Re: [H] Connecting a DVD changer to HTPC?
- Original Message - From: Brian Weeden [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: hwg hardware@hardwaregroup.com Sent: Sunday, February 25, 2007 6:40 PM Subject: [H] Connecting a DVD changer to HTPC? Anyone experimented with this? A possible alternative to several TB of HD space would be to get something like this: http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_techspecs_full.php/masterid=9723273/ When we talk about high quantity data storage on optical disks, aren't DVD's already obsolete as far as serious consideration goes? When my planning for the future advances to hard drive space vs. optical disk data storage, I think in terms of Blue Ray, not DVD's. This brings up two questions: 1. Who is your vote for, Blue Ray or HD-DVD? 2. Which one will win? I hope we do not end up with a hung jury on this one! I hope Blue Ray does to HD-DVD what VHS did to Beta tapes and what IBM clones did to Macs. I hope Blue Ray will offer 3 inch diameter disks, like CD's and DVD's did. Can you imagine how many MP3's will fit on a Blue Ray 3 inch diameter disk? Those will work well in multi media players that play most all formats in CD, DVD and Blue Ray, audio and movies. Chuck
Re: [H] Connecting a DVD changer to HTPC?
For the time being I am completely ignoring both Blu-ray and HD-DVD. I hate being taken advantage of by Sony et al and will not put up for it. Case in point - why the hell are the Blu-ray drives so expensive? Because Sony wants people to push their PS3, that's why. You can get a naked HD-DVD drive for $250 to put in your PC but Blu-Ray is still $600 - the same price as a whole PS3 Marketing wars also make me sick - like Sony coming out last week and announcing that they had won the format war because of Dec/Jan sales. No, for the time being I am willing to stick with what I have and I refuse to re-buy my entire DVD collection all over again. I'm just looking for better ways to store/enjoy it right now. On 2/26/07, [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: - Original Message - From: Brian Weeden [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: hwg hardware@hardwaregroup.com Sent: Sunday, February 25, 2007 6:40 PM Subject: [H] Connecting a DVD changer to HTPC? Anyone experimented with this? A possible alternative to several TB of HD space would be to get something like this: http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_techspecs_full.php/masterid=9723273/ When we talk about high quantity data storage on optical disks, aren't DVD's already obsolete as far as serious consideration goes? When my planning for the future advances to hard drive space vs. optical disk data storage, I think in terms of Blue Ray, not DVD's. This brings up two questions: 1. Who is your vote for, Blue Ray or HD-DVD? 2. Which one will win? I hope we do not end up with a hung jury on this one! I hope Blue Ray does to HD-DVD what VHS did to Beta tapes and what IBM clones did to Macs. I hope Blue Ray will offer 3 inch diameter disks, like CD's and DVD's did. Can you imagine how many MP3's will fit on a Blue Ray 3 inch diameter disk? Those will work well in multi media players that play most all formats in CD, DVD and Blue Ray, audio and movies. Chuck -- Brian
Re: [H] Connecting a DVD changer to HTPC?
- Original Message -
From: Brian Weeden [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; The Hardware List
hardware@hardwaregroup.com
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2007 8:11 AM
Subject: Re: [H] Connecting a DVD changer to HTPC?
For the time being I am completely ignoring both Blu-ray and HD-DVD.
I hate being taken advantage of by Sony et al and will not put up for
it.
I forgot to give my current solution to the need for storage space.
I just ordered this from beachcamera.com
Western Digital 500GB My Book Essential { High Speed USB 2.0 }
External Hard Drive
SKU: WDMBE500U
$177.00 included shipping and no sales tax was added. I did not mean
that a bunch of us should run out and buy either Blue Ray or HD DVD anytime
soon. I will wait a year or two for the shakedown, in confidence in one of
the formats and great prices. When I speak of price drops I mean the type of
drops you get by dropping a zero on the dollar side as in $1000.00 to
$100.00. I realize that price drops of this magnitude do not occur in days
or weeks nor do they occur in one or two increments.
Rigid high prices or lack of the most effective endorsements could be
the death blow to Sony or anyone. I hope the masses take the wait and see
attitude. If and when either Blue Ray or HD DVD have a solid win and I can
buy their reader for $100.00 and their writer for $300.00 I will gladly take
the plunge. This is if the media is affordable, unlike Hewlett Packard
printer toner and ink. I realize about 10% of the buying public are well
heeled and will buy new products at most any price. Then there are the ones
who are addicted to staying ahead of the Joneses and they will give the same
priority to a new gadget that a gambling addict gives to their habit.
Back to my latest purchase. I will have 500 GB of storage for only
$177.00. Blue Ray offers only 50 GB and you have to use dual layer to get
this, right? I read that HD DVD offers only 30 GB.
Do you see where I am going with this? I want a Cable box or some go
between that will allow me to hook up my 500 GB USB external hard drive and
feed high definition movies to my Receiver (for audio) and to my high
definition television. Better yet, how about a 500 GB high definition hard
drive recorder that will record movies. It needs to have a Blue Ray or HD
DVD writer built in so high definition movies on its huge hard drive can be
copied to disks.
The recorder can wait. Right now I need a way to play movies that I
copy to my new 500 GB external hard drive. I feel that USB will feed fast
enough to view movies. It certainly feeds fast enough to burn movies
directly from it to my DVD Writer, but that is not in high definition.
Chuck - the high tech redneck (or country boy) however you describe
somebody raised in the rurals.
[H] Connecting a DVD changer to HTPC?
Anyone experimented with this? A possible alternative to several TB of HD space would be to get something like this: http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_techspecs_full.php/masterid=9723273/ The question would be, how would one connect it to the software in the HTPC so you could browse and select a disc to play? BTW, I am using Meedio for my HTPC software. MCE wasn't configurable enough for me and I use DirecTV so I don' need any timeshifting, recording, or real time TV viewing. -- Brian
