USB DVD drive and xbmc/atv2

[z6joker9]

Hey guys, first of all, thanks for this great resource- went out to buy a QNAP 212 or similar and found a pogoplug for $30 on a clearance shelf (E02 in spite of what the box said). Got it over to arch with samba, sab, sb and cp up and running in no time. Tempted to go buy another one and just play around with it because why not?

Now, I might be asking too much, but is there a way to connect a USB DVD drive to the pogo and play the DVD from xbmc on my ATV2? I'm really enjoying the cleanliness of the TV/speakerbar wallmounted with the ATV2 behind it, so if I could eliminate the DVD player by moving it to the network component area, it would be amazing.

I'd ditch DVDs completely but my wife really likes her exercise dvd collection and it's a real PITA to convert and organize those properly (I did try).

EDIT: sorry, there appears to be a forum for USB devices that you can plug in, if this was the wrong place please forgive me (and move it if desired).

[bob8889]

I can't help with the connecting of the DVD drive but converting DVDs to MP4 files is easy using Freemake Video Converter on Windows. Then you don't have to deal with the disks any more.

[z6joker9]

Handbrake does a fine job of converting, but exercise DVDs work much better if you retain the menus and such. Otherwise you have a bunch of short out of order workouts. That's why I ask.

It looks like I could create ISOs and xbmc may can play from these, but i'd still have issues with copy-protected exercise dvd's.

Thanks for the reply!

[WarheadsSE]

Hmm. I'd say that a simple run through AnyDVD or DVD-Fab will get you whole-disc ISO's that are behaviorally sound.

[z6joker9]

That's my plan now, though I still have to rip a ton of discs.

Are there any mac equivalents of anydvd? Otherwise I'll have to dust off an old win lappy.

[schn4rk]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('z6joker9', 'A')re there any mac equivalents of anydvd? Otherwise I'll have to dust off an old win lappy.

[z6joker9]

Thanks a bunch, I'll check them out!