External Blu-Ray Player for my WHS?

[StanHD]

I have been ripping DVDs to my Tranquil "Squash" WHS for a while now and am happy with using a PC with internal drive to do this.

I would now like to start on my Blu-Ray movies by using an external drive possibly plugged directly into my WHS via USB, or better still via the ESATA port. A player is sufficient as I do not need to write any Blu-Ray disks.

Is this something anyone else out there is doing and if so, any drive recommendations?

Thanks for any advice.

Stan

[cskenney]

I have wondered the same thing. I think someone mentioned once trying an external drive enclosure for a sata hard drive and installing an internal sata blu-ray drive. Don't remember if it was USB 2.0 or eSATA.

[diehard]

Tranquil has this server, http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/27/tranquils-ava-rs5-is-an-all-in-one-5-bay-server-with-blu-ray-bu/ but with builtin blu-ray player. I'm wondering how they connect it internally. This might allow for an external option.

I'll see what I can dig up.

[StanHD]

cskenny,

I saw this and wondered if I could install an internal drive to it, but I don't understand if I am on the right track or misreading the situation?

John

Ah yes, I remember that one came out just after I got mine, a bit to expensive for me as I remember, and to be honest I didn't know that I could use my WHS for much more than file storage & backup !!!

Thanks for the responses so far.

Stan

[pcdoc]

You can use either for ripping. I have a external plextor that is attached to USD and it works greate. You should be able to used any USB/eSata external enclosure with internal sata. Here are some examples.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16817332019

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817145063&nm_mc=OTC-Froogle&cm_mmc=OTC-Froogle-_-External+Enclosure-_-BYTECC+INC-_-17145063

[diehard]

What's neat is if you purchase the MyMovies addin, (you need points to do this i believe). you can set it up so that if a DVD/BR is connected to your server, when you slide in a DVD or BR, it will copy the disk and get the metadata and spit the disk out when done. So you end up blindly putting in disks until they pop out to copy your whole collection, neat.

[StanHD]

Wow, thanks for the good advice guys. I am going to take this route now, with an enclosure and SATA BD drive inside. I have considered the My Movies add in, and with this feature it looks like it will do exactly what I need. Now to make the final choices on the hardware and "read-up" on the Add In.

Cheers

Stan

[cskenney]

You will need something like Slysoft AnyDVD HD to remove the DRM before MyMovies will be able to rip it to your server. There are other programs like AnyDVD, but I have found it to work very well and they are constantly providing updates.

[StanHD]

cskenney,

I have been using DVDFab with good (so far flawless) results. I will give it a try with the Blu-Ray as I am used to it's functions, however, I understand that AnyDVD HD works well together with MyMovies, so I will probably give this a try also just to see. I use XBMC Live as my player so I will see which mixture of software fits best, especially if I am migrating the ripping to the WHS.

Thanks

Stan

[pcdoc]

DVDFAB works great on DVD as they do change the encrytion much. Not so with Blu-Ray. Use AnyDVD HD and softare of choice,