W7 XBMC New user Help Needed

chris_r · 16 Jun 2011 at 00:16

Hi all,

I was recommended to install XBMC, i love what it can do, i just need to learn how to make it do it!

Anyway,

I have it installed and i have ripped my first DVD using magic DVD ripper. It ripped it into a video_ts folder, with several files/folders in.

Now, i want to rip my DVD collection but i want to get the whole dvd cover art, title, ratings etc to work

First thing i tried was to get the DVD i ripped to show under 'Movies' , no luck.

I then installed the 'Front Row' skin. Very nice and what i'd like to use as a skin. I added the 'E' drive as the movie libary but it shows as '18 music videos' instead as the movie title, cover art and whatever else.

How do i go about fixing this?

Thanks in advanced. Completely new to this so if you need to ask anything please do.

Columbo · 16 Jun 2011 at 07:37

Good choice with XBMC fella, nothing else compares really.

Right lets see if I can help you.

1: File structure for DVD's
I've ripped all my DVD's as .ISO or Xvid format. The only reason being is that its only file per DVD and it keeps things clean.

Next create a folder (we'll call it 'Movies').
Within that folder add new folders named after the movies you are ripping.
Then place your ripped file in that folder.

It should look like this

2: Adding to XBMC
Now in XBMC under the 'Videos' tab go to 'Add Source' and browse into the 'Movies' folder you created and click OK.

You will be prompted with what to do for this folder. At the top it will ask what you want to use to look up what media is located within that folder. Select MoviesDB.

Below make the box 'Use Folder Name for lookup' is checked and also check the scan recursively box.

Click OK it will now go away, lookup and download everything you need.

You will see this at the top of the screen.

Once done you will have a new menu option called 'Movies', go in there and play around with various views and structures.

Mine looks like this.

I'm also going through my TV stuff at the minute and indexing those.

I'm using the NEON skin btw.

Hope that helps buddy.

chris_r · 16 Jun 2011 at 09:35

Wow, lovely reply mate, wasn't expecting that.

I will try ripping a few into isos. Need to try find the best app for doing that, what do you use?

As for the skin, love it. Will give that a look at.

I will report back later

thank you

Brumboy · 16 Jun 2011 at 09:53

How do you get all that film information when you're sliding through films? Mine just shows a picture of the film.

DiCe! · 16 Jun 2011 at 10:17

Good little guide, I will try not to high jack to much, any software for ripping blu-rays?

chris_r · 16 Jun 2011 at 10:43

I used CloneDVD to make an ISO copy and it seemed to have worked. I can see this coming a little of an addiction for a while once i get my external HDDs.

Rossuk89 said:
How do you get all that film information when you're sliding through films? Mine just shows a picture of the film.

I was about to ask the same thing, i have which will be a nice list of movies to the left but how can we get the movie info to show like yours? :-)

DiCe! · 16 Jun 2011 at 10:57

You need to "scrape" the info, right click then get media info, or something along those lines

chris_r · 16 Jun 2011 at 11:13

The info is scraped, just not showing.

Would like the same 'view' as Mancubas

DiCe! · 16 Jun 2011 at 11:34

That will be a new skin install then and hell have to let you know what settings he has for sidebars etc

Columbo · 16 Jun 2011 at 11:42

chris_r said:
Wow, lovely reply mate, wasn't expecting that.

I will try ripping a few into isos. Need to try find the best app for doing that, what do you use?

For DVD's I use DVD Shrink mainly, however it does have some issues with modern methods of copy protection. But I have AnyDVD installed to get round that.

Rossuk89 said:
How do you get all that film information when you're sliding through films? Mine just shows a picture of the film.

If you've let XBMC download the info already then its there you just haven't selected the right method of viewing.

With each screen when viewing your media there is a sub menu accessed by pressing either the Up, Down, Left or Right key.

Under the option 'Views' simply keep changing it until you find the one you are happy with.

Some 'View' options are specific to certain skins but you can get something like mine with the standard Confluence skin.

chris_r · 16 Jun 2011 at 11:49

Awesome, done it. Fantastic mate, thanks!!!

Looking forward to adding lots of movies. I also want to get tonnes of Music on there too.

Seen as you seem to know your stuff, a quick Q.

You know the home screen, movies, music etc

How can i get it to show the 'Youtube'add-on link to use YT and also the Cartoon Network add on i added.

Thanks mate!

Columbo · 16 Jun 2011 at 11:50

DiCe! said:
Good little guide, I will try not to high jack to much, any software for ripping blu-rays?

