With Plex Movie Trailers- Get Closer to The Cinema Experience

The cross-platform media server Plex supports movie trailers and extras now. Here shows you how to add local clips to your movie library for enjoyment.

Plex, the official app of the popular media server on most platforms, has just been updated with a couple of much-requested features, including movie trailers and extras, which can cover anything you'd usually find on a DVD or Blu-Ray disk, including interviews, deleted scenes and behind-the-scenes content. It brings functionality a lot of users have been waiting for.

Are you enjoying Plex Movie Trailers yet? Learn tips and tricks below to add and load local Extras to get closer To The Cinema Experience. Plex Pass users (Plex’ premium subscription service) can get more impressive features.

Trailers and Extras

Trailer and extras support is currently found in Plex Home Theater, the web app, Android and iOS applications. Other platforms should follow shortly. Local extras are detected by the media server and will be shown in the movie library by supported client applications.

Plex Pass users get a very juicy bonus feature. When Plex adds a new movie to the library and is searching for metadata, high quality trailers and extras will automatically be pulled in from a third-party provider. This content remains in the Cloud, so Plex Pass users need not worry about incurring needless downloads.

For avid cinema fans, Plex has added the ability to queue a number of cinema trailers when you start watching a new movie (it’s called Home Theater for a reason). To do this, Plex can pull trailers for the unwatched movies in the movie library. In addition, Plex Pass users can opt for trailers of upcoming Blu-Ray and theatre releases.

Getting Started

To get your trailer party started, you’ll need to make sure your Plex installations are up to date and properly configured.
Update Your Server & Client Applications

Both your Plex Media Server and Plex Home Theater installations will need to be up to date to process and access extras. Plex Home Theater may update automatically but, depending on your setup, Plex Media Server might not. Make sure you’re up to date in either case.

You can manually update Plex Home Theater by navigating to Preferences > System > Software Update in the application. To update Plex Media Server, just download the most recent installer from Plex Downloads and run the installation file.
Adding Local Extras

You can manually add trailers to your library that you’ve ripped from DVD or Blu-ray, or scraped from the Internet with Media Companion. For Plex Media Server to pick them up, the extras need to be added to the relevant movie’s folder in your library and follow Plex’ naming guidelines.

In a gist, this means that extras need to have a descriptive name suffixed with the type of extra. e.g.

Movie_Folder/Descriptive Name-ExtraType.ext

Currently, you can choose from six different ExtraType specifiers:

-behindthescenes
-deleted
-interview
-sample
-scene
-trailer

An example of a good name might be Avatar-trailer.mp4 or Theatrical Trailer II-trailer.mp4. The descriptive part of the name will determine how the content is shown in your Plex client.

If you’ve organised your library in a more hierarchical structure, with different subfolders for external subtitle files and metadata, you can also organise extra content with different subdirectories for each type of extra. Refer to the naming guidelines for more information.

If you want Plex to spot these new files, make sure to update your library afterwards.
Automatically Load Extras (Plex Pass Feature)

Plex will automatically try to grab extras for Plex Pass users. This usually happens when Plex is processing movies that are newly added to your library. It’s important to note that these extras will not be downloaded to your computer; links to the extras are simply added to the movie metadata. In other words, if you’re a Plex Pass user, there’s really nothing to lose here!

To verify your media server configuration, open your Plex Media Server settings (you can also access these from the Plex/Web app if you’ve configured Plex for remote access) and browse to Agents > Movies. Make sure the Freebase agent is enabled in both the Freebase and The Movie Database tabs. It doesn’t need to be at the top of the list.

Open the preferences of the Freebase agent and make sure that the Find trailers and extras automatically option is enabled. Here you can also choose whether to download (more explicit) red band trailers and include extras with subtitles.

You’ll probably also want to grab extras for the movies that are already in your library. To achieve this, you’ll need to do a Force Refresh of your movie library. This forces Plex to run all movies by the metadata agents again to check for new content, so this will take some time to complete.

