juke
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Post by juke on Aug 21, 2013 11:53:55 GMT
I'm currently copying my DVDs (about 120) on to a USB 3 HDD.
My idea is to use a little-used laptop and the USB HDD as a home movie centre or whatever the current term is.
I have a trial version of TotalMedia Theatre 6 on my main PC and it seems OK but wonder if anyone has any alternative suggestions before I pay for this.
I haven't explored all the possibilities but the ability of compressing some movies might be useful at times.
I need HD and Bluray playback as well.
One thing I haven't figured with HMT6 is once I get the details from their movie database I can't see how to remove them from the associated movie.I got one wrong, or it did, and now I'm stuck with it. If anyone has the answer I'd be glad to hear it.
Is there any advantage in using DVD ripper software? I already have AnyDVD HD installed, it's great.
Thanks
Syd
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Rabbit
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Post by Rabbit on Aug 21, 2013 16:40:16 GMT
Magic DVD ripper. Gives options for quality. However not sure it does Blueray yet.
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Javier
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Post by Javier on Aug 22, 2013 9:21:27 GMT
Syd, how do you plan to rip the DVD/BD disk, in a 1:1 copy mode keeping menus, subs, languages, etc. or in MKV type files?
Not that many media players will play native BD structures limiting the choice.
I used TMT for quite some time and like it very much but there are excelent free players like MPC-HC I prefer now, the problem is they don't support the BD structure due to licensing costs.
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juke
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Post by juke on Aug 22, 2013 12:27:25 GMT
Thanks Ian, Javier. These suggestions both look interesting but I was hoping to find something that played HD DVD and Bluray.
TMT used to play all three but now only BD and DVD. I've since read that if TMT 3 is loaded as well as TMT 6 then HDD playback works in 6. Still have to try to get that checked out.
So far I have just straight copied to HDD and relied on the player to sort it out. I haven't really looked at alternative file types, are there any advantage?
I have only a few BD and HD DVD titles so it's not massively important.
I'll load these others meantime and check them out.
Syd
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juke
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Post by juke on Aug 23, 2013 18:05:25 GMT
I loaded MPC-HC and it does do Bluray, both my straight copy and from disc. I had come across a query where someone was asking why BD wouldn't autoplay, I clicked on it , expecting the answer to be because it doesn't do Bluray but he just got offered help with his autorun issue. So I tried it and it worked, no problem. So that leaves HD DVD, but really the only one I wanted for sure was BBC Planet Earth. I looked around and it's available on Bluray for a few ££s so all problems solved I can get on with copying and read up a bit more on compressing a few movies for when travelling. Syd
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Rabbit
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Post by Rabbit on Aug 23, 2013 18:27:32 GMT
For travelling Syd, I find IPad or the Kindle Fire are both excellent.
As soon as I've watched a film, I delete it and use the space to download mp3 stuff that I leave on Amazon so my music files build up as the film's decrease and I listen to music then as well.
My files are on Amazon Cloud so I can access them from anywhere in the world. Plus my iPod stuff as well of course which is in higher ripped quality than the Amazon stuff.
I don't get too hung up about bit rates on the move. Defeats the object for me. Very nice to have massive lossless files and all that if you're out for a day, but for 3 or more weeks, you can kind of limit yourself through what I feel can be a form of snobbery!! My files are bigger than yours type of thing! I really don't mind for longer term music on the move. I have combinations of all kinds of rips and don't worry too much.
But I do like my films on the move; especially in foreign countries. Makes me feel more at home.
My DVD ripper rips to Kindle Fire proportions (or IPad) and they are played either directly on screen or via a lead from say the Kindle to usb which plugs directly into modern tv's and they look pretty good even on a 55 inch HD screen.
I brought a load to Tenerife with me and the Kindle holds quite a few films in pretty good definition.
I also use the rips on long trips for Lucy in the car. Get two hours virtually of silence then and none of the typical, 'are we there yet comments'.
In fact, I'm so ocd, that I set my Sat nav to try and arrive just after the film should end and I actually speed up and slow down to keep the time right for the film.
Hassle free driving with a little kid!!!
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juke
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Post by juke on Aug 23, 2013 22:54:35 GMT
Some good ideas there Ian. I have a Xoom that I bought a while back to use as a remote for my music PC, I must try that for movies. It takes SD (or micro SD?) cards so a good idea for experimenting. Just need to try the various compression types, I stopped keeping up to date quite a while back.
I recently took Frans' guidance over on diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/about/ and copied nearly all of my music on to a 64 Gb USB stick at 320bps constant bitrate. It gets used in a Raspberry Pi which acts as a server for some of the Logitech/Slimdevices music streamers about the house. I have to honestly say that the sound is really impressive.
I'm worrying less and less these days about hires files, seems to me the quality of the initial sound file is paramount, I have some pretty poor HD tracks downloads and I'd rather listen to MP3 than those. Never thought that I would listen to MP3s but having failed Frans' test I became more convinced to get relaxed and judge what I'm hearing not what I'm supposedly hearing as per bitrates etc.
I still use full res files on the music PC as there is loads of room. I have USB in the car and a 32GB Cosair GT stick and it sounds great. That's about half of all my music, amazing. The high notes are all as evident as I hear on the main system.
Syd
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juke
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Post by juke on Aug 23, 2013 22:59:04 GMT
In fact, I'm so ocd, that I set my Sat nav to try and arrive just after the film should end and I actually speed up and slow down to keep the time right for the film. Hassle free driving with a little kid!!! That made me laugh! We were driving home some years back and a documentary came on the radio about the old BSR record deck company. I drove on past our junction to hear the rest of the programme, about 20 more miles. Sadly, I recalled most of the decks they were talking about Syd
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