Thanks to Matt Goyer from Microsoft for providing information to make use of the My DVD's feature with DVD images store on you hard drive and without the need for a DVD Jukebox.  For those who have no clue what I'm talking about, check out his post here and here.

Some background on this issue (skip this paragraph if you don't care): Microsoft's Emerald release for Media Center Edition (Update Rollup 2) includes support for DVD changes through firewire which changes "Play DVD" option in the start menu to "My DVD's".  Within the new menu, people with DVD changers will be able to view all the DVD's within the change, their cover art, genre, actors, director and synopsis downloaded online from AMG.  Matt mentioned a way to enable the My DVD's feature and have MCE display all your DVD images within the menu (provided they are added to the My Videos section).  Unfortunately, the information for each DVD is not downloaded because the correct disc id cannot be generated from the image.  The disc id is used to link the DVD to the online database.

The problem everyone has been having since his post last week was to have MCE download the DVD information so that we can get the rich metadata (read: useful information) displayed on screen.  Matt mentioned that by storing the disc ID in an xml file within the same directory of the DVD image, this would instruct MCE to download the data online.  However, people had to figure out how to generate the disc id, then create and hand type the xml file.

This is where the My DVD Settings program comes in to help.  The program reads your DVD drive and retrieves the Disc ID and volume, then you can have the program save the information to an xml file in the directory where you stored your DVD image.  When you select "My DVD's" again, MCE should download all the information for that particular DVD and for each DVD you have generated xml files.

This was a simple program to write and I won't take credit for it, thank Matt if you feel compelled to show some appreciation.  I just want to make your lives easier.  I may be enhancing the program this weekend, so send me your comments, feedback, or suggestions at angelomr@aol.com.

Update (10.26.05 22.03)

With Version 0.2 of My DVD Settings, you can now generate the dvdid.xml files even though you don't have original U.S. version of the DVD.  Or if you're like me, I just don't want to pull my DVD's out of a box in my garage and insert them into my drive again.

Version 0.2 of My DVD Settings accomplishes this by adding support for the exported xml files of Intervocative's DVD Profiler.  DVD Profiler is an application that catalogs DVD's which you can get for free from www.dvdprofiler.com (you need to register for free though after using for 2 days).

Here are the 12 steps to add all of the rich DVD data to your My DVD's collection:
* (If you already have DVD profiler and have catalogued all your DVD's, skip to step 6)
1. Download and install DVD Profiler from www.dvdprofiler.com or www.intervocative.com.
2. Register an account with them and retrieve a free registration ID.  Enter this ID when you use the software.
3. Add all your DVD's that you have in your My DVD's menu by selecting "DVD|Add To Collection" from the main menu, then going to the "Add By Title" tab.  Find each of your DVD's by filtering the title, region, locality, release date, rating, genre, or any combination thereof.
4. Select "Add DVD" (bottom right) for each DVD you find that matches yours.  Please note that the AMG database stores mostly U.S. versions of the DVD, so you might want to filter on United States as your locality even though your disc is rated for a different region.
5. Once you selected all the titles, click on "Add Now" (You might want to uncheck "Prompt for personalization" (bottom left) if you're adding dozens of DVD's.)  DVD Profiler will start downloading all of your DVD profiles and cover art.  When it's done you will be back at the main screen.
6. Click on "File|Export Profile Database" from the main menu, then click "Accept" in the "Acceptable Use Policy" dialog.
7. In the "Export Profile Database" dialog, make sure your "Output Format" is set to "XML Format", "Filter Criteria" should be "All".  Specify an output file and REMEMBER where it is.
8. Exit the DVD Profiler application and now launch My DVD Settings v0.2 (Attached)
9. Under the "Intervocative DVD Profiler" group, click on the folder icon and browse for the file that you generated from step 7.
10. Click on "Generate DVD Disc ID Files..." and select a folder where you would like all the DVD dvdid.xml files to be stored.  Click OK and the program should generate your xml files in the folder you specified.
11. Exit the program and open the folder where you generated the dvdid.xml files.  Each file should be named in the format {DVD Title}.dvdid.xml.  Copy each xml file to the appropriate folder where you stored your DVD image (again, put it in the same folder as VIDEO_TS, NOT inside VIDEO_TS, ie. the parent folder of VIDEO_TS).
12. Launch Media Center, click on My DVD's and enjoy!

