I have 1,000s of Blu-Rays and DVDs - how to watch them via Apple TV?

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › I have 1,000s of Blu-Rays and DVDs - how to watch them via Apple TV?

KiwiTT

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Master Geek

#231965 23-Mar-2018 07:31

I am looking for a service whereby I simply place the disc in my computer that verifies that I possess the disc and the movie or TV show is added to my library without fully uploading the disk to a site.

I did consider a PLEX server, but the conversion is problematic and storage required is way too large.

So what are my options in New Zealand to view my collection via a Apple 4K TV app

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#1981804 23-Mar-2018 07:40

Dont think there is such a thing unless you want to spend thousands on an auto loading unit of some description.

Sell off the physical media and buy digital copies.

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PANiCnz

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#1981805 23-Mar-2018 07:42

Not sure such a service exists. Don’t think I’ve ever heard of a service that will give you access to a digital copy based on ownership of a physical disk.

Plex probably is the best option.

KiwiTT

122 posts

Master Geek

#1981807 23-Mar-2018 07:49

https://www.myuv.com/ says "Add your disc collection to your UltraViolet Library with disc-to-digital services by scanning barcodes with your mobile device or using the DVD or Blu-ray Disc drive in your computer."

... but am not sure that this works in NZ

dafman

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#1981808 23-Mar-2018 07:50

Why not just play the disk you own?

Hammerer

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#1981810 23-Mar-2018 07:59

KiwiTT:

https://www.myuv.com/ says "Add your disc collection to your UltraViolet Library with disc-to-digital services by scanning barcodes with your mobile device or using the DVD or Blu-ray Disc drive in your computer."

... but am not sure that this works in NZ

I've used the Ultraviolet code that comes with some Blurays to play a digital copy. But I decided that it was not worth me using it. That was a few years ago so things might have changed but the terms and conditions specifically make allowance for countries outside the USA.

fearandloathing

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#1981811 23-Mar-2018 08:01

KiwiTT:
https://www.myuv.com/ says "Add your disc collection to your UltraViolet Library with disc-to-digital services by scanning barcodes with your mobile device or using the DVD or Blu-ray Disc drive in your computer."

... but am not sure that this works in NZ

That refers to discs you buy that come with ultraviolet codes.

I have the same problem, although I have hundreds of movies not thousands.

Plex is your best option. At least I hope so, I’m halfway through the conversion.

davidcole

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#1981826 23-Mar-2018 08:56

The only real options are an ultraviolet service (I've used Vudu in the past...but that's not an NZ service), or ripping to a computer and loading them into a media server like plex.

An apple tv is not a physical media type device.....in fact none of the media streamers are. You're probably better to spend your time and hard earned money on either a smart or dumb bluray player and use that for the media you've invested a lot of money into.

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rb99

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#1981841 23-Mar-2018 09:18

'Conversion is problematic' - well true if you look at time taken, but not really difficult. Rip a BR/DVD using MakeMKV or similar, maybe a bit of digging round finding the actual movie in the stuff it ripped, and compressing with Handbrake or similar if you so desire.

Point Emby (or Plex if you must) at it, wait for the metadata to download and play / share around the house*

'Storage required is way to large' - well true if you rip the BR and keep it, but if you rip it, compress it and discard the original rip its not to bad at all. Does take time to compress though.

So yes thousands of discs is a long term operation.

*may require parting with actual money.

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cruxis

435 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1981846 23-Mar-2018 09:28

Make a list of the titles you own, and search for them and download them via a torrent/usenet indexer. Choosing the quality/group that you prefer.

kobiak

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#1981866 23-Mar-2018 10:10

cruxis:

Make a list of the titles you own, and search for them and download them via a torrent/usenet indexer. Choosing the quality/group that you prefer.

Do you realise that you are advising to break the law? :)

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Rikkitic

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#1981878 23-Mar-2018 10:31

Is that breaking the law in New Zealand? I thought we allowed format shifting.

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JimmyH

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#1981891 23-Mar-2018 10:37

kobiak:

Do you realise that you are advising to break the law? :)

Technically, so is ripping his own disks. However, one "feels" more wrong than the other to me. I don't tend to torrent, but I will happily rip disks that I have paid for and own.

KiwiTT:

I did consider a PLEX server, but the conversion is problematic and storage required is way too large.

So what are my options in New Zealand to view my collection via a Apple 4K TV app

I personally like/use Plex, and there is a Plex client for your Apple TV. It gives a nice interface, cover art and metadata, tracks what is unwatched, and allows playing and resuming from where you left off in multiple rooms etc. Plus it uses your LAN rather than internet bandwidth when you watch something. So I'm not sure why you are ruling it out.

The conversion isn't problematic, although it is a wee bit time consuming (although for what you request you also have to insert each disc to "authorise" it), and the storage is quite cheap now.

Make MKV will rip Blu-Rays, and DVDFab will rip DVDs. Handbrake will compress them if necessary.

You don't say what "1000's of disks" means, but for analysis I will make a working assumption of 3,000 disks (1,000 Blu-Rays and 2,000 DVDs). In my you will get quality that is at least as good as most streaming sites by compressing blu-rays down to around 5GB, and DVDs down to around 1GB (on average). So you are talking around 7TB. By way of comparison, I just bought an 8TB USB3 external drive from PB Tech on sale for $279.

The simplest solution to my mind would be to install Plex on your computer, buy an external drive, and start ripping. If Plex leaves you cold, then there are other alternatives - Kodi and Emby spring to mind.

A better (but more expensive solution) would be to use a DAS or a NAS with multiple discs in a raid configuration, to provide for redundancy and future storage growth.

fearandloathing

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#1981893 23-Mar-2018 10:38

Rikkitic:
Is that breaking the law in New Zealand? I thought we allowed format shifting.

I don’t believe making a digital copy of a movie/TV show is legal in New Zealand at all, regardless of owning the physical media.

gehenna

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#1981894 23-Mar-2018 10:40

Handbrake to MP4, host on a Plex server. Be prepared to pay for storage.

Physical media is a real pain these days. Really not much you can do with it other than break the law or keep getting up to put the disc in the drive each time you want to play something.

cadman

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#1981897 23-Mar-2018 10:44

Rikkitic:

Is that breaking the law in New Zealand? I thought we allowed format shifting.

Format shifting applies to music only here, and the copyright holder can contract out.

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