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I tried it but the Xbox 360 still wont play the files.  DVD directories that I convert all say video error when played back on the Xbox.  If I hadnt converted them they dont play at as expected.  

Any ideas?

PingBack from http://www.ehomeupgrade.com/2008/04/25/hack-use-symbolic-links-to-coax-media-center-extenders-to-play-dvd-vob-files/

@ Matt Perry

Did you install SP1 for Vista, its needed.

run "cscript CreateWXV.vbs your_folder_here", from command-prompt , run as admin.

I get the same error with a mpeg file. I will work on it

I was just about to post my discovery of using mklink to create a symbolic link for file.mpg that points to file.vob enabling the easy streaming of a DVD. I wasn't happy with re-encoding or creating a second copy of the vob (renamed to mpg).

Its a solution that came to me in the shower of all places!! Unfortunately it looks like you have beat me to it. I'm going to test this out now. I like the idea of having the DVD Library on an extender. I wonder if the fast-forward/re-wind will work any differently? If not, my next task is to hunt down an article I read once about changing the fast forward/re-wind step from 30 seconds / 5 seconds to something that I can define.

I've had success playing the files on a 360 using the instructions provided. I did all the steps manually rather than using the scripts. Also I initially had a Video error but this was fixed by resetting the permissions, using "Replace all existing inheritable permissions on all descendants with inheritable permissions from this object" on the Video_TS folder. It seems that the new hardlinks that were created didn't inherit the correct permissions (although I haven't had that problem on subsequent folders). After the permission reset it was all plain sailing.

Quick question? where do you run the createWXV file? Is it pasted into the video ts folder then run or what? I understand the transcode.dll bit and can see the DVD Library on the extender ok now, just can't see either the mymovies write up or play the file. Many thanks.

First you will need to change this "Const strRemoteLocation = "\\server\Videos""

in the script, to match your PC e.g. Const 'strRemoteLocation = "D:\dvds"

"Const strRemoteLocation is the locton of all the DVDs

You also will need to change this Const "strWVXOutputFolder =\\Server\Videos_MediaCenter" for the *.wvx files.

"strWVXOutputFolder" will be the location the WVX files should be written, these WVX file will have the same name as the DVD, after they have been written,drag and drop the WVX into the correct DVD folder.

e.g. If you have a “Ice Age” DVD folder then you would drop the “IceAge.wvx” File into that DVD folder.

If you have all your DVDs in D:\dvds

Run this at the command prompt (cmd.exe),    cscript CreateWXV.vbs "D:\DVDs”

This will link all the DVDs.

Thanks for reply Richard. I followed your advice but get a blue screen Cant play video file message when attempting to play a DVD on the DMA 2100. The wxv links appear spot on and the file is in the correct dvd folder. Maybe a codec issue? Just a point of note is that when creating the wxv files I had to leave out the cscript bit as this repeatedly came up as a bad cmd prompt. Instead I typed the following  D:\CreateWXV.vbs "D:\DVD Library". D:\ being the location of both the vbs and DVD Library. This created all the wxv files which I inturn moved to their relevant DVD folder. I'm at a bit of a loss as to what I'm not doing right here. Hopefully someone much clever than I will come up with a really easy automated setup and maybe mymovies or DVDFab(my choice of ripper) could in future create the wxv file at source. Thanks again for you time and help.

Just a last note. Am I correct in saying that even though the wxv files refer to mpg links there should not really be any actual mpg files present? just the normal video vob files etc. Thanks

@ Rod

The mpegs files should be present in the VIDEO_TS folder, the mpegs are just symbolic links.

The symbolic links will show up as about a gig in size but they just links so it wil not double size of you Hard Drive.

Got there in the end. I suspected it may be something to do with the way I was using the cmd prompt so googled this method of opening the cmd directly in or on the folder concerned. I downloaded a small bit of software that enabled the Command Prompt via the menu on a simple right click of the mouse and then ran the CreateWXV.vbs "D:\DVD Library" on my D:\ drive. This time it created the mpeg symbolic links in each of the Video TS folders as well as the wxv files which I then moved to the DVD folders. I'd previously been running the cmd.exe via the start/run method which was only creating the wxv files. Having the cmd prompt so readily available makes a big difference. Anyway I can now play the DVD's on our DMA 2100. Only big negatives are the lack of subtitles and the ability to move back and forth through the film like a normal DVD movie does on the main media center PC. Otherwise a really good step in the right direction. Many thanks Richard and all the others whom contribute.  

Great glad you got it working.

Hi to All...

So far the streaming works well, but I have a new problem.

I had a couple of DVDs ripped to my HDD on another PC and copied them over to

my Notebook. As the streaming supports only one language I ripped them again

with DVD Shrink and selected just the desired language (German in my way).

When I stream them now to the XBox I get no audio anymore. When I stream

the old DVDs with Engl. & German language it works so far but I get just the

Engl. language.

I've removed already all codec drivers like 'Codecs for Vista' and so on but still

so Audio. Media Player on my Notebook has no problems.

I'm running MS Vista Premium with My Movies. I had installed TransCode 360

but I removed it.

Any Idea?

Cheers, Marcel.

Hi to All...

I ripped one of my DvDs again on to my HDD but this time with the engl. & german audio track and the XBox played the engl. track.

So, it seems to be a problem somewhere with the ripping process of the german audio track of the DvD.

What I dont understand is that the MediaPlayer on my Notebook has no problems at all and plays the 'german only' version without any problems...

Any idea?

Cheers, Marcel.

Once I did the transcoder step, the DVD library appeared on the extender but has now dissapeared on the desktop pc... how do I add more files to the DVD Library?

Thanks.

Marcel,

I have the same issue did you found something?

Thanks

I've been working on the WHS and NAS symbolic link issue and came up with a workaround. I added a new How-To page. It's currently a LOT of work to create all the links, but it's a start. http://www.htpcug.org/DVDLibraryonExtendersHowTo/WHSandNASdevices/tabid/169/Default.aspx

I've asked the person who wrote the original createwvx.vbs script to update it to autoamate this procedure. If anyone else wants to tackle the script, be my guest. I'm no good at VBScript.

--Pete

tried and tried but this will not add dvd library to my xbox extender.

i copy the dll to c/windows/ehouse and then run the reg file and still nothing any help

I have a similar but slightly different problem I think. I managed to create all the hardlinks etc and installed the transcode.dll so that DVD library is showing on my extender ok but neither my extender or my MCE server is picking up the .wsx files created.

I copied another .avi file into the directory and it isn't picked up either though. Any ideas what I'm doing wrong?

sorry, I meant .wvx files, not .wsx. Another thing is that if I double click on them they play fine in WMP11 so they look to be ok, just MCE is not picking them up.

For everyone that was having problems running the CreateWVX script. There is now a utility that automates the entire link process.

http://www.nedmug.com/DVDLibraryonExtendersHowTo/tabid/168/Default.aspx

It works for NAS and WHS too.

--Pete