Backing up entire collection to ISO files ...

[smackyourfupa]

I'm thinking about backing up my entire collection of about 500 DVD's as ISO files and using my modded XBOX with XBMC to stream them from my PC. I already have about 300 movies on my PC that I use XBMC to play them with and like the idea of having them all on there. Before I start this huge project, I'd like some input from everyone. Is there anything I need to know before I get this going? I've never ripped a DVD as an ISO image (but I can do it). I'd like to save some hard drive space and not copy every language on each disc, but that's not possible when ripping as an ISO image right? I'm also wondering approximately how much hard drive space I'd need. Thanks!

[santino_avi]

AnyDVD will rip the DVD to an ISO image. But it will simply be a 1:1 copy, and will contain all the languages, but DVDShrink can take care of that after you rip it.

For the DVD's you currently have on your computer you can use DVDShrink. It will take out the languages you don't need, and then you can output a compressed ISO.

Each DVD averages about 4GB. Of course, if you are worried about the best quality possible then they can be more.
So, 500 DVD's would be about 2TB of hard drive space!

[Noahtuck]

I already have about 300 movies on my PC that I use XBMC to play them with

In what format ?
I am suspecting AVI (Divx/Xvid) or WMV.
In which case you need to rip and then convert.

I'd like to save some hard drive space and not copy every language on each disc, but that's not possible when ripping as an ISO image right?

Right and wrong.
It depends on how you rip them.
If you use DVDFab you can select only the main movie with only the audio track and sub you want, leaving out the other audio tracks, the space will be minimal as the video is what takes up the majority of space.

I'm also wondering approximately how much hard drive space I'd need. Thanks!

That would depend on the original size of the source dvd.
And if you kept them in actual dvd specs or converted them to a more compressed format.

Each DVD averages about 4GB.

Maybe after being compressed.

You could rip them with dvd decrypter (if they are old enough to be ripped by it) then opened in dvdshrink and remove the extra audio tracks, ect, and transcoded to fit on a dvdr then they would take up 4gb's, but if they are newer releases you will need something more current to rip them and bypass/break the newer copy protections.

I am assuming you have these "300" dvds on your pc's HDD in another format other than dvd.
So more specific detail would help greatly!

[smackyourfupa]

Thanks for all the help so far. I think I was unclear though. The movies already on my pc are in AVI format and are fine as is. It's my dvd collection i'd like to rip and store on my PC also. I do not want to compress at all but would like to remove languages and non needed audio tracks. I would also like to keep the menus. I'm thinking if I run the dvd's through DVD shrink first to remove whatever i don't want then make the resulting folder into an ISO image with DVD Decrypter that would probably work. I do have 500 dvd's though and considering they range from 4.5gb to 7.5 gb for dual layer you still think i'd only need about 2tb??

[smackyourfupa]

OK so I just started ripping the discs with DVD shrink. I've decided it's pointless to rip them as ISO's. Under preferences, I have DVD-9 set as the target size. Just wanted to make sure it isnt messing with the quality at all and not encoding.

[Bwizzy]

To save space and headache, it would be easier to convert all you media to high qulity mp4.

[smackyourfupa]

To save space and headache, it would be easier to convert all you media to high qulity mp4.

If i did that then the menus would be gone and I dont think XBMC it capable of playing mp4 files. I dont want to encode the video at all, I want exact copies of the discs (with the exception of removing some language tracks).

[Bwizzy]

If i did that then the menus would be gone and I dont think XBMC it capable of playing mp4 files. I dont want to encode the video at all, I want exact copies of the discs (with the exception of removing some language tracks).

So, let me get this straight, you want all your movies with the menus and the extras from the DVD? Also, you're only going to keep the subtitles you want right?

BTW, XBMC plays all forms of video file extensions.

[smackyourfupa]

yes thats right..
i have some mp4 files it doesnt play bc they are HD

[smackyourfupa]

Each DVD averages about 4GB.

Maybe after being compressed.

