Noob confused - DVDs on HD, Profiler, WinDVD5

[wincrasher]

I just installed xlobby and am having trouble. I only want to use the program to play my dvds on my HDTV. I have around 300 DVDs and use DVD Profiler to organize them. I've exported my collection information and can see it in xlobby no problem.

I have many of my DVD's in folders on my server (used DVD decryptor) i.e. c:\dvds\xmen2\video_ts. I'm using WinDVD 5 Platinum.

Here are my problems:

1. I want to click on a movie in the library (from Profiler) and launch the movie on the hard drive. Right now it just says insert disk #.

2. For the movies xlobby found on my hard drive, I click on it and WinDVD launches, but does not play the movie. If I launch WinDVD manually, and open a DVD in folder, then it plays perfectly. Are there switches I need to use to get WinDVD to behave properly??

Thanks for any and all help.

[n-boy]

i did a little research for ya.

1. i have no idea - never used profiler

2. not really possible. from the way i understand it, xlobby calls the program and then adds command line parameters for opening and playing a specific file. so, when you try to launch a movie with windvd, xlobby calls "C:\program files\windvd\windvd.exe mymovie.vob" or something similar. that's where the problem is - windvd has NO command line parameters.

i would recommend using zoom player - it's an EXTREMELY nice player, and xlobby has support built in. it's slightly more difficult to configure than windvd, but the people at the zoom player forums (and here, i'm sure) would be more than happy to help you set up.

good luck.

[wincrasher]

Read the old instructions posted on the help page.

the movie file directory must match the movie title name exactly for the dvdprofiler database match up with it. cool.

problem still remains that windvd won't load the movie. also, when the film is over and I stop, windvd does not close and return to xlobby.

[finist]

I also use WINDVD5 and using an old version of DVDLobby you can launch a movie passing a parameter into WINDVD, syntax is:
c:\"Program Files"\InterVideo\DVD5\WinDVD.exe c:\alien3\VIDEO_TS\VIDEO_TS.IFO
Is it possible to do the same with XLOBBY?

[ippo]

You can use Windvd's filters in Zoomplayer if you like these...
Just import them in dvd-settings.
Zoomplayer is the best player if you ask me.

[wincrasher]

Can anyone help me with Item #2 from my original post??

[finist]

I do not think it is possible right now. I went and got Zoomplayer and it is very good in combination with XLobby. Strongly recommended!
XLobby is awsome. I tried it some month ago and it was too buggy for me. It is very different now and warrants a donation which I just made.

[stevenhanna6]

I have no code to support for windvd, so it would launch windvd like this

1.subst the dvd to the z: drive
2. launch the windvd exe like this...

c:\"Program Files"\InterVideo\DVD5\WinDVD.exe Z:

you must see that xlobby is mounting the dvd to the z: drive....maybe you can try to launch windvd like that from the command line. IF it doesnt work.....and you need it launch this way

c:\"Program Files"\InterVideo\DVD5\WinDVD.exe c:\alien3\VIDEO_TS\VIDEO_TS.IFO

then post a message and I will make a change to the exe so xlobby will launch it that way....its pretty easy to do. But I will echo what other people say.....zoomplayer is a great player....and you can have random intro trailers before your movie with it.

[wincrasher]

Thanks for the info.

windvd5 will launch the movie from the command line like you described:

c:\program files\intervideo\windvd5\windvd.exe c:\dvds\xmen2\video_ts\video_ts.ifo

for some reason it won't launch using the Z: reference. It will launch if you do it manually, i.e. click on it from windvd's menu.

I'm sure zoomplayer is a great program, but I've already invested in several software dvd players already and don't really want to purchase another.

I've also got another problem that I think is unrelated to xlobby. I'm storing movies on a firewire drive. Saved as a dvd folder, windvd will crash if you jump a chapter or pic another chapter in the menu. The system will also lock up occasionally. If you save the movie as a continuous mpg, then no problems with playback. Tried on different computers, same result. Any ideas?

Thanks again.

[wincrasher]

sorry for the multiple posts.

no change in xlobby is needed for windvd5 to play - guess i didn't understand what i was doing.

if you add z:\video_ts\video_ts.ifo to the command line options, or using a contiguous mpg file - z:\video_ts\video.mpg then it will launch ok.

thanks again and sorry for the confusion.

[smurgle]

I've also got another problem that I think is unrelated to xlobby. I'm storing movies on a firewire drive. Saved as a dvd folder, windvd will crash if you jump a chapter or pic another chapter in the menu. The system will also lock up occasionally. If you save the movie as a continuous mpg, then no problems with playback. Tried on different computers, same result. Any ideas?

Thanks again.

The easiest thing to check would be if it is a windvd thing. You could download the trial of powerdvd or something and see if you still have the same problem. If so, it might just be the firewire drive itself since it happens on two different computers.

The fact that it is firewire drive should not be your problem. I have no problems with DVD functionality with USB and firewire drives even over my home network (the drives are attached to a different computer than the one that does DVD playback). This is with TheaterTek and/or Zoomplayer that I have no problems. PowerDVD also worked fine when I tried it a few months ago.

Hope this helps.

[stevenhanna6]

wincrasher, if windvd launches with the following properly

c:\program files\intervideo\windvd5\windvd.exe c:\dvds\xmen2\video_ts\video_ts.ifo

then I will change my launch code for windvd, you shouldnt have to use the command line parameter option....then you wont even need to use a "Z:" the "Z:" is a subst drive and takes some time to setup. I'll change it if you want, then you can test it out since I dont have windvd...I think it would be better to avoid the Z: alltogther...and I wonder if the subst z: might be causing the trouble your having.

or using a contiguous mpg file - z:\video_ts\video.mpg then it will launch ok.

what is this....this is not a properly formated dvd...is it?

[stevenhanna6]

anyone using windvd can you test this exe with your video_ts dvds.

http://www.xlobby.com/xlobby2.zip

[finist]

I just did and it does not work for me. It launches windvd and no picture.

[stevenhanna6]

did the path to the video_ts.ifo you tried launching have a space in it?