Sharing a DVD Drive so the whole school can watch a single DVD

[soveryapt]

Right then, I was asked if I could possibly rip a DVD and put it on the network for people to view in our upcoming Eid day activities at the school. Obviously, I pointed out that this was HIGHLY illegal and I wasn't going to do it (change of media let alone standard copyright stuff).

 

Anyway, I've been thinking about this and I wondered if anyone had thoughts about sharing a DVD drive, so I pop the DVD into a machine hooked up the network, share that drive out to users so they can then view the DVD on their machine around the school. This obviously doesn't get effected by the change of media things, and technically as it's being played from the DVD it shouldn't effect anything else that I can think of, but I thought I would run it past you guys to see if anyone has any thoughts / other suggestions.

 

The DVD in question is Aladdin by the way. So I'm just trying to find a solution instead of being a no man.

 

Ta all

Andy T

[Ex-MGSTech]

Surely a DVD is single access as each "viewer" would be wanting to read from a different segment on the same disk with only one laser?

[Ex-MGSTech]

Could you use some kind of media streaming server like this?

 

http://www.live555.com/vobStreamer/

 

this may also help: http://randomitstuff.com/2011/05/28/stream-your-dvd-from-one-computer-to-another-on-any-os/

 

Steve

Edited October 22, 2012 by Ex-MGSTech

[soveryapt]

Surely a DVD is single access as each "viewer" would be wanting to read from a different segment on the same disk with only one laser?

 

I realise it's not ideal, but technically it should work (after all, that was a big way of running CD based software back in the day - and probably still is in a lot of places)

 

Could you use some kind of media streaming server like this?

 

vobStreamer - a network DVD player application

 

This would involve a change of media in that it needs to rip the VOB files from the DVD first, which is one thing I was trying to avoid as I know this is a biggy.

 

Basically, I don't want to be the guy who says no to everything, but I'd rather be the guy who finds solutions to issues - it's just in my nature. But whilst saying yes, I don't want to open myself up to anything that could cause issues with legality, which is why for now I've said no, but if I manage to sort a solution out I can go and meet with the staff member in question and say "right, I know I said no, but I've been having a think..."

[Ex-MGSTech]

Enter VLC:

 

VLC is the little media player that could. I figured if Windows media center can stream media, then surely VLC must have figured it out at least five years earlier. Turns out they had! The feature has been in vlc from the very beginning. A quick search took me an Engadget post from 2005! VLC will let you stream just about anything to just about anything! So yes I can stream from my laptop to my Revo nettop within my home network, or I could even stream over the web, to my work mac. I could even stream to my android phone! I could even stream to a file!, making VLC an excellent free DVD Ripper. Here is the tutorial form Engadget’s blog showing how to steam across a home network. The example uses a file but it works just as well streaming a live DVD.

 

Once you install VLC and start the program you will be greeted by this lightweight frontend..

 

 

the rest is on my second link above...

[soveryapt]

Enter VLC:

 

VLC is the little media player that could. I figured if Windows media center can stream media, then surely VLC must have figured it out at least five years earlier. Turns out they had! The feature has been in vlc from the very beginning. A quick search took me an Engadget post from 2005! VLC will let you stream just about anything to just about anything! So yes I can stream from my laptop to my Revo nettop within my home network, or I could even stream over the web, to my work mac. I could even stream to my android phone! I could even stream to a file!, making VLC an excellent free DVD Ripper. Here is the tutorial form Engadget’s blog showing how to steam across a home network. The example uses a file but it works just as well streaming a live DVD.

 

Once you install VLC and start the program you will be greeted by this lightweight frontend..

 

 

the rest is on my second link above...

 

This would just stream it though meaning that the school could watch it, but if someone joined late, they'd have to simply watch from where it's at? (I think I've read that right). I mean, it's a step towards so it might be the only solution I can offer, but ideally, I need a multistream so that people can join when they want and watch on demand if you like.

[Ex-MGSTech]

This would just stream it though meaning that the school could watch it, but if someone joined late, they'd have to simply watch from where it's at? (I think I've read that right). I mean, it's a step towards so it might be the only solution I can offer, but ideally, I need a multistream so that people can join when they want and watch on demand if you like.

 

Don't want much do ya!, so now I need to find software to replicate a sky on demand service!.......you may have a long wait !! ;-)

 

Steve

[Ex-MGSTech]

Streaming Live or On-Demand Video from IIS7 to iOS Devices (iPhone/iPad) and Silverlight Clients - Scott Hanselman

 

I don't think you will get away from having to rip the DVD as a source to be honest....

Edited October 22, 2012 by Ex-MGSTech

[SYNACK]

Unless you have a copy write exemption/agreement for public showing then your breaking the law anyway, either rip it and share it that way or don't bother. Teachers will break copy write every which way they can, they are physically unable to understand it as it is covered in lobotomy 101, a required course at teachers training collage.

[soveryapt]

Don't want much do ya!, so now I need to find software to replicate a sky on demand service!.......you may have a long wait !! ;-)

 

Steve

 

My mummy always taught me if you don't ask you don't get .. lol ..

 

Streaming Live or On-Demand Video from IIS7 to iOS Devices (iPhone/iPad) and Silverlight Clients - Scott Hanselman

 

I don't think you will get away from having to rip the DVD as a source to be honest....

 

Looks that way doesn't it ..

[Max_Power]

As above really, rip and show or just say no (im a poet and i dont know it).

