[mythtv-users] Kaleidescape?

[Tony Maro]

>>>The question I have is this... can I replicate this functionality with
>>>Myth?  Sorry if this is a dumb question.  :-/

> You are right though, it's all about disk space. There's not much difference 
> between a few dozen video files and hundred of ripped DVDs other than storage 
> requirements.

Why not do what I did?  I took my entire DVD collection and used 
dvd::rip in cluster mode to rip and transcode them all to DIVX format. 
Then, I just added them to MythVideo.  Using cluster mode and all 4 PC's 
in my house meant I could rip and convert a DVD in about an hour - I 
even set up my Myth frontend to be a cluster node.  Several discs 
wouldn't work in cluster mode though and had to be done the long way.

Kids movies I specified at about 600 MB.  My movies I did at 1.2 - 1.4 
GB each.  Beautiful results, too, at 1/10 the space.  An 80 gig hard 
drive goes quite a way at this filesize... and my kids will never handle 
another DVD.

dvd::rip (also known as dvdrip) was a very simple install on my Mandrake 
using PLF update sources.  It was amazing how simple the cluster mode 
setup was, too.

I've also taken to recording some movies off cable at very high quality, 
setting up a commercial cutlist and then using nuvexport to generate 
DIVX (sans commercials for those not recorded on pay channels.)  I then 
place them on the MythVideo hard drive as well.

-Tony