Resolution question with AP

[DrXenos]

I live in the United States. None of my Blu-ray players support 50hz content. My plasma doesn't support 50hz content either. My projector does though. As such, I have to be careful when importing Blu-ray's from across the pond, especially with respects to TV series content which will often be presented on Blu-ray in 1080i/50 rather than 1080p/24 or 1080p/23.976. I purchased the TV series, "Caprica" on Blu-ray from France a few years back. It's presented in 1080i/50 even though the cover art says 1080p. Still disappointed about that. I have all my DVD's and Blu-ray's stored for playback in Sony 400-disc Blu-ray Players. For "Caprica" I have to kick it old school dropping the given disc in my HTPC's external Blu-ray drive or my PS4 which converts 50hz content to 60hz.

I don't own a Blu-ray player. I rip the disc with AnyDVD, transcode, and watch it via my WDTV or Nvidia Shield.

 

[Lowpro]

Thanks for assuring me that I was right about getting a better quality picture by downloading the higher resolutions. For a moment there, after reading some posts here and there, I thought they were trying to "inform" everyone that those were just exotic formats (4:33, 7:22, 12:xx, 24:xx, etc).

As for the black bars showing during playback, I like them rather than having the picture stretched to the frame!

But now you've created another topic for me to question: how do you add the black bars when you are authoring? Are you actually burning a disc? I've downloaded rentals and streams from AZ and NF at 1920x800 and 1920x1080.

The given device you're using should maintain the proper aspect ratio creating the black bars on its own if needed. If black bars should be present and aren't check the settings of your device and display to make sure you don't have some type of stretch mode enabled. The only reason you'd want to add the black bars yourself is if you were authoring the given video to Blu-ray as the video must be 1920x1080 for Blu-ray compliance. Adding the black bars also requires you encode the video which can reduce the original image quality though I have yet to perceive any difference myself. In my case I use multiAVCHD to author my AnyStream downloads to Blu-ray. When building the Blu-ray folder structure I have multiAVCHD uncrop a given video to 1920x1080, i.e. adding the black bars as needed making the video 1920x1080 rather than 1920x800 for example. I then burn the resulting Blu-ray folder structure multiAVCHD created to a blank Blu-ray disc.

 

[lajoes]

I don't own a Blu-ray player. I rip the disc with AnyDVD, transcode, and watch it via my WDTV or Nvidia Shield.

Doc, that is my ultimate goal too. Right now, I'm in the process of converting all my physical media to something more usable, over multiple devices.

 

[Lowpro]

I don't own a Blu-ray player. I rip the disc with AnyDVD, transcode, and watch it via my WDTV or Nvidia Shield.

Gotcha. I've got around 5,500 DVD's and Blu-ray. Most of them are Blu-ray's. I'd move all of that to the digital realm, but there's just no reason to. Tomorrow is promised to no one. Not going to waste my time copying all of those discs to hard drives at this point. Not going to waste my money either. I'd have to put one heck of a NAS together. Even if hard drive capacities were twice what they are today I wouldn't bother. My Sony 400-disc DVD Players that I've owned since the early years of the DVD format all continue to work flawlessly as do my Sony 400-disc Blu-ray Players. I purchase a new title on Blu-ray, catalog the title (and discs) in my cataloging software and drop the disc(s) in one of my Sony 400-disc Blu-ray Players. Done deal. Works for me anyway.

 

[DrXenos]

Gotcha. I've got around 5,500 DVD's and Blu-ray. Most of them are Blu-ray's. I'd move all of that to the digital realm, but there's just no reason to. Tomorrow is promised to no one. Not going to waste my time copying all of those discs to hard drives at this point. Not going to waste my money either. I'd have to put one heck of a NAS together. Even if hard drive capacities were twice what they are today I wouldn't bother. My Sony 400-disc DVD Players that I've owned since the early years of the DVD format all continue to work flawlessly as do my Sony 400-disc Blu-ray Players. I purchase a new title on Blu-ray, catalog the title (and discs) in my cataloging software and drop the disc(s) in one of my Sony 400-disc Blu-ray Players. Done deal. Works for me anyway.

I must be a weirdo, then. I actually enjoy it. I like researching a disc, figuring out what all the titles are, creating a script to transcode it, maintaining my NAS, etc. It's becoming my main hobby.