Are movie trailers something you love, or try to avoid? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

More related news:

• Tips on Top Ten Websites to Rent 3D Videos Online
• Apple TV vs Roku 3 vs Boxee Box vs WD TV Play vs. Google TV
• Netflix Instant vs. Hulu Plus vs. Amazon Instant Video
• Plex Not Play Specific MP4 Files from Tivo
• Stream ISO Files to Plex Media Server

Source: makeuseof.com 

How to: DVD and Blu-ray ripping

Learn how to get a Blu-ray/DVD onto your hard drive by ripping them with Handbrake or find its alternative tool.

Blu-ray and DVD offer a handy way to get high-quality video into your lounge room, but discs are less convenient once you want to stream those movies around your home or slip them in your pocket as you walk out the front door.

This guide explains how to rip your Blu-ray and DVD and copy them to your computer’s hard drive so you can enjoy them without ever having to get up off your couch to drop a disc in the DVD player.

Unfortunately Australia’s copyright rules don’t permit ripping your DVD and Blu-ray movies to your computer. The recent copyright law review is unlikely to change this, although it’s worth remembering that we were ripping our music CDs for many years before Australian law caught up with the times. You’ll need to draw your own moral line in the sand when it comes to copying content which you’ve legally purchased on disc. These days some discs come with a digital download, but it might not be in a format which suits you.

THE RIGHT TOOLS FOR THE JOB 

There are several applications designed specifically for ripping movies, but let’s stick with the highly-respected HandBrake video transcoder. It’s available for Windows, Mac and Ubuntu, and because it’s open source, it’s completely free.

HandBrake removed its DVD decoding features several years ago, but you can get around this by installing the VLC media player.

Together these two free applications should happily convert your DVD library to MP4 video files which will play on a wide range of gadgets. You can also opt for MKV, but HandBrake ditched support for DivX and XviD several years ago.

Nothing separates MP4 and MKV in terms of picture quality, because technically they’re only container files. By default, HandBrake uses the H.264 video format inside both MP4 and MKV files. MKV is a little more flexible but, when in doubt, stick with MP4 because it’s compatible with a much wider range of devices. If you’re catering to Apple gadgets then definitely stick with MP4, ensuring you use the .M4V file extension so files play nicely with iTunes.

Pavtube ByteCopy can make a bit-perfect copy of your movies and save them on your computer as hefty VOB or M2TS files. Occasionally you’ll run into a particularly stubborn disc which these applications can’t rip due to damage or aggressive copyright protection. However, ByteCopy can deal with all kinds of Blu-ray and DVD discs.

THINK ABOUT THE BIG PICTURE 

Before you rip anything, consider how you’ll watch your movie files.

You need to cater to the fussiest devices in your ecosystem, which will most likely be Apple gadgets, Smart TVs or perhaps games consoles. Also consider how you’ll deliver files – perhaps you’ll copy them to the internal drive or a USB stick, perhaps you’ll stream them over your home network or the internet. Try to keep transcoding to a minimum.

In a perfect world the idea is to rip once, store in a central location and watch everywhere. This means finding resolutions and quality rates which look good on your large screens but don’t create files too large for your portable devices. Create test files before you go on a ripping frenzy.

LET IT RIP 

Ripping DVDs with HandBrake and VLC is very straightforward but it’s best to master the basics of converting DVDs before tackling your Blu-ray collection.

Click HandBrake’s Source button and point it at the DVD in the optical drive. It takes a minute to examine the disc and identify its list of titles. Even if you’ve got VLC installed, HandBrake might ask for the libdvdcss file in order to handle the encryption – although you should be presented a link for downloading it.

HandBrake selects the largest title and assumes it is the main movie. If the disc contains several TV episodes HandBrake will only choose one, but make sure it’s an individual episode rather than the Play All playlist. Sometimes you’ll see more than one title which looks like it could be the main movie. Some movie houses make life difficult by creating 99 titles, most of them dummies.

HandBrake has a knack for choosing the right title, but to be sure you can play the DVD in VLC. Go to the disc’s main menu and press Play on the movie or episode you want to rip. Don’t press Play All. Once it’s playing, click the Playback dropdown menu and look under Title to see which title number you’re watching.

