Please HELP me get started!

[theuserjohnny]

I was against streaming/having a digital library but now I'm all for it!

Currently I have an ATV2 and I've just been streaming music and now I want to extend it to my DVD/Bluray collection.

Right now I have everything stored on my rMBP (music) but I have a 1TB USB drive and I'll more than likely store my movies on there.

So right now I just want to get my feet wet and just start building my DVD collection.

So if someone can please post what I need to do in terms of how to do this it'll be great!

Also I'll be starting with a TV show and I was wondering if there is a way to ensure that the episodes stay separately.

 

[mic j]

I was against streaming/having a digital library but now I'm all for it!

Currently I have an ATV2 and I've just been streaming music and now I want to extend it to my DVD/Bluray collection.

Right now I have everything stored on my rMBP (music) but I have a 1TB USB drive and I'll more than likely store my movies on there.

So right now I just want to get my feet wet and just start building my DVD collection.

So if someone can please post what I need to do in terms of how to do this it'll be great!

Also I'll be starting with a TV show and I was wondering if there is a way to ensure that the episodes stay separately.

It's really very simple (or as complicated as you want to make it):
1) rip the dvd/BR with MakeMKV (it both rips and decrypts and is free). Set the preferences so that the minimum title length around 1200 sec. This will filter out all but the main tv/movie title(s)
2)Transcode the mkv to mp4 using Handbrake (free) with the aTV3 preset, click on optimize and set picture size to anamorphic strict. Select the title (each episode will be a title) and select start.
3)There are multiple apps that will add metadata to the mp4 (or you can just do it in iTunes. I use Subler (free).

That is a very condensed tutorial. Good luck and head back here if you run into problems.

 

[theuserjohnny]

It's really very simple (or as complicated as you want to make it):
1) rip the dvd/BR with MakeMKV (it both rips and decrypts and is free). Set the preferences so that the minimum title length around 1200 sec. This will filter out all but the main tv/movie title(s)
2)Transcode the mkv to mp4 using Handbrake (free) with the aTV3 preset, click on optimize and set picture size to anamorphic strict. Select the title (each episode will be a title) and select start.
3)There are multiple apps that will add metadata to the mp4 (or you can just do it in iTunes. I use Subler (free).

That is a very condensed tutorial. Good luck and head back here if you run into problems.

Thank you thank you! I def will be posting here if I run into problems!

I do have one question however, how will the audio be? In terms of DVD will I at least be able to grab the 5.1 surround sound from it? Or how does that exactly work out?

I would assume that it gets more complicated with bluray but I'm not worried about that yet.

 

[mic j]

Thank you thank you! I def will be posting here if I run into problems!

I do have one question however, how will the audio be? In terms of DVD will I at least be able to grab the 5.1 surround sound from it? Or how does that exactly work out?

I would assume that it gets more complicated with bluray but I'm not worried about that yet.

Once MakeMKV scans the disc it will provide you with a list of video/audio tracks for you to select to include in the mkv. Yes, 5.1 Dolby and DTS (including HD) will be presented to you if they are on the disc. The Handbrake aTV3 preset will set up your audio correctly. Don't mess with it. If the disc is DTS it will convert it to DD 5.1 because aTV will not play DTS audio tracks.

If you are unsure of which video tracks to select (if there are multiple), I recommend using VLC player (free) to view the various tracks and make a note of which ones you want.

 

[theuserjohnny]

Once MakeMKV scans the disc it will provide you with a list of video/audio tracks for you to select to include in the mkv. Yes, 5.1 Dolby and DTS (including HD) will be presented to you if they are on the disc. The Handbrake aTV3 preset will set up your audio correctly. Don't mess with it. If the disc is DTS it will convert it to DD 5.1 because aTV will not play DTS audio tracks.

If you are unsure of which video tracks to select (if there are multiple), I recommend using VLC player (free) to view the various tracks and make a note of which ones you want.

Oh wow! So I can get lossless audio (the DTSHD) and such? I was reading that you had to go through a set of complications for that!

Wow this is really cool news to hear!

 

[mic j]

Oh wow! So I can get lossless audio (the DTSHD) and such? I was reading that you had to go through a set of complications for that!

Wow this is really cool news to hear!

You will be able to have DTS-HD or Dolby TrueHD in the mkv but not in the mp4.

 

[theuserjohnny]

You will be able to have DTS-HD or Dolby TrueHD in the mkv but not in the mp4.

So when I convert it into mp4 I won't have the HD audio? How would I be able to stream it w/ HD audio?

Because my plan was just to convert it and just have a digital library via iTunes

Sorry for so many questions! I'm very appreciative of you having the time to answer these!