My daughter says I'm addicted, but I can quit anytime I want to!!

 

[SomeRandoDude]

Gotcha. I've got around 5,500 DVD's and Blu-ray. Most of them are Blu-ray's. I'd move all of that to the digital realm, but there's just no reason to. Tomorrow is promised to no one. Not going to waste my time copying all of those discs to hard drives at this point. Not going to waste my money either. I'd have to put one heck of a NAS together. Even if hard drive capacities were twice what they are today I wouldn't bother. My Sony 400-disc DVD Players that I've owned since the early years of the DVD format all continue to work flawlessly as do my Sony 400-disc Blu-ray Players. I purchase a new title on Blu-ray, catalog the title (and discs) in my cataloging software and drop the disc(s) in one of my Sony 400-disc Blu-ray Players. Done deal. Works for me anyway.

I started ripping all my DVDs about 5 years ago. I’d literally accumulated an entire wall of them, which took up a wall in my den I decided I’d rather use more productively. I decided I’d really rather not have physical assets and have been happy going the digital only route. Finally got around to buying a NAS last year because I was getting more and more fearful of losing everything.

I can understand those not wanting to go this route, but for me it was a matter of convenience. I wanted my space back, but also wanted the freedom to stream my content to any device on my network, or to my mobile devices when I was on travel. Also have the added benefit of being able to download that content to my mobile devices instead of streaming.

 

[lajoes]

Gotcha. I've got around 5,500 DVD's and Blu-ray. Most of them are Blu-ray's. I'd move all of that to the digital realm, but there's just no reason to. Tomorrow is promised to no one. Not going to waste my time copying all of those discs to hard drives at this point. Not going to waste my money either. I'd have to put one heck of a NAS together. Even if hard drive capacities were twice what they are today I wouldn't bother. My Sony 400-disc DVD Players that I've owned since the early years of the DVD format all continue to work flawlessly as do my Sony 400-disc Blu-ray Players. I purchase a new title on Blu-ray, catalog the title (and discs) in my cataloging software and drop the disc(s) in one of my Sony 400-disc Blu-ray Players. Done deal. Works for me anyway.

I would agree, but I have loaned discs out and wish I hadn't. Now, I don't mind loaning a drive out and for some reason, everyone treats that like it was something really special and they all get returned. They're the type of friends who just want to watch the movie and move on. They haven't been bitten by the bug digital bug because they got burned during the VCR pandemic.

 

[Lowpro]

I must be a weirdo, then. I actually enjoy it. I like researching a disc, figuring out what all the titles are, creating a script to transcode it, maintaining my NAS, etc. It's becoming my main hobby.

My daughter says I'm addicted, but I can quit anytime I want to!!

You're not a weirdo. I do the same thing actually. I'm just authoring the end result to Blu-ray, whether it's a stream, digital download, or a Blu-ray I've purchased I create a backup copy of. I know just where you're coming from. I have more fun I think cataloging my collection and authoring to Blu-ray than I do actually watching the given thing.

 

[lajoes]

I started ripping all my DVDs about 5 years ago. I’d literally accumulated an entire wall of them, which took up a wall in my den I decided I’d rather use more productively. I decided I’d really rather not have physical assets and have been happy going the digital only route. Finally got around to buying a NAS last year because I was getting more and more fearful of losing everything.

I can understand those not wanting to go this route, but for me it was a matter of convenience. I wanted my space back, but also wanted the freedom to stream my content to any device on my network, or to my mobile devices when I was on travel. Also have the added benefit of being able to download that content to my mobile devices instead of streaming.

My reason too. I have a couple of walls and a room that need to be eventually cleared out. I'd rather do it than my heirs.

 

[lajoes]

You're not a weirdo. I do the same thing actually. I'm just authoring the end result to Blu-ray, whether it's a stream, digital download, or a Blu-ray I've purchased I create a backup copy of. I know just where you're coming from. I have more fun I think cataloging my collection and authoring to Blu-ray than I do actually watching the given thing.

And I thought I was the only weird one enjoying the hunt of the flick more than the flick itself at times. Looks like we've moved on from that and being a cult to just being normal!

 

[DrXenos]

My reason too. I have a couple of walls and a room that need to be eventually cleared out. I'd rather do it than my heirs.