HandBrake might take forever or even crash when scanning the disc. Or it might not see the title number you need. Once you know the title number, click Source, Title Specific Scan, Open Folder and then select the VIDEO_TS folder on the disc. Enter the title number and press Open Title. If you’re still stuck, try ripping the disc as an ISO first. Just having AnyDVD HD running in the background might be enough for HandBrake to read the disc correctly.

At this point you can keep things simple by choosing a device preset from the list on the right, such as iPhone, Apple TV or Android tablet. Now go to the destination bar, click browse and specify a folder along with a file name. Press Start and go make yourself a coffee. If there’s a string of TV episodes on the disc you should enable the auto-naming option in the preferences. Press Add to Queue and repeat for each title before you click Start and rip them as a batch.

GET CRACKING 

It’s a simple enough process, but you may want to dip into HandBrake’s Video settings to tweak the file size and picture quality. It’s a good idea to rip a few minutes of your movie as a test. Look for a scene with fast-moving action, dark shadows, skin tones and panning shots so you can watch for blur, pixelation and jitter when testing the different video quality settings on your devices.

For a quick settings check use the Preview button to generate a 30-second clip (although it can be flaky at times). When you’re ready to test on your various devices, choose a title but only scan chapters 1 through 1. Play this short test clip on every server and device you’re trying to cater for. Some devices can be very fussy even with files that they’re supposedly compatible with.

If the result looks terribly distorted and blocky then the DVD’s copyright protection probably hasn’t been bypassed. It’s also possible that VLC isn’t supplying the correct version of libdvdcss.dll and you’ll then need to download it.

Go to download.videolan.org/pub/libdvdcss/1.2.12 and grab the 32 or 64-bit version of libdvdcss-2.dll (if you’re running a 64-bit version of Windows then make sure you’re also running a 64-bit version of HandBrake). Now rename it libdvdcss.dll and move it into the HandBrake folder inside the Program Files folder.

EDITOR'S NOTE

But as for encrypted Blu-ray and DVD conversions, HandBrake's ability does not equal to its ambition any more. At Times you need HandBrake Alternative software to achieve better Blu-ray/DVD conversion, and Pavtube ByteCopy is the best recommended HandBrake Alternative. More details can be found on its official website:

http://www.multipelife.com/bytecopy

There are plenty of reasons that make ByteCopy surpass other competitive HandBrake Alternatives, even go beyond HandBrake itself, here lists some main advantages:

• Do not need to worry about which OS your computer running on
• Seldom crashes when dealing with encrypted Blu-rays and DVDs
• Run more stable and convert Blu-ray/DVD movies faster
• More specified profile setting for Galaxy Note 4, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus
• Perfect BD/DVD backup solution
• Lossless Blu-ray/DVD copying
• Multi-track preservation
• Various video editing functions
• 3D video output
• Export single SRT subtitle file 

More related info:

• ByteCopy Review - 2D/3D Blu-ray Ripper and BD/DVD Ripper in Multi-track/Lossless
• MakeMKV vs ByteCopy vs DVDfab - Top Blu-ray Ripper/Backup Review
• Lossless Blu-ray to M2TS Backup vs Blu-ray to MKV Backup   

Transfer and Play iTunes Movies on InnoTab Max, InnoTab 3S/3 Plus

If you want to watch downloaded iTunes movies on InnoTab Max, InnoTab 3S/3 Plus, here offers the easy way to remove the DRM protection from iTunes for freely playback on InnoTab. 

When it comes to electronics for kids, no other name shows up in ads and stores as much as VTech. InnoTab MAX and the entire line of kid-safe, kid-friendly InnoTab tablets, which includes InnoTab 3S Plus and InnoTab 3 Plus offer premium features for unsurpassed value as compared to competitive children’s learning tablets. With kid-safe Wi-Fi so kids can explore appropriate online videos that have been pre-selected by VTech.

However, it currently lacks a good source for playing video on InnoTab Max, InnoTab 3S/3 Plus except MP4. What if to like DRM protected Cartoon or Disney movies from iTunes store on InnoTab?

