Convert from DVD to anything else...

[paxton]

I'm going to purchase the following: INOi HV355U-500
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16822173046

How would someone suggest that I get my DVD collection onto it, what I mean is in what format? What format would you suggest to convert my DVDs into so that I don't lose any quality?

Thanks.

[Skelsgard]

Don't ask what's best. :readrule:

That aside, the specs of what formats it supports state MPEG-4 ASP, which would be a good relation between size and quality.

Cheers.

[paxton]

This will probably sound stupid but is .Mp4 the same as MPEG-4 ASP?

[Skelsgard]

No, not a stupid question at all.
MP4 is a container, like MKV, AVI, MPG, or VOB.
Within MP4 you can store several formats: MPEG-4 ASP, MPEG-4 AVC, MPEG-2, MPEG-1.
Some formats based on the MPEG-4 ASP standard are or were DivX, XviD, 3ivX, and others.
For audio, it can store MP2, MP3, AAC.

Cheers.

[paxton]

Don't ask what's best. :readrule:

That aside, the specs of what formats it supports state MPEG-4 ASP, which would be a good relation between size and quality.

Cheers.

I think what I'm afraid of is losing quality by converting to another format, even in the answer above I'm told "good relation" which some what concerns me since I'll be watching these on a rather large television.
I read that I can also play VOB files, what do you think of the idea of taking the VOB files of the main movie and turning them into 1 big VOB file?
I appreciate anyone's suggestions / comments on this because I really want to start off on the right foot.

[Skelsgard]

With MPEG-4 conversion, even at very high bitrates, you might get some banding on certain color blendings, gradients or fadings (blue to black, blue to celest, etc) that you won't get on MPEG-2 VOBs. You should see if this "quality loss" is aceptable for you.
If you want to keep the full quality, you can join VOBs with several tools, or, for example, you can rip the main movie as a single VOB.
The space thing would be the issue as a standard movie can take from 5 up to 7-8 GBs in the HD. If you intend to have no more than 60 movies approx. in the device, it won't be a problem.
Now, if you want to have 100+ movies in it, recopression will be needed.

Cheers.

[tchaikovsky]

the specs of what formats it supports state MPEG-4 ASP, which would be a good relation between size and quality.

Cheers.

agree with you