Extender noob cannot play DVD ISO files in client mode

[elefante]

Folks,

I'm a sagetv convert from a longtime beyondtv/mediaportal user, so please be gentle. I am happy to say that I have successfully ported from BTV to sagetv and ordered a number of clients for my HTPC's in my home. My last POP, a directv tivo (which I love) I was planning to convert to an extender and cut my relationship of 8 years with directv. I wasnt too concerned on my HTPC because I am perfectly happy w/ XBMC which plays DVD ISO (mplayer) and does all of my plugins with no issues.

So Im only looking to play movies for the kids, and watch TV on this extender. So I dislike buying embedded hardware because you are a slave to the hardware owners whims, and I look at the specs for the extender that is is able to play DVD ISO (for which I have hundreds of). So I try to get the client/extender to recognize ISO, and no go. So I look through the threads and to my horror, DVD ISO is not supported on the extender in client mode, for whatever reason. TBH, I dont like the uptake of HTPC/OS, so I was glad that I may have finally found an integrated solution. Dooh.

So I read that client uses directshow, and there is some animosity, however my old mediaplayer did too (mediaportal). So I had to install a DVD plugin. Not a problem. Been using that for years successfully. No I use XBMC on windows uses no DXVA, but who cares because my $30 AMD single core can handle any DVD stream.


However with the extender, guess what no such option so I am stuck. Is there going to be a DVD ISO enhancement, or should I simply send back this beautiful piece of hardware (note the design is sooo plain, but I put this in the basement so only the ghosts have to look at it ?

BTW - this is product misrepresentation IMHO, because the specs do not have an * on DVD ISO for standalone only. One would think that one buys a proprietary extender because it works with the product AS ADVERTISED. I can understand not supporting DVD ISO, but clearly point that out in the proper context. It would have saved me, as a willing consumer, the aggravation. It's frustrating to me, because I thought that I finally found the holy grail.

BTW - Converting my ISOs to another format is out of the question, because I'm not going to convert to VIDEO_TS or some other solution for 600 movies unless it is 100% automated. I happen to like my ISO format tho, since it works perfectly fine on my mac and linux environments just swimmingly.

Thx..

[Fuzzy]

I believe WinRAR does a pretty good job of extracting the ISO's out to the folder structures. I think you may even be able to select all in a folder, right click, and have it extract each into their own folder with the same name as the original ISO. You obviously spent a lot more time than that would take to sit there and rip all those DVD's.

Or, if it's that much of a problem, and you are unhappy with how it is listed, complain and you can probably get a refund.

[GKusnick]

See this thread.

[Fuzzy]

Greg, that 'workaround' is only good for up to 64 mount points I believe. 600 DVD's is too much to work that way.

Also, when you extract out the ISO's, you will probably have room for 1 or two more DVD's on the drive, as the extracted files are usually a little smaller than the ISO itself (because you get rid of the wasted ISO file-system information).