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Help! Is it possible to play dvd games from a htpc/video server jukebox setup?

640 Views 12 Replies 4 Participants Last post by umdivx, Mar 9, 2005

ShaunK

Discussion Starter · Mar 2, 2005

Trying to do my homework but coming up short...

I'm looking at building a htpc to serve as a movie/music/photo jukebox. It needs to be as easy to use as our DirecTiVo so the wife wife and kids can use it reliably while I'm at work. And, the kids like to play the dvd games on many of their dvd's.

Is it possible to rip a dvd to hd and retain the funtion of dvd games?

I have played around with iso's and can play the games if I mount to a virtual drive but this is a pain and the Nero virtual drive software is limited to 2 virtual drives. I read some about daemon tools but it looks like this is limited to 4 virtual drives. Proprietary setups like the Kaleidascape are able to copy dvds and play back just like the original dvd - Anything similar for the pc?

Any ideas?

For the dvd's without games, I'm figuring on using Nero Digital or some other DivX/Xvid format.

Other info to give an idea of what I want to accomplish: Our Sony 5-dvd changer died recently (and out of warranty). We considered the Sony 400 dvd changer and my wife really got into that idea so we wouldn't have to handle dvds and change them for the kids all the time (3 kids- oldest is 6 and we've lost 6 dvd's due to scratches/smashing etc.). However, I read several user reviews that claimed the 400 dvd changer was slow and worse that it damages the edge of the discs with it's loading mechanism. Then I read about the IO-data networkable dvd player plus a server and have eventually come around to the idea of a pc based movie jukebox.

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ShaunK

Discussion Starter · #2 · Mar 4, 2005

Wow! Not one suggestion from anyone yet.

Here's what I've come up with so far...

I can create an ISO file for each DVD with games. With the proper software (daemon tools or Alcohol 52% or Nero ImageDrive) I can easily mount the ISO as a virtual dvd drive and play the "dvd" with any old software player. The challenge lies in figuring out an easy way for the wife and kids to switch ISO's. Looks like there may be some scripts to help automate this. I already own Nero but ImageDrive will only mount 2 drives at a time. Daemon Tools is free but still limited to 4 virtual drives at a time. Worst case, I buy Alcohol 52% and just mount 20+ iso's as dvd drives. Then simply scroll down the dvd list in the MCE UI.

I'll test it out this weekend and post results.

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Sokoloff

· #3 · Mar 4, 2005

One word answer:

XLobby2 http://www.xlobby.com/Downloads/Screenshots

It's relatively easy to set-up, but once set-up could be operated by anyone who can tie their own shoes. Actually, make that anyone who can tell their shoes from their gloves.

To be more explicit:

I store my DVD ISOs on a fileserver (though you could store them locally as well) and use Daemon Tools (2 drives, but I really only use one) to mount the ISOs (by clicking on them in XLobby) and play them in TheaterTek. This pretty accurately simulates the use of a set-top box and ejecting one DVD before inserting the next one. No real reason to have them all "online" (mounted as drives) at once, right?

(I get my cover art, stills and movie information from DVDprofiler, which integrates nicely with XLobby2 also.)

--Jim

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umdivx

· #4 · Mar 4, 2005

Even easeir solution to Sokoloff's:

-Buy MCE 2005

-download and install the "my movies" addon

-talked about here: http://www.thegreenbutton.com/commun...essageID=95456

-and talked about here: http://www.binnerup.dk/mce/My%20Movi...Rel.%201.2.msi

the my movies addon will allow you to rip movies via IOS to your HDD and create a dvd library that your wife and kids can browse through and click on an icon of that dvd which will then auto mount it to deamon tools and auto play.

the best part now is that the latest version of my movies allows you to auto load third party DVD apps like Theatertek (which is a reason i am now going to get MCE)

and finally the best part about MCE its a HUGE + on the WAF scale

-Josh

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Sokoloff

· #5 · Mar 4, 2005

Thanks for the pointer; I'll have to check out MCE.

My first HTPC was built on a "if it's free, I'll see if I can make it work" motto, but I'm always open to highly recommend payware too. (I adopted TheaterTek as soon as I tried it, it was that good.)