Again I ask for suggestions, comments and feedback.

Download "My DVD Settings" here.

Will "My DVD's" work with local divx movies? Do they have to be in DVD format? 

No Mike it works with the My DVD's feature thats in Media Center 2005's Rollup 2. You need to have your DVD folders setup via My Videos as My DVD's uses the same path to find the DVD folders on your hard drive. It then reads from your <moviename>\VIDEOTS folders.

My DVD's also reads any current disks that have been loaded in your DVD drives, it shows a picture of the DVD with a shiny disk next to it - well with the DVD cover over lapping it a bit. So it automatically shows them too as well as online DVD's Offline DVD's aren't shown.

This program detects the DVDID number from the disk you have placed in your DVD drive. you can then generate an xml file from it. Although the main XML file in the dvdinfocache I am having to create anyway.

I imagine this works fine for people in the U.S as it recognises their DVDID numbers. I am in the U.K so have to manually edit the xml files anyway with AMG not recognising UK DVDID numbers.

 

out of curiosity what method are you using to copy the dvd data to the drive? just a drag n drop or some sorta iso extraction?

While there's no denying that this is a pretty cool feature, I'm wondering what the usefulness of this is when compared to Brian's My Movies application?  My Movies supports extenders, multiple video formats, and has a geat interface..

Anyone want to take a shot and explaining to me why I would wan this instead of My Movies?

From Matt's blog it looks like the files must be saved in a folder type setup, not an iso. You can use DVDshrink or other similar programs to do this.

The only benefit I can see is that it is part of Media Center rather than an addon HTML app.  I still look at it and think "MyMovies Lite" though!

I imagine this will get better in Vista.

Cheers,
Andy

In a way My DVD's is a bit like a lite version of My Movies but is different in the fact that it can display currently loaded DVD Disks that are in your DVD drive as I said it shows a cool little picture of a CD next to the DVD cover art. Like My Movies it shows online DVD's that are stored in your VIDEO_TS folder, no it doesnt support DivX files or ISO images it only supports recognised DVD structures I.E look's for DVD's stored in a Video_TS folder.

I like this in the fact that it displays any DVD's I have currently loaded in my drive along with the information about the DVD. I am not sure I have ever seen my movies do that. As much as My Movies is a great catalogging program it can be over bloated with features I dont need.

I'd say this is a matter of preference for people storing DVD's on thier PC or wether you keep most of them stored away offline like me. If your looking to use My DVD's for DivX I think your completely missing the point of My DVD's. This is where My DVD's and My Movies differ My Movies can read DivX files and MY DVD's was made just for that - what it says on the tin for IE -FOR DVD's in which case your better sticking with My Movies which is a great plugin anyway.

@ Gelano

I don't think I am getting this right with the new version and DVD Profiler for some reason.

I followed your steps and did what you said and generated the DVDID.xml files for the DVD I wanted to add that I added to my DVD folder BUT.!

even though I added the dvdid.xml file to my dvd folder when I open MCE and look for the title I added its only showing a default blue icon and no dvd information it just shows in its default settings no picture and no dvd info. Now I know that the dvdid xml file is in the right folder because I have done this plenty of times before with the other online dvd's I have - they show fine as I set them. The dvdid number generated doesnt seem to pull any information ?

Also when I out putted the DVD Pro xml file and then used your program to generate dvdid xml files it produced two xml files ? one with the normal file name and second one with a '~' after the file name with a different id number in the file. This was a bit confusing..?

