Backing up DVD / blu ray & CD collection?

[sc302 Veteran]

Hook up usb drive to computer.   Run PLEX server on computer. 

 

Point plex server to usb during wizard setup

 

run PLEX app on tv, smart device, tablet, phone, computer, etc. 

 

enjoy accessing your your drive from anywhere in your house. 

 

 

Need to leave computer on and plex server server running in the back ground (it runs as a service). 

[Technique]

12 minutes ago, sc302 said:

Hook up usb drive to computer.   Run PLEX server on computer. 

 

Point plex server to usb during wizard setup

 

run PLEX app on tv, smart device, tablet, phone, computer, etc. 

 

enjoy accessing your your drive from anywhere in your house. 

 

 

Need to leave computer on and plex server server running in the back ground (it runs as a service). 

We'll have to find another way as once everything is up and running properly i don't want my PC on 24/7. With that said i'm happy to try this out just for trial purposes.

 

Not entirely sure how i'll run the Plex app on my TV. I'll need to look at that. I think i've got limited apps on there and i'm not sure if i can install new ones or not.

[sc302 Veteran]

Many routers have a built in PLEX server.   Many network attached storage (NAS) devices have a built in PLEX server. 

 

 

As far as your tv goes, it may have an App Store.    Samsung does.  

[Technique]

Mine is a Panasonic 58DX750B.

 

My router is my ISP supplied one - a BT Smart Hub for any UK folk reading this.

[nekrosoft13]

6 hours ago, dipsylalapo said:

 

I think you're both talking about different uses of Kodi. 

 

@nekrosoft13I'm assuming that you're referring to using Kodi as a just a way to manage media a la Plex, whereas @Techniqueis probably talking about streaming from 'sources'

 

 

Kodi doesn't come with any media, or any sources to "search" so what he is using it for is strictly forbidden by Kodi devs.

[sc302 Veteran]

The smart hub won’t work as a PLEX server.  The tv looks like you can load apps but I cans find the directions on how to install apps or “internet apps”. 

[DevTech]

On 11/22/2018 at 3:30 PM, Technique said:

And i remember someone saying about compressing negatively impacts on the quality. I just wondered how much in this case.

 

You don't have to "remember" anything. At the bottom of every page there is a navigation to every post in the discussion. Also, every single post has a tiny link symbol in the upper right corner that you can use to bookmark it.

 

I already explained compression, but briefly it is more correct to say that "blind compression without reading docs and understanding the limits and caveats will often have negative impact on quality"

 

Each type of source and each compression technique that can be applied to that source has reached a general range over time where people generally agree about the quality level achieved.

 

The following estimates are for x265 encodes:

 

1. DVD average original of main movie 4 gig to 6 gig  compresses to 500 gig for "really good enough" to 1 gig for "nit pickers"

 

2. BluRay average original of 30 to 40 gigs is generally compressed at original 1920 x 1080 or re-sized to 1280 x 720. This is because many TVs and tablets etc do not have more than 1280 x 720 screen resolution so why waste the space...

 

2.A) 1280 x 720 is 1 gig for good enough and 2 gigs for nit pickers

 

2.B) 1920 x 1080 (FHD) is 2 gigs for good enough and then the range of people who nit pick is much larger yielding 4 gigs for "most humans can't spot the smallest difference" to 10 gigs "ultimate nit pick"

 

3. 4K video is outside my personal experience so I will leave others to comment.

 

 

 

Note 1: The extreme sophistication of the x265 encoder presents playback CPU challenges to older computers and newer stuff at the low-end.

 

Note 2: NEVER re-compress video! Go back to the original if you need to try again. You are already committing the sin of re-compressing a second time when compressing from DVD or BluRay because those commercial media are compressed formats already.

 

 

 

 

 

[+BudMan MVC]

If your tv doesn't have a native plex app.  Pretty sure it can play off a DLNA server - which is what plex server can also do.  Not sure how good the interface will be then?

 

Or just get a player be it a stick or actual box.. FireTV, or Roku, or AppleTV or Shield TV prob the hottest thing right now.

 

There is nothing saying your stuck with your tv makers built in "smart" stuff - which rarely is that smart since they almost never update them.. While if you get your own player they get updated all the time..

