Can I hook up a 500GD HD to some standalaone DVD PLayer?

[insyder]

Hi, I was wondering if somebody has any ideas on how to do this:

I have over 500 divx movies on cds and dvds. I was wandering if i buy a 500gig HDD, can I hook it up to some standalone dvd player, so i can play the divxes from the menu of the DVD player? I would like this to just be strait up easy, just like when you put in a dvd with divx folders?

Can this be done?

How much would it cost?

Thanks

[Baldrick]

PLEASE use a better subject that describes you topic and not just how can do the following. I changed it this time. You can change it by clicking on the edit-button on your post.

[insyder]

ok, thanks

[redwudz]

I think you will have problems with that. You are describing what a HTPC computer does. Just put that same hard drive in a computer and use a video card that will output to your TV or monitor. The cost would be the video card and the hard drive. And unless all your Divx and other files are NTSC or PAL, depending on your location, you wouldn't be able to play them properly with a DVD player anyway.

I just toss all my varied video files on my server PC; WMV, RM, Divx, MPEG and other formats and the software player running on my HTPC, using VLC and Zoom Pro, play them on my video projector, PAL and NTSC included.

There are other options, but a DVD player solution is not too likely.

[insyder]

I wanted to simplify things. I had a desktop pc hooked up to the tv, but it needs so much work, windows has to load, open, you can hardly look at what you need, being that it is displaying on a tv, even harder to find files... and so on.
what about a DVD player/recorder with hard drives, can you swap the hdds and put your own 500gb? than load all of the divxs and they can be like recorded shows or something.

What about DVD players with USB inputs? or LAN inputs?

Im looking for a solution that would let me just turn on the dvd player, and scroll down an easy menu, and play the movie I want, now WINDOWS involved

[redwudz]

There are hard drive video players on the market. Here's some: http://www.tomshardware.com/2005/08/...he_mainstream/

You should be able to find more with a Google search for 'hard drive video players'

[Trac]

Currently the MediaGate MG-35 is the most popular: but there are other USB/Network options like the NetGear EVA700.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817113001

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833122170

I should also mention the Philips 5960. There is a lot of support for it in this forum.

[handyguy]

Try that 5960 topic, it talks about this. That plays dvds & divx from a HD. ABout $49 at circuit city.
http://forum.videohelp.com/viewtopic.php?t=301465

XBMC can also do this.

[insyder]

Thanks a lot everybody, after a lot of searching, I came to the following conclusions:

http://www.amazon.com/TVisto-Multime.../dp/B000BX7KLI

or

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...105125-8856625

these seem to be the most senseful solution.

the only downside is that none of them support ATA drives, only IDE, so it kinda limits future expansion capabilities.

I also found this, http://www.sarotech.com/english/cgi/...md=view&rno=15 but it is double the price. It does look much better though.
The only lowside is the lack of ATA support, ill have to go and buy a 400gig ide drive. oh well

[Bronx]

I bought the MG-35, updated to the latest firmware and I am very satisfied with it.

http://www.ewaggle.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=mg-35[/quote]

[insyder]

So Bronx, can you confirm that the mg35 can directly be conected to a tv, and can play divx and xvid from its internal hdd? what interface does it have (ide or ata). how does it perform in general? what did you have problems with (if any)? what size hdd you have in the mg35?

and what about the remote control, do you need to buy the extra IR reciever or it has one builtin

[Bronx]

It does have direct tv output. I was able to play my divx and xvid, mp3s and jpeg files.

It uses an IDE harddrive. so far I dont have a problems with it. I have it hooked up to my 17" bedroom tv. All my video files are the approximately 700 mb.