couple newbie questions - DVD to MKV and watch on WDTV

[timmyinnis]

All my movies are on 4.7gb discs.
I am converting them to MKV. Right now I am using Wondershare dvd Ripper it is ok but slow. For 4 movies it takes about 4 hours. The converted file turns out to be about 1-1.5gb (which I think is good.) Other software I tried has a file size about 3-4gb. I would like to keep the file size down if possible with as good as a picture as possible

Looking to get recomdations for software to convert dvd to MKV that is faster but good quality and has a queue either from vob files in folders or directlty from dvd. I have a lot of movies to do.

Right now I am using WDTV to display on tv.

What other hardware is out there that will directly stream from computer to a TV? Looking for something that will have a interface simalar to the WDTV that as thumbnails, folders etc. Also how would I be able to view my media via the internet on any other computer?

Thanks

[True Colors]

All my dvd's are on 4.7gb discs.
I am converting them to MKV. Right now I am using Wondershare dvd Ripper it is ok but slow. For 4 movies it takes about 4 hours. The converted file turs out to be about 1-1.5gb (which I think is good.) Other software I tried has a file size about 3-4gb. I would like to keep the file size down if possible with as good as a picture as possible

Looking to get recomdations for software to convert dvd to MKV that is faster but good quality and has a queue either from vob files or directlty from dvd. I have a lot of movies to do

Right now I am using WDTV to display on tv.

What hardware is out there that will directly stream from computer to a TV? Also how would I be able to view my media via the internet on anyother computer?

Thanks

Welcome to the board.

First of all, you need to give us your specs. What type of computer do you have(model, operating system, memory, type of video card, etc.) and what type of TV do you have(brand, model #, etc)?

When converting DVD's to video files have have two choices.

1 - do what you do now..... re-encode them and make them smaller size
2 - OR.... you can straight copy them over and as is(VOB file format)

Option 1 takes more time but it does produce a smaller file
Option 2 is extremely faster but the file sizes stay much larger

I do not know if you can have both(fast conversions, smaller file size) unless you can get your hands on a more powerful computer.

Having said all that...... Here is my choice...... click on this link ----> handbrake It is free and easy to use.

Regarding your second issue.........outputting your computer video to your TV...... it depends on what type of computer outputs you have and also what type of TV inputs you have. If your computer has a video output, such as an S-video port, and your TV has an S-video input, then it could be a simple matter of directly connecting them with a cable......... A lot of the new televisions have VGA ports on the back. If your TV has that then you could connect it that way. But again, we need to know what kind of TV you have.

As far as your very last question...... I am not sure what you are asking. Do you want to have video files on your hard drive at home and then access those files remotely?

TC

[timmyinnis]

All my dvd's are on 4.7gb discs.
I am converting them to MKV. Right now I am using Wondershare dvd Ripper it is ok but slow. For 4 movies it takes about 4 hours. The converted file turs out to be about 1-1.5gb (which I think is good.) Other software I tried has a file size about 3-4gb. I would like to keep the file size down if possible with as good as a picture as possible

Looking to get recomdations for software to convert dvd to MKV that is faster but good quality and has a queue either from vob files or directlty from dvd. I have a lot of movies to do

Right now I am using WDTV to display on tv.

What hardware is out there that will directly stream from computer to a TV? Also how would I be able to view my media via the internet on anyother computer?

Thanks

Welcome to the board.

First of all, you need to give us your specs. What type of computer do you have(model, operating system, memory, etc.) and what type of TV do you have(brand, model #, etc)?

When converting DVD's to video files have have two choices.

1 - do what you do now..... re-encode them and make them smaller size
2 - OR.... you can straight copy them over and as is(VOB file format)

Option 1 takes more time but it does produce a smaller file
Option 2 is extremely faster but the file sizes stay much larger

I do not know if you are can have both(fast conversions, smaller file size) unless you can get your hands on a more powerful computer.

Having said all that...... Here is my choice...... click on this link ----> handbrake It is free and easy to use.

Regarding your second issue.........outputting your computer video to your TV...... it depends on what type of computer outputs you have and also what type of TV inputs you have. If your computer has a video output, such as an S-video port, and your TV has an S-video input, then it could be a simple matter of directly connecting them with a cable......... A lot of the new televisions have VGA ports on the back. If your TV has that then you could connect it that way. But again, we need to know what kind of TV you have.

As far as your very last question...... I am not sure what you are asking. Do you want to have video files on your hard drive at home and then access those files remotely?

TC

Hi the computer is custom built q6600 intel processor 2gb ram. it has no outputs right now and the tv has hdmi & hd-15 input. Operating doesn't matter i have Windows 7, Vista Ubuntu & OS X.

I was looking for some hardware that is networked based (NAS or just access hard drives on computer to stream to TV'S. Something that has a easy to use interface to access the media files. movies,music photos etc.

I like the WDTV media player but would like to just access the files on the computer insted & also stream media to multiple TV'S. (Not the same file at a time) Also I would like to have video files on my hard drive at home and then access those files remotely via any other computer but with a interface that could have thumbnails folders etc. I know I can just access the files remotly but would like a esay to use interface.


I will have to try handbrake a try again for converting

[True Colors]

Another free DVD ripper on this site is staxrip ..... perhaps that would be another option for you.

Regarding streaming your computer videos to your TV(s)......I am still a bit unclear on exactly what you are trying to do but one possible solution might be www.popcornhour.com

TC

[creamyhorror]

I was looking for some hardware that is networked based (NAS or just access hard drives on computer to stream to TV'S. Something that has a easy to use interface to access the media files. movies,music photos etc.

I don't get it, that's what the WD TV does, doesn't it?

I like the WDTV media player but would like to just access the files on the computer insted & also stream media to multiple TV'S.

Then get a WD TV player for each TV.

[timmyinnis]

I was looking for some hardware that is networked based (NAS or just access hard drives on computer to stream to TV'S. Something that has a easy to use interface to access the media files. movies,music photos etc.

I don't get it, that's what the WD TV does, doesn't it?

I like the WDTV media player but would like to just access the files on the computer insted & also stream media to multiple TV'S.

Then get a WD TV player for each TV.

The WD TV will not work with multiple TV'S unless you have multiple WD TV'S, hard drives & files. Iam looking for something that could serve multiple TV'S from a single "media server"

Maybe I'M wrong but I thought there were standalone units that could handle this. Just don't know the names or where to get it.

[creamyhorror]

The WD TV will not work with multiple TV'S unless you have multiple WD TV'S, hard drives & files. Iam looking for something that could serve multiple TV'S from a single "media server"

One WD TV for each TV. Connect the WD TVs to your router. You computer or a NAS, plugged into the router, preferably via gigabit, acts as the media host. It should work fine, unless the WD TV handles network fileshares weirdly.

[redwudz]

I use three video server PCs stuffed with hard drives and hooked through a router and switches to my gigabit LAN. Works fine over my LAN to any of my PC's connected. I also use a WDTV Live hooked to the same LAN and to a video projector. The video is mostly HD BD>MKV conversions.

Unless you have networked TV sets, you would still need a hardware device at each. The WDTV is still probably the easiest. The WDTV works fairly well with wireless adapters, so you wouldn't have to run CAT5e cable to each TV. Otherwise you would need a coaxial system to distribute the video and that would make the whole setup fairly hard to manage, especially if you wanted to select different videos on each set.

If you want to view the same video files over the internet with a remote computer, then it could get a bit complicated. You would need enough bandwidth to be able to stream MKV video that way, both from your home system ISP and through the ISP where you plan to view it. Good luck on that.