Play a DVD over LAN?

[James]

Really? Can anybody here give it a try?

All you need is 2 PCs on a local network, and then:

1) on PC-1 (with an optical drive and AnyDVD installed), insert a regular protected DVD

2) set the DVD drive as a network share

3) on PC-2, map the share to a drive letter, and use your DVD player app to play from that mapped drive.

Does that work for you? (when I try, nothing happens)

Thanks for all the comments! -Scott

Yes, this works fine for me. Maybe the "DVD player app" doesn't like network shares? What application is that?

 

[Webslinger]

Yes, this works fine for me. Maybe the "DVD player app" doesn't like network shares? What application is that?

I was also wondering whether "remove annoying adverts and trailers" was selected in Anydvd (which may be the reason why a disc doesn't play), but Scott hasn't posted the .zip file I requested yet.

 

[James]

I was also wondering whether "remove annoying adverts and trailers" was selected in Anydvd (which may be the reason why a disc doesn't play), but Scott hasn't posted the .zip file I requested yet.

I was assuming, that the disc is known to play on the host machine with AnyDVD, so I haven't even thought about that...
If it doesn't play on the host, it certainly won't over the net. BTW, that gives me an idea... a Client/Server AnyDVD HD, where the UI runs on the client, and the driver on the server. Maybe next year...

 

[Webslinger]

a Client/Server AnyDVD HD, where the UI runs on the client, and the driver on the server. Maybe next year...

That would probably make a lot of HTPC users happy. :rock:

 

[turnstyle]

Hey Webslinger, I don't mean to seem as if I'm ignoring your suggestions -- it's just that others here seem to have it working without adding AnyDVD to the "client" -- so perhaps I'm just doing something wrong.

(and the "client" box is a bit sensitive, so I'm hoping not to install anything on it if possible)

On the "server" I downloaded "AnyDVD & AnyDVD HD 6.3.1.2", installed it, and rebooted. When I insert a DVD, I get a message stating that AnyDVD is doing something, then it finishes. Is there anything more I should be doing with AnyDVD to set it up for this? Should I change "remove annoying adverts and trailers"? (I just left everything at the default)

(It's not a problem that I'm using the trial version?)

As for players, I've tried PowerDVD and VLC, and neither worked. I can also start again from scratch, and generate whatever logs would be handy.

I really do appreciate all the suggestions! -Scott

 

[Pelvis Popcan]

Again, as Webslinger has already said, in order for us to help you, we need you to upload the log file. We simply need more information in order to figure out what's going on with your setup, and the log file will give us that. If you're unwilling to do this, there's not much more that can be done to help you.

a) Ensure Anydvd is running.
b) Put the problematic original disc in your optical drive/reader. Wait for Anydvd to scan the disc.
c) Right click the red fox icon on your toolbar.
d) Select "Create Logfile"
e) Wait for Anydvd to create a log file.
f) A pop-up screen will appear. Take note of the location where Anydvd created the logfile and the logfile's name. Click "ok".
g) Go to your My Documents folder
h) You will see a zip file called "Anydvd_Info_titleofmydisc.zip" (or something similar; see step f)
i) When replying or posting in the Slysoft forums, look for the icon that looks like

j) If you don't see that paperclip icon, click the "go advanced" button. You should see that icon now. Click the paperclip.
k) A small pop-up screen should appear (if it doesn't please ensure your browser is enabled to allow pop-ups from the Slysoft forums)
l) Click the "Browse" button, and locate and select the .zip file you created.
m) click "upload"

 

[Webslinger]

Hey Webslinger, I don't mean to seem as if I'm ignoring your suggestions -- it's just that others here seem to have it working without adding AnyDVD to the "client" -- so perhaps I'm just doing something wrong.

Anydvd needs to only be on the system that has the original disc that you're sharing.

1. Use Anydvd 6.3.1.4 beta: click http://sandbox.slysoft.com/beta/SetupAnyDVD6314.exe

2. If the original disc doesn't play on your server machine with or without anydvd running, you're out of luck (which is what I thought you were saying in your initial post).

3. Click the red fox icon on your toolbar. Click the "Default" button. Click "ok".

4. The client may need playback software on it, preferably the same playback software that works for the disc you're testing on your server.

5. a) Ensure Anydvd is running.
b) Put the problematic original disc in your optical drive/reader. Wait for Anydvd to scan the disc.
c) Right click the red fox icon on your toolbar.
d) Select "Create Logfile"
e) Wait for Anydvd to create a log file.
f) A pop-up screen will appear. Take note of the location where Anydvd created the logfile and the logfile's name. Click "ok".
g) Go to your My Documents folder
h) You will see a zip file called "Anydvd_Info_titleofmydisc.zip" (or something similar; see step f)
i) When replying or posting in the Slysoft forums, look for the icon that looks like

j) If you don't see that paperclip icon, click the "go advanced" button. You should see that icon now. Click the paperclip.
k) A small pop-up screen should appear (if it doesn't please ensure your browser is enabled to allow pop-ups from the Slysoft forums)
l) Click the "Browse" button, and locate and select the .zip file you created.
m) click "upload"

Should I change "remove annoying adverts and trailers"? (I just left everything at the default)

no

(It's not a problem that I'm using the trial version?)

no

 

[turnstyle]

Holy Smokes, it works!

