DVD server (jukebox)

[spedo]

Hey guys,

I want to convert my Mac Mini into a kind of DVD server. I want to rip my movie to a harddrive (prob 500GB external) and have the ability to keep full DVD functionalitly i.e. special features, sound track options, DTS/DD etc...

So... the questions is, can I just rip the move with Mac The Ripper and keep on the harddrive, then play each movie through another app like Matinee? (i'm not sure of the file sizes to rip like this but I'm guessing with no compression around 8GB for a dual layer disc).... or the second option, forget the special feature and rip the movie into one file with DTS/DD capability in as lossless format as possible. What would I use for this? I will be playing on a HDTV 42inch Plasma TV o the quality will need to be ripped at a high level.

I don't mind the second option and I can probably use frontrow to view it.. correct? and therefore can use the remote that ships with the Mac to control it.

Has anyone implemented like this before? what did you do?

Thanks for any help.

Cheers

 

[projectle]

Yes, you can just rip the entire DVDs with MacTheRipper and store on a drive and use it to play back with the raw data files.

However, what I personally perfer is use MacTheRipper, feed into Handbrake, convert to x264 1500Kbps with 5.1 channel audio, go to MetaData Hootenany to add Subtitles and alternate audio tracks plus the chapters, and then have a single video file that can be played on the iPods as well as in very good quality on my 60" Mitsubishi 1080p display (due to x264's upconversion ability) and still keep all that the DVD has to offer minus the menu.

You will still have a sort-of menu to display your chapters (with screen captures) and audio tracks, but you will not have everything. You will however have a single 1GB file for a 2 Hour movie with Subtitles, Alternate Audio Tracks, Chapters and all the other stuff that you have come to expect from the main feature of a DVD.

 

[spedo]

feed into Handbrake, convert to x264 1500Kbps with 5.1 channel audio, go to MetaData Hootenany to add Subtitles and alternate audio tracks plus the chapters, and then have a single video file that can be played on the iPods as well as in very good quality on my 60" Mitsubishi 1080p display (due to x264's upconversion ability) and still keep all that the DVD has to offer minus the menu.

Thanks for that.... I like the idea of a 1GB file size... if the quality is good then this looks like the way ahead.

Can I skip the MTR step and rip with handbreak to x264 with 5.1 direct from the CV?

Is Metadata Hootenany a seperate piece if software or an option in Handbrake? sorry for the newbie question :-s if its a seperate piece of software do I put in the encoded handreak file or the MTR file into metadata?

Thanks

 

[projectle]

Yes, you can just skip MacTheRipper and do everything through handbrake, however it will generally encode faster from your hard disk than it will from the DVDs.

Plus, Handbrake can queue multiple jobs up at a time, so I usually just use MTR so that I can copy off 2-3 DVDs, queue them up, go to sleep and have them ready by morning.

You can not do that just from the DVDs.