BluRay/HD-DVD to Apple TV??

[smilinmonki666]

Ok, Today has been the announcement of HD-DVD being dropped by Toshiba.... Great. Good job I couldn't afford to but too many films in the HD-DVD format... grrr

So. I have a minor collection of HD-DVD's and would like to put them in my library as too when I get my BluRay films. Has anyone achieved this.

I've heard of people downloading the content they already in in .mkv extention & converting them to TV friend formats but I would rather have control on the quality of my rip. I know that this is somehow illegal or something but the way I see it is that I have brought the product & I'm dead against pirated material.

Has anyone achieved this on Mac or PC? I use DVD Decrypter/ Mac The Ripper for my standard def DVD's.

Any help is very greatfull. Not bothered about putting them on my iPod. Just for my TV.

Cheers in advanced.

 

[jhsfosho]

Im curious about this as well. I have the 360 HD-DVD add-on and the Mac recognizes it fine. In fact XP recognizes it as well through bootcamp. My question is this: Can I rip my HD DVD's to my hard drive and then convert them to a more usable format? Or can I burn them onto a blu ray disc to play in a blu ray player? Using Mac or XP?

 

[spice weasel]

I'm not 100% certain, but AFAIK, ripping HD-DVDs requires Windows for now. You'll need an HD-DVD drive connected to your computer (Mac users use the XBox 360 external USB drive) and SlySoft's AnyDVD ripping software. On a PC, other drives and rippers should work too, but I know that this is a favorite combo, since the XBox 360 drive works with the Mac.

Then you need to encode. Someone else will have to chime in here, since I don't know what formats you can encode HD content to. I know most use the mkv container, but non-hacked ATVs don't support that.

 

[smilinmonki666]

I've just downloaded AnyDVD & just ripping a HD-DVD now whilst I try to do my Course work & Research

Would be really good if we could via Visual Hub with the AC3 passthrough like normal DVD's. I Just don't want my Disc's damaged. You found anything out jhsfosho?

 

[wmealer]

I know that this is somehow illegal or something but the way I see it is that I have brought the product & I'm dead against pirated material.

But if you're looking to circumvent copy-protection, you apparently don't mind violating the DMCA. Interesting how law only applies when it's convenient. The law is the law whether or not we think it's fair. Maybe we see a difference between pirating and fair use, but the law doesn't.

I'm right there with you, pal. I just found it funny how we pick and choose the laws by which we see fit to abide.

 

[jhsfosho]

Well, I'm unable to try anything because I'm out of the country for the next 4 months. From what I've read, we can use AnyDVD HD to rip the HD file to a hard drive, and then I think Nero will be able to burn it back to a HD disc or a blu ray disc. As far as encoding goes, I haven't looked into that too much yet. But I will be sure to post back here if I learn anything.

Be sure to keep us posted in this thread also.

 

[smilinmonki666]

I agree with what your saying about the laws. Its just pants on what we can & can't do. How did it change with CD's. As I seem to remember that you were not allowed to copy CD's at one point then I'm sure it changed to being allowed as long as you had 'Back-Up' written on the CD??

Getting back to the matter in hand I'm ripping a HD-DVD now, but still can't find any software to do so? Apparently Visual Hub does so, but with no audio, but that was before the 'AppleTV 5.1' preset?

Surely someones done this as there are plenty of .mkv file types for HD films???

 

[jhsfosho]

I've done some research and just came across DVDFab Platinum for Windows

It looks like it can rip a HD DVD or Blu Ray to a mp4 or WMV file.

Otherwise it is discussed (sort of) here.
Link
Though that is for burning a HD DVD to Blu Ray.

Can anyone try the DVDFab program and let me know if it works? If it does it is definitely the easiest method.

 

[smilinmonki666]

I've done some research and just came across DVDFab Platinum for Windows

It looks like it can rip a HD DVD or Blu Ray to a mp4 or WMV file.

Otherwise it is discussed (sort of) here.
Link
Though that is for burning a HD DVD to Blu Ray.

Can anyone try the DVDFab program and let me know if it works? If it does it is definitely the easiest method.

I've used this before but it doesn't convert it like VH or HB as it doesn't allow for an 'AppleTV 5.1 option from what I can remember?

However, I will try it again?

 

[jhsfosho]

Sorry, I don't know if it will work correctly with ATV with 5.1 But I think its closer/easier to do this and then use VH to convert it to a file that the ATV can more easily recognize.

I really wish I could try this myself.

PS. I myself am more interested in converting to Blu-Ray or a file playable/streamable to the PS3 or Xbox 360.

This tutorial is another one I found that may be helpful.

 

[smilinmonki666]

Cheers jhsfosho, just trying the tuturial. Will let you know how I get on? Apparently BluRay & HD-DVD have the same file extention which is .EVO/.EVOB.

Would be nice to know if the HB or VB team are looking into this? Just for ease of converting if anything?

 

[smilinmonki666]

OK, at the moment, I've managed to rip HD-DVD's to my HDD. Tried a converter wich worked, but not fantasticly. Picture quality was awfull. Was like watching digital tv....

Just going to rip the HD-DVD's to the HDD for the moment until something pops up.



Shame. Got a few HD-DVD's on the HDD ready to be converted.