• Learn how to play SD/HD videos on Kindle Fire HD Kids Edition, InnoTab 3/InnoTab 2 and Kurio 7S Family Tablet

As we know, movies purchased from iTunes store are locked by Apple DRM protection and can only play on Apple products like iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, QuickTime, etc. In order to play iTunes video on InnoTab Max, InnoTab 3S/3 Plus, you have to remove DRM from iTunes movies and convert iTunes movies to VTech InnoTab compatible video formats.

To do this, just get a top DRM remover- and accomplish your task in a few mouse clicks! Pavtube ChewTune, well compatible with Windows (Windows 8.1/8), is an intuitive and stable DRM converter to help you remove DRM protection from iTunes, Amazon, Zune, BBC iPlayer, Napster, Blockbuster, etc. and convert videos to all popular video formats like MP4, MOV, MKV, WMV, AVI, FLV, etc. for playing and sharing anywhere you like. ( Read Top 5 Best DRM Removal Programs Review )

Free download the DRM converter and  make your iTunes movies playable on InnoTab Max, InnoTab 3S/3 Plus without any hassle!

Few tips before starting the iTunes to InnoTab conversion:

1. The DRM removing process may mislead your anti-virus software to falsely report virus/worm. Please ignore the report to keep on ripping.

2. This product cannot convert unplayable video (damaged, unauthorized, etc).

3. Allow the audio driver installed during the Pavtube ChewTune installation.



4. Close iTunes before running the Pavtube DRM Removal Converter when converting iTunes M4V movies.

5. It would take as long as the source movie length for the whole iTunes contents to InnoTab conversion process since Pavtube ChewTune records source DRM files in 1:1 video and audio quality.

How to Remove DRM-protection from iTunes movies to InnoTab Max, InnoTab 3S/3 Plus?

Step 1. Run Pavtube ChewTune, drag and drop the source iTunes content from local computer to ChewTune. Or hit the "Add Video" or "Add from folder" button to import your iTunes DRM contents.



Step 2. From “Format” drop-down list, choose “Common Video > H.264 Video(*.mp4)” as the output format.



Step 3. If you like, you can enter “Settings” option to adjust profile parameters, such as video codec, bitrate, frame rate, size, etc to get better video and audio quality on InnoTab Max, InnoTab 3S/3 Plus.



Step 4. Click the big “Convert” button on software main UI to start iTunes to InnoTab conversion. This converter will activate your media player automatically and start to play this video. The player windows cannot be removed or closed.

In the meanwhile, it will start to record this video in MP4 real-time. The conversion time is equal to the video length itself; you can do other tasks during the converting the process.

Note: the system volume could turn off temporally during this period; no worries, do not touch it to get perfect DRM removed video.

After the conversion, click "Open output folder" to quick locate the converted video.

Then transfer movies from PC to InnoTab Max, InnoTab 3S/3 Plus. Now you are ready to watch DRM-free videos and music from iTunes store on InnoTab the nest time you wait for a bus, travel, or go camping trip.

Learn more Special offer:

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Thanksgiving Day Necessity- 30% OFF Best Blu-ray/DVD Ripper

Great info!!! From now, Pavtube Studio launches its biggest Thanksgiving Promo 2014, offering amazing UP to 50% OFF discount on its featured Blu-ray DVD ripping/backup programs. All specials and giveaway are available for both Windows and Mac users. Enjoy your crazy money-saving trip before December 10th, 2014, never miss!!!

As one of the most recommended product, Pavtube BDMagic are offered with a 30% discount. It is designed to offer every buyer full holiday Blu-ray and DVD entertainment enjoyment. For customers who have a large collection of Blu-ray/DVD discs, plenty of Blu-ray/DVD ISO image files saved in personal server, rented Blu-ray/DVDs but been busy during the lease term, etc. Pavtube BDMagic offers a quite easy yet efficient way to backup your Blu-ray/DVD permanently and convert them to compatible audio and video formats for playback on your favorite portable devices. 2D/3D Blu-ray and standard DVD to 3D converting is supported. It is now $34.3, saving you 14.7 dollars!