---Jim

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umdivx

· #6 · Mar 4, 2005

yea i just paid for and got TT2.1 and i am very pleased with it, now all i need to do is force myself to pay for a MS product that for some reason is actually quite good for the HTPC market.

-Josh

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Sokoloff

· #7 · Mar 4, 2005

LOL. I hear ya...

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ShaunK

Discussion Starter · #8 · Mar 8, 2005

Thanks guys for the info. I will check into X-lobby (at quick glance it looks pretty good). Sounds like MCE is getting to be more user friendly too by allowing third party software to run.

BTW, I did check out the media center extenders from Linksys and HP. Looks like they absolutely require MCE 2005 and will only play WMV or DVD - not Divx etc...

I made a few ISO's and played with Alcohol 52%, Nero Drive Image and Daemon-Tools. They could be set to load an ISO just by double clicking the ISO file. Nero had the fewest features. Had some trouble setting up Daemon Tools. Alcohol seemed to have the most features but it is also $30 (not bad). The kids liked being able to load their learning games with a double click instead of handling a dirty scratched cd. Only problem was the #$$%% copy protection on the Jumpstart Advanced cd's.

The wife made another plea for the 400 disc changer again on Sunday. She fears that if I get the HTPC that she and the kids won't see me for several week while I rip and encode videos. I told her it wouldn't be that way but she thinks she knows better. (I was "lost" for two weeks while hacking my DirecTivo and learning to edit and copy the recordings onto DVD.) So, that may be the short-term solution. And, pc gear will only get cheaper the longer I wait.

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umdivx

· #9 · Mar 8, 2005

Quote:

Originally posted by ShaunK

The wife made another plea for the 400 disc changer again on Sunday. She fears that if I get the HTPC that she and the kids won't see me for several week while I rip and encode videos. I told her it wouldn't be that way but she thinks she knows better. (I was "lost" for two weeks while hacking my DirecTivo and learning to edit and copy the recordings onto DVD.) So, that may be the short-term solution. And, pc gear will only get cheaper the longer I wait. [/b]

That alone would be the reason for me to get the HTPC, I like getting away, and haivng a reason is just for the better.

just explaine to her that with a HTPC there is so much more you can do than a 400 disc changer.

-Josh

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umdivx

· #10 · Mar 8, 2005

oh and as far as copy protection look into AnyDVD for DVD's and for games check out www.gamecopyworld.com lots of tips on how to back up original copies of your games.

-Josh

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kny3twalker

· #11 · Mar 8, 2005

for PC games you do not need an ISO at all

simply install the game and grab the no cd patch from here
http://gamecopyworld.com/

you do have to sign an agreement though that you do own the game so it is should be legit

I do this with all my games rather than having to waste space and having to mount images

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ShaunK

Discussion Starter · #12 · Mar 9, 2005

Quote:

Originally posted by umdivx
just explaine to her that with a HTPC there is so much more you can do than a 400 disc changer.

-Josh

Tried that already. She's interested in simplicity. We will probably try the 400 disc changer for now but ultimately we will have a HTPC.

BTW thanks to you and to kny3twalker for the gamecopyworld.com link. I was able to determine the type of protection in use just didn't have time to circumvent it last night. The kiddies have thrashed so many of the cd copies of other games. Until now, I've had to let my 5 year old use the original of the Jumpstart game due to the protection. Amazingly, that original disc has survived nearly a year.

Thanks again for all the help. Frankly, I don't know how we all survived before the advent of Google and community message boards.

UPDATE: Sony has delayed release of the updated 400 disc changer until later this summer. In the meantime, I got a steal on a refurbished Dell Media Center. I've added My Movies and made many ISO's. I've also become comfortable with Windows Media Encoder. The MCE will play Nero MPG4 files but the WMV just work better and sometimes I have problems with love volume on the Nero files. Also, the WME9 works well with converting the video from my DirecTivo.

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umdivx

· #13 · Mar 9, 2005

Quote:

Originally posted by ShaunK
....Frankly, I don't know how we all survived before the advent of Google and community message boards.

BBS's and IRC

-Josh

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