Well it really depends on what formats the Pioneer dvd player can decode for an external source, it could be a problem just trying to use .vob files due to copyright or licensing, I would do a search for the model that you have and see what formats that it can play on an external device. Check out http://www.videohelp.com/dvdplayers
it lists a lot of different models and what they can and can't play.


B.

The real answer lies in the fact Is How many times do you figure you'd watch the tv series, and wouldn't it be faster and cleaner and easier to just put each disc into a regular DVD-rom tray and watch them normally??? without  the terabyte HD and the ripping and storing  etc etc ..??

Well, thought I would update my original post with my eventual solution.  I found after months of research the best thing for my large collection.  I purchased a PowerZest HD-301 Media Center.  The thing I like about this unit is that it reads almost any format.  I especially like that it can connect wirelessly to my wireless router and access movies on my computer and then play them on the big screen TV!.  I also use a docking station to access SATA drives on which I have transferred my TV series and movies in ISO format for easy access and the PowerZest plays them perfectly. I can also install a hard drive in the unit and transfer files across from the computer, though that is very slow.  Easier to use another docking station at my computer, fill a hard drive and then use it at the docking station connected to the PowerZest.  The cost was reasonable $285.00 Australian and the docking stations are cheap at under $40.  Hard drives will be my biggest expense and i have calculated that I will need 35 1 TB drives to store all my movies.  I have even come up with a safe way to house the hard drives and protect them at the same time.  I am purchasing 12 disc DVD covers, ripping out the  extra disc holders.  Then padding with thin foam from Clark Rubber glued in to hold the drives in place so as to reduce bumping.  Make my own DVD cover and voila!.  My 4200 movies stored in a space of one shelf. Of course this project will take me over a year and that means the purchasin g of the hard drives is spread out over a year.  Hope people find this interesting.

Quoting Sillygrandma:

Quote:
Hope people find this interesting.

- Make sure you have a backup strategy for when the enevitable hard drive failure occurs
- It seems like you may not be providing enough ventilation for the drives
- Consider using larger (2TB) drives and dual-drive docking stations. 35 USB connections will be reduced to 9, and there will be fewer components to cause failures

Hi,

Hope this post isn't considered too old to post in now, I have some slight input.
I have purchased a small Acer Revo PC which is small enough to mount to the back of the screen or hide somewhere in the TV Stand, and it has 2 x USB2.0 2TB External HDD's. I have ripped my movies to ISO using DVDrip/DVDShrink, using DVD Decrypter to get around the copyright issue.

Then I just watch them back from my PC. If I ever want to burn them back onto DVD (In the event of loosing the DVD etc I can.)

This has allowed me to 1: pack up the large tower desktop sitting beside my TV

and 2: I have now been able to store all my DVD's into the loft, and get rid of the ugly bookshelf they were stored on making much needed space in the house.

Now to start looking at an Amp and some proper surround systems.