You could rip them with dvd decrypter (if they are old enough to be ripped by it) then opened in dvdshrink and remove the extra audio tracks, ect, and transcoded to fit on a dvdr then they would take up 4gb's, but if they are newer releases you will need something more current to rip them and bypass/break the newer copy protections.

I am assuming you have these "300" dvds on your pc's HDD in another format other than dvd.
So more specific detail would help greatly![/QUOTE]

What would be the point in using BOTH DVD Decrypter AND DVD Shrink??

[netmask56]

I have ripped my entire collection of DVD's using DVDShrink with DVD43 to take care of region settings for my drive. I elected to make uncompressed ISO's of the main movie only. I can then stream them over my network via my PVR Beyonwiz P1. A few I had to use other rippers because of protection but once again I chose not to compress. So basically they look as good as playing a DVD and maintain all the chapter points sans menu's and languages other then English. I have 3 terrabytes worth
The originals are stored well away from grubby hands...

[smackyourfupa]

I have ripped my entire collection of DVD's using DVDShrink with DVD43 to take care of region settings for my drive. I elected to make uncompressed ISO's of the main movie only. I can then stream them over my network via my PVR Beyonwiz P1. A few I had to use other rippers because of protection but once again I chose not to compress. So basically they look as good as playing a DVD and maintain all the chapter points sans menu's and languages other then English. I have 3 terrabytes worth
The originals are stored well away from grubby hands...

Yeah I pretty much have started this project and ripped a good amount so far only using dvd shrink. Like I said, I'm making exact backups with the exceptions of languages and subtitles I do not need. I just wanted to double check that DVD shrink does not compress the video whatsoever when the setting is at dvd 9.

[Noahtuck]

What would be the point in using BOTH DVD Decrypter AND DVD Shrink??

Because,
1. dvddecrypter was/is a better designed ripper.
2. dvddecrypter was developed longer than dvdshrink and will handle newer/later copy protections that dvdshrink can not.

Which is why i suggested using DVDFab as it is a current ripper and will handle newer copy protections made years after dvddecrypter ceased development, and with the pay version you can strip anything you do not need or want all in one process, even convert to other formats, xvid, mk4, mkv, wmv, ect.

I'm thinking if I run the dvd's through DVD shrink first to remove whatever i don't want then make the resulting folder into an ISO image with DVD Decrypter that would probably work.

FYI, you can't make an ISO from files on your HDD with dvddecrypter.
So if you planned on doing that, even though you can't, you may as well use dvddecrypter to rip them then dvdshrink to remove items and make them into ISO's.
So i don't know what the point of using both programs would be

[smackyourfupa]

What would be the point in using BOTH DVD Decrypter AND DVD Shrink??

Because,
1. dvddecrypter was/is a better designed ripper.
2. dvddecrypter was developed longer than dvdshrink and will handle newer/later copy protections that dvdshrink can not.

Which is why i suggested using DVDFab as it is a current ripper and will handle newer copy protections made years after dvddecrypter ceased development, and with the pay version you can strip anything you do not need or want all in one process, even convert to other formats, xvid, mk4, mkv, wmv, ect.

I'm thinking if I run the dvd's through DVD shrink first to remove whatever i don't want then make the resulting folder into an ISO image with DVD Decrypter that would probably work.

FYI, you can't make an ISO from files on your HDD with dvddecrypter.
So if you planned on doing that, even though you can't, you may as well use dvddecrypter to rip them then dvdshrink to remove items and make them into ISO's.
So i don't know what the point of using both programs would be

Thanks, but i'm not going to make them into ISO's anymore.

[smackyourfupa]

I have ripped my entire collection of DVD's using DVDShrink with DVD43 to take care of region settings for my drive. I elected to make uncompressed ISO's of the main movie only. I can then stream them over my network via my PVR Beyonwiz P1. A few I had to use other rippers because of protection but once again I chose not to compress. So basically they look as good as playing a DVD and maintain all the chapter points sans menu's and languages other then English. I have 3 terrabytes worth
The originals are stored well away from grubby hands...

So how many DVD's did it take to get 3tb worth??