Blu Ray drive in another machine

[Beefcake550]

Hi All, I've searched, but can't find anything about this:

1) I have a WHS machine which is my SageTV server. It's physically in the basement and I don't ever want to go down there!
2) My on machine is in my office upstairs and it has a BluRay drive in it. Can I somehow share that drive out to the SageTV server which could then allow my 3 extenders to watch the BluRay disc in the drive on my PC?

Thanks,
Brian

[HelenWeathers]

I would like to know how to do this also, if it can be done. I ended up buying a second SageTV Media Center license for the PC with my Blu-ray drive, but powering down the HD200 to log on to another server is a "less than elegant" solution.

[Beefcake550]

Helen, I hadn't even thought of that idea. I have a license left over from when I had a single HTPC. I guess I could try the solution you present, but I agree, it's less than ideal.

I tried mapping the blu ray drive onto the server machine, and it mapped, but I couldn't get sage to import the "directory" of Z:\ of \\machine\<share_name>, I'm outta ideas.


-Brian

[HelenWeathers]

Originally Posted by Beefcake550

I tried mapping the blu ray drive onto the server machine, and it mapped, but I couldn't get sage to import the "directory" of Z:\ of \\machine\<share_name>, I'm outta ideas.

Ditto. That was a no go for me as well.

[sleonard]

Do you have AnyDVD running on the PC that contains the BD drive? If not, what happens if you just put a CD with some unprotected files in the drive?

S

[Fuzzy]

iSCSI might be an option. Not sure of the all product offerings, but StarWind does offer a 'free' edition that might work.

[HelenWeathers]

Originally Posted by sleonard

Do you have AnyDVD running on the PC that contains the BD drive? If not, what happens if you just put a CD with some unprotected files in the drive?

Yes, it was running - will try with a CD today just to see. This drive is not in the SageTV server, just another PC on the network. The one in the SageTV server shares/plays fine.

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by Beefcake550

Helen, I hadn't even thought of that idea. I have a license left over from when I had a single HTPC. I guess I could try the solution you present, but I agree, it's less than ideal.

I tried mapping the blu ray drive onto the server machine, and it mapped, but I couldn't get sage to import the "directory" of Z:\ of \\machine\<share_name>, I'm outta ideas.


-Brian

Originally Posted by HelenWeathers

Ditto. That was a no go for me as well.

I don't think it will work if you try to map a drive letter. I think you'll need a UNC path to the DVD drive.

Gerry

[HelenWeathers]

Originally Posted by gplasky

I don't think it will work if you try to map a drive letter. I think you'll need a UNC path to the DVD drive.

I went into the SageTV server Setup and set up the drive as an import folder: \\computername\sharename but the disc didn't show up in my Videos section under Sage.

[sleonard]

You did share the root of the drive first didn't you? I just tried sharing a DVD drive on one of my client machines and then went to the server and could see and open it from my server. I was then able to set it up as an import directory in Sage.

It was just a DVD drive and the disc was a cd with some .exe files because I don't have a BD drive or any BD's but it worked.

S

[HelenWeathers]

Originally Posted by sleonard

You did share the root of the drive first didn't you? I just tried sharing a DVD drive on one of my client machines and then went to the server and could see and open it from my server. I was then able to set it up as an import directory in Sage.

It was just a DVD drive and the disc was a cd with some .exe files because I don't have a BD drive or any BD's but it worked.

S

I did set it up as shared first (the root), but there was no disc in the drive at the time. I'll give it another run tonight with a disc in the drive when I enable the share.

[gplasky]

You should just be able to share the drive with the share name. Check to allow network users to change your files. Make sure you're doing this under network sharing and security. (Not local.)

Gerry

[HelenWeathers]

Originally Posted by gplasky

You should just be able to share the drive with the share name. Check to allow network users to change your files. Make sure you're doing this under network sharing and security. (Not local.)

Gerry

I don't remember if I left it at Read Only or Full access. I'll check that as well tonight. Thanks.

[sleonard]

The problem is most likely the empty drive. I did not check to allow user changes and it still worked but if there is no disc in the drive you cannot even access it locally.

S

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by sleonard

The problem is most likely the empty drive. I did not check to allow user changes and it still worked but if there is no disc in the drive you cannot even access it locally.

S

True.

Gerry

[HelenWeathers]

Well, guys - I don't know what I'm doing wrong. The sharing seems to be correct because this works in Media Player mode (HD200) just fine - shows up under Videos with other imports.

Can't find the right combo in Media Extender mode. I connect to my server. Go to Setup > Detailed Setup > General, Media Center Import Directories. I Add New Directory, browse up thru dirs until I get to Network > MSHOME > MyPCName > Z and at top Current: smb://MyPCName/Z/ shows so I choose Select Current and Done Add the path.

New import shows up as \\MyPCName\Z. I choose continue and exit out of detailed setup to Setup Menu where I choose to Refresh Imported Media - I get notified when done and go back to Main Menu, to Videos.... and the BD is a no show.

UNC path wrong maybe? I run my server in service mode.

[hockeyfan]

I thought that sage mapped it under bluray. Maybe I'm wrong (not at home to check) but I don't remember using that share name and when I upgraded it started using it.

[stanger89]

You have forced a library rescan after you put the disc in right?

[HelenWeathers]

Originally Posted by stanger89

You have forced a library rescan after you put the disc in right?

Yes. Refreshed Imported Media and waited for notification that was complete. The BD drive on my sage server shows/plays fine as an import, but this BD drive on another network PC does not show/play as an import.

[stanger89]

Did you share it as/for the right user?

FWIW, I've played DVDs off my desktop's DVD drive from my extender via my server in the basement (Think my HT was out of commission so no DVD player), so I know it's possible, probably just a permissions thing if I had to guess.