Media DVD/MPEG4 Server
So I just moved to a Mac. I have always loved them but in my line of work I require MS so I have never bought one. Now that I do own one, don't know why I waited this long. I am very happy and am going to eventually replace all the 3 other PC/Laptops at home with Macs.
I have a collection of over 3000 DVDs and about 1500 CDs. I am almost through with ripping all the CDs but now I want to have a Media Server at home and then somehow connect something like an Apple TV so everyone can watch whatever Movie they want.
So here is where I am kind of stuck. I don't want to Rip all the DVDs just the most popular ones that the family watches all the time. They are probably close to about 400-500. I found a Buffalo 1.0 T Server on Amazon for about $700. I might get 2 or 3 of them at that price.
My first problem. How to efficiently batch Rip a bunch of DVDs.
1. Found the Sony VAIO XL1B2 200 DVD Changer with Firewire ($299 at Amazon). But does not work on Macs and only MCE. Could not find any software that will control it either.
My second problem. How to catalog and manage it and View all these Movies on my TV (Matinee maybe ??).
2a. Buy and Apple TV (No Idea ?) or a Mac Mini (With Matinee).
2b. Interact-TV product that works with PCs and Macs but I have asked questions to support but never received any answers.
http://store.interact-tv.com/store/p...products_id=88
My thoughts were to be able to batch Rip entire DVDs onto one of the Servers. Then batch run some program to convert to MPeg4 and get DVD titles and Art etc. I just have a lot of ideas moving in my head but no answers really. I am sure I am not the first to want to do this. I would appreciate if anyone had a complete solution. I have no problem buying software or any additional hardware to accomplish this.
Think is my first post here so I hope it is in the right forum. Thank you.
I have a collection of over 3000 DVDs and about 1500 CDs. I am almost through with ripping all the CDs but now I want to have a Media Server at home and then somehow connect something like an Apple TV so everyone can watch whatever Movie they want.
So here is where I am kind of stuck. I don't want to Rip all the DVDs just the most popular ones that the family watches all the time. They are probably close to about 400-500. I found a Buffalo 1.0 T Server on Amazon for about $700. I might get 2 or 3 of them at that price.
My first problem. How to efficiently batch Rip a bunch of DVDs.
1. Found the Sony VAIO XL1B2 200 DVD Changer with Firewire ($299 at Amazon). But does not work on Macs and only MCE. Could not find any software that will control it either.
My second problem. How to catalog and manage it and View all these Movies on my TV (Matinee maybe ??).
2a. Buy and Apple TV (No Idea ?) or a Mac Mini (With Matinee).
2b. Interact-TV product that works with PCs and Macs but I have asked questions to support but never received any answers.
http://store.interact-tv.com/store/p...products_id=88
My thoughts were to be able to batch Rip entire DVDs onto one of the Servers. Then batch run some program to convert to MPeg4 and get DVD titles and Art etc. I just have a lot of ideas moving in my head but no answers really. I am sure I am not the first to want to do this. I would appreciate if anyone had a complete solution. I have no problem buying software or any additional hardware to accomplish this.
Think is my first post here so I hope it is in the right forum. Thank you.