 

edit: I like your point 2 which is something that gets overlooked a lot.. Keep in mind though when going thru and ripping your media that while your playing device might only have X*Y pixels now - what about when you get the new TV.. 4K TVs now are 3840x2160... So when ripping his media for his library he might want keep original pixel size... But since he mostly has dvd going to be limited to 480p

[Technique]

DevTech, why is it that when i read your posts i'm left like....

 

but when BudMan posts i'm like...

 

 

??

 

I've no doubt you're both posting really useful stuff but seriously no offence but more than once i've read your posts and i'm so blank but when others explain it i feel like it makes sense.

 

21 hours ago, sc302 said:

The smart hub won’t work as a PLEX server.  The tv looks like you can load apps but I cans find the directions on how to install apps or “internet apps”. 

Me neither. I was looking in to it last night, Google, YouTube. Apparently they introduced Plex for 2014 models onwards. Mine is a 2015 model i think, 2016 maybe, so it 'should' work. Looks like an email to Panasonic is due.

 

[Circaflex]

You should be able to see all of the available apps through the Homescreen and selecting apps. If plex is not listed, or not available for download, go into settings and make sure you have the newest firmware. If you do and Plex is not available, the TV does support DLNA so you could stream via that method. However, Plex and DLNA require a device to supply the media, DLNA can be USB attached to the TV or via network shares, Plex requires a Plex server to supply the content unless you go with other methods, similar to Kodi.

[DevTech]

I don't think the types of compression results you can expect to achieve can be put any simpler than my handy guide to DVD and BluRay formats.

 

I can't decide which of several appropriate quotes from Forest Gump would be most helpful, so instead I will leave that an an exercise for the reader.

 

I have been describing the merits of various automobile models while others have just looked out their window to what is parked in their driveway and tell you to buy that model. 

 

 I have the greatest respect for @BudMan  and it could be interesting to see him  peer inside this box of chocolates...

[+BudMan MVC]

Dude all that this level of user understands is its shiny and goes fast... They don't need to know or care a CVT vs Automatic or that it can do cylinder deactivation, etc. etc..   They might want to know that it gets 30mgp vs 20... But getting into the nuts and bolts is just going to go over their heads..

 

Your point 2 for example.. While very valid point - he thinks dvd quality is fine  

 

I am well versed on what is in the chocolates and how to make the chocolates, and how to cut out a few calories for the weight watchers that still like chocolate - heheh  Just that sort of discussion is just going to scare them off... 

 

Car Shiny, Car Good!!  then once he has the shiny car and likes it and then comes back and ask how make car go fast...

[Mindovermaster Moderator]

3 hours ago, Technique said:

but when BudMan posts i'm like...

 

I highly doubt that sentence...

 

Or we wouldn't be on the 6th page...

[Technique]

7 hours ago, Mindovermaster said:

I highly doubt that sentence...

 

Or we wouldn't be on the 6th page...

You must be great to have a discussion with then.

How was your day?

Good, bye.

 

I know you'll have noticed but clearly fail to acknowledge - the post has moved on from the initial question.

 

I actually feel like a bit of a tool anyway and must apologise to DevTech. I think the combination of the drink i'd had and level of tiredness i was at (nope, not asking anyone to believe it and nope not using it as an excuse but feel free to say otherwise as i couldn't really give a monkeys) when i read that last night i was just like WTF are these words on this screen, they make no sense to me whatsoever and this isn't the first time this guy has done this, even minus the drink and tiredness.

Reading it this morning it actually does make sense - so i need to apologise to DevTech for my comment last night - because I actually thought he was you. 😂 

 

And what i meant by when i read Budman's posts is i may not get it totally like i have a qualification in the topic, but he doesn't totally lose me. After reading what he says i feel like i've made steps forward to the goal. Yes i may (and very likely will) have more questions but i've always asked about even the finer details anyway and i wont change just to please some people online. The fact is not once has he posted and after reading i've been like you know what, this really isn't worth dragging my head through this mud.

 

[DevTech]

36 minutes ago, Technique said:

You must be great to have a discussion with then.

How was your day?

Good, bye.

 

I know you'll have noticed but clearly fail to acknowledge - the post has moved on from the initial question.

