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Suggestions for a DVD Video on Demand System?

Posted by Cliff on from the serving-it-up-when-you-want-it dept.

An anonymous reader asks: "I was paid, with about 1000 DVD movies, by a video rental store that owed me money and then subsequently went out of business. I'd like to rip a couple hundred of them to a 1 TB disk array, and serve them up to my big screen, via a video on demand system. However, all the systems I can find for interfacing computer network to the plasma display only serve up the basic MPEG files, and not the entire ripped DVDs with their menus, etc. What systems would Slashdot readers suggest that could manage the ripped DVD files as a complete disk, and serve them up?"

35 of 651 comments (clear)

  1. yeah, right by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I was paid, with about 1000 DVD movies, by a video rental store that owed me money and then subsequently went out of business.

    A likely story.

    1. Re:yeah, right by Keebler71 · · Score: 4, Funny

      no kidding... I wonder why they went out of buisness.

      --
      "It takes considerable knowledge just to realize the extent of your own ignorance." - Thomas Sowell
    2. Re:yeah, right by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      yea, that was BS.. this guy was totally a romanian download pimp

  2. 1000 DVDs? by ack154 · · Score: 5, Funny

    I need to start applying to crappy video stores that look like they're going to go out of business (but have a well stocked selection... :)

    1. Re:1000 DVDs? by whiteranger99x · · Score: 3, Funny

      Sounds like you should try Blockbuster :)

      --
      Join the TWIT army now!
    2. Re:1000 DVDs? by ack154 · · Score: 3, Funny

      True, I'm sure they are probably used. But really, if they're free... a DVD is a DVD as long as it plays fine. Come to think of it, even if it didn't play, it would still be a DVD... but just a shitty one that you could sell to some sucker on eBay for $5.

  3. Think scalability by ShockerFan · · Score: 0, Funny

    Human slavery is where it's at.

    --

    Ask me about The Shocker!

  4. I'm afraid I can't legally help you with this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    "Ripping" these DVD's is a violation of the DMCA and could result in criminal charges. You'll simply need to build a 1000 disc DVD changer as that appears to be your only legal choice.

  5. Re:Legality? by momerath2003 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Wouldn't you have to care?

    --
    I had but a simple dream, to destroy all humans.
  6. Flash forward 10 years... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    The mPod(TM)...

    1000 Movies in Your Pocket..

    Ooo.. and the domain is available!

  7. Re:MythTV by Captain_Loser · · Score: 5, Funny

    I just got mythtv working for myself, I only have 3 or 4 dvds, but this is a slick program that I stongly recommend. And hey, it has a web browser, pvr capabilities, music/media player, dvdplayer, and will tell you the weather. That way you can trick people into actually thinking that you went outside, becuase once you have this set up with many many dvds, you won't ever see the sun again.

    --
    -=You might be a geek if your computer is worth more than your car=-
  8. Suggestions for a DVD Video on Demand System? by Loki_1929 · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Suggestions for a DVD Video on Demand System?"

    I demand it, Kazaa provides it?

    Oh, a video on demand system for you - nevermind.

    Hang on, someone's banging on my door...

    --
    -- "Government is the great fiction through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else."
  9. Re:If he's got plasma... by proub · · Score: 5, Funny
    Maybe the best idea is to find him a high-quality DVD player and nice storage rack so that he can organize his 1000 DVD collection and show it off.

    Step 2: Acquire and train a monkey. This step may take some time.

    You now have a voice-activated, on-demand DVD swapper.

    Suggestion: omit Planet of the Apes from the collection.

    --
    "Irony is so September 10th"
    Matt Miller, alt.fan.spinnwebe
  10. Brute Force Approach by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    1. Get a TV with 1002 inputs. You'll still want one input for your tuner or cable box and one input for a VHS machine.
    2. Stack 1000 DVD players.
    3. Connect each player to the TV.
    4. Get a universal remote that can control all 1000 players + your TV + your tuner + your VHS recorder.
    5. Sit back and enjoy.

  11. If I were you ... by enrico_suave · · Score: 3, Funny

    I wouldn't bother ripping the special DVD widescreen edition of "ishtar", ditto for "eye of the beholder" and "Battlefield Earth" that'll save you a few gigs =P

    E.

    --
    Build Your Own PVR/HTPC news, reviews, &
  12. Re:How good are you with programming? by dasmegabyte · · Score: 5, Funny

    And still have no menus. I love slashdot nonsolutions..."do more work for less value just to say you did it." I wish I could get that patriotic about technology.

    "Hey guy! Why not put all the DVDs onto a massive reel of MiniDV tape, and then just play that in a continuous loop! It'd be like an homage to the great days of 8 track tape man those things were cool!"

    --
    Hey freaks: now you're ju
  13. Re:He found slashdot, but hasn't found Google? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Throw in a few "SCOs", that'll get them posted.

  14. Re:He found slashdot, but hasn't found Google? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Half of your submissions actually got posted?

  15. Juke Box by John+Hasler · · Score: 2, Funny

    Get yourself a DVD player and some Legos and build a _big_ jukebox.

    --
    Warning: this article may contain humor, sarcasm, parody, and perhaps even irony. Read at your own risk.
  16. Re:why recompress? by mcpkaaos · · Score: 4, Funny

    It's Vivid's complete back catalog. You make time.

    --
    It goes from God, to Jerry, to me.
  17. It has to be asked by LardBrattish · · Score: 2, Funny

    Was it only 100 Pr0n movies out of the 1000 or only 100 non-Pr0n movies out of the 1000?

