Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Playing DVD from external hard drive

Hi,

I would like to burn all my dvds on an external hard drive and connect it directly to my Denon 3808 via USB and watch movies. Is that possible?

Do I need any software installed on the hard drive and what format should I be using to save the dvds?

Thanks

Sam

Just to be more specific, I use a mac and mactheripper would be the software I would use to back up the DVDs

thanks

Sam

No it's possible because you're 3808 isn't loaded with the codecs required to play the movies, although it is my understanding that it would work with something like an Oppo DVD player, but I could be wrong.

I don't think the USB connectors would work for movies, the 3808 has no codecs for movies only audio. You would need to have some sort of playback codecs on the external drive and a processor to use the codecs to output the converted signal to the 3808, basically a HTPC.

Jason, do you have an iPod etc.?? Reason why I'm asking is because I have a Zune player and I can hook it up to my 3808 and play music and video from it. Do portable media players have codecs installed on them?

Just did a quick search, and my Zune player does come loaded with codecs, allowing video output.

Ipods do have the video codecs but they are a minicomputer these days, more so than an external HDD.

Cam, your Zune doesn't output the video over USB though, does it? Certainly iPods and Zunes will output video over a composite or s-vid connection.

You need a media player. Look at Popcorn Hour, they have nice systems for reasonable price (I have their 100 model).

I've seen Composite to USB adapters though, which I would think would work. but why would you do that when you could just hook up the RCA to the video in connection