I use MakeMKV to rip the Blu-Ray to Matroska, then Handbrake (2 passes) to shrink it down to a manageable size without too much compromise on image quality.

Columbo · 16 Jun 2011 at 11:52

chris_r said:
Awesome, done it. Fantastic mate, thanks!!!

Looking forward to adding lots of movies. I also want to get tonnes of Music on there too.

Seen as you seem to know your stuff, a quick Q.

You know the home screen, movies, music etc

How can i get it to show the 'Youtube'add-on link to use YT and also the Cartoon Network add on i added.

Thanks mate!

Those are classed as Add-Ons, you should have a tab called Programs or Add-Ons look in there fella.

The YouTube add-on will be in Videos> Video Add-Ons> YouTube btw.

One thing I will add is say goodbye to your life. Once you start you can't go back.
I'm only about halfway through my films and have barely scratched the surface on all the TV shows I've bought.

Bit of an addiction really, any idle on my comp is spent ripping stuff.

blairw · 16 Jun 2011 at 12:19

Great responses so far

I would however recommend using MakeMKV for your dvd and blu rays, brilliant programme!

Columbo · 16 Jun 2011 at 13:08

blairw said:
Great responses so far I would however recommend using MakeMKV for your dvd and blu rays, brilliant programme!

It is indeed superb. Only reason I don't use it for DVD's is simply for speed. I find it quicker to rip an ISO.

Of course the method I use has changed more times than I can count while I've been converting everything.

I started out with Divx, then Xvid's, then onto MKV's and finally settled on ISO's for DVD.

My Blu-Rays are all ripped as .264 MKV's.

TV Shows are ripped as MKV's though.

SGWills · 16 Jun 2011 at 13:42

also look at ember media manager aswel, add your movies folder to it and it will update the folders with fan art etc and all the info from IMDB, so times you might have to do it manually, for example i found the the film "unleashed" i had to search for "danny the dog" to get the right info

chris_r · 16 Jun 2011 at 22:40

I'm addicted, love it.

Not sure if it is a bad move but i have decided to use my laptop as the HTPC rather than an old desktop i was fixing up.

Means with all the external drives i'll be buying, i have a portable HTPC with 4gb ram, W7, 600gb HDD built in, remote control and other stuff.

I need to look into best ways to upgrade laptop for HTPC use and maybe look into sticking something in the expansion slot (any recommendations?)

As for the scraping, one problem so far, one of te kids DVDs 'Chop Kick Panda' is showing up as 'Kick Ass' and i cannot find a fix.

Columbo · 17 Jun 2011 at 06:40

chris_r said:
I'm addicted, love it.

Not sure if it is a bad move but i have decided to use my laptop as the HTPC rather than an old desktop i was fixing up.

Means with all the external drives i'll be buying, i have a portable HTPC with 4gb ram, W7, 600gb HDD built in, remote control and other stuff.

I need to look into best ways to upgrade laptop for HTPC use and maybe look into sticking something in the expansion slot (any recommendations?)

As for the scraping, one problem so far, one of te kids DVDs 'Chop Kick Panda' is showing up as 'Kick Ass' and i cannot find a fix.

Network attached storage is the best and easiest way to store your media but its not cheap, I've got 4tb on mine and its filling up fast so I'll be looking at another 4tb shortly.

As the the Chop Kick Panda, name the file 'Chop Kick Panda (2011)' as listed here on the Moviedb.

Right click the Kick Ass entry and remove from library, then scan for new content. Hopefully that should fix it fella.

Magic_x_uk · 17 Jun 2011 at 08:18

i have done the same recently
ripped all my dvds using 'makemkv' then used handbrake to encode them to mp4 (i was under the impression that was correct, as was using a external HD attached to my ps3, before i was introduced to xbmc) ?

I have my films show up like you do ManCuBus.

BUT i do not have my TV episodes show up like you do. How have you named them, as i also have B of Brothers x 10 eps, please let me know how you have named them so mine can also show up like that.

thanks.

ssmacc · 17 Jun 2011 at 09:08

Magic_x_uk said:
i have done the same recently
ripped all my dvds using 'makemkv' then used handbrake to encode them to mp4 (i was under the impression that was correct, as was using a external HD attached to my ps3, before i was introduced to xbmc) ?

I have my films show up like you do ManCuBus.

BUT i do not have my TV episodes show up like you do. How have you named them, as i also have B of Brothers x 10 eps, please let me know how you have named them so mine can also show up like that.

thanks.

google "theRenamer" this will sorte out your TV show names, its a simple drag and drop process.