Randonneur Posted August 21, 2010 Share Posted August 21, 2010 We have about 200 DVDs that we cart around in 2 DVD wallets, these do weigh quite a bit, does anyone know if there is a way of using some kind of Media Player to transfer these onto so that we can plug it into our TV in the van? There is a Scart socket, VGA in and the normal Red/Yellow & White sockets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJB Posted August 21, 2010 Share Posted August 21, 2010 I believe that an iPod would solve your problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted August 21, 2010 Author Share Posted August 21, 2010 Thanks but would an Ipod take all of our DVDs and more in the future? If it would there must be some way to shrink each film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted August 21, 2010 Share Posted August 21, 2010 Have you checked to see if they can be copied? I was under the impression that most film DVD's had elaborate copy protection to prevent them being pirated. Be a shame to buy some gizmo, only to find you can't make use of it.But 200 DVDs? At 2 hours each approx, that equates to 2.5 weeks continual screen time with no breaks. Are you both very thin and pale? :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted August 21, 2010 Author Share Posted August 21, 2010 Brian Kirby - 2010-08-21 4:19 PM Are you both very thin? :-)Wish we were Brian. No, the only time we watch a DVD is when we are in the van, in the evening if we can't get a satellite signal or nothing we fancy on TV, so all I normally do is put the 2 wallets in, luckily we have space for them, but I just thought that if there was a reasonable way of transferring them onto a small device we woudn't have the weight. We will be going to Portugal for 2 months in the Winter so want to get organised before then. The iPod seems a good idea but I don't think the storage space would be enough. If you have bought the DVD then there is nothing to stop you from backing it up for your own use, it is so annoying when you have a DVD and it gets scratched so is unusable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yrocker Posted August 21, 2010 Share Posted August 21, 2010 You could try DVDshrink. A piece of software that, believe it or not, shrinks dvd's and saves them to a hard drive. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted August 21, 2010 Share Posted August 21, 2010 Are you expecting a lot of bad weather ? If it's just a weight problem ( i.e. not space ) why not just leave 100 at home ? You'll still have 50 a month to watch. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted August 21, 2010 Author Share Posted August 21, 2010 malc d - 2010-08-21 5:10 PM Are you expecting a lot of bad weather ? If it's just a weight problem ( i.e. not space ) why not just leave 100 at home ? You'll still have 50 a month to watch. ;-) Very true Malc, think I will leave the ones that we have already watched. When we were away last January we were very lucky with the weather in Portugal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted August 21, 2010 Share Posted August 21, 2010 Hi Martin, I've just asked my eldest son 'cos he's heavily into ripping and storing DVD's. His reply first of all relies on you having a computer (laptop?) with you. If so download Handbrake and VLC and then you use Handbrake to rip your DVD's to either your computer harddrive or an external harddrive attached. At the highest quality setting each disk should rip to between 1 and 1.5 GB. Handbrake requires VLC to be installed on the computer to be able to read the DVD. You can then play these copies back through your computer using VLC. If you don't carry a laptop around with you then he can suggest other ways to play them back, just let me know and I'll ask him to reply. If you don't manage to rip them all before you leave then you can carry on ripping while you're away. Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted August 21, 2010 Author Share Posted August 21, 2010 Keithl - 2010-08-21 8:17 PM Hi Martin, I've just asked my eldest son 'cos he's heavily into ripping and storing DVD's. His reply first of all relies on you having a computer (laptop?) with you. If so download Handbrake and VLC and then you use Handbrake to rip your DVD's to either your computer harddrive or an external harddrive attached. At the highest quality setting each disk should rip to between 1 and 1.5 GB. Handbrake requires VLC to be installed on the computer to be able to read the DVD. You can then play these copies back through your computer using VLC. If you don't carry a laptop around with you then he can suggest other ways to play them back, just let me know and I'll ask him to reply. If you don't manage to rip them all before you leave then you can carry on ripping while you're away. Keith. Thanks Keith, yes we carry a laptop with VLC installed but don't want to watch films on it as you have to be close and not at an angle otherwise you