Wow I have a lot to learn. Newbie needing educated and some direction

[tdeal823]

After many searches and attempting to decifer all the abreviations and file extensions. I am more confused than when I started this project.
For those who are willing to listen, help and educate me......
This is my thought. Or Was???
To take all my movies and music and put it on a 2TB external hard drive.

The Point....
Take it where ever we go. Camping, Hotels, Vacations, Friends house and to replace my big DVD stand in the corner of my family room.
I want to play as close as posable original movie quality on my TV(46" XBR LCD 120 hz with 7.1 audio.
Be able to plug it into my desktop in the office and stream to my bluray all my movies or plug directally into the dvd player that has a usb port on the front and back.

I have not opened the new 2TB Drive yet since I have not found the quality I am looking for with in the options.

I do see that some of you have custom DVD Ripping profiles that you can some how install into the software.

Also I have seen "Media Drives" but seam to be only 1TB of space for a higher price? Are these needed? or Better?

I'm not sure what other info you would need about my situation. I do have a home network. I have wireless and also hardwired the PC, Modem, Router, Printer, and DVD player for better reliability and speed.
Thank you for your time and suggestions
Tony

[DarthCopier]

After many searches and attempting to decifer all the abreviations and file extensions. I am more confused than when I started this project.
For those who are willing to listen, help and educate me......
This is my thought. Or Was???
To take all my movies and music and put it on a 2TB external hard drive.

The Point....
Take it where ever we go. Camping, Hotels, Vacations, Friends house and to replace my big DVD stand in the corner of my family room.
I want to play as close as posable original movie quality on my TV(46" XBR LCD 120 hz with 7.1 audio.
Be able to plug it into my desktop in the office and stream to my bluray all my movies or plug directally into the dvd player that has a usb port on the front and back.

I have not opened the new 2TB Drive yet since I have not found the quality I am looking for with in the options.

I do see that some of you have custom DVD Ripping profiles that you can some how install into the software.

Also I have seen "Media Drives" but seam to be only 1TB of space for a higher price? Are these needed? or Better?

I'm not sure what other info you would need about my situation. I do have a home network. I have wireless and also hardwired the PC, Modem, Router, Printer, and DVD player for better reliability and speed.
Thank you for your time and suggestions
Tony

There's still a lot here you haven't said anything about yet... but let's look at what you have said...

Transfer all my movies and music to the 2TB drive... exactly how much music and films does that represent?

Is your collection now complete and static, or do you plan on future additions to it? How much?

2TB is a lot of storage, but NOT infinite... you may eventually run out of space and need a new drive... how are you tracking the drives contents in case you use more than one?

"I want to take it wherever we go"... "camping, vacations, hotels, a friends house"... assuming that you're not going to pack your entire home entertainment centre for a camping trip or hotel visit, how will you know that whatever available equipment is there will play your format of choice? Is your friend equipped for this?

Music uses much less storage space than films (and BD uses up to 10X as much as DVD). Any thoughts on what from a DVD or BD you want to put on the HD? (everything, including extras, main movie only, subtitles, multiple audio tracks, as not everyone is set up for 7.1 audio...)?

Answers to some of this will help us help you more.

DC

[tdeal823]

Transfer all my movies and music to the 2TB drive... exactly how much music and films does that represent?
About 20gig of mp3 files and 150 dvds (40 or so being bluray)


Is your collection now complete and static, or do you plan on future additions to it? How much?
I do keep adding movies and music. not a a fast pace. Maybe 1 dvd a month on average.


2TB is a lot of storage, but NOT infinite... you may eventually run out of space and need a new drive... how are you tracking the drives contents in case you use more than one?
I have no idea. I was trying to look for ways to keep track of this but have not come up with any good ideas yet.


"I want to take it wherever we go"... "camping, vacations, hotels, a friends house"... assuming that you're not going to pack your entire home entertainment centre for a camping trip or hotel visit, how will you know that whatever available equipment is there will play your format of choice? Is your friend equipped for this?
Format.... This is my trouble I don't understand all the coding and file extensions. I would like something quality. but don't know what that is. I was hoping that someone would tell me what the best format is and how to use it. I was figuring on taking the drive and my laptop when we travel. Either viewing right off the laptop or using the hdmi out on the laptop to funnel the movie to a tv or projector.


Music uses much less storage space than films (and BD uses up to 10X as much as DVD). Any thoughts on what from a DVD or BD you want to put on the HD? (everything, including extras, main movie only, subtitles, multiple audio tracks, as not everyone is set up for 7.1 audio...)?
The main movie and english audio is all i was looking for.

I have not bought a bd burner for my desktop pc yet either. I figured you guys would have good suggestions for this.
Thanks again for taking the time
Tony

[tdeal823]

Ok so I just bought an LG WH12LS30K BD Burner and a Argosy HV335T-0020T 2TB Home Media Player. I think the format that I want to use is MKV.H264

Hopefully I will have everything by this thursday.
So I will return the 2TB external hard drive to best buy.

[stevetynant]

Hi Tony - I'm watching your thread with interest - I'm a new user like your self and to date I have bought the DVD Ripper to convert most of my 500 or so DVDs to digital format - so far I'm up to @ 280. I'm using VOB passthrough at the moment which is great quality but high on storeage- but so far so good.

I'm Ripping these DVDs to a 2TB Nas (Buffalo Linkstation Live) with an additional 2TB usb storeage device. I'm using WD Live media players on all the TVs in my house and networking them all via cheap 200mbps home plugs - so far the results are everything I've hoped for - a virtual DVD jukebx for every TV in the house.

I have come accross a few issues- ripping TV series seems to duplicate / overwrite episodes - some times on certain films I'm not getting subtitles but so far 95% success. When I've had enough of ripping I'll go back and try and figure the odd few I'm not happy with - but pretty pleased so far.

It has been a process of trial and error to begin with but will watch your thread with interest as I also have a good few Blu rays which I've not attempted yet and I'm sure theres better ways of achieving what I'm attempting- anyhows good luck and keep perservering.

[tdeal823]

Sorry for the delay in responding. I just came back from Indianapolis IN. Everything I ordered has come in. Now I need to install the BluRay DVD burner in my PC. So far I think that the MKV file is what I am going to try first with the H264 coding. From what i have been reading this is the latest and esiest file to work with when using the Argosy HV335T-0020T. I will find out soon. I will have the Jason Bourne Trilogy burned tonight that is standard DVD and then transfer them to the Argosy HD.
Hopefully it all works other wise I'm out over $300 in hardware