• Learn how to use the maigic 30% OFF Blu-ray ripping tool here.

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Grab more 20% OFF ~ 30% OFF gifts and get more special offer at Pavtube Facebook.

Read More:

• How To Watch 3D Movies On Normal PC/Laptop?
• BDMV Converter for Mac- Convert BDMV to AVI, MP4, MOV, etc
• Rip 3D M2TS to 3D MP4 for Panasonic TC-P65VT60 TV and Samsung HT-D6750 TV
• Watch Blu-ray Movies on BlackBerry Priv
• Rip 2D Blu-ray to 3D for Uploading to YouTube

Download digital copy movies onto Kindle Fire HDX and Fire HD 6 for viewing

Wanna download and transfer a Digital Copy movie to Kindle Fire HDX and Fire HD 6 for entertainment? Follow this simple guide to get the work done. 

Question: I just bought Perks of Being a Wallflower, and it comes with a digital copy. What are the steps I would use to do this put it on my Kindle Fire HDX and a fire hd 6 which I plan to buy for my kids?

Digital Copy is a standard definition digital version of your purchased DVD/Blu-ray. These digital copies can only be transferred to iTunes or Windows Media Player, so your device has to support either Quicktime formats (.m4v, .mp4, .mov) or .wmv. Even there, they come with DRM restrictions, so it defeats the entire purpose.

In order to get Digital Copies and Kindle Fire HDX and Fire HD 6 to play nicely, you'll need to get rid of DRM from Digital Copies first. Digital Copy playback doesn't stop there, and there are many programs out there that allow you make digital copies out of DRM-protected contents. 

If you are interested in doing likewise, check out Pavtube ChewTune, a top DRM Removal and Converter for Android which can handle Digital Copy DRM-restricted movies, iTunes DRM-protected videos and Windows Media DRM contents for almost all popular Android-based Tablets and smartphones including Kindle Fire HDX and Fire HD 6. I've found the output quality to be excellent, and see no difference when compared to playing the original digital copies themselves. Below is a simple guide.

First, download the Digital Copy to Kindle Converter to your computer. For mac users, get mac version here. 
Ways for you to save more money: 

• ByteCopy($42) + ChewTune($29) = Only $54.9, Save $16.1
• Video Converter Ultimate($65) + ChewTune($29) = Only $74.9, Save $19.1
• BDMagic($49) + ChewTune($29) = Only $49.9, Save $28.1
• DVDAid($35) + ChewTune($29) = Only $49.9, Save $14.1 

Guide: Convert and transfer Digital Copy movies to Kindle Fire HDX and Fire HD 6 
Before conversion you need first to transfer Digital Copy to computer in Windows Media (.wmv) or iTunes video format (.m4v). Here we go with the DRM removal process: 

Step 1. Download and install the digital copy to Kindle converter on your PC or Mac.

Step 2. Launch the program, drag and drop the digital copy file into it (Please make sure you have transfered the digital copy movie to your computer ).

 

Step 3. Choose output format for Kindle Fire HDX and Fire HD 6. Click on ” Format > Android > Amazon Kindle Fire HD(*.mp4)”.
 

This profile is special designed for Kindle Fire HD(including Fire HD 6), but also works well on Kindle Fire HDX. If necessary, you can also click on “Settings” button to custom the video quality by yourself.

For example, if you want to get 720p video quality, you just need to adjust the video size as “1280*720“, to get 1080p video quality, adjust the size as “1920*1080“. Or set size as "1280*800" for Fire HD and "1920*1200" for Fire HDX for full screen playback.

 

Step 4. Having finished the settings? OK, Finally, just click on the “Convert” button to start converting digital copy movies to Kindle Fire HDX and Fire HD 6 tablet.

When the conversion task is finished, you can click “Open” button to get the final output files for your Fire HDX/Fire HD 6 and transfer it to your tablet.

Now, you can play digital copy movies on Kindle Fire HDX and Fire HD 6 as ease. You have got it. Enjoy your time! Also learn how to play Blu-ray, DVD and DVD ISO/IFO to your Kindle tablet.