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Media Converting and Backup

  • 31-03-2014 1:15pm
    #1
    Jambo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 986 ✭✭✭


    Hi All,

    I am looking for some advice on converting some movies and TV series and home videos which I have stored on my home media server.

    Basically I changed to a UPC Horizon Box and some of the series/movies/home recordings I have on my Synology DS214 Play will not play via my Horizon TV (they will play on another TV through my Logitech revue)

    Can anyone please advise on

    1) A Suitable and reliable bulk media converter that can happily run away in the background on my PC or Synology converting approx 900gb of media to a universal format?

    2) What is the best format/container I should be looking to convert to that retains maximum quality but also with maximum compatibility across all devices without really needing different players ? I am presently want to stream to 2 Android Phones, 2 Android Tablets, 1 Google TV Device, 1 X Chromecast and 1 x Horizon TV Box. (Horizons Supported Formats are here)

    3)What is the best way for me to back up my existing DVD Collection for personal use and what software can I use ? (Mods sorry if this may be Illegal please remove if this is the case)


Comments

  • #2
    Johnboy1951
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,048 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    I suggest you check the specs of the various devices you are using and compare their capabilities.

    There will surely be some formats they can all handle.

    You could then post the compatibility list for advice.

    It is a wee bit unreasonable to expect someone else to do this for you, so they could give correct advice. ;)


  • #3
    Jambo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 986 ✭✭✭Jambo


    @Johnboy1951 - The formats were listed in the link in my original post.
    The following file formats are supported by Twonky Server (PC/Laptop):

    Music: MP3, WMA, WAV, 3GP, M4A, MP4, LPCM, Ogg Vorbis, FLAC, MP2, AC3, MPA, MP1, AIF
    Photo: JPEG, PNG, TIF, BMP
    Video: MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG2-TS, MPEG4, AVI, WMV, VOB, DivX, 3GP, VDR, ASF, MPE, DVR-MS, Xvid, M1V, M4V

    Basically this is the best list I can get from UPC ref the Horizon Box

    I have no issue playing / viewing items with my current file formats except via the horizon box, hence everything has to be converted to work with this. I basically want to convert everything in one go but if possible to a universally compatible format if that makes sense.


  • #4
    Johnboy1951
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,048 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    Jambo, you listed a lot of devices ...... Horizon box, Chromcast, Logitech revue etc etc that the chosen format must be compatible with.

    I see no other method of deciding the format used than to compare the capabilities of each device you wish to use, and get a list of formats compatible with all of them.

    Also do not forget that it is not only the container format (MKV, MP4, whatever) that is important, but also the video and audio codecs used for what is contained there.

    The other alternative is a 'trial and error' scheme, where you convert a small file to different formats and see how it works over all the devices.

    Sorry, but I cannot think of any other means to get the info you obviously require before converting all the files.


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