Creating a Movie Jukebox on Your Computer

So we're all familiar with the old-style music jukeboxes of yesteryear. If you're lucky, you might still be able to find one in a 50's themed restaurant. These days, personal jukeboxes (i.e. mp3 players) have taken over the world while the digitization of music has made the old-style jukebox all but obsolete.

Few people in the 50's could have ever imagined owning several thousand songs on vinyl. Imagine the space it would take up! But now, thousands upon thousands of digital songs fit on a hard drive that fits quite snugly in the palm of your hand.

As hard drive capacity has increased over the years, it has opened things up for storing movies on one's computer as well. Dozens of movies can now be stored on a single terabyte drive at a lossless quality, while compression technology means multiplying your movie capacity several fold, though at the cost of picture and sound quality.

So how, exactly, does one turn their computer into a "movie jukebox"?

First things first. You must be sure to own the rights to a movie. That essentially means that you've purchased it. Once you purchase a movie, you are allowed by law to make copies of it for your own use so long as you don't redistribute said copies.

Next, you'll need some DVD ripping software. The software has the ability to convert what's on the DVD into a readable format for your computer. Run a search from your favorite search engine for DVD ripping software.

One thing to watch for is whether the ripping software is Blu-Ray compatible or not. If you are ripping standard DVD's, then this isn't a concern however. But if you are planning on making a copy of a Blu-Ray disc, you will need both a Blu-Ray player on your computer as well as Blu-Ray compatible ripping software.

Finally, use the software to copy the DVD to your computer's hard drive. Connect your computer's video card to your TV, and you're ready to go. Now, instead of fumbling through the shelves to find a movie or having to worry about scratching a disc, you simply boot up your computer, select the movie you want to watch from your TV screen, and let it ride!

For information about Nero's StartSmart, an integral part of Nero CD/DVD copying and burning software, visit the Nero StartSmart FAQ at http://www.nero.com/eng/support-faq.html?s=sub&t=StartSmart

Billings Farnsworth is a freelance writer.