[mythtv-users] Shared DVD across network using NFS

[Scott]

On Nov 10, 2008, at 3:33 PM, Rod Smith wrote:

> On Monday 10 November 2008 02:09:22 am Per Jørgensen wrote:
>> Hey Guys.
>>
>> In my setup at home I've started using these machiens as frontends:  
>> ASUS
>> EEE B202
>>
>> Thiose machines doesn't have a DVD-drive in them.
>>
>> BUT - I have an external DVD-drive based on USB2. Is it possible to
>> mount that on one of the frontends and afterwards sharing it to all  
>> my
>> frontends using NFS.
>
> I'm not positive, but I believe that NFS is insufficient to do this  
> because of
> DVD encryption issues. (At least, for commercial DVDs with  
> encryption; it
> might work with DVDs you burn yourself without encryption. In this  
> case you
> could create a mount point for an exported DVD in your videos  
> directory on
> the frontend and view it as a video.) I've not tried it this  
> context, but I
> suspect that network block devices (NBDs) may enable you do do what  
> you want.
> For more information, check these URLs:

I have shared DVDs across my network and am using an NFS mount to play  
them back. Here is how to do it. The key is to let the local system  
handle the decryption so that MythTV never has to deal with it.

1) You can copy a DVD using dd to the hard drive and share the  
directory that that DVD is in via NFS. MythTV will play this back fine  
and handle the decryption for you too. The trick here is to use lsdvd  
on the drive before using dd. So something like this:

a) insert DVD but do not mount it
b) use lsdvd to decrypt
c) use dd if=/dev/dvd of=/var/bigdrive/dvd.iso

2) The other way to do this is similar to the above but without the  
copy:

a) insert DVD but do not mount it
b) use lsdvd to decrypt
c) mount the DVD on the exported directory

It's no where as neat as the Apple DVD drive sharing for Air Books but  
it does work.

--
Scott <catfather at donpoo.net>
AIM: BlueCame1