 

I actually feel like a bit of a tool anyway and must apologise to DevTech. I think the combination of the drink i'd had and level of tiredness i was at (nope, not asking anyone to believe it and nope not using it as an excuse but feel free to say otherwise as i couldn't really give a monkeys) when i read that last night i was just like WTF are these words on this screen, they make no sense to me whatsoever and this isn't the first time this guy has done this, even minus the drink and tiredness.

Reading it this morning it actually does make sense - so i need to apologise to DevTech for my comment last night - because I actually thought he was you. 😂 

 

And what i meant by when i read Budman's posts is i may not get it totally like i have a qualification in the topic, but he doesn't totally lose me. After reading what he says i feel like i've made steps forward to the goal. Yes i may (and very likely will) have more questions but i've always asked about even the finer details anyway and i wont change just to please some people online. The fact is not once has he posted and after reading i've been like you know what, this really isn't worth dragging my head through this mud.

 

Yeah, I was tempted to explain why Re-Compressing media is a horrible thing to do i.e. doing another encode on disk of something you have already encoded but then realized that this concept is a head scratcher for the vast majority of people which is why you see so many people committing this "sin" all the time!

 

[Technique]

3 minutes ago, DevTech said:

Yeah, I was tempted to explain why Re-Compressing media is a horrible thing to do i.e. doing another encode on disk of something you have already encoded but then realized that this concept is a head scratcher for the vast majority of people which is why you see so many people committing this "sin" all the time!

 

Not to blow smoke up the guys ass but i think Budman actually mentioned the right approach here in his last post. To keep it somewhat simple as can be as it's early days and i'm clearly not fluent in this or the jargon and it will keep me interested.

 

Throw science at me & i'll very likely say thanks but no thanks, see you later.

 

Maybe that explains some peoples approach here Joking of course but yeah, just answer me like i'm stupid & we'll get along just fine

[DevTech]

21 minutes ago, Technique said:

Not to blow smoke up the guys ass but i think Budman actually mentioned the right approach here in his last post. To keep it somewhat simple as can be as it's early days and i'm clearly not fluent in this or the jargon and it will keep me interested.

 

Throw science at me & i'll very likely say thanks but no thanks, see you later.

 

Maybe that explains some peoples approach here Joking of course but yeah, just answer me like i'm stupid & we'll get along just fine

It's all just volunteers helping others. So once you master this stuff, try to remember to give back to the community by helping other newbies... Even if you fail at something, that's always useful feedback too... How many times have we gone to a forum, seen a good answer and then asked ourselves "T wonder if that actually worked?" because the questioner just did a "hit and run drive-by theft" of some nice person's valuable time...

 

And always remember (and everyone else and Mods too!) that what is written here isn't always just for you, it's for other Neowin members who might have a question 6 months from now, it's for people finding this on Google who might come by, get their question answered and maybe join Neowin if some Mod doesn't lock the thread because it was TOO OLD!

 

I often take the time to add extra information to benefit everyone, so to all persons of interest: add stuff, build things up, (and don't hinder, sabotage and destroy without extreme cause)

[Technique]

21 minutes ago, DevTech said:

It's all just volunteers helping others. So once you master this stuff, try to remember to give back to the community by helping other newbies... Even if you fail at something, that's always useful feedback too... How many times have we gone to a forum, seen a good answer and then asked ourselves "T wonder if that actually worked?" because the questioner just did a "hit and run drive-by theft" of some nice person's valuable time...

 

And always remember (and everyone else and Mods too!) that what is written here isn't always just for you, it's for other Neowin members who might have a question 6 months from now, it's for people finding this on Google who might come by, get their question answered and maybe join Neowin if some Mod doesn't lock the thread because it was TOO OLD!

 

I often take the time to add extra information to benefit everyone, so to all persons of interest: add stuff, build things up, (and don't hinder, sabotage and destroy without extreme cause)

I agree with you 100%. It irritates me no end when someone says they'll come back with an update and you check the date - that was 5 years ago. Did they die? Are they on an alien spaceship? I almost always post a final outcome when we're trying something out. On another forum i'm on i remember not too long ago i updated a few months later as i'd noticed i'd forgotten about the thread after solving the issue. Nobody had responded to help me so i was essentially replying to myself but i'd solved it & thought if someone finds this on Google (or even if i end up in the same situation and forget what i did to solve it) then it's there.

