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Is it possible to watch DVD files off a external HD?
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awesomo
Newbie
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22. November 2009 @ 19:51 |
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Sorry if this is the wrong forum. I searched through a few forums, and decided this was the best place. If not, I'm sorry.
So, lately I've been backing up all my store bought DVD's after an unfortunate accident left one of my disc from season 1 of "How I Met Your Mother" almost unplayable. The accident involved my 18 month old niece and Cheetos.
Anyway, since I started backing up my DVD's, I've been curious if there's a way to just store the DVD files to an external HD, and then connect the HD to a blu-ray player or TV and play the files. This would save me $, as I wouldn't have to put the shows unto disc and then store the disc.
I'm looking into getting a 500+ GB external HD this holiday season. Is it possible to hook up an external HD to a HDTV and watch vid's this way?
Facts/Questions:
1. I currently use Shrink, so my back up files are VTS_01_0, etc... Would that by the correct format to play the files? Or would I need another back-up software?
2. Would I need a device like a Wester Digital WD TV HD Media Player? From what I read/understand, this device would hook a external HD to a HDTV. (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001JZFQU4/ref=s9_simz_gw_s0_p23_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0RNNZEN762XBPN4DWHP5&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846)
Is there a better device/external HD that somebody would recommend?
3. Anything else I'd need to know. I'm not very computer savvy, but I'm looking for a simple way to keep everything organized.
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AfterDawn Addict
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23. November 2009 @ 06:29 |
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I use the older version of the WD media player (not the recent WD Live with network support).
It does not support VOB files that DVD Shrink creates.
Also, it does not recognize .iso image files.
You can convert the main title to one large MPEG2 file using VOB2MPG - however this media player does not see the subtitles (it does recognize external subtitles like .srt files).
Note that most external HDD's (and flash drives) are formatted to FAT32 - this means that the size of one particular single file can not exceed 4GB.
If you happened to convert a title to one single MPEG file and that file was more than 4GB, it would not be written to the drive.
This can be got around by converting the drive to NTFS format (which is the norm for internal HDD's on a PC).
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 23. November 2009 @ 06:30
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awesomo
Newbie
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25. November 2009 @ 15:28 |
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Thank you for the reply.
I am completely unfamiliar w/ "NTFS format". Is there a free program out there that will take my video files (from shrink) and convert them to NTFS? Or is there a program that converts the files straight from the DVD to NTFS format?
Also, can my xbox360 act as a "media player" that I can hook the hard drive up to, or do I need an actual media player like the one in the link to amazon that I posted earlier?
Thanks.
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scorpNZ
AfterDawn Addict
4 product reviews
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25. November 2009 @ 16:37 |
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This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 25. November 2009 @ 16:44
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AfterDawn Addict
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25. November 2009 @ 17:33 |
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Fat32 and NTFS do not refer to video files.
They are a method of formatting a hard drive (or a flash drive that is plugged into a PC).
Fat32 formatting restricts the size of any one file to 4GB.
Older versions of Windows supported Fat32 (I believe that Macs use this formatting) - thus external drives (and flash drives) are shipped formatted to Fat32 - so that Macs and PC's can both use them - however a PC user who wishes to save single files that are over 4GB must reformat the new external drive to NTFS format.
VOB2MPG will convert a folder (that was output by DVD Shrink) to a single, large MPEG2 file.
If the file is more than 4GB, then it cannot be saved to a drive that is formatted Fat32 - the drive must be reformatted to NTFS format.
Note in this image of the drive properties how one drive is Fat32 and the other is NTFS.
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awesomo
Newbie
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26. November 2009 @ 21:05 |
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I appreciate all the reply's (especially the picture - that helped).
So, I'm now doing some Christmas shopping, looking for both a external HDD and a HD type media player. Are there any specific types/brands that people would recommend to me? A friend suggested I look for a USB powered external HD. Any other tips, info or suggestions?
Thanks.
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awesomo
Newbie
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27. November 2009 @ 15:35 |
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OK, so new developments. I went out today for some BF shopping. Here are the two HD I managed to snag (I grabbed one, a friend grabbed the other).
1. WD Element - 1TB external HD. I do not believe this is USB powered though. $59 from Target.
2. WD - 1.5TB external HD. I believe it is USB powered. $119 from Best Buy. This one also mentions "eSTATA", could somebody explain that to me in english? I tried google and wiki ... still over my head.
Thanks.
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Junior Member
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29. December 2009 @ 12:26 |
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By far the easiest would be to get a standalone DVD player that can read movies in Avi/Divx/Xvid format, not just the regular DVD formmat.
If you give a subtitle file the same name as your movie, for example Spiderman.avi and Spiderman.srt, you even have switchable subtitles.
You could then just burn it to a DVD in good old normal data format (ISO) and away we go! This would save you immense amount of Disc space, since one DVD holds about 6 or 7 90 min movies in data-format. In DVD (VOB, IFO, BUP) format, it's just about 2 movies. Do the math.
It's even better if that standalone DVD player has an USB-port! You can then skip the burning altogether and watch from your usb-drive. I have a 8 GB usb-drive, holds about 13 TV episodes and that's IT! :)
They cost like 30-40 euros these days. I'm guessing 40 bucks at Walmart.
Then, you could watch your movies from any usb-stick, or, from your external HDD if it has a usb port. (BTW, a external HDD that isn't powered via usb, kinda sucks, just more clumsy cables)
Idk about your hdtv, some do have an usb port, but IDK if they can play any movie if you just stick a usb-drive in them, i guess you'd need a DVD-player between them. I'd say: just TRY IT ....
- If at first you dont succeed, skydiving is not for you....
- Youre a mod. Stupid questions are part of your job, especially those repetitive ones ... ;) Get used to it. Enjoy it.
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 29. December 2009 @ 12:42
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