Folder structure for iso movies

[Molaker]

I just hooked up my new A-300 and have begun playing. The A-300 does not have a HDD (yet). I have a Windows Home Server with 8 TB storage and roughly 650 movies in iso format. Currently, I have the movies in individual folders with the same name as the iso file. I then have these folders segregated into parent folders by movie rating (PG, R, etc.). This was done mainly to make it a little easier to navigate with my funky little WDTV Live.

So, before I spend a lot of time, what would be the recommended way to structure the movie folders? I understand, movies can be easily sorted by various means so segregation by rating may not be necessary.

Secondly, what is recommended...NMJ or YAMJ?

Lastly, is there any advantage in converting my many many iso files to mkv or some other format?

[accident]

It doesn't sound like you need a drive. If you need nmt, I would start with a thumbdrive for it and you'll decide if you need more speed. A fast thumb is about the same speed that the pch bus can handle so usually a hd or ssd is just more expensive.

I would organize it however it makes sense for you. I always think years ahead when I do it because it's a pain to keep changing it. If your layout works for file browsing to you, keep it. Using a jukebox will reorganize it on the screen differently and it doesn't really matter to those applications.

I do like the 1 folder per title, it's very friendly to most tools out there which may be designed for larger open source communities like xbmc. If you get into saving images and local metadata on the drive with the video, I find this to be very clean way to keep everything together. Again personal preference do what makes sense to you and makes your life easier.

Quote:Secondly, what is recommended...NMJ or YAMJ?

For jukeboxes, your going to need to try them all to really know which you like. They all work a little different and have similar via remote experiences.

NMJ: Built in, 1 button to try it out, but part of the firmware so bug fixes need a firmware update and that delay. 80-90% of the peopel out there, this is a great setup for them and easier to setup/maintain.

Oversight: Runs directly on the pch, needs nmt (thumbdrive or hd installed and nmt on it), mainly designed for html units which you do not have but recently started to work with eversion. Very popular with users of nzbget on the pch because it has a built in post processing piece so downloads immediately end up in the jukebox.

Kroozebox: don't know too much about this jukebox except it runs from a remote server (which you have) and recently started supporting eversion so it'll work on your 300.

YAMJ: probably the most popular third party jukebox for the units, mainly becuase it will run with just about any setup and probably has the widest support of non-english options, artwork, etc. Good variety of skin options. It cannot run on your pch so you need another computer. It's very common to run it directly on a nas (which you have), and have it run automatically making it almost set and forget once you get it setup. (except for bugs and updates but that's not hard to update).

Again you'll need to try them out to really know which has a tv interface you like, what your family might like better, what features you consider must haves, and what it takes to update and maintain your library with them, they all vary in this department.

Quote:is there any advantage in converting my many many iso files to mkv or some other format?

If the iso files are full rips, you quickly regain more storage space. A dvd iso tends to have about 30% wasted space in extras, trailers for other devices, bloated menus.. Blurays a little less. If you go really far and start to pull out all the language tracks you'll never use, etc you'll get even more space..

non-iso tends to be more compatible across more devices and transcoding software that will on the fly make them compatible with more devices..

ISO's tend to not stop playing, and can't be in a playlist on their own so falling asleep or wanting to watching a whole tv show with 1 button press can't automatically go between episodes and such..

You can also start to transcode things smaller. For example, there's only a few titles in my collection I want full from disc quality and experience if I go to watch them again. Those are in full rip experience. Others, I want the full quality but not the extras and menus so they are just remuxed into another single file container. Then I have things that really don't need to waste all that drive space, they are transcoded to smaller specs and bitrates. Still enough to enjoy but not the full from disc experience.

Personal preference, but once you start and see how much space you regain, it's really hard to justify ever keeping them in full disc rips in the future.

[Molaker]

Quote:If the iso files are full rips, you quickly regain more storage space. A dvd iso tends to have about 30% wasted space in extras, trailers for other devices, bloated menus.. Blurays a little less. If you go really far and start to pull out all the language tracks you'll never use, etc you'll get even more space..

non-iso tends to be more compatible across more devices and transcoding software that will on the fly make them compatible with more devices..

ISO's tend to not stop playing, and can't be in a playlist on their own so falling asleep or wanting to watching a whole tv show with 1 button press can't automatically go between episodes and such..

You can also start to transcode things smaller. For example, there's only a few titles in my collection I want full from disc quality and experience if I go to watch them again. Those are in full rip experience. Others, I want the full quality but not the extras and menus so they are just remuxed into another single file container. Then I have things that really don't need to waste all that drive space, they are transcoded to smaller specs and bitrates. Still enough to enjoy but not the full from disc experience.

Personal preference, but once you start and see how much space you regain, it's really hard to justify ever keeping them in full disc rips in the future.

Actually, I have ripped nearly all my movies down to main movie only, no menus or trailers, etc. So, I'm still unsure as to the advantages of iso vs mkv or whatever. Since I have so danged many movies already, I might just stick with the reduced size iso. I might experiment to see if there is any space gain if I use a high resolution mkv.

Sure do thank you for taking the time to answer my questions so thoroughly.

[tomsed]

Don't go for full BD ISO's with DTS Master or DTS HD Sound if you own a PCH C300!!!
You will soon discover lots of problems with the movies loosing the sound or crashing the sound (starts to be noisy).
With the current firmware the C300 isn't capable of flawless plyback of BD ISO.

[chris57]

Go on tomsed say something positive in a post

The DTS-HD issue requires a Sigma fix to the SDK which Syabas are waiting for. They had it but then had a new SDK come through from Sigma. they are trying to get that into the next firmware as well as the DTS-HD fix. DTS is no issue of course and for those who see a glass as half full will do whilst Sigma gets it sorted.