Another Kiwi Build

[parsec]

I find Clone DVD to be a good, and easy, tool to remove unwanted languages, subtitles, trailers,Dolby add's, warnings and then store it as a DVD-ISO file.

/Rene

[Koolkiwi]

For what it's worth, I rip the whole DVD to hard drive, using either DVD Decryptor or AnyDVD, and then using PowerDVD to playback by just pointing to the 'movie from hard drive folder' option to playback exactly as the original disc would have.

 

I then pack my DVD's away in a box to save shelf space and preserve them!

 

Given the relatively low cost of storage these days, a typical DVD is only about 7GB, meaning you can fit about 70 on a 500GB drive. So your 700 DVD's would consume about 10 drives (11 with parity).

 

Or to put it another way, given that there are also many DVD's that are less than 7GB, a full 500GB based 14 drive unRAID server, could hold around 1000 full DVD images.

 

The other way to put this DVD storage space in context, is that newer High Definition content takes up significantly more space than even a full DVD image. Even a recorded HDTV movie is typically a 10-12GB+ transport stream file, and if you were thinking of future HD DVD / BD, then you are looking at 20-25GB or even ~45GB per movie!

 

[flambot]

All good suggestions and advice.  I don't know why it should factor into my thinking so much.  Too anal I guess

 

While I would like a FULL backup of my DVD's, it's really only the movie itself that I will watch.  I would say there is less than 10 items of extra's I have watched from my 700 titles  - who has time?  Hmmm...I can see this is going to be a tough decision for me. .  Funny...I worry about those 6 discs that mysteriously died.  Don't see I should have to re-buy a replacement though.  Aren't they meant to last 50 years? Anyway...

 

Update: As for the network...I was right...XBMC saw the server as soon as the name was swapped out .

 

Now what should be the first movies to transfer...

[Joe L.]

I usually rip only the main title and do not include the menus and extras, subtitles, or foreign language sound-tracks.  I never include the DTS soundtrack as it only slows down my network media players to where they can stutter on high bit-rate passages and the network media players only internally decode the dolby-digital AC3 track.  I often will include the director's commentary tracks as they are interesting on many movies.

 

I rip each movie to a single ISO image named for the movie.  this makes it easy for my family to select a movie to watch.  when they press play, the movie starts without trailers, FBI warnings, menus, etc. 

 

sometimes, I will name movies so they logically group together in the alphabetized listing shown on my media players.  Here is how all my movies that start with the letter 'J' are named:

 

JAMES_BOND-1962-DR_NO.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1963-FROM_RUSSIA_WITH_LOVE.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1964-GOLDFINGER.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1965-THUNDERBALL.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1967-YOU_ONLY_LIVE_TWICE.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1969-ON_HER_MAJESTYS_SECRET_SERVICE.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1971-DIAMONDS_ARE_FOREVER.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1973-LIVE_AND_LET_DIE.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1974-THE_MAN_WITH_THE_GOLDEN_GUN.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1977-THE_SPY_WHO_LOVED_ME.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1979-MOONRAKER.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1981-FOR_YOUR_EYES_ONLY.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1983-NEVER_SAY_NEVER_AGAIN.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1983-OCTOPUSSY.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1985-VIEW_TO_A_KILL.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1987-THE_LIVING_DAYLIGHTS.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1989-LICENCE_TO_KILL.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1995-GOLDENEYE.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1997-TOMORROW_NEVER_DIES.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1999-THE_WORLD_IS_NOT_ENOUGH.ISO

JAMES_BOND-2002-DIE_ANOTHER_DAY.ISO

JAMES_BOND-2007-CASINO_ROYALE.ISO

JOUMANI.ISO

 

I usually do not compress movies, but once in a while I will if the main title gets over 6 Gig and I notice any stuttering when played over the LAN. (this is very rare as most DVDs are not that high a bit rate)  Most of my ISO images end up between 4.5 and 5.5 Gig.  In any case, I have the original DVD disks on the shelf in my library if I want to watch the extras, or see a full bitrate on the rare disk I compressed when in my theater. 