 

That's the other side of doing it too - i've done things before where i find myself in a previous situation & think damn what did i do to fix that? Hop on to the forum i think i asked on, search my threads & it's an ahh thank God for that moment.

 

So yeah i'm totally with you on that one.

[+BudMan MVC]

So you got something ripped with makemkv - did you get it input in too plex yet and watch it on your TV?

 

Did you name it correctly so plex can find the info?  We are all curious how big the file was   What was your impression of the quality? etc. etc.

[DevTech]

3 hours ago, Technique said:

I actually feel like a bit of a tool anyway and must apologise to DevTech. I think the combination of the drink i'd had and level of tiredness i was at (nope, not asking anyone to believe it and nope not using it as an excuse but feel free to say otherwise as i couldn't really give a monkeys) when i read that last night i was just like WTF are these words on this screen, they make no sense to me whatsoever and this isn't the first time this guy has done this, even minus the drink and tiredness.

Reading it this morning it actually does make sense - so i need to apologise to DevTech for my comment last night - because I actually thought he was you.

1. Yeah, it was like WTF on that WTF!

 

2. Then I remembered my posts are not just for the person asking the question, but for ALL MANKIND! And you will eventually understand what I wrote anyways...

 

3. @Mindovermastercan be really rude at times but his heart is in the right place! He really makes a concerted effort to help people here. Try to ignore the odd glitch if you can.

 

4. Why I am totally happy with long rambling threads that include other topics, alter their course etc is that as long as most of it is technical information of literally any kind, it has valuable use sooner or later.  So @Techniquehas already said he understands what I say here:

 

REMEMBER: IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT YOU! 

 

 

Probably most people here will disagree with this following statement, but give it some thought: IT IS NOT OFF-TOPIC IF IT IS USEFUL

 

(and the "start another thread" pat answer - for a small sub-topic that usually doesn't work because some threads just gather momentum and attract comments - whenever I spin off a new thread, it instantly dies, just like most spin-off TV series)

 

And my largest plea for peace, love, and understanding: DON'T LOCK THREADS FOR BEING OLD OR OFF-TOPIC IF YOU CAN AVOID IT - maybe culling stuff makes sense for news or politics or 99% of the crap on internet forums (and I wish Facebook had a permanent lock on everything) BUT for technical information PLEASE DELAY AND AGONIZE YOURSELF IN EXTREME INDECISION before locking a thread! You must FEEL OUR PAIN of all the valuable tech info we volunteer to provide,  lost in time, like tears in rain, once locked.

 

 

[sc302 Veteran]

Regarding locking topics, tech changes and the way to accomplish things change. If it is a few years old it is best to start a new topic to get relevant current information and ask questions,  not go on in an old topic. Some topics are related to the op, for example: someone two years later comes on to give advice to the op who asked how to format a usb. Chances are the op figured it out. 

 

If you have a question post it in a new post, if you are solving a two plus year old topic don’t bother. 

[Mindovermaster Moderator]

1 hour ago, sc302 said:

Regarding locking topics, tech changes and the way to accomplish things change. If it is a few years old it is best to start a new topic to get relevant current information and ask questions,  not go on in an old topic. Some topics are related to the op, for example: someone two years later comes on to give advice to the op.

 

If you have a question post it in a new post, if you are solving a two plus year old topic don’t bother. 

Uhh, he satrted this in November, so I don't think you have to worry about that.  

[Mindovermaster Moderator]

5 hours ago, Technique said:

You must be great to have a discussion with then.

How was your day?

Good, bye.

Oh, OK. Smart boy...

[sc302 Veteran]

9 minutes ago, Mindovermaster said:

Uhh, he satrted this in November, so I don't think you have to worry about that.  

Not going to get locked. That was in response to devtech.  I am on my phone and it isn’t easy to quote specific things. Directly above my post, last paragraph should help clear that up. 

[Mindovermaster Moderator]

5 minutes ago, sc302 said:

Not going to get locked. That was in response to devtech.  I am on my phone and it isn’t easy to quote specific things. Directly above my post, last paragraph should help clear that up. 

Oh, must've missed that... Thanks...