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Feb 11, 2010 13:32:51 GMT
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@ BGTMIDGET: yeh we were using XBMC. It was actually my ex-housemate's xbox. I'm sure it was a simple fix, we just never got round to it.. I want to do something similar if possible with a PS2 I have lying around... devilishdesigner. Take a look at a mini-itx motherboard from here. mini-itx.com/store/ Some of the motherboards are designed just for what you want to do, with integrated HD video and sound. There's also a projects page, showing all the awesome retro computer cases that people have stuffed a PC into. |
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Feb 11, 2010 17:56:31 GMT
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The other thing to consider is the time it will take to convert all these DVD's to Avi's. Depending on the power of the machine and how clean you want the files to be, you're going to be looking at about 45-60 minutes a disc. Once you have them all converted and on a large hdd, you're going to want a way of watching them. Here's a couple of things. www.ebuyer.com/product/150312www.ebuyer.com/product/174238The storage/playback isn't going to be the restricting factor, the conversion time will be. |
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Last Edit: Feb 11, 2010 17:59:31 GMT by Soopahfly
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TS
Part of things
Posts: 558
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Feb 11, 2010 19:33:03 GMT
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I'll kick off the replies! DVD are 4.6Gb so to copy 'as is' you would need a massive hard drive. If you compress into DivX or similar you'd lose no noticeable quality and get that down to around 700Mb, much better. The most portable approach is to copy them all to a 500Gb or so external USB drive, and get a media player for your TV, essentially a very small device that will read the USB drive and play the DivX on your TV. Something like this (although this is UK). www.ebuyer.com/product/167205Alternative is a basic spec PC with a suitable video card, depending on what inputs you have on your TV (s-video, HDMI, VGA, etc). I use a 1600Mhz AMD PC with about 512Mb ram and works well on my PC. Much less and you may struggle. Unless you have a decent ish spec PC spare it really is cheaper to buy a media player like above since they are quieter, include remote control etc.... DVD's are actually 6.something gig. Consumer grade recordable DVD's are 4.6gb. Programs like DVDShrink will shrink original DVD's down to 4.6gb and burn to disk (if wanted or save to HD). Just rip them at high Xvid quality and put the originals in a safe place. |
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Jox
Part of things
Baaag o saaand
Posts: 51
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Feb 11, 2010 20:20:51 GMT
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xbmc is the best! me and cobblers got it working on my xbox, it was spot on apart from it can't play in HD. So i dusted off the pc in the garage and stuck xbmc on that. All my music and films are on a T1 NAS drive so anyone on the network can access them. Ive stuck the pc behind the telly stand connected to my amp for sound, bought a cheapo usb remote from dealextreme and bobs your uncle HD media centre. You can also get handy plugins for xbmc like the iplayer plugin and youtube if you want it. Jon
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That Xbmc looks great, just been doing some googling on it, is it correct that using it on an xbox I'm limited to a 1gig file size? This sorta kills off the direct transfer option which is a shame because xboxes are soo cheap. Any reason there isn't an xbox360 version?
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Remade In Australia
thereimaginarium.com.au
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Nathan
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 5,650
Club RR Member Number: 1
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Movie Storage?Nathan
@bgtmidget7476
Club Retro Rides Member 1
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Feb 12, 2010 11:59:05 GMT
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Nope its not limited to 1Gig I played a 5Gb file on mine last night, the problem is HD then again its only a Scart output so even by changing the Video resolution file on the XBMC (XML I think) You will be constrained to 420p or something there abouts.
I suppose there is not a 360 version due to other systems flooding the market etc, also the X360 is a Media center extender out of the box. So get yourself a PC running media center Plug it into your TV, then fit this onto another TV ect and stream from the PC. Or just have the PC sitting in a corner but fit the Xbox360 to your tv and do the same.
Trouble with that option is Xbox360's are fookin noisey, I could not get on with mine so ditched it and went another route.
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Nathan
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 5,650
Club RR Member Number: 1
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Movie Storage?Nathan
@bgtmidget7476
Club Retro Rides Member 1
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Feb 12, 2010 12:02:35 GMT
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The other thing to consider is the time it will take to convert all these DVD's to Avi's. Depending on the power of the machine and how clean you want the files to be, you're going to be looking at about 45-60 minutes a disc. Once you have them all converted and on a large hdd, you're going to want a way of watching them. Here's a couple of things. www.ebuyer.com/product/150312www.ebuyer.com/product/174238The storage/playback isn't going to be the restricting factor, the conversion time will be. Why convert them? The First of those devices will play RAW Vobs, the only issue your going to have with them is the Playback Celing. Hard drives are so cheap these days I don't see the purpose of conversion, used to get on my tits waiting for stuff to convert to Dvix etc. |
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Nathan
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 5,650
Club RR Member Number: 1
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Movie Storage?Nathan
@bgtmidget7476
Club Retro Rides Member 1
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Feb 12, 2010 12:03:30 GMT
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@ BGTMIDGET: yeh we were using XBMC. It was actually my ex-housemate's xbox. I'm sure it was a simple fix, we just never got round to it.. I want to do something similar if possible with a PS2 I have lying around... devilishdesigner. Take a look at a mini-itx motherboard from here. mini-itx.com/store/ Some of the motherboards are designed just for what you want to do, with integrated HD video and sound. There's also a projects page, showing all the awesome retro computer cases that people have stuffed a PC into. Yeah mate, if you have a PC plugged into the same switch you can FTP to the box and get the EVOX file off it, about half way down is the location setting for the playback, that will be where the issue is. |
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Feb 12, 2010 14:27:52 GMT
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Just installed XBMC on one of my Ununtu media PCs. Very nice looking! It's not doing all the cover art yet but not really fiddled with it only installed and had a quick play.
Way easier than before where I had to go to network, pick workgroup, pick the server PC, pick the directory with films in etc etc. Good tip anyway!
On a vaguelly related note my 360 has the red rings of death for the third time and is about to make a bid for the window!
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Feb 12, 2010 14:52:45 GMT
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i've got a terrabyte in our main PC, i've managed to fill up 740gig of it so far, i remember when a 4 gig drive on a PC seemed massive. :S
Ive just been playing movies down the Svideo lead so far, maybe i out to look into doing it properly.
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Volvo back as my main squeeze, more boost and some interior goodies on the way.
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The only reason I suggested conversion was for ease of playback and storage.
Depending on how large this DVD collection is, it shouldn't be a problem.
A mate of mine has a room in his house with blockbuster style isles. THAT'S a large collection, which would take many HDD's
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