 

I rarely use the ISO images from the unRaid server on the theater HTPC as most of the time we watch new releases in our theater on its 110 inch screen.  (If we like a DVD enough to watch it again, it will subsequently be ripped to the server) The unRaid server and the ISO images on it are used mostly for MG-35 media players attached to the smaller Den and bedroom HDTVs.  As you can see, I liked the James Bond series 

 

Joe L.

 

 

[flambot]

I usually rip only the main title and do not include the menus and extras, subtitles, or foreign language sound-tracks.  I never include the DTS soundtrack as it only slows down my network media players to where they can stutter on high bit-rate passages and the network media players only internally decode the dolby-digital AC3 track.  I often will include the director's commentary tracks as they are interesting on many movies.

 

I rip each movie to a single ISO image named for the movie.  this makes it easy for my family to select a movie to watch.  when they press play, the movie starts without trailers, FBI warnings, menus, etc. 

 

sometimes, I will name movies so they logically group together in the alphabetized listing shown on my media players.  Here is how all my movies that start with the letter 'J' are named:

 

JAMES_BOND-1962-DR_NO.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1963-FROM_RUSSIA_WITH_LOVE.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1964-GOLDFINGER.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1965-THUNDERBALL.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1967-YOU_ONLY_LIVE_TWICE.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1969-ON_HER_MAJESTYS_SECRET_SERVICE.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1971-DIAMONDS_ARE_FOREVER.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1973-LIVE_AND_LET_DIE.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1974-THE_MAN_WITH_THE_GOLDEN_GUN.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1977-THE_SPY_WHO_LOVED_ME.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1979-MOONRAKER.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1981-FOR_YOUR_EYES_ONLY.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1983-NEVER_SAY_NEVER_AGAIN.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1983-OCTOPUSSY.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1985-VIEW_TO_A_KILL.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1987-THE_LIVING_DAYLIGHTS.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1989-LICENCE_TO_KILL.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1995-GOLDENEYE.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1997-TOMORROW_NEVER_DIES.ISO

JAMES_BOND-1999-THE_WORLD_IS_NOT_ENOUGH.ISO

JAMES_BOND-2002-DIE_ANOTHER_DAY.ISO

JAMES_BOND-2007-CASINO_ROYALE.ISO

JOUMANI.ISO

 

I usually do not compress movies, but once in a while I will if the main title gets over 6 Gig and I notice any stuttering when played over the LAN. (this is very rare as most DVDs are not that high a bit rate)  Most of my ISO images end up between 4.5 and 5.5 Gig.  In any case, I have the original DVD disks on the shelf in my library if I want to watch the extras, or see a full bitrate on the rare disk I compressed when in my theater. 

 

I rarely use the ISO images from the unRaid server on the theater HTPC as most of the time we watch new releases in our theater on its 110 inch screen.  (If we like a DVD enough to watch it again, it will subsequently be ripped to the server) The unRaid server and the ISO images on it are used mostly for MG-35 media players attached to the smaller Den and bedroom HDTVs.  As you can see, I liked the James Bond series 

 

Joe L.

 

 

 

Bond...James Bond!   Yeah...I got the full collection as well. No BS (trailers, your a criminal notifications, etc) before a movie has to been the ultimate.

 

I like the idea of ISO (one file), but isn't it a double effort to get a ISO file?  Don't you have to rip to IFO/File so your can clean the streams, then write back to ISO?  I don't do this enough to know all the pro's/con's.  I'm running XBMC, so I'm just about to rip a DTS 6.1EX title to see if it can handle it.  It should I think.  XBMC only shows cover art and hides all the extensions, so multiple files aren't a problem.  ISO is clean though and you can put all your movies in one big folder. Hmmm...I'll decide eventually.  One problem is my old P3 700MHz - rather slow at video - approx 15-20mins per rip, then about the same to write back to ISO.

 

Question:  I just wrote some files to the UNraid server.  The parity write didn't start automatically.  Should it?  I expected it to start as I was writing - been half an hour since I copied the files and still no activity.  Just wondering if this is normal behaviour.  Can't see the sense in having to start it manually.  Even after a refresh it's stating "Parity is Valid".  "Scratches his head???    Maybe it does it while it's copying and I never saw it? Doh...

