Ripped DVD playback?

[paulr]

Still a noob here so please bare with me.

I am sure this is a simple process, but I can't figure it out. I have a large collection of DVD's and I would like to rip some of them to my hard drive and play them back within Xlobby.

As a test, I ripped a DVD with DVDshrink to my hard drive. I just did a 1 to 1 rip just to see if I could get this working. DVDshrink creates a folder named after the DVD (in this case the DVD was Gladiator) and then has 2 sub folders, one for video and one for audio.

After the rip was done, I opened Xlobby and hit F2. I tried to add the location of the ripped DVD to the movie database by browsing to C:\DVD\GLADIATOR. When I tried to import it just froze at 100%. Obviously, it couldn't figure out what to import since I sent it to a folder that had 2 more folders inside.

Can somebody please explain how to do this or what the correct procedure is? I have been searching the forums but can't find the answer.

I have TheaterTek installed but what is confusing to me is even if I get the ripped DVD imported to movies, how the heck would TheaterTek DVD even know where to start the movie if it's broken down into many different files.

Sorry for the stupidty on my part. Any help would really be appreciated.

Thanks,
Paul

[Colby]

Sorry for the stupidty on my part.

Its not stupidity if you dont know something. Its stupidty when you do know something and do it wrong.
TheaterTek knows to play the dvd because of the category execute event. Meaning.... You assign what happens when you execute the movie category items. It doesnt need to read all the files of the dvd rip either, the ifo file tells it what parts make up the audio and video, etc.

Are you importing straight into xlobby, or are you planning on using dvd profiler? (I would recommend). You must set up your import to include the correct file structure, file types and database info. More to come later.

[paulr]

Colby,
Thanks for the reply.
I was planning on just importing straight into Xlobby just to keep it easier, but it appears that might not be the way to go based on your comments.
I think I know what you are talking about with correctly setting up the imports and will play around with that and learn as I go.
I appreciate your help,
Paul

[paulr]

OK, got it figured out and now can import the movie and theatertek wil play it. It wouldn't work though until I removed ifo from file types.

I think that since I have ifo files set up to be played by theatertek in windows, it takes over from Xlobby when I click on the play button.

Does anyone have ripped DVD's playing back through theatertek with ifo still in the file types?

Thanks,
Paul

[Colby]

So now I am a theatertek user. I got tired of Zoomplayer. Anyway, I have my movies running through xl and TT. I use filetypes to launch the movies.

The file types are:

Code: Select all

ifo,iso,vob,video_ts

The commandline switches I use are:

Code: Select all

/AP 2 /nosplash /pl %playlist%

[S Pittaway]

theard hijack alert

I use TT as well, my films are all stored on a big server in the garage, there are ~ 260 films and all is well...
...almost


I have notced that every now and again (say 1 out of 5) when i start a film in xlobby, TT starts up ok, but instead of playing the entire film itjust plays the first vob???

I dont suppose anyone else has this problem?

[thekochs]

I'm a long time user of TT and new to XLobby but mine works fine for 250+ movie on 8 250GB HDDs. Colby's command above works to launch TT. However, make sure you are using the IFO to run the movies from. To be 110% sure go into Windows under file types and for IFO make sure TT is selected. In TT make sure in file type tab you have IFO selected.
Also, as Colby stated make sure ifo,iso,vob,video_ts is set in XLobby. Now when XLobby runs the command line /AP 2 /nosplash /pl %playlist% it will play the IFO which runs the entire VOB set. You're covered every which way.

Also, this is the VERY nice thing about DVDShrink. Even if DVDShrink cannot rip all movies....since it is old....use another Decryptor and still use DVDShrink on these decrypted files instead of the DVD. It generates the single IFO that is launchable. This becomes very useful for multi-disc sets to combine into one IFO that runs the slew of VOBs.

Lastly, a small but easy gotcha. First, you don't need the Video_TS subfolder. I have mine as {drive}:\DVDs\{movie name}. All the IFO and VOB files are located in this {movie name} directory....no Video_TS or Audio_TS sub directory. Second, make sure the {movie name} is exactly the same as it is listed in the DVD Profiler search. If not Xlobby gets a little confused mapping the name to the folder sometimes.

Also, a last tip I found very helpful in the beginning since I've also tried to minmize the slew of software for my HTPC. I don't use Girder nor do I need to worry about XLobby "events". Since TT accepts keyboard strokes I just use a IR keyboard to program my Philips Pronto remote with these corresponding keyboard strokes. So, as you navigate thru XLobby and TT you need not worry about other software to execute commands to-from the HTPC. I bascially have a IR repeater that is hooked to my Xentech IR pickup on my IR HTPC keyboard receiver. So, whether I'm using my IR keyboard or my Pronto remote the HTPC doesn't know the difference. Thus, anything I can do from my IR keyboard on my HTPC I can easily mimick on my Pronto remote.

[S Pittaway]

i judt rip the files directly to disk, so there are no iso files.

i also only use xlobby and its own dvd database functions so i dont have to worry about any conflicts.

I have have xlobby setup to call TT with the correct command line (film inf file is he paramenter in dvd database) so i dont know how it gets confused.

i close TT and hit play film again and it will normally work?

[thekochs]

i judt rip the files directly to disk, so there are no iso files.

IFO....not ISO. You need to be running/launching the VIDEO_TS.IFO file. This is the file that manages/runs the VOB files....which are really MPEG files. So, to brute for this go to Windows Explorer and right click on any of your VIDEO_TS.IFO files. Select "Open With" and Use Choose Program to point to TheaterTek exe in it's Program Files directory. There will be a check box that says ~"always use for this filetype" and make sure you check. Now, for ALL your HDD rips the IFO files launched will execute TT.....likewise in XLobby.

As Colby says make sure in XLobby Config that file types are: ifo,iso,vob,video_ts. Actually for just DVD playback-TT you only need IFO. Make sure you highlight the TT string in this config section to make sure the settings/file-types you are shown-changing are for TT.....it's any easy thing to overlook.

Also, I'm sure you are doing this but TheaterTek needs to be shown as the player....I personally deleted all the other references except TT in this config section.

Let us know.

[fl70]

i judt rip the files directly to disk, so there are no iso files.

I originally saved dvds as iso files and used mplayer to play them.
Lately I have been converting dvds to divx files and using divx player for them.

[S Pittaway]

soory, misread your post

i do use /AP 2 /nosplash /pl %playlist% and the xlobby database only points to VIDEO_TS.IFO files.

If i launch films from the command line they always play, i only get "funnies" when i play them via xlobby...

XL has correctly associated them with TT and like i said TT is launced (and the film plays flawlessly most of the time) when you click on a film image or hit play.

Like i said, it swerid, and only plays the first vob sometimes... i go back and hit play in the same way then it works.

its very starnge

[thekochs]

soory, misread your post

i do use /AP 2 /nosplash /pl %playlist% and the xlobby database only points to VIDEO_TS.IFO files.

If i launch films from the command line they always play, i only get "funnies" when i play them via xlobby...

XL has correctly associated them with TT and like i said TT is launced (and the film plays flawlessly most of the time) when you click on a film image or hit play.

Like i said, it swerid, and only plays the first vob sometimes... i go back and hit play in the same way then it works.

its very starnge

Is it the FIRST VOB or is this a multi-disk set you've combined in DVDShrink ? Sometimes it takes unchecking the Mutli-Drive/Disk parameter in TT Config to get the second disk to run. TT is looking for an insert of a physical second disk in a drive bay....since we have DVD rips to HDD this just means a freeze. Try toggling this in TT.