So here's what I'm looking for, and someone tell me if this has been done and where I can find it, or any other information you can help me further figure out what I'm trying to do. I was first looking at the Alienware Hangar18 HD Entertainment Center because it looked the closest to what I was looking for. Basically what it is, I have some many DVDs and I've tried a couple different ways to store them with still having quick access, but what I really want to do is get away from using the DVDs discs completely. I want to be able to have something that will allow me to either upload and/or rip my full DVD collection onto. The thing I don't like about the Hangar18 is that it uses Media Center by Vista, which is fine, but Media Center does not allow you to change how you view your DVD library files. So what I want to find is something that would allow me to view my DVD files and/or folders in a list type view form and where somehow the folders, and also the machine to be able to handle 1080p. Not neccessarily looking for a computer, but I'm sure that's what it will come down to, but something in a compact form that either can hold a large amount of internal hardrives, and/or can accept external USB hardrives. I have tried just using a computer before and using Cyberlink PowerDVD, but it gave the rips occasional skips/glitches in the playback. I'm sure that was just a software issue, so better software recommendations are welcomed. Also this computer didn't have HDMI, only VGA, which my Dell 42" Plasma has, but I'm worried that I would lose quality in that, first of all coming just from a computer and not an actual HD machine, plus it coming through a VGA connection instead of something like DVI or HDMI, can anyone confirm if that is so that I lose quality that way, and/or DVD-ripping alone loses quality in the DVD or not? Quick Questions: 1. Will I lose quality in the DVD by ripping them? 2. Is there loss of quality if shooting through VGA; would the quality still be intact if going through HDMI or even a DVI to HDMI adapter? 3. Is there such a machine that is designed just for this type of thing, or will it have to come down to getting a computer tower to do this?
I won't claim to know much. But I offer my limited knowledge. 1 - You should not lose quality while ripping. Quality loss comes in when you convert. 2 - There will be a quality loss for HD through VGA. Although it does look good, it is still analog. DVI and HDMI are digital. 3 - From what I can tell through my little bit of research, building your own is the best thing. Like you said, built systems have things that you may not want or need. And they are expensive. But with your own built system, you have what YOU want or need and it should still be less expensive. I'm looking into what it will cost to do so, and what I'll need. But that's what I've concluded from my research. I do have a thread here in the same forum to get more info. You might wanna keep track of that one, see if it helps you.
Ok great, I will certainly do that. HERE is the video card I'm considering purchasing. Its resolution is 1080p and has an HDMI output, and then I was thinking of getting a tower to hold about 4 1TB hardrives. Quick Questions: 1. I currently know of PowerDVD by Cyberlink to view ripped DVDs on my computer. Are there any known bugs with this software, i.e. as I mentioned earlier with the glitches, and is there better choices to view ripped DVDs? 2. Does the video card I mentioned look like it will have any problem displaying DVD rips? 3. Is there a better 1080p video card choice than this one, and that is not a low-profile card? 4. If I go with the card above, can I just use the S/PDIF output on this card for the audio, or would I still need a good sound card (or a sound card at all) on a desktop tower? 5. I was also considering THIS video card, but it only has component and not HDMI, but if I use a DVI-To-HDMI adapter, will I lose any kind of quality doing that? 6. And is it best to use a program such as DVDfab to remove the copy-protection from a DVD rip, or can I simply copy & paste the files from Explorer on the DVD disc without having any viewing problems?
