DVD hard drive for tv? home theater question

[95b16coupe]

I want to have some sort of dvd hard drive or something that will hold my dvds and play dircetly to my tv. (yes i know a computer can do this) but i want something separate from my computer so i don't need my comp sitting around.

i was also wondering if there is some sort of software that would get it to be like itunes cover flow or netflix cover flow.

 

[TurboMirage]

i found this... but it still doesnt play them :/

Amazon.com: Cyberguys CD Carousel Plus - Storage CD/DVD automated carousel - capacity: 150 CD/DVD: Electronics

 

[TurboMirage]

or this...

Pioneer DV-F727 301-Disc DVD Player | Parts-Express.com

 

[eg6sir]

i use my computer and stream from the office to the 360 in the living room through Vuze

 

[GSRCRXsi]

You can use that western digital box with an external hard drive hooked up to it.

Personally I just use a dedicated HTPC with a 2TB internal drive for DVD storage.

 

[95b16coupe]

Personally I just use a dedicated HTPC with a 2TB internal drive for DVD storage.

this looks like what i'm trying to do. do you have a software recommendation to operate this?

 

[GSRCRXsi]

If you are using windows, you can just use windows media center. It's built in to xp MCE, vista home premium and up, and windows 7. I use windows media center in windows 7. It's a really nice interface. You just have to point media center to the directory that has all your movies

 

[Briansol]

look for a dlna player/tv with wireless, and you can stream directly from your computer or whatever right to your tv/etc. you just make a share like you would in windows explorer and then put all your movies/etc on it.

 

[phunky.buddha]

If you are using windows, you can just use windows media center. It's built in to xp MCE, vista home premium and up, and windows 7. I use windows media center in windows 7. It's a really nice interface. You just have to point media center to the directory that has all your movies

Except I'm still looking for codecs that let Media Center play as smoothly as VLCplayer. VLC's output is way cleaner.

 

[95b16coupe]

If you are using windows, you can just use windows media center. It's built in to xp MCE, vista home premium and up, and windows 7. I use windows media center in windows 7. It's a really nice interface. You just have to point media center to the directory that has all your movies

if i go this route, is it possible to store blu ray also? it's probably a HUGE file though.

 

[phunky.buddha]

Yup. You can crunch BluRays down to smaller MKV files without losing much quality though.

 

[GSRCRXsi]

yea and youll have to get some codecs so WMC can play the mkv files too. i dont believe its natively supported.

you better have A LOT of HDD space for blu-ray. i looked into it, and the movie/GB ratio plus the time involved in ripping each blu-ray just wasnt worth it IMO. it can be done though. i just play blu-rays directly from the disc using the same computer and a blu-ray drive. it makes sense for me though seeing as i have like 300ish ripped DVDs and like 10 blu-rays lol.

 

[phunky.buddha]

Yeah mkv isn't natively supported.