Playing titles via Windows instead of a player

[JustSteve]

I'd like to understand the process of playing BD (and conventional DVDs for that matter) off a harddrive instead of my player. Primary motivation is avoiding disk shuffling, reducing risk of scratching media, and quicker loading/playback.

I've got plenty of harddrive space and a limited library so the idea of ripping out titles and other 'bonus stuff' isn't that much of a concern. OTOH, I hate being forced to watch previews, so maybe it is.

It's probably clear I'm just getting started with the learning curve - basically I'm trying to consolidate disk-based media to hard-drive storage for playback to my living room's win7 box connected to 1080 flat panel and 5.1 audio.

thx much
--steve...

[Baldrick]

Do you want to keep menus?

Total Media Theatre has blu-ray menu support from Blu-ray/DVD ISO or Blu-ray BDMV/DVD VIDEO_TS folders on the hdd. Windows Media Center and most other media center software has no such support.

[jman98]

It should be mentioned that Total Media Theater is the ONLY BluRay software player that will let you play ripped BluRays from a hard drive without resorting to trickery such as using Daemon Tools to mount an image.