Now that you’ve been enjoying Netflix movies and tons of Internet videos with Roku box, have you noticed that your Roku streaming player can do more than that?
If you’re watching movies and shows with a Roku XDS, HD-XR or the Roku 2 XS model, you can play media on my from USB hard drive with the Roku USB Media Player channel. Click here to learn how to set up Roku USB Media player channel. With a USB stick connected Roku plays up to 1080p videos in MP4, M4V, MOV, WMV and MKV format.
Although Roku box does not directly decode AC3 or DTS 5.1 audio, it allows for audio pass-through, which means you can still enjoy 5.1 sounds with a standalone audio receiver connected. To maximize movie experience with Roku streaming media player, it is advised to put together DVD and even Blu-ray movie collections onto USB hard drive, so that Roku plays not only Internet TV channels, but also local movies. The following guide tells you how to get movies off DVD and Blu-ray to hard drive for playback with Roku 2 XS, Roku XDS, and Roku HD-XR (other models do not support USB channel).
Software availability:
Pavtube Blu-ray Ripper (click here to download a trial, Windows XP/2003/Vista/Windows 7/Windows 8/Windows 8.1 compatible)
Trial limit- a Pavtube logo be printed on converted videos.
Guide: Convert a DVD/Blu-ray to play with Roku 2 XS, Roku XDS, and Roku HD-XR
1. Click the “blu-ray disc” icon to load DVD/Blu-ray movie.
2. Set subtitles and audio language.
3. Select a format to convert.
4. Start converting DVD/Blu-ray for Roku 2 XS, Roku XDS, and Roku HD-XR playback.
(learn more about Blu-ray Ripper)
Some Tips:
1. Keep your computer networked so that the program can hack the DVD/Blu-ray copy-protections.
2. DVD-ROM does not read Blu-ray Disc, to rip a Blu-ray movie from commercial Blu-ray Disc, you need to place it in a BD drive (either internal or external).
3. You’re advised to select “Common Video”>> “H.264 Video(*.mp4)” format in Step 3- it lets you downsize a DVD/Blu-ray to 3GB or so and keep the original size(DVD- 720×480(NTSC)/720×576(PAL) and Blu-ray- 1920×1080).
To keep both 1080p video and AC3 5.1 audio, choose MP4, MOV or MKV format from “HD Video” tab, then click “Settings” and set “medium quality” in “Bitrate” in Step 3.
Supported formats and Best possible quality that Roku streaming player plays via USB channel:
More video tips:
Movies and TV Series coming out on Blu-ray at March 2014
New Movies coming out March 2014 List with Release Dates
How to Backup new released DVD discs on Windows 8.1/8