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  1. Member lydokane's Avatar
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    I'm not sure if I'm in the right group for this. Please move to approiate group if necessary.

    I have a question for the forum on a rather touchy subject. I have about 60 DVDs in my library. I purchased these or received them as gifts. I am also building a HTPC. One of the things that is hold me up on the HTPC is this. I would like to rip my DVDs to the hard drive and play them off the HTPC to the TV.

    Here are my goals:

    Have some type of software that is menu driven that displays on the TV screen well. (Done. Using BeyondTV)
    Use the existing TV remote to control the HTPC. (Done)
    Be able to upload and watch home movies. (Done)
    Work as a MP3 jukebox. (Done).
    Play DVDs from the hard drive using some kind of menu system. (Help please!)

    I am looking for some kind of software application that is menu driven. I am looking for something that has the title of the movie and maybe a snapshot of the DVD cover. I want to be able to click a defined button on the remote and have this software pop up. Then use the remote to navigate to what movie I want.

    I have searched and have not found anything that meets these criteria. Now I have an idea. Can I create a DVD style menu where I make a title for each movie (like a main menu) and have it point to each individual movie? I would have to be able to keep each movie in their own directory which I think is going to be the biggest problem.

    What I would do is hit a defined button on the remote that would execute some kind of macro on the HTPC and would open my main DVD menu. On that menu will be all the icons representing the 60 movies in my library. I would use my remote to cursor to the movie I want then hit play.

    Thanks,

    Lydokane
    -Lydokane-
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  2. Member lydokane's Avatar
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    Bump please.
    -Lydokane-
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  3. Member yoda313's Avatar
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    Check out windows media center pc's. They are designed to be video recorders with windows functionality.
    Donatello - The Shredder? Michelangelo - Maybe all that hardware is for making coleslaw?
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  4. Member lydokane's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by yoda313
    Check out windows media center pc's. They are designed to be video recorders with windows functionality.

    Thanks but I don't have $800 hundred or more for a whole new rig. The HTPC that I am building now is stuff I already have. The big hurdle right now is the DVD thing.

    I'm guessing that It isn't possible to do what I want. It would also appear that there isn't a software package that fits my needs either.

    If anybody has any suggestions; I'm all ears.

    Thanks to the group.

    Lydokane
    -Lydokane-
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  5. I've been running MCE on my laptop for a month or so now and think it's overall great. I've been using it mainly for DVDs and am still in search of the best DVD player out there - right now I'm using TheaterTek, but still am looking for a better one.
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  6. Member SLICK RICK's Avatar
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    lydokane,

    My advice would be to get MCE, it can be had for $110 @ Newegg. And then get a plugin called My Movies, you can dowload it for free here.

    Here is a screenshot.



    Originally Posted by lordsmurf
    Nobody likes a bunch of yackity-yack.
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  7. MCE & MyMovies is essentially what you need... but just as a heads up, if you don't want to spend the cash on a pre-built machine, be prepared to spend alot of time debugging and fixing all sorts of little issues (that's why "quality" htpc's usually cost more). Check out thegreenbutton or XPMCE forums... they're dedicated solely for troubleshooting

    Remember that MCE is sold only in OEM version, and I've personally been working with it for about half a year now. I can't tell you how many pplz I've seen start with it but never finish. It can take hundreds of hours to debug and troubleshoot everything unless you're very well versed with system building. (and if you think about it, for example, 100 hours troubleshooting x $15-20/hour salary = $1500 to $2000 in private labor)

    It really is a project that takes alot of time. Dont' be fooled and get a cheap rig from Dell, HP, or any of the big boys. Do your own research and make a choice. Many inexpensive systems are simply incomplete.

    Here's a detailed wiki on what building your own HTPC will entail, along with resources:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Htpc

    Good luck!
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