I am looking to create a HTPC that's basically a DVD jukebox. I have DVDs, HD-DVDs and I'll be getting a Blu-Ray player here probably this year. What I would like is to create a jukebox of sorts where I can store all my different kinds of DVDs on a HD then be able to play them back through the HTPC regardless of what they are. So if I want to watch Dracula (which I own in standard DVD format) it would play it but if I wanted to watch some of my HD-DVDs or Blu Rays it could play them as well. Does such a front end exist on the HTPC front yet? I was thinking of using AnyDVD HD to rip my films to the HD of the system but what do I use to play them back? Also, ease of use would be paramount if that matters. Thanks.
Hello, New here I think I can help. If you know how to rip your content already that's great. You will need the following programs to make this work. ** 1 "My Movies 2 program" found on the "green button" Media Center website. It's a movie collection software that monitors your collection & associates it’s self with the media center interface to make all of your movies accessible in spot with a neat and clean look. You can manage your content behind the scene through it’s own interface or “Movie Management”. It uses a number of websites to download front & rear covers, give you the entire cast, run time, director… You get the point! The coolest thing is that it can either mount or play just about any format. **2 whatever format you decide to create your media too VOB, ISO you need some software to mount or read it. Hence “My Movies 2” can mount ISO’s with the help of daemon tools. You associate daemon tools to through the My Movies 2 settings. So when in the Media Center/My Movies interface say you want to watch Dracula “you click on the front cover then click watch & it would automatically mount the ISO using Daemon tools in the background. Quality depends on the rip & it is capable of doing HD stuff as long as you have the HDD space and the software or hardware to decode it. It can also be used to manage a media server too with a server & client installs. It uses SQL server light to manage the severs database. However if using only one machine you only need the sever side. Hope this helps! Like I said prior the software IS GREAT it’s a curve to get everything the way you want it but it pays off.
Thanks for the info. That seems to be right up the alley for what I am looking for. I had pretty much dismissed MCE but this makes me think it could be a viable solution. You have mentioned being able to set the program to use to play the movie in the background. Considering this is MS, I just assumed it would lock it to play with MS software. Just to make it clear to my addled brain, so I could say use the PowerDVD software or some other HD playback software in the background and it would call up that program to use vs. the DVD playback software that ships with MCE? What is the general preference for DVD playback software that plays back everything (HD-DVD, Blu-Ray, DVD)?
Your Welcome... My movies would organize it & give it an interface in Media center or a stand alone interface if you prefer "you don't need Media Center to get this to work but it makes things a lot nicer because you can organize all your stuff in one interface!!! Daemon tools would mount it & a decoder like you mentioned "Power DVD HD", Nvidia HD decoder & ATI's would decode it. " All that would happen in the back ground behind the scenes. I have mine set to decode with the Nvidia HD decoder it puts more of the work load on the video card than the CPU. But Any HD decoder will work because MCE will use what ever host decoder that is available. If I remember correctly it asks during the MCE set up process what decoder you want to use… MCE 2005 doesn’t ship with a default decoder built in it relies on a 3rd party app. Same with Vista. There’s a lot of different decoders out there some say that if you want a good one go with the company that manufactured your graphics card however the options are open if there’s a better one available.
