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  1. Member
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    I have some of my DVD content saved in folders on hard drives. If I plug a hard drive directly into the USB to my Samsung, my TV sees the VIDEO_TS folder and recognizes VOB files as individual video files, NOT as a DVD player would have recognized the collection of files as a whole and play it like a DVD, with menus and chapter points, etc.

    Is there an external device I can connect up to my TV that will cure this? I've heard it rumored the WD TV Live will do this, but wanted to get some suggestions from others before pulling the trigger to buy a device. I would far prefer to buy a $100 device than spend a considerably long time converting my folders to alternate formats.

    Thanks in advance.
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  2. This VIDEO_TS folder with the VOB files, does it also contain the IFOs and BUPs? If not it's not a DVD and even a DVD player won't play it. Maybe it does have them but you didn't say. If it does have them, can you open the folder and click on an IFO to begin playing the DVD?
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    Hi manono,

    Thanks for responding. Yes, these directories have all the original folders and files associated with the original DVD. Again, I'm trying to access this presently on my Samsung TV. The TV only allows me to select recognized video formats - in this case, only the VOB files. I can see each VOB file in succession, but the TV appears not to have the capability of looking at the BUP and IFO files to read the files the way a DVD player does.
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  4. Okay, thanks for clarifying. Maybe someone else can suggest a hardware device that can accept your USB drive and play them.

    Or, you could just burn them to DVDRs and play them on your DVD player.
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    Yeah, I'm trying to find some long-term alternatives to the DVD player. I've probably authored 3000 DVDs to this point, my first in 2002. Lord only knows the shelf life of a DVD-R, or really any media for that matter. This is why I've been intrigued about finding a solution for play-through from the file folder format and especially without having to go back and reconvert to a .mkv, which seems to allow preservation of chapter points.

    I'm sure everything is going this direction at some point, but I can't tell you how I look forward to the day they come up with consumer priced 1 TB and 2 TB flash media. Kingston has a 1 TB flash drive out there - nice but with a $1000 price tag. For me and what I do, that only holds around 225-250 DVDs, about 15% of my collection that I would eventually like to preserve.

    Thanks again manono.
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    Originally Posted by MoreQsThanAs View Post
    Is there an external device I can connect up to my TV that will cure this? I've heard it rumored the WD TV Live will do this, but wanted to get some suggestions from others before pulling the trigger to buy a device. I would far prefer to buy a $100 device than spend a considerably long time converting my folders to alternate formats.
    Yes, the WD TV Live will play DVD format with menus. While it will play the VOB files in the folder, I would strongly suggest creating an ISO with a program like ImgBurn.
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  7. WDTV Live will play VIDEO_TS,
    if you press play on remote while cursor is over VIDEO_TS folder , the main movie will start to play
    if you pres ENTER on remote while cursor is over VIDEO_TS folder, you get inside VIDEO_TS folder and then pressing play will start to play DVD navigation (menu, etc, exactly like in DVD player)
    if you create ISO I guess it just starts to play DVD navigation

    to just copy VIDEO_TS or ISO is a nice and quick solution with proper media player, but it could bring problems trying to stream movies into mobile devices etc., no win situation here ...
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    Be sure to get newest WDTV, WDTV Live Streaming as it the only one that officially supports DVD playback including menus. There's an informative thread here: https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/363471-I-love-the-wdtv-live-gen-3!

    Second the suggestion to convert to ISO. It not only ensures correct playback, but keeps everything in one compact container.

    @MoreQsThanAs

    Flashdrives are far from reliable. They're meant for temporary transport of files, not for archiving. SSDs are a bit more reliable, but even they're prone to sudden failure. Reliability is one of the main reasons for the high cost of RAM based media.

    Right now, the best bang for your buck archiving is on 4TB hard drives. They're readily available at $140 - $160 ($35/$40 TB), even less during the holidays. Right now, I'm waiting for $30 TB before my next multiple drive purchase. Yes that can die and take everything with it in one fell swoop, but that's why you have at least two of everything!
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    Thanks to all for the responses. The feedback gives me the courage to move ahead and get the latest WD TV Live product. Based on the responses I do have a follow-up question on the WD TV Live as it pertains to ISO. Does the WD TV Live have the ability to read the ISO structure of the DVD? If so, I don't mind converting the folders over time to individual ISO files.

    Also, to lingyi, thanks for the input on flashdrives. I do whole-heartedly agree with the two of everything. I remember not too long ago when we were so glad to have DVDs to back up our VHS tapes, or vice-versa as long as you had the infrastructure to reconvert the analog media to digital. I'd rather just keep everything digital at this point.

    Thanks again to everyone whose contributed.
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    Originally Posted by MoreQsThanAs View Post
    Does the WD TV Live have the ability to read the ISO structure of the DVD?
    You select the ISO to play from the menu and it plays just like a disc in a DVD player with full structure, menu, chapters, etc.


    Originally Posted by MoreQsThanAs View Post
    If so, I don't mind converting the folders over time to individual ISO files.
    I wouldn't call it "converting", it's more like placing the contents into an envelope.

    ImgBurn supports command line. You can make a batch script and run it on all your DVD folders. You don't have to do each folder one by one manually.

    There is a link to a guide in this thread (last post at the bottom):
    http://forum.imgburn.com/index.php?/topic/6939-batch-create-iso-files/
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    Originally Posted by Vidd View Post
    You select the ISO to play from the menu and it plays just like a disc in a DVD player with full structure, menu, chapters, etc.
    Awesome! Great info!! Vidd, thanks also for the tip on ImgBurn!
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    Originally Posted by MoreQsThanAs View Post
    Vidd, thanks also for the tip on ImgBurn!
    I just noticed that sample batch script is for a data disc, not a video DVD. You will have to modify it a bit. (for example change the filesystem to ISO / UDF 1.02).
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  13. Member PuzZLeR's Avatar
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    Actually the ISO format is indeed designed to be that digital medium you desire for DvD discs. The transition from VIDEO_TS folder to ISO is quick, lossless, and easily burnable to a disc, or convenient to archive, and reversible if need be. It's also all in one file, and much less awkward than all those VIDEO_TS files and their respective VOBs and auxilliary files.
    I hate VHS. I always did.
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    It's been a while since I've created ISO images for the WDTV but I believe that I used DVD Shrink to create the ISO images.

    Here is a DVDShrink guide...

    http://www.doom9.org/index.html?/mpg/dvdshrink31-finalsteps.htm
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    Originally Posted by PuzZLeR View Post
    Actually the ISO format is indeed designed to be that digital medium you desire for DvD discs. The transition from VIDEO_TS folder to ISO is quick, lossless, and easily burnable to a disc, or convenient to archive, and reversible if need be. It's also all in one file, and much less awkward than all those VIDEO_TS files and their respective VOBs and auxilliary files.
    I agree. Also, in the event I need to share or convert, it is easier as well. If I never needed to create a DVD from the individual files, I used Nero, loaded everything into the VIDEO_TS folder and let it fly. Let mouse clicks to burn an ISO.
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  16. Member PuzZLeR's Avatar
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    Nero has its own format, NRG, but that too is easily transferable to ISO, or in reverse, and NERO still can work with ISO as well.

    I too have made many DvDs over the years, but less and less have actually made it to disc in recent years, so ISO fits the bill for playback.

    Whether I choose to make a disc or not, I still make an ISO first, to prepare a burn, but for sure to later backup/archive. ISO is pretty much a standard by now.
    I hate VHS. I always did.
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