DVD Through Computer Network (1 Viewer)

[Gary Rhine]

Is it possible to output from a DVD player to a computer and then distribute the datastream through to other computers on a home network?

 

[Rob FM]

Ah, the power of the HTF search button:
DVD Network
2nd Opinion
The first one deals with wireless, 2nd link might help.

~Rob

 

[Shayne Lebrun]

The way you're probably thinking of doing it (putting DVD in drive, sharing drive on network, pointing DVD playing software on different machine to said network share, hitting play) no. There are other methods, from the 'illegal depending on who you ask' to the 'gee it's like watching a quicktime.'

 

[Peter McDonald]

If you have a fast enough lan, why wouldn't it work? I tried it, installed a software DVD player on a PC and networked the DVD-ROM from the other computer. The only problem was jerky playback because we're on a 10Base-T lan.

Peter

P.S. Both computers are win98se

 

[Shayne Lebrun]

Mainly because of the CSS encryption, and the fact that most player software tries to access a local device.

What disc, and what player software, did you use, Peter?

 

[Peter McDonald]

I was using Star Wars Episode I, and WinDVD version 2.2

Peter

 

[Matt Stryker]

Besides the encryption, its also a question of bandwidth. You might be able to get semi decent playback over 100BaseT if the only thing the LAN was doing at the time was DVD playback, and your net cards could get the full 10Mbps stream out to the network.

And it has to be perfect, no dropped bits/frames. Otherwise the jerkiness will be unbearable.

 

[Shayne Lebrun]

Peter,

How did you point WinDVD at the remote resource? I'd like to try it myself; I've never gotten in to work.

 

[Peter McDonald]

Well, I set up sharing on my DVD-ROM drive, and mapped it to the other computer (naming it "G" or something like that). I went into the WinDVD settings, and what do ya know, drive G is in there!

I'm not sure if it will work with all players though.

Peter