Accessing DVD drive on remote computer from GBPVR

[reefboy]

This might seem odd but I have a few reasons for wanting to do this (ease and $. How would I go about setting up GBPVR so that I can place a DVD in my DVD drive attached to another computer in the house?

I have tried sharing the DVD drive on the other computer with Win XP pro. I then mapped the drive on the GBPVR computer. In the DVD plugin I pointed to the mapped drive. However when I tried testing it with Finding Nemo the GBPVR computer hung with a black screen.

I could try it with just data DVD's with recorded mpg files and see if that works.  I've started recording quite a few shows and want to archive some of them on DVD's. I don't want to go to the garage to place the DVD in the drive(I don't even have a DVD drive on it at the moment). I also don't want to upload them to the GBPVR computer from the remote PVR. The 3.4 gig files and movies take ~15 minutes to upload/download.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[jimh]

After you have successfully mapped the networked DVD drive, are you able to view the DVD using PowerDVD or similar, non-GBPVR program?

This would, of course, tell you whether your problem is specific to GBPVR or something with your setup. I assume you wouldn't even try to play a networked DVD drive unless you are on a hardwired or a wireless G (or SuperG) network - a 802.11B wireless network probably doesn't have the bandwidth to support this activity, which may cause the PC to hang.

[sub]

I think jimh is correct.

Quote[/b] ]After you have successfully mapped the networked DVD drive, are you able to view the DVD using PowerDVD or similar, non-GBPVR program?

I suspect this wouldnt work. Programmes need to exchange special security keys with the DVD drive, and this wouldn't work over a shared drive.

[jimh]

Reefboy:

*sub* is right - there are descrambling keys that will prevent a protected (ie, commercial) DVD from playing across a network like the one you have set up.

The first step is to try playing a non-protected DVD in the networked DVD drive via GBPVR. This should work - if it doesn't, then you have network problems.

Then, once you have ascertained that the network is functioning, you should take a look at AnyDVD (http://www.slysoft.com). There is a free trial version. The key is to install this software on the PC that houses the DVD drive, NOT on the PC with the GBPVR running.

AnyDVD effectively strips/descrambles the DVD on the fly.

Give this a whirl - I have my system running like this and AnyDVD is the key to get it working.

[reefboy]

Thanks for the response.

I was able to play recordings which I burned to the DVD in the mpg format. Worked great. So I'm sure it has something to do with the security keys. I will check into AnyDVD for kicks.

As it stands now with being able to at least play the recordings I have copied onto DVD's in their native format is all I really wanted. If I can get it to play DVD's then that might be an added bonus.

Thanks again!