can't see the picture. I also use DVD Shrink and then Nero to duplicate my DVDs. What I am after is a device to put the films on that I can then connect to our TV/DVD player without taking the actual DVDs with us. Sylvia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted August 21, 2010 Share Posted August 21, 2010 Hi Sylvia, Does your laptop have a 'video out' if so get the appropriate leads and play through your TV. Alternatively you can use a WD TV Mini to connect an external harddrive straight to your TV. (there are more expensive versions available if you want to spend more). This will give you an on screen display to select and play a ripped film. Keith. Edit. By ripping the DVD's to either your laptop harddrive or an external such as WD Passport you will not need to carry your DVD's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted August 21, 2010 Share Posted August 21, 2010 Or HDMI connectors on laptop and TV? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted August 21, 2010 Author Share Posted August 21, 2010 Hi Keith That is just what I am looking for. I already use an external hard drive for backing up photos etc but will need a larger capacity one for the films. I knew someone on this Forum would have the answer. Many thanks and thank your Son for me as well. Sylvia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starvin marvin Posted August 21, 2010 Share Posted August 21, 2010 I suppose if someones got the time they could convert this thread to English so simple folks like me can understand what the heck is being suggested. Who was it that said knowledge is power? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted August 22, 2010 Author Share Posted August 22, 2010 starvin marvin - 2010-08-21 9:15 PM I suppose if someones got the time they could convert this thread to English so simple folks like me can understand what the heck is being suggested. Who was it that said knowledge is power? Just had to explain all this to Martin (techonophobe). Basically what is happening is that I need to transfer all my DVDs onto an external computer hard drive which will then plug into a little box that will then plug into the tv, this will illiminate having to carry all the DVDs with us when we are away in the van. If I only took a few DVDs you could guarantee that they would be the wrong ones, this way it enables choice. "Ripping" is taking the contents of a disc. "Burning" is putting that content onto a disc or other form of storage. Simples Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 Any of these items fit your bill? http://www.ebuyer.com/store/Sound-&-Vision/cat/Media-Players-and-Wireless-streaming D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 This is not as simple as some appear to think. Most DVDs are copy protected. Some more than others. And a DVD is typically around 9 Gb so your collection, as it stands, needs around 2 Tb of storage! So there are 3 stages to this. 1 Bypass the copy protection. In some cases this is very easy and can be achieved by free programs such as "DVD decrypter" but others, particularly those from Sony or Disney are much harder and you will need to buy software to break them. Free stuff won't do it. 2 Now you need to shrink it. However programs like DVDShrink mentioned above are designed to shrink to fit onto a 4.7 Gb DVD-R. As you already own the original this is pointless to you so we come to . . . 3 The Decrypted DVD can to be converted to a format that will play into your TV from a memory stick etc. (if the TV has a USB port?) or just played from the laptop to the TV as suggested above. Try Format Factory http://www.formatoz.com/ This will save the decrypted film to a single file. I use .mpg or mp4. With this I shrink a film to 1 - 2 Gb. and it's completely watchable on a small screen. However even using this method you will still need around up to 300 Gb of storage if you want to carry the lot. Apologies for having repeated some of the things already said, I just wanted to put the method into one post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnP Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 Why not invest in this type of disc holders? They are light and not brittle. I receive trailer discs in these at the multiplex where I work P/T. They come through the post and over the past year none have been broken or damaged. All you have to do is transfer the DVD into this holder - you can read the label through the translucent cover when it is closed. I think this is much more time effective than going to the time, trouble and expense of trying to copy discs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted August 22, 2010 Author Share Posted August 22, 2010 Thanks Dave, yes some of those seem to be the right thing I am looking for. Thanks Ralph, I will be looking for a 1TB external drive when I come back to the UK, everything computerwise is expensive over here, something to do with the tax, so I am told