Playing VIDEO_TS from Videos instead of DVD Library

chungchang · **24th April 2008, 07:01 AM**

Hi, I'm new here.

How can I play VIDEO_TS folders from Videos instead of DVD Library?

1. I have some home videos recorded from different sources (i.e., VIDEO_TS from DVD Camcorder, avi from cell phone...etc) I want to keep the different video formats together in one folder and be able to play them all and appear seemless to users (wife mostly)

2. I have different categories of videos that I would like to keep separated in a tree structure instead of lumpped together in a single flat structure (i.e., home videos, music videos, kid's videos, TV series...etc)

I can do all above under MCE 2005 by pointing My Videos to my folder structure as described in #2. All of my video formats such as avi, mpg and VIDEO_TS play fine. However, I've been exploring Vista MCE and Videos no longer let's me play VIDEO_TS.

bill24 · **25th April 2008, 12:43 PM**

a quick and nasty way is to rename vob to mpg

chungchang · **25th April 2008, 02:26 PM**

Thanks for the suggestion. But I'm really hoping not to touch the original VIDEO_TS as I may burn my home videos to DVD-R to share with my family and friends anytime. Again, I'm currently able to do what I wanted under MCE2005 via My Videos. I just wanted to upgrade to Vista MCE for the prettier interface (wife would appreciate that) and I hear that it is more stable and response is faster. I've read other threads here that says Microsoft changed the way Videos behaves and there is no way to play VIDEO_TS under Videos. I was hoping there was a registry hack or something to force VIDEO_TS to play under Videos since DVD Library can do it. This is the only thing holding me back from upgrading to Vista and it is a total deal breaker for me. How about 3rd party plugins that would support tree folder structure or multiple libraries?

TiggerK · **25th April 2008, 03:26 PM**

Personally I'd disagree that Vista interface is better, faster and more stable. I'm still on MCE2005. I have to regularly battle that feeling that I'm out of date, but I find that the simplicity of 2005 is just so much better for my wife (and me). Vista is a whole new ballgame, nothing really wrong with it, but I just don't like the new menu structure at all.

I know one day I'll have to change, but I'm resisting as long as I can!!!

Cheers
TiggerK

vlad · **25th April 2008, 03:49 PM**

I create a folder, like Troy in my Video Library folder and put VIDEO_TS folder inside that folder.
When you browse you Video Library just click on your Troy folder and DVD movie will start.
I am running MCE 2005, Vista is not working good with large, network based video library.

chungchang · **25th April 2008, 11:14 PM**

Thanks TiggerK. Good to know I'm not the only one feeling that way!

vlad, that is exactly what I'm doing right now under MCE2005.

I suppose if there are no other options, I'll just stick with what works for now until the next version of MCE.

mikevets · **28th April 2008, 02:39 PM**

Hi... this is definetely worth a look and hopefully helps: http://mymce.wordpress.com/2007/06/2...-media-center/

I've got MyMovies installed but this is definetely another great option...

chungchang · **1st May 2008, 02:15 PM**

hi mikevets, thanks for the suggestion. I'm already aware of the registry hack to enable DVD Library under Vista. My question was if it was possible to play VIDEO_TS from Videos because it supports folder structure view while DVD Library does not. DVD Library just lumps all videos together at the same level and I have to sift through hundreds of my video collections just to get to a particular sub-category of videos I want to watch like "Home Videos" that we've captured using DVD camcorders, "Kid's Videos", "TV Series", "Movies"....etc.

Under Videos, each sub-category of video collections can be stored in separate Windows folders and also viewed as individual folders from the MCE gui. If I just wanted to watch "Home Videos" for example, I just select that folder and it will open up only my home video collection underneath it and nothing else. It is so much easier and faster to get to the exact sub-category of videos I want to watch this way.

MyMovies plugin does support Categories but I would have to manage every single video I add to my entire video collections. With MCE Videos, I just simply copy a new video to the appropriate folder and it is instantly visible and playable from Videos (except for VIDEO_TS). No other collection management is necessary.

Under MCE 2005, I can do exactly as I described above using MyVideos including playing back VIDEO_TS folders. I don't know how else to explain this clearer. Again, if this is simply impossible to do under Vista, I suppose I'll just stick with MCE 2005 but I'm still open to any other ideas.

thunderstoke · **1st May 2008, 03:57 PM**

Hey Chung,
Sorry mate, I've been looking for the same answer for a few weeks now... and nothing so far. I've subscribed to the thread, hopfully something will turn up, but I don't think its as easy as in MCE2005.

I switch to MyDVD's when I want to watch a DVD, and MyVideo's when I want to watch an .avi. The Harmony remote is good for that, but as for sifting through hundreds of DVD titles, its still a bit painful. Not sure why M$ didnt include the same My Videos logic as in MCE2005, maybe if enough people ask for it, they'll hotfix it in? One can only dream...

mikevets · **1st May 2008, 04:01 PM**

Does this help at all...

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=955606

bill24 · **2nd May 2008, 03:04 PM**

you could use add movies in dvd library
add folder to watch
then use stop watching a folder

crayons · **4th May 2008, 09:06 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by thunderstoke

Hey Chung,
Sorry mate, I've been looking for the same answer for a few weeks now... and nothing so far. I've subscribed to the thread, hopfully something will turn up, but I don't think its as easy as in MCE2005.

I switch to MyDVD's when I want to watch a DVD, and MyVideo's when I want to watch an .avi. The Harmony remote is good for that, but as for sifting through hundreds of DVD titles, its still a bit painful. Not sure why M$ didnt include the same My Videos logic as in MCE2005, maybe if enough people ask for it, they'll hotfix it in? One can only dream...

Aye - me too. Been looking for a solution to this since switching to Vista a couple of months ago. It used to be so simple with 2005!

Nudge · **4th May 2008, 02:09 PM**

chungchang,

The closest app that can do what you want is video browser, load it up set up virtual folders and it plays everything, just like MCE05 video section. If you have the time you can also use the movie organsier app that accompanies it (recommended).

Not being able to play dvds direct from video library is one of the main issues I didn't like about VMC but this app seems to solve this with minimal extra effort.

Using Advents menu mender app, I have now deleted the 'dvd library', put video browser in its place.

Later,

Nudge

chungchang · **13th May 2008, 01:41 PM**

Thanks. I tried Video Browser and it does come really close to MCE 2005 MyVideos functionality. Though, I had some issues playing DVR-MS via Video Browser. If I have several of those in the same folder, it automatically plays instead of allowing me to browse and select. Maybe I just don't know how to use it yet. I'll play with it some more. VMC is really teaching me to appreciate MCE 2005 more for simple functionalities that I took for granted before.