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[SOLVED] Which file starts the movie?

Scott Lankford

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Hi Everyone,

I've got what most of you will probably consider a noob question. I've been ripping DVDs for quite some time. I've only started to dabble with ripping BD movies. Recently, I ripped John Wick 3 and couldn't for the life of me find the file to start the movie. In other cases, I was able to find the file by trial and error.

For Example, with my Oblivion BD, it's file 00023.m2ts, with Dredd, it's file 00201.m2ts. I'm always launching a file from X:\Movie_Name\BDMV\STREAM. The "key" file never seems to be the same. Is it just me?

Thanks in advance for the help.

Scott
 
Playing a movie m2ts file is ... unwise. Use CloneBD to convert the disc to a single file, e.g. an mkv file.
 
That plus not every BD movie has the main title in 1 single file. More often than not, it's split in multiple smaller parts.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk
 
That plus not every BD movie has the main title in 1 single file. More often than not, it's split in multiple smaller parts.

That's why I said it is "unwise". (y)
 
Thank you for your replies, however, this opens up more questions. First, I understand that the m2ts file is just an audio/video file, and the MKV file is more of a container that can house multiple m2ts files. When CloneBD creates the MKV file, how does it know what file to play first, second, etc.?? My guess is that it has the same m2ts file list that AnyDVD HD creates, or is there something different when CloneBD processes a Blu-Ray?

Additionally, and I hate to sound cheap here, I was a subscriber to the original SlyFox software (lifetime membership) and then paid for another lifetime membership with RedFox. Now, if I'm reading this correctly, I need to spend another $100 + for CloneBD (which is sold by yet another company, Elaborate Bytes). Maybe it would be easier to just watch my Blu-Ray movies the old fashioned way, with a Blu-Ray player.
 
When CloneBD creates the MKV file, how does it know what file to play first, second, etc.?

Simple, the order of the m2ts files (provided the disc has been properly decrypted) is specified in the MPLS (Movie PLayliSt) files. CloneBD detects the proper playlists, loads them and in doing so knows which clips should be added when into the final movie output.

RedFox only provides the decrypting / ripping (1:1) functionality. CloneBD cannot decrypt, but it can do a WHOLE lot more otherwise (create movie only files, movie only discs, resize resolution, shrink to BD25/50, burn to disc...)

It's free for many purposes (as long as you don't do anything that triggers the transcoder, compressed MKV, removing audio/subtitles, shrinking a disc in size,...

You don't NEED to spend anything. If you have AnyDVD you can technically make 1:1 disc backups by ripping to folder/ISO (ISO is recommended for blu-ray) and then use your favorite burn program to burn to disc. If you want to convert a BD50 movie to an 8GB mkv for example containing just the movie and your desired audio/subtitle track, you'll need some conversion tool. Whether that's CloneBD, or some alternate (free) product (yes they exist), is entirely up to you.
 
Hi Everyone,

I've got what most of you will probably consider a noob question. I've been ripping DVDs for quite some time. I've only started to dabble with ripping BD movies. Recently, I ripped John Wick 3 and couldn't for the life of me find the file to start the movie. In other cases, I was able to find the file by trial and error.

For Example, with my Oblivion BD, it's file 00023.m2ts, with Dredd, it's file 00201.m2ts. I'm always launching a file from X:\Movie_Name\BDMV\STREAM. The "key" file never seems to be the same. Is it just me?

Thanks in advance for the help.

Scott

Hey Scott.

The first question that comes to me is how are you trying to play these movies?

If you're trying to click on a file and play them, like everyone is saying, that's not a good idea for Blu-Ray folders. You may get away with that with DVD (clicking the VIDEO_ts/.ifo file) but Blu-Ray is much more complicated.

If you're trying to point a media player to a folder/file and play, then it probably depends on the player. With PDVD, you just select the movie folder itself and it plays. With JRiver, I usually have to select the BDMV subfolder to play the movie.



T
 
Hey Scott.

The first question that comes to me is how are you trying to play these movies?

If you're trying to click on a file and play them, like everyone is saying, that's not a good idea for Blu-Ray folders. You may get away with that with DVD (clicking the VIDEO_ts/.ifo file) but Blu-Ray is much more complicated.

If you're trying to point a media player to a folder/file and play, then it probably depends on the player. With PDVD, you just select the movie folder itself and it plays. With JRiver, I usually have to select the BDMV subfolder to play the movie.



T

I would ultimately like to be able to view DVD and BD movies from my collection on my TV via my computer(s). See below to see how the connection from computer to TV is made. I'm sure I'm over complicating the matter.

