Using My Movies with an external Ripper

You have a collection of DVDs and Blu-Rays that you would like to store on your PC's Hard-Drives and you want to use your PC or HTPC to watch them, using the My Movies Media Center Interface - but you would like to use a Ripper Program outside of My Movies.


QUICK OVER-VIEW

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE AN ISO-MOUNTER INSTALLED, IF USING ISOS
Virtual Clone Drive is recommended to mount ISOs, and can be downloaded free from here: VCD and configured within My Movies Collection Management under Configure, Image Mounter.


DOWNLOAD AND INSTALLATION
Go to http://www.mymovies.dk/downloads.aspx and choose the download that best matches your OS.


Downloads Page



Installation Choices



USING THE PROGRAM
Now we will discuss how to use the program for cataloging your DVDs and Blu-Rays.


Sign In To Your Account

Account Status


This next section will assume that you have already used an external program to Rip your DVD or Blu-Ray to your hard-drive. There are several recommended methods of ripping your discs:
-For dvds, rip to Folder Format.
-For blu-rays, rip to ISO Format: for best results with storing meta-data please keep each ISO in it's own individual folder.


Start Adding DVDs or Blu-Rays
Open Collection Management
Choose Add By Barcode
Type in the Barcode
Add the Result to the Queue
Choose Online or Offline, Choose a Group and the Title will be added
.
More details are below.



Groups


-From the graphical button at the upper-right
-From Title, Add Titles


Add Titles Option 1


Add Titles Option 2


You will have several choices of adding your DVDs:
-By Barcode
-By Disc ID
-By Title
-By Manual Typing
-By Upcoming
Since you have your DVDs available, the absolute best method will be to choose Add By Barcode.
You may choose the graphical image of the barcode scanner to help you, if you wish - this will allow you to use a scanner to actually scan the barcodes for you, if you just can't bring yourself to type in the barcode yourself. Just click on the Barcode Scanner Image and you will receive a configuration menu.


Configure Barcode Scanner


Make sure you have the correct country selected (this is the country where the dvd was released) - choosing Any is a good choice, if you typically have dvds from several different countries.
The Barcode Field will be pink until you type in a valid barcode - once you type in a valid barcode, it will turn green.


Add By Barcode


Notice how the Barcode Field turns green once a valid barcode has been recognized. By 'valid' I mean this: barcodes use a mathematical formula (probably passed down from the ancient Pythagoreans) to self-check it's own validity as a real barcode. If a barcode can not be self-checked, it is probably not valid - it will not turn Green. This is a useful tool for many programs that deal with barcodes. To learn more about self-checking barcodes visit your local library or do a simple Google Search. To be safe, if your barcode does not turn Green, make sure you retype it a few times.
Now, if a barcode turns Green, it does NOT mean that it belongs to a DVD or Blu-Ray title necesarrily - this is important! This simply means that it is a valid barcode. The next step will determine if it belongs to a DVD.


Barcode is Valid


Now that the barcode is determined as valid, the program will go online and search the My Movies Webservice for this particular DVD - using it's barcode. If it finds a result, it will be displayed in the Search Results Panel.


Add By Barcode Search Results


If the Search Result match your DVD - then we have a winner! If you are unsure of the results (there are multiple results, for example) you may use the Preview Button to get more details before you add it to your collection. You can verify the barcode here and other information. You can click on the covers to zoom in and see if it matches your DVD. It's very important to make sure that the barcode matches - after all, you want an accurate listing of your DVD Collection, right?


Preview Title


Preview Title with Cover Details


If some of the information is incorrect, that's okay - it can be fixed later. The important step here is making sure the Barcode matches.
Now, you will choose where you are storing your DVDs:
-Add Online is if you store your DVDs on your pc's hard-drives.
-Add Offline is if you store your DVDs on a shelf somewhere in your home.
For the purposes of this guide, you will choose Add Online
The program will now ask you where you are storing your Disc on your hard-drive. Navigate to the Folder which has the Movie's Name and highlight it, then choose OK.


Add Online Disc


Once you choose one of the above choices, you will see your Title is now added to the Queue on the Right-Hand Side.


Add Offline Title


Now you can either choose to add more Titles, or finish adding the current Title. Do this by choosing what Group you want to add the Title to.


Add to Group


Add to Group 2


Now the program will download the DVD's Information and add it to your Collection. You will then be greeted with a prompt to update the actor profiles. You should probably choose Yes.


Update Actors


The program will now update the actor profiles. Congratulations! You have added your 1st Title to your Collection. Just repeat some of the steps above to add more.
If you have forgotten to add the Disc as an Online Disc when you initially added the Title, it's not a problem. Just find the Title in Collection Management and select the Disc(s) Tab above the Description Field and open it. From here you will choose how you are storing it (usually as an Online Folder for DVD Folders and Blu-Ray Isos - assuming you are keeping the ISO in it's own folder, which you should!) and where you are storing it. Find the Folder Name, Highlight it, hit OK and SAVE the Title. Very easy!


To quickly review how to add Titles, follow these steps:

USING MEDIA CENTER TO WATCH YOUR DISCS
Now that you have added your discs to Collection Management, you can start using My Movies in Media Center to start watching them.
If you have not done so already, use Window's Auto-Play settings to specify what program will play your DVDs and Blu-Rays. By default, Windows Media Center will use it's built-in player to play DVDs, but you must make sure Blu-Rays and HD-DVDs are associated with a specific player in Auto-Play settings.
Start Media Center and you should be greeted with several prompts on where you would like My Movies to be located in Media Center. You might also receive a prompt if you have a High Definition Blu-Ray or HD-DVD Player installed. If you do not receive this prompt, open Collection Management and choose Configure, Media Center Interface and there will be several Reset Buttons at the top - this should fix that.
After restarting Media Center (this is usually required after the initial My Movies settings have been made) you can choose My Movies and browse your Disc collection. Find the Title you want to watch and press Play. Once you have done this - you are now watching your Disc.


Title Selection