[Joe L.]

Question:  I just wrote some files to the UNraid server.  The parity write didn't start automatically.  Should it?  I expected it to start as I was writing - been half an hour since I copied the files and still no activity.  Just wondering if this is normal behaviour.  Can't see the sense in having to start it manually.  Even after a refresh it's stating "Parity is Valid".  "Scratches his head???    Maybe it does it while it's copying and I never saw it? Doh...

You will never see parity writing on the unRaid management page unless it is doing the entire disk. (initial calcs and subsequent on-demand calcss)

when you write to a data disk the parity drive is written to at the exact same time.  You should never have to calculate parity manually...  If the array is not stopped before the server is shut down unRaid will re-calc parity on the entire set of drives to ensure it is correct. (Odds are it was, but it wants to be certain) That is about the only time you will see it doing a background parity calc on its own.

 

Take note of the number of "writes" to the parity and data drives and then copy a new file to one of your data drives.  the number of writes to both will be incremented.  In a perfect world the data drive and the parity drive would be written to exactly in parallel.

 

In our unRaid server (and just about every RAID server out there) the two disks are written to as close in time as possible.  the only way for parity to be bad is for one write to succeed and the other to fail. (power interrupted before second disk could complete its write is one way to fail, bad cabling to a drive is another...)

 

So... your server is acting normally.

 

Joe L.

[flambot]

Question:  I just wrote some files to the UNraid server.  The parity write didn't start automatically.  Should it?  I expected it to start as I was writing - been half an hour since I copied the files and still no activity.  Just wondering if this is normal behaviour.  Can't see the sense in having to start it manually.  Even after a refresh it's stating "Parity is Valid".  "Scratches his head???    Maybe it does it while it's copying and I never saw it? Doh...

You will never see parity writing on the unRaid management page unless it is doing the entire disk. (initial calcs and subsequent on-demand calcss)

when you write to a data disk the parity drive is written to at the exact same time.  You should never have to calculate parity manually...  If the array is not stopped before the server is shut down unRaid will re-calc parity on the entire set of drives to ensure it is correct. (Odds are it was, but it wants to be certain) That is about the only time you will see it doing a background parity calc on its own.

 

Take note of the number of "writes" to the parity and data drives and then copy a new file to one of your data drives.  the number of writes to both will be incremented.  In a perfect world the data drive and the parity drive would be written to exactly in parallel.

 

In our unRaid server (and just about every RAID server out there) the two disks are written to as close in time as possible.  the only way for parity to be bad is for one write to succeed and the other to fail. (power interrupted before second disk could complete its write is one way to fail, bad cabling to a drive is another...)

 

So... your server is acting normally.

 

Joe L.

 

I began to think that is what it was doing.  I'm starting to get my head around this thing now, and feel a little more confident about experimenting and such.

 

On another note, I just backed up Blade Trinitiy (DTS 6.1ES) and it rocks through XBMC.  Really appreciate the time and patience you guys dedicate to answering my questions.  Sort of feels like we're getting to the end of the initial setup phase. Almost time to move on to getting my collection backed up so I can fill up this UNraid.  Yeah baby... 

[SmithHutch]

Hi Flambot,

 

I too have been lurking the unRaid forums (AVS first, then here) pretty much since it's inception.  You've asked some great questions, ones I'm sure to have as well as I take the unRaid leap very soon. 

 

I was reading your post with great interest and came across your blurb about the double-sided tape, and thin plastic strips, that came with your case.  Thermaltake says nothing about this in the documentation, but your chosen case is prone to shorting out motherboards.  The tape and plastic are to cover any solder point that may touch the case.  If it hasn't happened yet, you may be in the clear, but any bump to the case may just be enough to give you that oh so awful *snap**pop*...  I would double check this if you already haven't already.

 

I know this because I also lurk newegg looking for components all the time.  You can find several people who have had this issue with the case there.

 

Best of luck,

 

Smith

 

 

[flambot]

Hi Flambot,

 

I too have been lurking the unRaid forums (AVS first, then here) pretty much since it's inception.  You've asked some great questions, ones I'm sure to have as well as I take the unRaid leap very soon. 