    Oh, digressing slightly, with DVD pr0n movies are they taking advantage of the format? You know, multi camera angles, different soundtracks, making of documentaries?

    --
    What are you listening to? (http://megamanic.blogetery.com/)
  18. Re:If he's got plasma... by ticklemeozmo · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'll do it *hides his laptop and external HDs under shirt*.. look man, I'll even throw poop for the "full monkey experience" (that's why you buy dvds right? the experience?)

    --
    When modding "Informative", please make sure it both has a source and IS actually informative.
  19. Time for a case mod by YrWrstNtmr · · Score: 2, Funny

    Seriously. Case mod a CD jukebox.

  20. was this a porno store? by VegetariMan · · Score: 2, Funny

    this space intentionally left blank

    --
    --Nick
  21. Bill Gates by krokodil · · Score: 2, Funny

    Hello mister Gates! No need to make up story about store going out of business. We, average people would not feel bad because you purchased 1000 movies and want to digitize them so you can watch any of them without lifting your back from the coach to change CD.

  22. Re:xBox + EvolutionX by grantls · · Score: 1, Funny

    The XBox is small? You could maim people with it if you were so inclined...

  23. Online Video Business? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    I did a lot of work for an online video retailer that went out of business a couple of years ago, and the only "compensation" I got was to keep the 2000 DVD's and 600 VHS tapes they sent me to scan, catalog, and review for their site.

    Unfortunately, it was all porn. Worse, it was all gay male porn and so much of it that it nearly filled a whole room of my house. I didn't have anything against it, but it's kinda embarassing when your mom comes to visit and wants to know who Cole Tucker is and starts grilling me on why I haven't met a girl yet.

    I don't want to throw them out, not sure about trying to sell them on Ebay, but my friends already think I'm a freak (well, okay, they know I'm a freak) but it's hard to get a girl to date you when you've got a house full of Jeff Stryker and Joe Gage videos. Kansas City Trucking Company anybody?

    1. Re:Online Video Business? by Big+Nothing · · Score: 3, Funny

      "I did a lot of work for an online video retailer that went out of business a couple of years ago, and the only "compensation" I got was to keep the 2000 DVD's and 600 VHS tapes they sent me to scan, catalog, and review for their site.

      Unfortunately, it was all porn. Worse, it was all gay male porn."

      So, let me get this stright (no pun intended); you willingly said yes to scanning, cataloging and REVIEWING 2600 male gay porn videos? I can understand why you're posting as AC.

      --
      SIG: TAKE OFF EVERY 'CAPTAIN'!!
  24. Re:If he's got plasma... by cei · · Score: 2, Funny

    My main tip is to make sure he never confuses the "plasma" with the "dog plasma". I saw that happen to a guy on tv once, and boy, did he get fucked up.

    --
    This sig intentionally left justified.
  25. Re:If he's got plasma... by Martin+Blank · · Score: 5, Funny

    Yeah, but a DVD changer doesn't get the geek chicks.

    Him: Hey, I've got a 300-disc DVD changer!
    Her: So you have a DVD jukebox?
    Him: Well, yeah...
    Her: That is SO 90's. I'm outta here.

    Whereas for an array:

    Him: Hey, I've got a terabyte array!
    Her: Really? That's SO cool!
    Him: Yeah! You can't imagine how much pr0n that is!
    Her: I'm outta here.

    Hmmm... I guess the array doesn't do much, either...

    --
    You can never go home again... but I guess you can shop there.
  26. Re:Too complicated -- use DVD changers instead by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Hey this is Slashdot... this idea makes too much sense. What we are really are looking for is the hardest, expensive, and longest route, and and somehow manage to use Linux somewhere in it.

  27. Re:If he's got plasma... by dekashizl · · Score: 5, Funny
    That's nothing. The box I'm currently hacking on costs a cool $22K or thereabouts. Basically it's a Supermicro MB with 2 Xeons and two 8 disk arrays and a 80GB boot drive. It's also got 2 HotLink II cards in it for good measure.
    Big deal. I just gave one of those to my gardener because it was too slow. I'm installing Slackware right now on a $800M supercomputer that I built out of leaves and mud, and it's colocated in space.
  28. Re:why recompress? by Thanatiel · · Score: 4, Funny
    BTW-- damn, I wish I had 1000 DVDs
    .

    damn, I wish I had time to watch 1000 DVDs ...

    --
    Irrelevant news and morons using moderation to mod down what they disagree on. 2018 resolution: so long.
  29. Re:If he's got plasma... by hoggoth · · Score: 5, Funny

    > Big deal. I just gave one of those to my gardener because it was too slow. I'm installing Slackware right now on a $800M supercomputer that I built out of leaves and mud, and it's colocated in space.

    "That's no moon!"
    "Oh my God, is it a Death-Star?"
    "Umm... no... it looks like a supercomputer built out of leaves and mud..."

    --
    - For the complete works of Shakespeare: cat /dev/random (may take some time)
  30. Re:If he's got plasma... by scovetta · · Score: 2, Funny

    Features like simultaneous streaming (read/write), multi-stream recording, data forking, power failure recorvery, and wrap mode...

    I put my total faith in companies who fail to spell-check.

    --
    Wer mit Ungeheuern kämpft, mag zusehn, dass er nicht dabei zum Ungeheuer wird. --Nietzsche