I posted related stuff on the PC forum, but real basic questions...

I used to use a HTPC (AVS bought, real old) but now just use a PS3 for Bluray and Dish DVR for HDTV. I see where many copy their Blurays to a hard drive and play them back without the previews, warnings, or changing discs.

Is the quality just as good?

I've always backed up DVDs to a disc, and never a Bluray, but now that I have the new PJ I don't even want to rent (let alone buy) standard DVDs.

I guess I just hook the HDMI out from the GForce 8800 GTX second HDMI out, but there is a port called RS 232C and I want to connect with the best possible PQ, and don't know the science behind it enough to know what makes a difference.

I posted related stuff on the PC forum, but real basic questions...

I used to use a HTPC (AVS bought, real old) but now just use a PS3 for Bluray and Dish DVR for HDTV. I see where many copy their Blurays to a hard drive and play them back without the previews, warnings, or changing discs.

Is the quality just as good?

It all comes down to how you do it. But it absolutely can be just as good as the original, in fact it can be bit for bit identical if you want. I rebuild the BDMV structure with just the main movie and audio I want and play it back on my SageTV HD200 extender and I can't tell the difference between it and the original disc in my Pioneer BD player.

I've always backed up DVDs to a disc, and never a Bluray, but now that I have the new PJ I don't even want to rent (let alone buy) standard DVDs.

I guess I just hook the HDMI out from the GForce 8800 GTX second HDMI out, but there is a port called RS 232C and I want to connect with the best possible PQ, and don't know the science behind it enough to know what makes a difference.

There's really a lot of options. If you've got a PS3 I think you could just rip the main movie (m2ts file) to a network share on some PC on your network and play those back with your PS3.

RS232 is for control of the PJ (an alternative to IR).

This may be obvious to you, but what do you mean "rip the main movie (m2ts file) to a network share on some PC on your network and play those back with your PS3."???

This may be 1st grade stuff to many of you, but I have no idea what you mean. I know I can rip to a PC and network my PC and PS3 together, but don''t know how to get the movie from the PC to the PS3 and make it play.

Is there a basic "Idiots Guide" that tells you what button to push on what machine at what step? This is probably simple to you, but a foreign language to me.

I use a program like AnyDVD to rip, then its on the PC...then what? Do I need a software player like I had with my HTPC, or will the PS3 search for the movie and play it back somehow?

I don't really have a complete answer for you, but I use TSMuxer to rebuild my BDs (with AnyDVD HD running in the background).

As far as the PS3, I don't have one so I don't actually know how to do anything regarding it.