Is it worth the effort setting up a NAS? Do you watch all those films you transferred from disk?

narmi47

It was originally purchased to run Plex on other devices which it did without any issues (original quality). Then the plan changed and use Kodi via the shield. I know it's overkill but I'd rather it have the extra umph than it struggle.
Originally it came with 16gb ram and I had some spare, although it doesn't need it, I had no other use for them.

tich77

Not quite.

What you described as 'transcoding' is actually encoding; (re-)compressing the file, in the same format, to reduce the file size, usually with an accompanying drop in visual quality. The 'degradation' depends on the degree of compression applied, and the encoder options used.

"Changes the encoding" is actually transcoding; changing from one compression format to another. For example, copying VHS to DVD MPG-2 is transcoding.

Its a tad moot, pedantic, and probably not germane.

When I transferred my BD collection to NAS, I was applying slight compression, stripping all audio other than the main English soundtrack (DTS-HDMA, -HD, DTS, DD-THD, DD5.1 in that order of preference), and averaged 1 disk per hour.

Matt_C

The absolute biggest plus for me with a "rip library" is not having to wait for ads, warnings and menus on discs. I *hate* it when I go to me mums, for example, and put a DVD in only to have to sit around waiting for all that crap to finish before I can get to the feature. Granted, in the grand scheme of things, it's really not that long (gosh, aren't we just so impatient nowadays) but still - last time I was there with a DVD disc was checking her surround speaker set up was working, and having to pish about with menus etc just to get to a portion of the film to test the different audio formats/tracks was such a ball ache. I have an older Amazon Firebox (1080, not 4K) that I run Kodi on (I don't bother with all the bolt on stuff these days - 9/10 it doesn't work, so I just use it for the library and media player end) and it's just so much easier to scroll the library, press play the movie/tv show/video file just plays. All chapters, audio tracks, subtitles, etc, can all be controlled from right within the app while the movie is playing. So used to it now, that anything else is horrendous...

exponential

Yeah, these forums don't help at all with the want/need psychology aspect!
I have an itchy "buy now" finger when it comes to this sort of thing and like to see shiny new items in my home.
My request is at odds with my set up I know but the ease of it all makes me want to try it!

mushii

Buy a Synology, they are useful for lots of reasons. Rip your Blu Rays, at least you can say that you’ve done it. Then come back to this thread in 12 months and tell us if you are still using your NAS and watching all of your BluRays off it.

xxGBHxx

LOL no worries m8y. I stand corrected. I like a bit of pedantry it always means someone cares

G

FaxFan2002

I've ripped my DVD's onto a NAS and only watch them if I can't stream them from a service (ditto CD's). I still watch Blu Ray's and 4k Blu Ray's.

tich77

As Matt_C pit it. That for me is the reason. No need to wade through menus. And to be honest, with a bit of care one has a rip that matches the original BD for visual quality.  I'm very hard pressed to tell the difference between a qood quality rip and the original BD source.

Its subjective, but my test is the load the BD, whilst it's crabbing through ads, warnings of imprisonment for my offspring, trailers, and what not load the via the PCH 300, play to a chapter, pause both and switch between the two. Same TV, same amp. Different source player (Panny BD vs A300). Audio quality is identical. Visual quality... I'm hard pressed to tell the difference.

In terms of time, well I have a couple of spare rigs I can devote to this; I find it best to copy several BDs to ISOs (and strip out the unwanted stuff at that stage) and use the ISO's as he source, to another disk on a separate controller, and run as a batch. Works for me.

Not done every disk in my collection, some stuff I watched once and was thankful they were from Blockbusters (?) closing down sale or [email protected], some I just haven't got round to doing.

But end result is no more hunting through a library (just scrolling down a list), and no more endless unskippable ads, trailers, warnings, and naff menus.

Topmetom 2

Haha true..and my answer is no im not. Got fed up faffing about

mushii

As do most people I think. I was the same, but I did buy 7 BluRays from Poundland yesterday for £2 each.