pretty much insert disk, rescan media, play the DVD with no name. You must have a disk in the drive to map it as an import directory.


In my case I bought a DVD megachanger and just connected it via svideo to a PVR500, you could just as easily connect it to an HDPVR though.

I use URC RF remotes to control the IR in the house and USBUIRT controls the IR>PC and vise versa. Works fine but the GUI on the Sony DVD400 changer SUCKS! Also no serial control and the IR interface sucks too. It is however backup free and my kids haven't lost or scratched a disk since I got it. Before I used dynamic menus and the USBUIRT to control it, again workable but the URC remotes are better.

[Skybolt]

Originally Posted by CollinR

Yup, pretty much insert disk, rescan media, play the DVD with no name. You must have a disk in the drive to map it as an import directory...

That's what I was afraid of, having close to 5TB of Ripped media the scan takes quite a while. Oh well I guess I just need to save up for another NAS setup.

Thanks for clarifying.
-Skybolt

[wrems]

Using this method does not require a rescan of import directories for each subsequent disc to work.

This process needs to be done only once and then whatever disc you put into your server will play accordingly.

- Pop a movie into your server let AnyDVD do its thing.
- Add a new import directory in your videos for this drive. Allow the rescan to happen.
- From the file system view of your video collection you’ll see you have a new entry for VIDEO_TS, you can play the disc from this entry.
- You can leave this as is or just rename the VIDEO_TS entry to something more intuitive like “PLAY DVD” or something.
- At this point you are done. You don’t need to rescan for every new disc put into the server.

I’m sure there is a way to do this via dynamic menus too. Does anyone have a technique they would like to share as far as getting this to work via dynamic menus?

[Skybolt]

Originally Posted by wrems

Using this method does not require a rescan of import directories for each subsequent disc to work...

Thanks guys - The tunnel vision really kicked in on this one. This works great!

Thanks for the help.
-Skybolt

[Deacon Crusher]

Is there a version of this that works with blu-ray discs?

thanks

Originally Posted by wrems

Using this method does not require a rescan of import directories for each subsequent disc to work.

This process needs to be done only once and then whatever disc you put into your server will play accordingly.

- Pop a movie into your server let AnyDVD do its thing.
- Add a new import directory in your videos for this drive. Allow the rescan to happen.
- From the file system view of your video collection you’ll see you have a new entry for VIDEO_TS, you can play the disc from this entry.
- You can leave this as is or just rename the VIDEO_TS entry to something more intuitive like “PLAY DVD” or something.
- At this point you are done. You don’t need to rescan for every new disc put into the server.

I’m sure there is a way to do this via dynamic menus too. Does anyone have a technique they would like to share as far as getting this to work via dynamic menus?

[wrems]

Can't help you there. I don't have a BluRay player on my server. My guess is that with AnyDVD HD running in the background the process would still be very similar to the above steps... Maybe someone else can chime in here with what they do?

[Deacon Crusher]

Just to be clear, I have my BD drive listed as an import directory and can play discs from it, but I have to rescan import directories first for it to work properly. I'm looking for a way to avoid that step.

thanks

[bsung]

Seems like a good feature to have would be the ability to just rescan a specific import directory and not all of them at once.

[Deacon Crusher]

Yep, I've been lobbying for that feature for the last year and a half.

thanks

Originally Posted by bsung

Seems like a good feature to have would be the ability to just rescan a specific import directory and not all of them at once.

[fac13]

Originally Posted by bsung

Seems like a good feature to have would be the ability to just rescan a specific import directory and not all of them at once.

Or even better, be able to tell Sage to monitor disk insert/eject events and scan automatically.

[ptzink]

Originally Posted by wrems

I’m sure there is a way to do this via dynamic menus too. Does anyone have a technique they would like to share as far as getting this to work via dynamic menus?

Wrems (or anyone), have you discovered a way to do this with Dynamic Main Menu? I am using this 'hack' and would love to replace the Play DVD menu item on my (driveless) client with a direct link to play this video file.

[wrems]

Originally Posted by ptzink

Wrems (or anyone), have you discovered a way to do this with Dynamic Main Menu? I am using this 'hack' and would love to replace the Play DVD menu item on my (driveless) client with a direct link to play this video file.

Nope, haven't figured it out. At the same time, with v7's lack of DM it's probably not too likely anymore unless DM gets ported.

[ptzink]

Originally Posted by wrems

Nope, haven't figured it out. At the same time, with v7's lack of DM it's probably not too likely anymore unless DM gets ported.

Are there really that many people who have jumped ship from v6 to v7 already? Personally, there are going to have to be a lot more plugins available before I make the switch. Particularly, Dynamic Main Menu.

Anyone else have an idea on how to open a video file from the main menu using DM?

[BobbyDing]

Just curious... Why does AnyDVD need to be installed? What function does it provide that enables Sage to play a DVD.

Thanks!!

Bobby

[tchapin]

AnyDVD bypasses the content protection on a commercially made DVD. That's why if you just open windows explorer and copy the files off the DVD onto your computer, it won't work.

Programs like DVDFab have this feature included.