[soveryapt]

Unless you have a copy write exemption/agreement for public showing then your breaking the law anyway, either rip it and share it that way or don't bother. Teachers will break copy write every which way they can, they are physically unable to understand it as it is covered in lobotomy 101, a required course at teachers training collage.

 

We have the lovely license thing for showing DVDs in school, so that's why I'm looking more into it instead of turning the blind eye to end of year DVD shows etc.

 

And as for the breaking of copyright law, don't I just know it .. so much music on the server which of course the school owns the CDs for .. hmmm .. yeah .. *blind eye turned as I need SLT backing to change that ethos!*

[Ex-MGSTech]

I'm sure our license to play says we can only show video for educational purposes not entertainment....so all those videos at the end of term we get asked to sort out....

[soveryapt]

As above really, rip and show or just say no (im a poet and i dont know it).

 

Just say no .. I thought that was a cheesy 1980's video message from the cast of Grange Hill .. lol ..

[Ex-MGSTech]

Basically, I don't want to be the guy who says no to everything, but I'd rather be the guy who finds solutions to issues

 

I know where you're comming from as far too often the answer ends up as a no, more often than not because people's expectations are so unrealistic or the technology dosen't exist yet! :-(

[LeMarchand]

If you're going to rip the DVD (I wouldn't) then VLC will play an ISO directly.

 

Personally I'm struggling to remember anything to do with Eid in Aladdin, and so the idea of showing it seems faintly racist; a bit like showing "The Wiz" on Martin Luther King Day because "it's got black people in it". Could be very mistaken, of course - I only watched it once; far too much Robin Williams for my liking.

[soveryapt]

If you're going to rip the DVD (I wouldn't) then VLC will play an ISO directly.

 

Personally I'm struggling to remember anything to do with Eid in Aladdin, and so the idea of showing it seems faintly racist; a bit like showing "The Wiz" on Martin Luther King Day because "it's got black people in it". Could be very mistaken, of course - I only watched it once; far too much Robin Williams for my liking.

 

It's ok, this has been muted by other members of the ICT team, but as the celebration day is being organised by a muslim member of staff, I can only assume is tradition to watch it or something.

 

I think that ultimately, this is going to remain a no. I might do a small scale test in the ICT lab to see if I can do the shared DVD thing.

[soveryapt]

I'm sure our license to play says we can only show video for educational purposes not entertainment....so all those videos at the end of term we get asked to sort out....

 

We have one of those "you can play DVDs to a public audience" licenses - I can't remember the exact name of thing, but I had it flashed to me one day by the head to see if I needed copy, I just said nope, just need to know we've got it so I can support that kind of thing .. lol ..

[TechMonkey]

Do they have to watch the whole thing or just a certain section? If just a section then you can rip that bit and as long as you mark it up and attribute it properly then you are covered for educational purposes. If it is the whole thing then check if you have the PRS license (I think). I know our Bursar asks for a termly list of videos shown not for educational reasons to submit a claim.

 

***EDIT***: Just asked, it is the PVSL that allows this.

Edited October 22, 2012 by TechMonkey

[LeMarchand]

Hang on! If schools are showing vaguely (at best) related DVDs to tie in with religious festivals, surely every May the 4th we should be getting to watch "Star Wars" at work? It is the UK's fourth largest religion, after all. Apparently more people stated "Jedi" on the census than "Judaism", and I'm sure all schools cover Jewish religious observances... Edited October 22, 2012 by LeMarchand
Poor HTML formatting

[soveryapt]

Do they have to watch the whole thing or just a certain section? If just a section then you can rip that bit and as long as you mark it up and attribute it properly then you are covered for educational purposes. If it is the whole thing then check if you have the PRS license (I think). I know our Bursar asks for a termly list of videos shown not for educational reasons to submit a claim.

 

***EDIT***: Just asked, it is the PVSL that allows this.

 

THAT'S THE ONE .. PVSL.. we have one of them! lol ..

 

Hang on! If schools are showing vaguely (at best) related DVDs to tie in with religious festivals, surely every May the 4th we should be getting to watch "Star Wars" at work? It is the UK's fourth largest religion, after all. Apparently more people stated "Jedi" on the census than "Judaism", and I'm sure all schools cover Jewish religious observances...

 

lol .. I like it .. I like it a lot!

[Ex-MGSTech]

All this and its only Monday !!!!

[3s-gtech]

You won't have a chance of sharing the disc for playback - it just won't work. You'd be able to view the film on one remote machine, but any other trying to read from another section of disc will just cause it to stutter like mad. Would be a similar result if you ripped it to HDD and everyone watched it with VLC or similar - streaming the content sounds like the only way (legal or not though!)

[soveryapt]

All this and its only Monday !!!!

 

Welcome to the last week of the half term! lol .. (well for us at least, I don't know about the rest of you!)

 

 

Just had a look and apparently a PRS license may be needed in certain circumstances:

 

PRS Licence

Please note that where a film is screened with the film soundtrack, a PRS Licence is generally required. Please refer to PRS for Music for full details or seek independent legal advice.

 

But I've checked this before and we're covered for that so ..

[soveryapt]

You won't have a chance of sharing the disc for playback - it just won't work. You'd be able to view the film on one remote machine, but any other trying to read from another section of disc will just cause it to stutter like mad. Would be a similar result if you ripped it to HDD and everyone watched it with VLC or similar - streaming the content sounds like the only way (legal or not though!)

 

I'll stick with legal .. lol .. which I think on this occasion it won't be .. Meh .. ah well ..