HTPC software/OS question

[Rastalovich]

Lets say u put together u`r super dooooper htpc, specs well above what is necessary, and u have an absolute tera cluster of storage.

Music √ easy

Photos/pictures √ easy

Movies by file √ easy

DVDs/VCDs √ easy

Music CDs √ easy

So.. u got u`r choices of software. Either u`r MC, Xp with something like Nero`s front end, or that other one that looks shoddy to me.. hell even Vista has this htpc looking interaction.

So what about this mass collection of CD/VCD/DVD u have ?

Frankly it`s easy for u to transfer u CDs to the htpc and then store the cases somewhere. But what about the VCD/DVD ? What are u`r options other than something like a DVD->AVI conversion ? Can u use something that will take u`r DVD ala dvdshreink/rat, store it on u`r hard drive, and allow u to select via u`r remote and play it - with original menus etc ?

Best I can think of, not having built a strictly-by-the-tele htpc with remote and sexeh case, is to do something like a dvd rip and mount them and rely on autoplay to find them.

What do u htpc experienced guys do ? I see 100s of dvds on my shelf, I`d rather have them stored with my cds tbh, boxed in the attic.

 

[nathan]

Pretty simple, there is a reg hack (both xp and vista mce) that enables my dvd's. You then rip all of your dvd's into <dvd name>/video_ts/ then mce treats it like you have dvd inserted. It will also go off onto the internet and find details about your dvd. Looks good when you have pages after pages of dvd covers

If mce cannot find the info on the dvd, you can use a site called, www.dvdxml.com to download the xml info file.

hope this helps

 

[FragTek]

Just remember that uncompressed DVD's are going to totally pwn your hard drive space if you decide to do this... You are going to need a few terrabytes at least... 4 x 750gb Barracuda's might get the job done.

 

[Rastalovich]

Ya thanx guys, that pretty much deals with the "is it possible" question.

So in terms of storage, u either buy all these ATA100 300g drives that retailers are selling like they`re going to explode in a couple of months for peanuts.. or u have to infact compact em ala dvdshreink.

4g x 100 as opposed to ~8g x100

add on u`r other media which can summount to maybe 150g

A terra could probably do, or give u`rself some room to expand.

 

[nathan]

i have 4x 400gb hard drives, will be enough for a long time i think. I'm not going to compress them at all.