I have finally decided to backup my movie collection, shrink my DVDs to files on a hard disc and set up a central shared media server.
I set up a "500GB Maxtor Shared Storage (NAS) drive" and a "1TB Iomega StorCenter ix2 Network Storage drive" and connected them to my wireless router.
I have just bought a Buffalo LinkTheatre Wireless Network Media Player and connected it to my TV so that I can view the files stored on my Maxtor and Iomega drives via TV :
My laptop is using Windows Vista but I think that this is not relevent, however I think that I would view the videos on my laptop using itunes.
So, what should I use to turn the purchased (hence copy protected) DVD's into files that can be stored on the Maxtor and Iomega drives and then presented on my TV via the Buffalo or on my laptop via something like itunes.
I have plenty of disc space so I want the vidieo to be of the highest quality so that I will be pleased with what I see on any future plasma/LCD/HDTV.
I have used 'DVD Shrink' and 'DVD Decrypter' in the past to rip and backup DVDs however in the past I followed the process from start to finish until creating the backup DVD and have didn't play the vob?,ifo?,bup? etc files on anything other than a DVD player playing the backup DVD.
So, what file format (and settings) should I be saving the movies as and how should I rip the DVDs (for free).
Going the freeware option gives you a few choices. Rip you dvd's with dvdfab hd decrypter. Are you lokking for just main movie or full disk.
From there you need to process the files with fixvts, as dvdfab doesn't give the cleanest rips.
Now, the choices begin. You can keep them in dvd file format by using either dvd shrink or dvd rebuilder. Dvd rebuilder's output is superior to dvd shrink's as it "rebuilds" the dvd from the ground up.
Since your media player recognizes avi/divx files, you can use autogk to process the files to under 1.5GB each, with still very good quality.
That should give you a few options to start out with.
Thanks for the advice, I have ripped a few of my DVDs with "DVDfab HD Decrypter" and then cleaned up the files using "fixvts" as recommended ... I am half way there (time for the beer varnull?)
I am a purest and would 'love' to simply store the files as 4-5GB DVD file format however although 'lossless' I wouuldn't be able to watch them so I accept that I need to convert them and so have some compression and reduction in quality ...... but as little as possible !
I have just raised a new thread (http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/761006) to ask which format is best !
XVID And H.264 are usually associated with avi files. Notice how the words are "highlighted and underscored"? You can click on them for a link to a definition about each.
I installed AutoGK as per the recommendation in the thread ...
I think I understand it that the format that I want to eventally have is an MPEG-4AVC / MPEG-4H.264.
With AutoGK I can't see that option. The only options I can see are 'Xvid' and 'DivX' which although (when looking at the Glossary - I am learning !! :-)) they are MPEG-4, they are not the AVC/H.264 version.
My media player understands : XviD & H.264 (MPEG4 AVC)
My phone understands : 3GPP formats (H.263), H.264/AVC
OK, I am still a nubie on this - should I convert to one of these (Xvid/DivX) or is there something that converts direct to AVC/H.264. If I should convert to one of these, which one ?