 

[theuserjohnny]

I have another question.

Currently I have my music stored via my internal drive and I plan to just have music on my external.

So how will this work? Because I've noticed that iTunes likes to copy files I import into the laptop and place them via my internal but I only want it to read my movies from my external.

 

[MarkG21]

I have another question.

Currently I have my music stored via my internal drive and I plan to just have music on my external.

So how will this work? Because I've noticed that iTunes likes to copy files I import into the laptop and place them via my internal but I only want it to read my movies from my external.

Simple solution - Go to itunes preferences, go to the advance tab, and uncheck "copy files to iTunes ... library"

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So when I convert it into mp4 I won't have the HD audio? How would I be able to stream it w/ HD audio?

Because my plan was just to convert it and just have a digital library via iTunes

Sorry for so many questions! I'm very appreciative of you having the time to answer these!

Once you select the apple tv 2 or apple tv 3 preset in handbrake, it will select your correct audio choice.

You'll have the 5.1 track for your apple tv and 2 channel track for your computer, i,phone, mobile devise,etc.

You won't have the HD audio track as the apple tv doesn't handle that.

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It's really very simple (or as complicated as you want to make it):
1) rip the dvd/BR with MakeMKV (it both rips and decrypts and is free). Set the preferences so that the minimum title length around 1200 sec. This will filter out all but the main tv/movie title(s)
2)Transcode the mkv to mp4 using Handbrake (free) with the aTV3 preset, click on optimize and set picture size to anamorphic strict. Select the title (each episode will be a title) and select start.
3)There are multiple apps that will add metadata to the mp4 (or you can just do it in iTunes. I use Subler (free).

That is a very condensed tutorial. Good luck and head back here if you run into problems.

Definitely a +1 on the 1200 sec minimum title length.

 

[theuserjohnny]

Alright so I ripped a test movie to get my feet wet. I was able to do everything (thanks to you guys) and I just have another question... chapters. Is there away to have chapters? I selected it during handbrake and I have it via subler and it shows up in iTunes when I go to chapters.

But when I hit the forward or back button it'll either skip to the end (thus ending the movie).

 

[theuserjohnny]

NVM I found out that holding on the down brings them up!

 

[slothrob]

Simple solution - Go to itunes preferences, go to the advance tab, and uncheck "copy files to iTunes ... library"

Or you can go to the Advanced tab in iTunes and move your library location to the external drive. Then you can let iTunes organize your files on the external drive and not have to worry about doing that yourself.

 

[mic j]

Alright so I ripped a test movie to get my feet wet. I was able to do everything (thanks to you guys) and I just have another question... chapters. Is there away to have chapters? I selected it during handbrake and I have it via subler and it shows up in iTunes when I go to chapters.

But when I hit the forward or back button it'll either skip to the end (thus ending the movie).

aTV3 will not pass through HD audio to an AVR. I haven't done it, but from what I have read, if you have an aTV2 and jailbreak it and load PLEX on to it, PLEX will pass-through the HD audio. Others with direct experience may correct/clarify that however.

Just to make life complicated...you can set Subler to display thumbs of the beginning of each chapter (setting is in preferences). Also, you can download official chapter titles (www.chapterdb.org) and mux them into the file with Subler.

Glad you made it through your "first" without any major trauma.

 

[theuserjohnny]

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Once you select the apple tv 2 or apple tv 3 preset in handbrake, it will select your correct audio choice.

You'll have the 5.1 track for your apple tv and 2 channel track for your computer, i,phone, mobile devise,etc.

You won't have the HD audio track as the apple tv doesn't handle that.

Oh I'm stupid I totally forgot about that! Well what about the MKV file? Dose that file contain the HD audio?

I know that when I use handbrake it won't let me have it but if I were to just keep the MKV file? Dose that MKV file (prior to handbrake) contain the HD audio?

 

[mic j]

Oh I'm stupid I totally forgot about that! Well what about the MKV file? Dose that file contain the HD audio?

I know that when I use handbrake it won't let me have it but if I were to just keep the MKV file? Dose that MKV file (prior to handbrake) contain the HD audio?

It does if you check the HD audio box in the choices MakeMKV gives you after you scan the disc. I save all of my mkvs's as archive files to go back to as technology changes.

I wouldn't get too worked up about HD audio. Many people, with good AVR systems, can't tell the difference between normal and HD audio.

 

[theuserjohnny]

It does if you check the HD audio box in the choices MakeMKV gives you after you scan the disc. I save all of my mkvs's as archive files to go back to as technology changes.

I wouldn't get too worked up about HD audio. Many people, with good AVR systems, can't tell the difference between normal and HD audio.

Yeah that's what I'm planning to do just to future proof.