Appendix I: Playing DVDs and BDs from the Hard Drive

= Appendix I: Playing DVDs
and BDs from the Hard Drive =
== Playing Hard Drive Based
DVDs ==
After using various software that is available for storing
DVDs that you own on your hard drive, it is possible to play those DVD images
from within SageTV while still retaining the DVD menus and DVD Playback options. To do so, store the DVD data as
a subdirectory of one of SageTV’s Media Center Import
Directories, as defined in Detailed Setup:
General Settings. Within that subdirectory, the DVD video data can be
stored directly in the subdirectory, stored in a further VIDEO_TS subdirectory,
or stored as an ISO disk image file. The DVD will then be listed as an imported
video file in the Video Browser as “DVDTitle”
and will be played as a DVD, where “DVDTitle” is the name of the folder where
the DVD files exist or is the name of the .iso file. 
Example using a DVD VIDEO_TS subdirectory structure: If the
media center import directory is “E:\DVD” and your DVD is called “DVDTitle”,
the directory tree would contain: 
E:\DVD\DVDTitle\ 
^[[\VIDEO_TS\ (Note: the VIDEO_TS
subdirectory is optional) 
Z[[\VIDEO_TS.BUP 
Z[[\VIDEO_TS.IFO 
Z[[\VIDEO_TS.VOB 
Z[[\VTS_01_0.BUP 
Z[[\VTS_01_0.IFO 
Z[[\VTS_01_0.VOB 
Z[[\VTS_01_1.VOB 
^[[\folder.jpg (optional)
And so on, with additional numbered VTS_##_#.BUP, .IFO, and
.VOB files. 
The optional folder.jpg file will be used as the DVD’s
thumbnail image. See Video Thumbnails for
additional DVD thumbnail options. 
DVD
Notes: 
A DVD file structure is recognized if the
parent folder name is VIDEO_TS or if the directory contains at least the
'VIDEO_TS.IFO' file. 
When using an ISO DVD image file on a Windows
installation of SageTV, the “Virtual CloneDrive” software must be installed and
configured. 
SageTV Client needs to be able to read the DVD
files directly in order to play hard drive based DVDs. To accomplish this,
either 1) the import directory will need to be a UNC path and the client PC
must have permission to access that UNC path, or 2) the client PC will need to
map a drive letter to match the same drive letter where the server PC imported
the DVD. For help using UNC paths or mapped drive letters, please consult your         Windows         documentation
           or         see       our             online discussion        forums             at forums.sagetv.com/forums.
A Media Extender can play non-encrypted hard
drive based DVDs (home-made DVDs, for example); it is not capable of decoding
encrypted DVD content. 
The Hauppauge MVP does not have DVD playback
capabilities when used as a SageTV extender. 
The Placeshifter client, including a media
extender being used in Placeshifter mode, does not have DVD playback
capability.  DVDs cannot be added to playlists. 
== Playing Hard Drive Based
Blu-rays ==
Blu-rays (BDs) stored on a hard drive can also be played in
SageTV without the Blu-ray menu structure. BDs are played as imported Videos
(see Video Playback). Playback starts with the
BD’s longest playlist. During playback, use the Options
command to access the Video Playback Options Menu,
where the BD Title Select option can
be used to choose the BD title you wish to play. 
SageTV can recognize BDs stored in a subdirectory of one of
SageTV’s Media Center Import Directories, as
defined in Detailed Setup: General Settings.
Within that subdirectory, the BD video data can be stored in a further BDMV
subdirectory or stored as an ISO disk image file. The BD will then be listed as
an imported video file in the Video Browser as
“BDTitle” and will be played as a BD video, where “BDTitle” is the name of the
folder where the BD files exist or is the name of the .iso file. 
Example using a BD BDMV subdirectory structure: If the
media center import directory is “E:\BD” and your BD is called “BDTitle”, the
directory tree would contain: 
E:\BD\BDTitle\ 
^[[\BDMV\ 
Z[[\index.bdmv 
Z[[\MovieObject.bdmv 
Z[[\META\ (optional)
]               ^[[\metadata
files (optional)
Z[[\PLAYLIST\ 
]               ^[[\xxxx.mpls
files 
Z[[\STREAM\ 
]               ^[[\xxxx.m2ts
files 
^[[\folder.jpg (optional)
Subdirectories other than those listed above may exist. If
the optional META subdirectory exists, then SageTV will check it for
information about the Blu-ray, such as the video’s title and thumbnail. 
The optional folder.jpg file will be used as the BD’s thumbnail
image. See Video Thumbnails for additional BD
thumbnail options. 
BD
Notes: 
When using an ISO BD image file on a Windows
installation of SageTV, the “Virtual CloneDrive” software must be installed and
configured. 
The STP-HD200 and STP-HD300 HD Theater media
extenders can play non-encrypted hard drive based BDs; they are not capable of
decoding encrypted BD content. 
The STX-HD100 HD Media Extender does not
officially support BD playback, but many BDs should play on it, though not all
content or features will be available. 
The Hauppauge MVP does not have BD playback
capabilities when used as a SageTV extender. 
SageTV and SageTV Client can play BDs if
compatible decoders are installed and the PC hardware is powerful enough.
Windows 7 includes such decoders, but the PC’s cpu and video card need to be
powerful enough to use those decoders for BD playback; if they are not, a
better decoder or PC hardware may be needed. 
The Placeshifter client, including a media
extender being used in Placeshifter mode, does not have BD playback capability.
 BDs cannot be added to playlists.
Category:Manual