I just reinstalled everything, tried again, and now it's working!

Here's what I can tell you (at risk of embarrassing myself )...

1) I've been trying a few DVD apps, but this time only AnyDVD is on the "server" -- perhaps one of them was interfering with AnyDVD.

2) This time I'm using an internal DVD drive, rather than a USB-attached drive -- perhaps it was a drive-specific problem.

3) PowerDVD still *seems* to hang when I start playback (I get an OS hanged app alert) but if I cancel that and let it keep trying, that's when it plays -- so it might actually have been working all along, and I mistakenly thought the app had crashed when it was in fact ok.

So, I can't be 100% sure which of these did the trick (my guess is the most embarassing #3) -- but I still wanted to share all the info about what I did, just in case it can be helpful to somebody.

I really appreciate all the help -- this is so COOL -- my thanks to all!

-Scott

 

[waxman]

Holy Smokes, it works!

I just reinstalled everything, tried again, and now it's working!

Here's what I can tell you (at risk of embarrassing myself )...

1) I've been trying a few DVD apps, but this time only AnyDVD is on the "server" -- perhaps one of them was interfering with AnyDVD.

2) This time I'm using an internal DVD drive, rather than a USB-attached drive -- perhaps it was a drive-specific problem.

3) PowerDVD still *seems* to hang when I start playback (I get an OS hanged app alert) but if I cancel that and let it keep trying, that's when it plays -- so it might actually have been working all along, and I mistakenly thought the app had crashed when it was in fact ok.

So, I can't be 100% sure which of these did the trick (my guess is the most embarassing #3) -- but I still wanted to share all the info about what I did, just in case it can be helpful to somebody.

I really appreciate all the help -- this is so COOL -- my thanks to all!

-Scott

Yikes!!!! :bang: :bang: :rock:

 

[turnstyle]

Now that I have AnyDVD working, I went to go purchase my copy -- you guys must know that it's quite expensive for a US buyer (right now about $75 US)?

Has there been talk of bringing that down to a more friendly point?

For folks that just can't swing it, is there a decent alternative for the kind of on-the-fly decripting as we've been talking about here?

If that's an inappropriate question for the forum, I totally understand if you delete this post -- but 49 Euros really is quite a lot to a US buyer!

Thanks, -Scott

 

[Webslinger]

Now that I have AnyDVD working, I went to go purchase my copy -- you guys must know that it's quite expensive for a US buyer (right now about $75 US)?

Has there been talk of bringing that down to a more friendly point?

You just missed a 20% off coupon. Slysoft typically issues coupon codes around holidays.

For folks that just can't swing it, is there a decent alternative for the kind of on-the-fly decripting as we've been talking about here?

Not for everything that Anydvd does
No.

And for free lifetime updates, Anydvd is worth every penny.

 

[turnstyle]

IMHO, even with 20% off it's still quite a lot -- to me, it's well beyond the typical "impulse buy" territory.

For the use we've been discussing here (playing a DVD over a home network) is there any alternative app I should consier? If it turns out that AnyDVD is the clear winner, at least I'll feel more justified in that decision.

(Personally, I don't really see "free lifetime upgrades" as a plus -- respectufully, that strikes me as a bit unrealistic, and I'd actually prefer the app to keep getting developed with an ongoing incentive for the developers. In other words, they benefit from a batch of paid upgrades if they keep adding new features that users want -- that's good for all!)

Thanks! -Scott

 

[Webslinger]

IMHO, even with 20% off it's still quite a lot -- to me, it's well beyond the typical "impulse buy" territory.

Your choice
I'm not going to twist your arm. I bought it 3 times, and I'm more than satisfied. So are lots of other people here.

Don't like the price? Don't buy it, and use something inferior.

For the use we've been discussing here (playing a DVD over a home network) is there any alternative app I should consier?

dvd43 is freeware, but it's not nearly as useful--nor will it work properly on all discs. Other than that no. dvdidle hasn't been updated since Oct. 2006 (and that wasn't freeware), so good luck getting that program to work with a number of discs (and it also doesn't work at the driver level, unlike Anydvd). I believe free lifetime updates were also offered for dvdidle, so yeah, free lifetime updates means different things to different developers, it seems.

If it turns out that AnyDVD is the clear winner, at least I'll feel more justified in that decision.

As a decrypter, Anydvd blows everything else out of the water, frankly, in terms of flexibility.
Feel free to click http://forum.slysoft.com/showpost.php?p=84792&postcount=21
http://forum.slysoft.com/showpost.php?p=84926&postcount=23
http://forum.slysoft.com/showpost.php?p=85652&postcount=31

I get tired of repeating myself.

(Personally, I don't really see "free lifetime upgrades" as a plus -- respectufully, that strikes me as a bit unrealistic

It's very realistic since existing Anydvd customers haven't been charged for updates since 2003, and Anydvd remains one of the most constantly updated programs that Slysoft develops. The features you pay for remain updated for free.