Viewing DVDs from your Hard Drive

[rogersoles]

In 2.1 it's nice that you can view movies that are stored in folders on your hard disk -- but I choose to store DVDs and CDs as images (ISO & NRG) and just mount them with DaemonTools... why not enhance the support that's already there to include the ability to mount images -- the concept of a descriptior file/image file could be maintained for browsing.

[stanger89]

Why not just store the DVDs as files? I've never understood why ISOs are better. As for music, I can't fathom a reason why you'd store audio CDs as ISOs.

[Cayars]

Personally I like ISO images better then directory/IFOs because it's easier to move them around and not get messed up. I like the idea of one file only.

[stanger89]

That's what I don't get, one file, one folder, what's the difference? All an ISO does is hide the contents from you. I guess what I don't get is how having one file, instead of a folder with files, justifies the added complexity of using it (mounting virtual drives, unmounting them).

[Cayars]

Originally Posted by stanger89

That's what I don't get, one file, one folder, what's the difference? All an ISO does is hide the contents from you. I guess what I don't get is how having one file, instead of a folder with files, justifies the added complexity of using it (mounting virtual drives, unmounting them).

Simple (outside of SageTV), many more programs support playing DVDs from DVD drives (mounted ISO) then they do from a directory. Playing from a directory is a "newer" method and isn't supported as much.

Even many of the programs that support playing a DVD from a directory have more problems with this method then a mounted ISO.

For me however, the main reason is that I've been doing it this way since the first programs allowed it and before it was possible to rip to a folder. It's just a thing to stay with the same method at this point.

PS I've added RIPPING and auto ISO MOUNTING to my To Do list for my STV so I'll be incorporating this functionality into SageTV very soon.

Carlo

[stanger89]

Interesting:

Sonic Cineplayer
Intervideo WinDVD
Theatertek
Sage
Zoomplayer
PowerDVD (I think)
nVDVD (Pretty sure)
nStantMedia (broken now but a fix coming)

All support playing DVDs in folders, did I miss any?

Plus there's the fact that DVDShrink rips natively to files, and I only use that to rip since I don't find any value in the menues/extras.

But I see the real reason, all your DVDs are already ISOs, and you're just too lazy to change them, I see now

[brc1248]

Is version 2.1 out yet. I just downloaded the trial version 2.0 and cannot get sage to see my movie collection on my networked hard drive.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by brc1248

Is version 2.1 out yet. I just downloaded the trial version 2.0 and cannot get sage to see my movie collection on my networked hard drive.

It works in 2.0 also, what you need to do is have your DVDs in the correct structure:

Example
D:\DVDs (contains all your DVDs)
D:\DVDs\Moviename (contains one movie called movie name)
D:\DVDs\Moviename\VIDEO_TS (contains all the DVD files - video_ts.ifo etc)

You can then point Sage to either D:\ or D:\DVDs and it should add your DVDs to the Imported Videos section.

[mls]

Since he's using a network drive he would either have to map a drive letter to it or use UNC path (such as \\computer_name\folder_name). I'd suggest using UNC since for some reason that seems to work better then mapping drive letters.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by mls

Since he's using a network drive he would either have to map a drive letter to it or use UNC path (such as \\computer_name\folder_name). I'd suggest using UNC since for some reason that seems to work better then mapping drive letters.

Plus with 2.1 and the service, you can't use mapped drives, good catch

So make that:
\\computername\sharename\DVDs\VIDEO_TS\(DVD files)

Also make sure the account Sage is running in (the one you log on with) has access to that share.

[brc1248]

thanks for the quick replies.

would this go under the video directories or library import? i have tried both and can not see any of the movies.

one thing that did work was that once i added the path to the library import, sage saw all my cover art for the dvd's. at least i know the path name is working. just cant figure out how to see the movies.

[Opus4]

Here's a question... I don't remember: Since SageTV can't play from a DVD drive over a network, can it play DVD images from a network file location?

- Andy

[stanger89]

Yes it goes under Library Import. What do your DVD rips look like?

For example one of my DVDs looks like this:

Y:\DVDs\The Day After Tomorrow\VIDEO_TS\VIDEO_TS.BUP
Y:\DVDs\The Day After Tomorrow\VIDEO_TS\VIDEO_TS.IFO
Y:\DVDs\The Day After Tomorrow\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_0.BUP
Y:\DVDs\The Day After Tomorrow\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_0.IFO
Y:\DVDs\The Day After Tomorrow\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_1.VOB
Y:\DVDs\The Day After Tomorrow\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_2.VOB
Y:\DVDs\The Day After Tomorrow\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_3.VOB
Y:\DVDs\The Day After Tomorrow\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_4.VOB
Y:\DVDs\The Day After Tomorrow\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_5.VOB
Y:\DVDs\The Day After Tomorrow\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_6.VOB
Y:\DVDs\The Day After Tomorrow\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_7.VOB

It shows up in Sage as "The Day After Tomorrow"

I know the IFOs and VOBs are necessary, I suspect the BUPs are as well. I've never tried without though as DVDShrink outputs a structure that works perfectly in Sage.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by Opus4

Here's a question... I don't remember: Since SageTV can't play from a DVD drive over a network, can it play DVD images from a network file location?

- Andy

Yeah, it will play ripped DVDs just fine. I just did it tonight. The problem with DVD drives, has to do with the fact that the drive isn't emulated across the network and the CSS/region coding doesn't work right. I think (never tried/not sure) that if you had a DVD without CSS and no region coding it would play from a shared DVD drive.

[brc1248]

here is my path name:

\\videoserver\dvd1\Bug's Life\video_ts.ifo

pretty much the same except i havent been using the VIDEO_TS sub folder.

are you having to put all those lines in library import? i have just been putting \\videoserver\dvd1\Bug's Life for my path.

[Opus4]

This is in Appendix I of the manual... for both 2.0 & 2.1. (Not the small installation info PDF; I mean the full 8MB manual.)


- Andy

[stanger89]

No that's just what my directory structure looks like, all I have in my Library Import is y: (actually it's "\\Thunderbird\Video") and Sage recurses it's contents and pics up everything in there.

Two things I can suggest:
1) Try putting \\videoserver\dvd1 as an import dir
2) Try putting the DVD files in a VIDEO_TS directory inside "\\videoserver\dvd1\Bug's Life\"

[brc1248]

thats it!

you have to have the path name and movie folders in a specific format. once i downloaded the full manual it was right there.
i guess i will spend the rest of the night putting the VIDEO_TS folder back in all my movie folders.

appreciate the help.

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by brc1248

you have to have the path name and movie folders in a specific format. once i downloaded the full manual it was right there.

Makes sense... I think I wrote that appendix based on some info from stanger89 & then made some changes he suggested to help clarify it.

- Andy