Recently, I began ripping my DVD collection to my WHS Videos folder. My plan was to be able to view them from Vista Media Center.
So I ripped/copied several of them over to my WHS, fired up VMC and became frustrated quickly because I could not find a way to point VMC over to my WHS folder. Grrrr!
So, remembering the phrase: “Google is your friend”, I fired up Internet Explorer and did a quick search. I honestly cannot remember if Google was really my friend or if I went directly to Microsoft’s WindowsHomeServer forum.
Anyway, I soon found a thread explaining just how to do this. The complete thread, for your viewing pleasure, is located here.
Putting it all in one place, this is what I did.
- I ripped my DVD’s using DVDFab HD Decrypter 4. DVDFAb is actually up to version 5, but I find that version 4 works just fine for me. Just do a Google to find the program. In my case, I do a direct _TS rip. I am not sure if MC will recognize other formats. Experiment and let us know! From the aforementioned thread, Xbox 360’s do not play _TS files. .iso files work, however.
- Move the folder that is created to your WHS under the Video shared folder.
- Open regedit and search for: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Media.
This is the complete registry entry and required change:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Media Center\Settings\DvdSettings
Look for the Registry value - ShowGallery Registry value data type - REG_SZ -Play
Change the Registry value data from Play to Gallery.
Close regedit. - Open Media Center.
- Go to Settings – Library Setup – Add Folder to Watch – Add shared folders from another computer. Add the folders containing media and go to Next – Finish.
You’re all done! Enjoy all your media stored on your WHS in Media Center.
Of course, you will have one more question. How do I get all the DVD case pictures to show up? You will need an .xml file in each movie folder to provide this information to Media Center. I use DVDxml.com. You have to register, which costs you nothing. Once you are thru the registration process, simply search for your DVD, download the associated .xml file and move over to your DVD subfolder. Instant cover graphic and movie details!
Enjoy!
July 10th, 2008 at 7:53 am
Nice, but I already used Mymovies (http://www.mymovies.dk/) to do this. It can even copy your DVD right away to the server, in ISO or DVD files folders.
July 10th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
This is great, but how do we get this content to play on our XBOX 360 extenders? Show me how to do this and then I’ll be impressed!
I’ve been struggling now for awhile trying to get it to work! I’ve even tried MyMovies to no avail.
Thanks,
Wade
July 10th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Orb, will send it to your extender. MyMovies is great for WHS and movie collection.
July 10th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Just to clarify, VMC or MCE2k5 on an XBOX 360 will not play .VOB files even though they work fine on a pc. I was using MyMovies also to try and do this and it is not supported. I have not tried .ISO files, but from the forum link it looks like you have to setup Daemon Tools on Vista first to get ISOs to play and then configure MyMovies to use it. I’ll have to try this when I get home from work.
July 10th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
I use MyMovies as well. My Movies uses a SQL server/client approach along with IMDB (internet movie data base) to get its content. By default all movie files are in _TS format and should be placed in a folder containing the movie name. However, if you use DVDFab and ISO files like I do, then a simple edit on the database entry will allow MyMovies to playback the ISO files just like there was a DVD in the VMC (Vista Media Center) computer’s drive by using a “mounting” program for the ISO file, either Daemon Tools or Virtual Clonedrive.
The nice part about MyMovies is that you can install the server side software to run directly on your WHS. Very clear instructions on how to do this are on the MyMovies website. I am running a WMC 2005 client on one computer and another VMC client on a second. They both connect to the WHS server for their content.
MyMovies is supposed to play .VOB file as long as they are in the file and folder structure that MyMovies requires. I have not tried this personally because I am using ISO files, but maybe JR might want to try this again.
All this being said, I like the approach you have shared and will give it a try as well.
July 10th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
The current release version of DVDFab will create the dvdid.xml file so the at VMC display the cover art and info.
July 10th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
I can recommend an easier way to get the cover pictures to show up.
(also I move all the files to the root of the movie, out of the VIDEO_TS and other folders that DVD Decrypter or whatever you are using creates).
Go to amazon.com, find your movie, click on the picture to get it ‘larger’
right click on it and save the image to the movies root folder with the name of folder.jpg
easy peasey
July 10th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
I agree with the above poster that mymovies is so much simpler then the dvd library. Also there is a post in regards to creating symbolic links so that your extender can play the dvd.
July 10th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
If you have the DVDs on WHS keep the symbolic links on one of the other PC for the extenders, symbolic links will kill WHS.
DVDs on the extender link.
http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/thread/258756.aspx
July 10th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
Podcast about DVDs on the extender.
http://iandixon.co.uk/cs/blogs/ian/archive/2008/07/03/the-media-center-show-163-stream-dvds-to-extenders.aspx
July 10th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
i have no problem playing vob files on my Vista Media Center, and the files are based on the VMC, my WHS, my other PC’s.