 

[Scarpad]

What's the point of this however? If you do rip and convert it to a High def format that the Apple TV can support, you almost might as well just rip the standard DVD to that format

 

[smilinmonki666]

The TV supports 720p & 5.1 Audio, so, there is a point. You always notice the difference. Plus I'm a snob with quality. So if I can put HD films I own onto my iTunes collection, then I will. Plus I hate the fact of having disc's scratched.

 

[dogtanian]

But if you're looking to circumvent copy-protection, you apparently don't mind violating the DMCA. Interesting how law only applies when it's convenient. The law is the law whether or not we think it's fair. Maybe we see a difference between pirating and fair use, but the law doesn't.

I'm right there with you, pal. I just found it funny how we pick and choose the laws by which we see fit to abide.

When laws are based on the greed of corporations and not designed for the safety and protection of the public, then I really do not care what-so-ever. If someone wants to port their DVD's to their home media centre without some ridiculous DVD caddy then so be it. I really have no sympathy for the studio's:

Warner Bros: $11.7 billion USD (2007)
Sony Pictures: $6.6 billion (2005)
Paramount: $3.0 billion USD (2005)
Lionsgate: $976.74 Million USD
DreamWorks: $2.8 billion USD (2006)
Disney (inc Pixar): $65.6 billion USD (2006)

(Annual revenue)

I'm not suggesting the more a company makes the more we should try and 'rip them off' but I don't class ripping my DVD's for use with Apple TV 'ripping off the studio's'.

(Democratic!) governments should make laws, not private companies.

 

[wmealer]

While I agree with you to a small extent, you can't really classify the studios as greedy simply because they lobby for laws to protect their own interests. Almost all of us with jobs work for companies whose sole purpose is to turn a profit.

 

[dogtanian]

While I agree with you to a small extent, you can't really classify the studios as greedy simply because they lobby for laws to protect their own interests. Almost all of us with jobs work for companies whose sole purpose is to turn a profit.

Hopefully every companies purpose is to turn a profit! I have a problem with the consumer being spat on. After paying £25.99 for your Blu-ray Disc or £14.99 for your latest DVD release, you are confined to endure piracy ads which they foolishly believe will dissuade someone from sending it across the net, desperately trying to convince you pirates are also funding terrorists. I'm sorry but Mr Biggs down the market ain't funding terrorism, he's funding his habit.

In response to the OP, I didn't think there was any real support for HD Disc's in Mac OS X which is pretty annoying. There will be soon though.... hopefully!

 

[jhsfosho]

OK, at the moment, I've managed to rip HD-DVD's to my HDD. Tried a converter wich worked, but not fantasticly. Picture quality was awfull. Was like watching digital tv....

Just going to rip the HD-DVD's to the HDD for the moment until something pops up.



Shame. Got a few HD-DVD's on the HDD ready to be converted.

What method did you use? I read somewhere that for a high quality conversion it can take up to 80 hours!!! So I, too, will probably just rip my movies to my HD until processors get faster and come down in price. Hopefully there will still be newer and better methods developed for a dead format, though even that could be a problem as only 1.3 million people have HD DVD players.

 

[wmealer]

Hopefully every companies purpose is to turn a profit!

Nice try but sorry, over here in the US, we have what are commonly known as "charitable organizations" and "non-profit organizations." Ring a bell? As incredible as it may sound to you, some people are actually employed by such entities, and earn a rewarding living doing so -- both financially and otherwise.

 

[northy124]

Nice try but sorry, over here in the US, we have what are commonly known as "charitable organizations" and "non-profit organizations." Ring a bell? As incredible as it may sound to you, some people are actually employed by such entities, and earn a rewarding living doing so -- both financially and otherwise.

Nice try yourself But they have(And it's their purpose) to make a profit/money or they wouldn't be able to help people no matter what profit or not for profit every company has to make money or it won't survive even if it isn't for profit.

 

[wmealer]

Nice try yourself But they have(And it's their purpose) to make a profit/money or they wouldn't be able to help people no matter what profit or not for profit every company has to make money or it won't survive even if it isn't for profit.

Turning a profit and covering expenses are two entirely different things. Just ask the shareholders of the corporation I work for.

 

[richpjr]

Nice try but sorry, over here in the US, we have what are commonly known as "charitable organizations" and "non-profit organizations." Ring a bell? As incredible as it may sound to you, some people are actually employed by such entities, and earn a rewarding living doing so -- both financially and otherwise.

Now we are down to semantics. A for profit company has a completely different purpose than a non-profit organization does.

In any case, none of this has anything to do with ripping HD-DVDs.

 

[northy124]

Well charities over in here in UK (Well some) do it to make a profit as well not just cover expenses but this is now going off-topic. BTW i don't need to ask the shareholders of the Corp you work for as i can ask the shareholders in my company.

 

[megfilmworks]

BThe law is the law whether or not we think it's fair. Maybe we see a difference between pirating and fair use, but the law doesn't.

Actually copyright law states very clear differences between pirating and fair use; problem is the courts have a lot of leeway in defining which is which.

 

[NightStorm]

Sounds like the same tired excuse always thrown around as a way to validate stealing (or "pirating", same thing) goods from one company.

Just because you think they cost too much, or even better that you wouldn't buy them anyways, doesn't make it right.