Hi jedi_councilor, regarding not downloading from the service, I'm not sure which DVD it is for, but not all DVD ID's stored within DVD Profiler are recognized by MCE's service through AMG. I know this because I had to generate multiple DVD ID files to get one that worked. I guess I should have mentioned that as a disclaimer. Try using other listings of the same title (preferably a DVD from the U.S.).

Regarding the generation of 2 DVD ID files, some titles found in DVD Profiler are from box sets or special edition 2-disc sets. In which case, 2 DVD ID files will be generated. In the case for example, my box set of STTNG: Season 1 generated 7 DVD ID files, 1 each for the 7 DVD's included in the set. I hope this makes sense.

Please bear with me, I'll try to make the program less confusing and more user friendly. This was something I put together in a few hours, in fact, the program isn't even 48 hours old. Here's something you can try, select a more common movie from DVD Profiler, it doesn't even matter which one, just make sure it's common and from the U.S., generate a dvdid.xml file from that, the place that file in your DVD folder, see if that works. Or you can try the one I attached, which was generated by using DVD Profiler.

Hi Gelano

I did select U.S Canada Region 1 as the area to get DVDID information from for this DVD the DVD has only just come out so its possible its not yet been added to the AMG database.

I'll try another DVD though as you mentioned from my collection.

ok little update..

After much messing around I have managed to get one of the DVD's I have on my system to be recognised by AMG which is Austin Powers International Man of Mystery. I tried adding my Star Wars collection and Alien III all of which I got no where with and took me several attempts before I gave up on them.

After several attempts on each I was starting to develop a head ache so just decided this way as much as it looks ideal can have you messing around for a while trying to find the right dvdid number that works with AMG. I know that this way of doing things is only 24-48 hours old but its rather complicated and can be frustrating. Credit is due for the attempt to get us non U.S people to have a way of getting information for our DVD's though as we would have no other way right now anyway other than what I do and thats make the xml files my self with the DVD profiles.

Anyway this is intended as constructive critisim not an attack or complaint so please dont take it as such. This way is too much for me and is just as easy for me to do the files manually.

Gelano,
I follow your instuction for DVD Profiler. There are couple of DVDs that your program can't generate dvdid.xml file. What is the reason that it can't generate dvdid.xml file?

Well I have managed to do several files now nearly all my Star Wars collection and a few others I have online with my PC. I also noticed theres one title that the program isn't generating a dvdid file for which is an Austin Powers movie. (Gold Member) no matter how many times I try to add that one I dont see any file generated for it.

This method is long winded I think and takes a lot of time to do do but I thinkl the end results are good. I persivered with it and got about 6 or 7 dvds all done but its taken me hours of scanning and re scanning for the Region 1 dvd id numbers for any of them to show.

I can see how frustrating it is for you jedi_councilor, and I believe I have a better solution for you, and it's funny why I didn't think of it earlier.

My idea is as follows:

Since DVD Profiler already has the information available for each DVD, I can use the information exported by DVD Profiler and load it into the DVD cache.  You will then have 2 ways to link that information with your physical dvd disc: 1) Automatically - if DVD Profiler is able to detect and display information for your disc, then My DVD Settings can just port that data over to the dvd cache and link it automatically, and 2) Manually - if DVD Profiler cannot detect it, then select a DVD title that closely matches the DVD you have, export that from DVD Profiler, then My DVD Settings can import the data and link that with your physical DVD through its disc ID by reading it from your DVD drive.

This would be better than manually typing in the information and searching for DVD Covers.  Since DVD Profiler allows you to edit the information before you export it, then you can modify the data if it is incorrect or if data is missing before you export it to My DVD Settings.

Please tell me what you think.  Also for other non-U.S. MCE users, is this a solution that can work for you? 

This usually means that DVD Profiler did not contain the Disc ID for the particular DVD that you selected.  What I usually do is select at least 2 or 3 DVD's that are similar to the one I have, then add those to my collection of DVD's on DVD Profiler.  Then when I export it, I usually get 1 or 2 matches.  You can use any of the dvdid.xml files generated.