July 11th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
All I can say is that this post has sparked a nice amount of discussion and alternatives methods!
In most things in life (and in the computer world), there is always more than one way to get from Point A to Point B. In the end, use whatever method makes it easiest for you.
MyMovies does look quite attractive, I must admit…
July 13th, 2008 at 9:14 am
I have recently completed the changes to the registry and so on, so media centre will play my dvd files, but I have another question. When I play the files in media centre the controls in the bottom right hand corner and the ‘windows’ button and arrow in the top left hand corner do not disappear. So all the way through the movie I have them on the screen which is really annoying. I know it’s probably smoething basic, but how do I get rid of them while playing a movie?
July 13th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
I think it is a bug. I get it with live TV, ripped movies, recorded TV, etc. It appears when you hoover the mouse at the top or bottom, and normally goes away after a slight delay. Perhaps one of MS’s updates fubared something? It does not for me either, now.
Or it could be your mouse driver? My old mouse recently died. New mouse, and now I get your “feature”, also. If I pause, FF, etc. on the remote, it goes away. What kind of mouse? Mine is a Logitech.
BTW, this is worthy of a post in the forums. Good for confirmation from other users, and perhaps a solution there?
July 14th, 2008 at 3:49 am
I too use MyMovies and have often wondered why it has never been profiled on WGS. There needs to be a full write-up of this great add-in.
July 16th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Can this DVD Library method also be used to play movies in AVI file format ?
All my movies are ripped into AVI file format, which My Movies seems perfectly happy with, but i have tried the windows registry change suggested above but my Vista WMC PC still doesn’t show anything under the DVD Library display/tab.
The AVI files show up perfectly in the VIDEOS display/tab, but i want to get the full cover art to be shown - frustratingly you do not get this in the VIDEO display !!
Any help/advice appreciated.
July 16th, 2008 at 5:35 pm
The DVD Library on your main Media Center can play DVDs and recorded TV movies (it has to be a movie for it to show up the DVD Library) it will not play AVIs .
My movies app will play AVIs
August 7th, 2008 at 8:42 am
Hi,
How about, using DVD Gallery of Vista MCE and Using Mymovies to catalouge your collection and keep it all organised and get all the XML data and Covers.
This is what I do and it works perfectly. I prefer the slickness of the DVD Gallery to the mymovies MCE interface. But the ease of my movies for being a database is great.
So there you have it Same result just another way of doing it.
Freaky
August 7th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
Freaky
Your setup sounds great! Is there much setup to achieve this same thing with using both DVD Gallery and Mymovies?
Thanks
August 7th, 2008 at 9:28 pm
I installed MyMovies to see how it worked. I let it do its automatic association. About an 70% hit rate of DVD to cover art and or correct title.
Every time I start VMC, it wants to re-add the same title each time. I was not impressed.
I prefer more control over the process and less utilities installed.
August 8th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Hi,
I have The my movies server on my home server and I run the client on 2 Vista MCE PC’s, (you’ll need this to bring in the XML data to the Vista DVD Library.
What Jim says Is true you can end up with duplicates if you let my movies do it’s own thing.(doesn’t always duplicate though.) I don’t I’m doing about 3 DVD’s a night and just manually adding as I want the collections to be perfect and once done I need not do it again.
I does work exceptionally well, Been using Media centre for years dunno why I’ve never used this feature before now…!
To answer TC no not alot of set up once My movies has added the data which is very quick, all you do is point the DVD Gallery of Vista to the folder with the DVD rips in and thats it.
August 24th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Hi,
Made good progress however…
My problem is this: I can plaback ripped movies when I map the network drive and open the files from within Windows Media Player but if I use Vista Media Centre to pull up the DVD library and start the movies the pictures are scrambled (very blocky with sound issues and freezes VMC).
I have an HP MediaSmart server upgraded to 1GB RAM and 4TB HDD. I am using 2 Sony Windows Vista Ultimate PCs with Windows Experience Indices of 3.5 and 5 respectively. I am using DVDFab Platinum to rip my personal DVD collection. The machines are all currently wired with Cat6 cables to a fast ethernet powered switch.
Any ideas gratefully received.
October 5th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
I’m also having some intermittent lockup issues playing dvd movies from my WHS to my Vista media center. Often it locks such that you must ctrl alt del to kill the media center app. once it restarts you can find your way back to the spot where it locked and resume the movie until next time. Very difficult to debug this. I have moved a bunch of movies to a local drive and will watch several movies there to confirm that it is in fact network or WHS related. I have gigabit lan and wired connections throughout the house and the setup was working without this issue for many months before this started. I’ve added some drives to the WHS and of course installed windows and driver updates.
Any suggestions appreciated.
@Fountainhead -