Watching DVD's on the road

[TheGreatSatan]

If I have a computer in my car for watching movies (Hint at upcoming project), is there a difference between a normal DVD drive and a slot loading drive? My friend suggested a slot loading drive because he thought it would be more stable. Opinions?

[xRyokenx]

Most cars have slot loading CD players... so I'm thinking that it's because it's easier to load while on the road, you won't accidentally break the tray off.

[SgtM]

Here's what I do at home. I make backup copies of every DVD I buy*. Save them as iso images, and then you can use something like daemon tools to mount the image, and play the movie just the same as if you had the disk with you.

*don't question legality. If you own the original disk, it's perfectly legal to have 1 backup copy for personal use.

[nevermind1534]

*don't question legality. If you own the original disk, it's perfectly legal to have 1 backup copy for personal use.

It is and should be legal, but groups, such as the RIAA and sometimes the MPAA won't hesitate to sue you for it. The people that fight them in court for stupid stuff that is legal, or they didn't do usually win.

Going back to the topic, you'd think a regular laptop drive with the tray would grip it better, but I don't really know. A slot loading one is much easier.

[TheGreatSatan]

And pricier too...

Nero let's you make legal copies of DVD'd that you've bought.

[nevermind1534]

I'd tempted to do that, if I had unlimited disk space.

[OvRiDe]

Programs such as VLC and GOM Player will play ISO files without the need to use an item such as daemontools. As for the copy, I do believe you are allowed make a copy, but one stipulation is that you can only watch one at a time. So if you are watching it in the car and someone at home is watching the original, that would be considered illegal. Of course having a media screen (television or movies, NOT navigation) viewable by the driver while operating a motor vehicle is illegal as well. Most off the shelf (American market) DVD units that mount in the original factory radio slot have a sensor that doesn't allow playback of a DVD if the car is not in Park or neutral. So back to the question, I honestly don't think it would make a difference in playback, but the slot load would be alot easier to manage when changing discs.

[crenn]

For small screens, you could rip it down from the DVD to a smaller size. This is what I do with my phone and home computer (I hate changing discs). Depending on what you're playing it on depends on what type of format you should use.
For a decent computer around 700MB should work fine, for a mobile device, look at 50-100MB.

If any admins think this shouldn't be posted, please delete this message.

[TheGreatSatan]

Thanks everyone. I'm tempted to get slot loading because I am afraid that my kids will inadvertently break off the DVD tray when in the car.