Is it possible to make DVD harddrive jukebox?

[mediamaker1]

I want to rip all my DVD library to my computer's 400GB harddrive (using something like DVDDecrypter.) I have no interest in "reburning" or "shrinking" or "recoding". I just want to be able to stream them off my computer's harddrive to play on the living room home theater surround sound system. Is there hardware to do that? In other words, is there a PCI card that streams HDMI, component video, plus 5.1 digital out to my receiver? The computer server would act as a fancy DVD jukebox player. Has anyone done this? The ideal situation would be to get rid of the standalone Sony DVD player altogether!

Right now, the only thing I can do with DVD TS_VIDEO folders on the harddrive is watch them on the computer or laptop.

Thanks for any advice.

[greymalkin]

this wouldn't be a problem at all except I'm not sure about DTS decoders just yet. We will assume we are looking at just DD5.1 for now. I'm also assuming you have an HDTV since you are wanting to use the HD cables out of your PC.

Lets just guess that on average your DVD's take up 6.5gb a peice. That will give you a little under 60 movies you can archive to the HD if you want to put the OS on the same HD. I would personally put a seperate smaller system drive in there for the OS AND leave a few GB breathing room.

Anyways..the newer ATI Radeon cards have DVI output and a component adapter that will allow you to connect your video card into the HDTV. You could use it as a monitor as well for other computer tasks if you decide to use 720P.

For the audio, I know the Audigy2 soundcards allow the AC3 data stream to pass out through a digital coax or optical port on the sound card which you could just plug directly into your SS receiver. All you would need then is just some DVD player application.

Some newer cards may decode DTS as well, I just havent kept up with it..but it is totally doable. You could store your movie and music collection on there.

[Topher5000]

I use a modded xbox running Xbox Media Center (XBMC) to stream avi's with DD & DTS sound to my system. Apparently it will do vobs too.
It has optical out but can be modded for coax digital out. I have an HD av pack with component out & will be adding s-video & coax digital out to the back of the xbox. It doesn't have hdmi out, but XBMC can be set to output whatever signal you want. I use 720p output to my Hitachi PJ-TX100 front projector with great results.
Works great with music, photos & web radio, too.

[soloredd]

I use a modded xbox running Xbox Media Center (XBMC) to stream avi's with DD & DTS sound to my system. Apparently it will do vobs too.
It has optical out but can be modded for coax digital out. I have an HD av pack with component out & will be adding s-video & coax digital out to the back of the xbox. It doesn't have hdmi out, but XBMC can be set to output whatever signal you want. I use 720p output to my Hitachi PJ-TX100 front projector with great results.
Works great with music, photos & web radio, too.

I do this as well. XBMC can play the .VOBs no problem, and they just released a version that incorporates menus. I use component cables going from my Xbox to my TV (I don't have a theater system). If you get the DVD remote for the Xbox, you can do everything you want with the remote. This is one reason I will not get rid of my Xbox even when I get the 360. XBMC is that good.

I'm guessing you have more than 60 DVDs in your library. I think what I would do is just use AutoGK or something similar and convert them to .avi. You could get a TON of your movies on the hard drive that way.

[TooLFooL]

is there a PCI card that streams HDMI, component video, plus 5.1 digital out to my receiver?

you need a video card with Hi-Def out, and an audio card with s/pdif out, and yes it will output DTS. (the receiver needs to decode it)
basically, if you ditched the receiver and let the PC do everything you'd have a "Media Center PC"
also, even a 400G HD will fill up quickly with straight DVD rips. you may eventually need to start doing "movie-only" shrinks or something.

[sven_pether]

Try this

www.Tvixusa.com

[JSB1]

Try this

www.Tvixusa.com

No where could I find out how big a hard drive it will support. 400 gb might be to big.

JSB1

[ps2daddy]

Try this

www.Tvixusa.com

No where could I find out how big a hard drive it will support. 400 gb might be to big.

JSB1

400GB hd is ok it says so at the bottom of the page

[jntaylor63]

If you don't want to go the HTPC route,

Get a Networked DVD player like the IO Data Player. It comes with a 100Mbps Network jack. You could then buy a NAS storage device and put in the biggest harddrive you can buy. Some of the NAS are standalone RAID system that could give you 1.6 terabytes of storage. (4x400 gigs) The player is about 250 and then the amount of storage is up to you. The 1.6 terabyte would run you about 2 grand.

http://www.iodata.com/usa/products/

[stackner]

I use a modded xbox running Xbox Media Center (XBMC) to stream avi's with DD & DTS sound to my system. Apparently it will do vobs too.
It has optical out but can be modded for coax digital out. I have an HD av pack with component out & will be adding s-video & coax digital out to the back of the xbox. It doesn't have hdmi out, but XBMC can be set to output whatever signal you want. I use 720p output to my Hitachi PJ-TX100 front projector with great results.
Works great with music, photos & web radio, too.

I do this as well. XBMC can play the .VOBs no problem, and they just released a version that incorporates menus. I use component cables going from my Xbox to my TV (I don't have a theater system). If you get the DVD remote for the Xbox, you can do everything you want with the remote. This is one reason I will not get rid of my Xbox even when I get the 360. XBMC is that good.

I'm guessing you have more than 60 DVDs in your library. I think what I would do is just use AutoGK or something similar and convert them to .avi. You could get a TON of your movies on the hard drive that way.

i also use xbmc its great. i tried doing dvds streamed from my pc a few months ago and found you could only do the vob files and not have the menus like the original dvds. i herd the new version (i have download i always have the latest xbmc) can do menus but i have not worked this out. any help?

[oldfart13]

Commercial jukeboxes are now running off hard drives. I played with one today at a friend's shop. Very nice and compact and no wear and tear like you get with CD units...