I've specifically asked my daughter if she wants me to get rid of my collection, so she doesn't have to deal with it when I die. She insists she doesn't mind, and will be happy to take it over. I've already dealt with a father and grandmother who were extreme hoards, and don't wish that on anyone.

 

[Lowpro]

My reason too. I have a couple of walls and a room that need to be eventually cleared out. I'd rather do it than my heirs.

It can start to get out of hand quickly. I have very little in the way of open wall space in my current home. I'd need a lot of wall space for 5,500 DVD's and Blu-ray's. I keep all the retail packaging, all the DVD and Blu-ray cases in storage where I have plenty of room and no need for climate control. All my discs are stored for playback in Sony 400-disc DVD and Blu-ray players. My total disc storage capacity at present is 8,400 discs. I've got 6 Sony DVP-CX985V 400-disc DVD Players. That's a 2,400 disc storage capacity. I've got 15 Sony BDP-CX7000ES 400-disc Blu-ray players. That's a 6,000 disc storage capacity. Both sets of DVD/Blu-ray players take up only 7 feet of wall space combined. (See here and here.) And the icing on the cake, I never have to handle the discs when it comes time to watch something. I just browse for something to watch via the cataloging software I use, either from my laptop, mobile device or up on the big screen via my HTPC and My Movies for Windows Media Center. When I find something to watch I just enter the disc location in my universal remote. A minute later the given disc is queued up, the feature presentation starting to play. (See here to learn more.)

 

[lajoes]

Mine is an organized hoard. I just don't want them to just dispose of them at say the Salvation Army, i.e., just to get rid of them. Also, I know that if I do the work now and can get most of them digitized, they'd be much happier and they'd actually use them. Then they'd realize how [literally] valuable this physical collection really is.

 

[DrXenos]

It can start to get out of hand quickly. I have very little in the way of open wall space in my current home. I'd need a lot of wall space for 5,500 DVD's and Blu-ray's. I keep all the retail packaging, all the DVD and Blu-ray cases in storage where I have plenty of room and no need for climate control. All my discs are stored for playback in Sony 400-disc DVD and Blu-ray players. My total disc storage capacity at present is 8,400 discs. I've got 6 Sony DVP-CX985V 400-disc DVD Players. That's a 2,400 disc storage capacity. I've got 15 Sony BDP-CX7000ES 400-disc Blu-ray players. That's a 6,000 disc storage capacity. Both sets of DVD/Blu-ray players take up only 7 feet of wall space combined. (See here and here.) And the icing on the cake, I never have to handle the discs when it comes time to watch something. I just browse for something to watch via the cataloging software I use, either from my laptop, mobile device or up on the big screen via my HTPC and My Movies for Windows Media Center. When I find something to watch I just enter the disc location in my universal remote. A minute later the given disc is queued up, the feature presentation starting to play. (See here to learn more.)

Holy crap, I've never heard of such a thing! Thanks for sharing.

 

[lajoes]

It can start to get out of hand quickly. I have very little in the way of open wall space in my current home. I'd need a lot of wall space for 5,500 DVD's and Blu-ray's. I keep all the retail packaging, all the DVD and Blu-ray cases in storage where I have plenty of room and no need for climate control. All my discs are stored for playback in Sony 400-disc DVD and Blu-ray players. My total disc storage capacity at present is 8,400 discs. I've got 6 Sony DVP-CX985V 400-disc DVD Players. That's a 2,400 disc storage capacity. I've got 15 Sony BDP-CX7000ES 400-disc Blu-ray players. That's a 6,000 disc storage capacity. Both sets of DVD/Blu-ray players take up only 7 feet of wall space combined. (See here and here.) And the icing on the cake, I never have to handle the discs when it comes time to watch something. I just browse for something to watch via the cataloging software I use, either from my laptop, mobile device or up on the big screen via my HTPC and My Movies for Windows Media Center. When I find something to watch I just enter the disc location in my universal remote. A minute later the given disc is queued up, the feature presentation starting to play. (See here to learn more.)