by the computer shops. Thanks for your reply John P , but I am trying to get away from taking the original DVDs with us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankkia Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 If you want something a little more expensive but which will do much more than store the movies you could look at the Archos 5 with up to 500gb of storage and can be used to access the internet and record programmes direct from a free view or sky box it will save space. - http://www.themp3company.co.uk/product/archos-archos-5-internet-tablet-with-google-android-500gb-501332.php I have 2 older versions which are great for storing and viewing movies, photos and music. As an example - on one of the machines, with an 80gig disk, I have 20 films (recorded in avi at about 1.2gb each), around 400 albums (CDs) and approx 3500 photos. when wanting to show say a particular photo it is much easier and quicker to get the Archos up and running than the laptop. The Archos is left connected to the tv / sky box at home and we can record direct to it to watch later and also show photos on the big tv and play music on the hifi. Using the full qwerty keyboard remote control I can also have the internet on the 46" LCD. In the van the Archos can be connected to the tv to show movies and also to the cab radio to play music. This lot may sound like an advert but it is just a satisfied customer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 Just back from Italy and I used my sons old Arcos media player all the time...never once watching a DVD on our much larger TV and did not miss it one little bit! it was loaded with our favourite series which my son had downloaded from the net. and I found the small screen fine for viewing and quality excellent even with my poor eye sight. latest models have touch screen and wi fi and TV so I will probably be buying one of these and save some weight and space in our next van...a really smashinG piece of kit, and with the docking station it works like a PVR and you can pre record TV prograns as wel.l latest ones have 500 Gb HD as well http://www.archos.com/products/imt/archos_5/index.html?country=us&lang=en Doh! just saw Bernie's post above on same bit of kit! :-D question for Bernie, could the new models ne conected to a sat dome in the van to watch TV? would that work OK do you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted August 22, 2010 Author Share Posted August 22, 2010 Hi Bernie and Judge, this is how it all started, yesterday there was a TSV on QVC whilst I was flicking through the channels and it was the Archos 5 500gb complete with all the bits but at 300 squid is a bit pricey, so I got to thinking that there must be a less expensive way. Martin would have 40 fits if I paid 300 quid just to save weight, might be easier leaving him at home!!!! on second thoughts that wouldn't work as he usually drives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 Randonneur - 2010-08-22 1:07 PM Hi Bernie and Judge, this is how it all started, yesterday there was a TSV on QVC whilst I was flicking through the channels and it was the Archos 5 500gb complete with all the bits but at 300 squid is a bit pricey, so I got to thinking that there must be a less expensive way. Martin would have 40 fits if I paid 300 quid just to save weight, might be easier leaving him at home!!!! on second thoughts that wouldn't work as he usually drives. you dont need a 500 Gb version, they start at £150 plus £80 for docking station. considering it will replace a DVD player a TV and a laptop plus a GPS system :-D plus with a 3 g phone you have internet anywhere! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted August 22, 2010 Author Share Posted August 22, 2010 JudgeMental - 2010-08-22 2:26 PM Randonneur - 2010-08-22 1:07 PM Hi Bernie and Judge, this is how it all started, yesterday there was a TSV on QVC whilst I was flicking through the channels and it was the Archos 5 500gb complete with all the bits but at 300 squid is a bit pricey, so I got to thinking that there must be a less expensive way. Martin would have 40 fits if I paid 300 quid just to save weight, might be easier leaving him at home!!!! on second thoughts that wouldn't work as he usually drives. you dont need a 500 Gb version, they start at £150 plus £80 for docking station. considering it will replace a DVD player a TV and a laptop plus a GPS system :-D plus with a 3 g phone you have internet anywhere! You are losing sight of what I wanted to do in the first place. Don't want to replace the TV or laptop or TomTom or phone just to get the DVDs onto something else. Can't see us sitting in the van watching a 5" screen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 the point I was trying to make was these are high quality and very watchable and small screen lose little to larger TVs in real terms and they also offer so much more functionality Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.