 

I was reading your post with great interest and came across your blurb about the double-sided tape, and thin plastic strips, that came with your case.  Thermaltake says nothing about this in the documentation, but your chosen case is prone to shorting out motherboards.  The tape and plastic are to cover any solder point that may touch the case.  If it hasn't happened yet, you may be in the clear, but any bump to the case may just be enough to give you that oh so awful *snap**pop*...  I would double check this if you already haven't already.

 

I know this because I also lurk newegg looking for components all the time.  You can find several people who have had this issue with the case there.

 

Best of luck,

 

Smith

 

 

 

Thx for the input.  I have googled and couldn't find anything about this particular case - at least any problems.  Seems this model number (VA8430BWSA) is unique to NZ/OZ while the original designation was VA8000.  Funny thing is, I phoned the local ThermalTake distributor and they told me where to buy one (very few in the country).  Once I had, it wasn't until I got home I found out it had a difference model number than I asked for.  Don't know what the difference is.

 

As for shorting.  The MB is stood off the case by brass standoffs - at least 12mm.  It's not obvious where a shorting point would start.  The closet point is the I/O ports, but even then it's still quite a few mm away.  I'd be more worried about the MB shorting between the pcb runs they're so close.

 

And...as for the plastic pieces, I've decided they are probably to block up the unused slot/holes in the I/O panel to keep the dust out.  Makes sense. My MB came with it's own unique panel, so there was no need.

 

Best of luck with your Unraid build.  I've got a few more gray hairs, but I think the outcome is going to be worth it.

[flambot]

A thought:

 

I was thinking about the drives I currently have (parity, content1, content2).  Until I actually need the space on the content2 drive, is there any need for it to be connected to the RAID?  I figured I would shut it down until I need it.  What say you all?

[Koolkiwi]

A thought:

 

I was thinking about the drives I currently have (parity, content1, content2).  Until I actually need the space on the content2 drive, is there any need for it to be connected to the RAID?  I figured I would shut it down until I need it.  What say you all?

 

Entirely over to you.  Personally, I only add a new drive when my last drive is nearly full.  This is mainly to spread the cost of my unRAID Server, but also to take advantage of falling HDD prices (since building the Server 2 months ago, that last 500GB drive I bought was $50 cheaper than the first one I bought).

 

I figure at my current rate I am adding a drive a month, so I guess I'll be building a second unRAID server in about a year.

 

A related observation is that the top priority unRAID development seems to be writable Shares.  At first I thought this was a good idea, but in practice I prefer to write data to a specific drive (via a hidden write share), and make my 'User Shares' read-only for other home users to access.  The thought of writing a DVD folder backup via writable users shares, and having different files withing the folder ending up on different drives does not appeal to me.  I would prefer to dictate which drive I am putting each collection of related files onto (so they are all in one place).  As I fill up each drive before moving onto the next, this is not an inconvenience.

 

It probably comes down to what you are using unRAID for, but in my view there does not appear to be any real need for Writable User Shares for the primary intended unRAID purpose of a media archive storage server.

 

My vote would probably therefore go to adding Security as the top priority.  ie. So we could password protect selected folder shares etc. and also individual select which folders were published or hidden.

 

[flambot]

My vote would probably therefore go to adding Security as the top priority.  ie. So we could password protect selected folder shares etc. and also individual select which folders were published or hidden.

 

 

Yeah...this would be very good, especially the last part.

[flambot]

Question:

 

Under "My Network Places" there is a link called "Entire Network"  If I click that, we see three options 1. MS Terminal Services, 2. MS Windows Network, 3. Web Client Network.

 

Under " MS Windows Network is the "Workgroup" link.  In here is usually "Boss" the name assigned to my puter and "media server" - our UNRAID tower. 

 

Now, these keep disappearing from this folder (place).  Is this typical?  If not, what do I do?

 

Update: I have answered my own questions.  It would appear for the first time ever I'm having issues with NIS.  Once I added the local network as "trusted" to the list everything seemed to be fine.