It can start to get out of hand quickly. I have very little in the way of open wall space in my current home. I'd need a lot of wall space for 5,500 DVD's and Blu-ray's. I keep all the retail packaging, all the DVD and Blu-ray cases in storage where I have plenty of room and no need for climate control. All my discs are stored for playback in Sony 400-disc DVD and Blu-ray players. My total disc storage capacity at present is 8,400 discs. I've got 6 Sony DVP-CX985V 400-disc DVD Players. That's a 2,400 disc storage capacity. I've got 15 Sony BDP-CX7000ES 400-disc Blu-ray players. That's a 6,000 disc storage capacity. Both sets of DVD/Blu-ray players take up only 7 feet of wall space combined. (See here and here.) And the icing on the cake, I never have to handle the discs when it comes time to watch something. I just browse for something to watch via the cataloging software I use, either from my laptop, mobile device or up on the big screen via my HTPC and My Movies for Windows Media Center. When I find something to watch I just enter the disc location in my universal remote. A minute later the given disc is queued up, the feature presentation starting to play. (See here to learn more.)

I just checked out your links Lowpro - and that is the system I have been wanting and dreaming of creating.

 

[lajoes]

For me, today has been like winning the lotto. I've learned a lot about how to digitize my discs AND how to store and use them too!

Thanks for sharing!

 

[lajoes]

It can start to get out of hand quickly. I have very little in the way of open wall space in my current home. I'd need a lot of wall space for 5,500 DVD's and Blu-ray's. I keep all the retail packaging, all the DVD and Blu-ray cases in storage where I have plenty of room and no need for climate control. All my discs are stored for playback in Sony 400-disc DVD and Blu-ray players. My total disc storage capacity at present is 8,400 discs. I've got 6 Sony DVP-CX985V 400-disc DVD Players. That's a 2,400 disc storage capacity. I've got 15 Sony BDP-CX7000ES 400-disc Blu-ray players. That's a 6,000 disc storage capacity. Both sets of DVD/Blu-ray players take up only 7 feet of wall space combined. (See here and here.) And the icing on the cake, I never have to handle the discs when it comes time to watch something. I just browse for something to watch via the cataloging software I use, either from my laptop, mobile device or up on the big screen via my HTPC and My Movies for Windows Media Center. When I find something to watch I just enter the disc location in my universal remote. A minute later the given disc is queued up, the feature presentation starting to play. (See here to learn more.)

That is a very impressive system there Lowpro. Unfortunately, after doing a quick search for those, or any 400 disc players, it looks like I missed the boat.

A lot of manufacturers have discontinued making disc players, let alone multi-disc players. And the renewed ones that I did come across, well, lets just say I'm price out of that market now.

 

[Lowpro]

I just checked out your links Lowpro - and that is the system I have been wanting and dreaming of creating.

It's a lot of fun. There's still plenty of stock on the used market for anyone looking to kick it old school. I had around 885 DVD's at the time when I purchased my first Sony 400-disc DVD Player. This was during the early years of the DVD format. I purchased 3 of them initially and never looked back. (I purchased a lifetime license for DVD Profiler at the same time, the main cataloging software I still use to this day.) Over those early years I added 3 additional Sony 400-disc DVD Players prior to the start of the Blu-ray format. I purposely waited for a Sony 400-disc Blu-ray Player to be introduced before I started purchasing Blu-ray's. Figured why reinvent the wheel. I purchase a title on Blu-ray, catalog the disc(s) and drop them in one of my Sony 400-disc Blu-ray Players, put the retail packaging in storage and call it a day.

Sadly, the Sony 400-disc Blu-ray Players were discontinued years ago, but you can still acquire them on the used market as I mentioned previously. I'd love to see a Sony 400-disc UHD Blu-ray Player come to market, but I don't see that ever happening. So yeah, that's why I author all my AnyStream downloads to Blu-ray. There's something to be said for continuity. I prefer having all the videos I acquire and consume on one format, a format with standards, a format with no strings attached, no online subscription, no operating system and other software to maintain and update over the years, no data to backup and so forth. Everything is stored and played the same way. Ten years from now everything will continue to be stored and played the same way. Like I said, no reason to reinvent the wheel. No reason to fix what isn't broke.

 

[LycanHD]

They should change it, yes, but anyone buying this product without giving the trial a go kind of deserves to get burned.

What if your trial was last year?

 

[Ch3vr0n]

What if your trial was last year?

Then you had ample time to test it at the time and determine if it was right for you. As i said before, things constantly change with DRM technologies and that doesn't just apply to discs, that applies to streaming services as well and products (whatever they are) need time to adapt. We're not going to open that bucket of worms again, is that understood? Stay on topic.