I have a collection of BD and DVD movies that I have ripped to a PC. Mostly DVDs using AnyDVD HD. This PC also has a Hauppauge dual TV tuner card where I can record network TV shows. This PC has CyberLink PowerDVD on it (think I got this with the Hauppauge card), but I usually use VLC media player to view videos.

I have another PC connected to my TV so I can play a movie (from the PC with the ripped images via a mapped drive) without firing up a Blu-Ray player, finding the disc, etc., or TV shows recorded with the Hauppauge card. It's also handy for YouTube, playing games, surfing and viewing home movies/pictures when the family is over.

I started to look at Plex as a media server, but never followed through to make it work. As you can imagine, viewing TV shows and DVD movies is a no brainer. Blu-Ray movies when they are ripped (using only AnyDVD HD), collect all the m2ts files into a single folder: X:\Movie_Name\BDMV\STREAM. As I mentioned in a previous post, I have been able to find the "key" m2ts file to launch the movie, but, it's not consistent.

So is there another step I need to do after ripping to create a single MKV file to simplify the viewing process? Someone mentioned CloneBD. Can CloneBD do the job by itself?

Thanks for your help. Sorry this got to be such a long drawn out thing.

Scott
 
I started to look at Plex as a media server, but never followed through to make it work.

There are plenty of people here on the Forum who can tell you how to use Plex. Unfortunately I'm not one of them :=)

I primarily use PowerDVD and JRiver to play my ripped media on the TV.

If PowerDVD is an option for you, you can drill down to a folder for selection using the "My Computer" dropdown on the left side of the app. Select the folder and the Blu-Ray/DVD plays. No need to pick any specific files within those folders.

Not sure which version of PDVD you have. If it's current you're fine but older versions had some issues with playing Blu-Ray.


If you do decide to create .mkv files from your Blu-Rays so you can just click-and-go, then you can't go wrong with CloneBD. It will create them for you, no problem.

It'll allow you to create an .mkv from any and all titles within the Blu-Ray it displays on its selection screen.

Really does simplify the process for you -- and also give you the flexibility of changing things if you want, like selected only certain languages and subtitles from the movie.

Once the mkv is created, you can click it and if you have an association set up for mkv files, that application will automatically play it.

But be aware you'll be playing the movie itself. It's not the full disc experience with Menus, etc, if that's important to you.



T
 
... but I usually use VLC media player to view videos.

VLC is not something I use for DVDs and Blu-Ray but since you mention it, I tried it.

I was able to select and play a DVD folder.

But I had no such luck with Blu-Ray folders. Looks like it hangs trying to find what to play every time.


PowerDVD and JRiver are more suited to this.



T
 
The trick to play a Blu-ray folder with VLC is open it as a disc, not a folder. It works for me. I don't know why it's different.
 
Plex really isn't that hard to set up properly. I had it done in like 5 minutes and ice been using it ever since. Steaming series/movies to my Google hub, Chromecast even to the app when I'm on a random location and want to watch something on my phone over mobile data. Works perfectly

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk
 
The trick to play a Blu-ray folder with VLC is open it as a disc, not a folder. It works for me. I don't know why it's different.

No way!

Ok, I tried this and it did work, kinda.

I got mixed results. Some Blu-Ray folders played. Some didn't. Some played but froze when trying to navigate.

Not stable enough to be reliable IMO.


I'm not a huge fan of PDVD but at least it will consistently play Blu-Ray in all it's formats with no problem.


T
 
That's because vlc is an excellent basic video player but it's definitely not ready as a full fleshed BR player. Can play them but very basic, and or also relies on a bunch of external lib's for more stable playback last time I read about it.

I'd be happy to give a few pointers on Plex if you create a new topic about it. But the basic jist is

1. Install it
2. Set up a 'library' for movies and assign a folder to it on your hard drive. I labelled mine 'AVI Films'
3. Open CloneBD, pick the BR source of your choice and covert to a mp4/mkv (my fav is mkv, with Blu-ray style subs). Set the output folder to the one you specified in step 3
4. Done

Plex should auto discover the existing (and new files when you create them), when it detects new files on the folder specified in step 3.

You're now ready for casting/playing them back on your favorite device.


Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk
 
Thanks to everyone who replied to my original question about what file starts a ripped blu-ray. It's true, you're never too old to learn. I'm a fan of CloneBD now. While it's an extra step, it's well worth it. Thanks again for the help.

Scott
 
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