jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

There are lots of people on YouTube showing us how to set up a computer as a home theater. You give it lots of memory and then load hundreds of movies onto it. Why? How many times would I want to watch the same movie? If I already have it on DVD, why would I want to put it onto a computer? This seems more like something to do than something anyone needs.

It's different with music. I have lots of songs on my computer, iPods, phones, etc., but movies?

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Because they can?

A solution to a problem that doesn't exist?

Some save certain movies to have them available, that MAY be shown on TV every 5+ years. That way they can watch it whenever they want.

BebuLamar

I either watch movies on TV or rent blu ray. I wish redbox has 4K blu ray in my area. I don't watch movies again so I do not buy or collect movies. Unlike music if you like a piece you may want to listen to it over and over again but not so with movies. In fact the music sounds better after you know the piece well.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Exactly! If I really like a movie, I'll buy the DVD. I have "O, Brother Where Art Thou" and that submarine movie with the actor from Texas. (Sorry, but that's the best I can do. 😂) I had to look it up: U-571.

jaredjacobson

I think perhaps you haven’t thought it through. If you’ve ever streamed a movie you already know some of the advantages. I have all my DVDs and Blu-Rays ripped. Here’s why. Some of these may not apply to you, but they certainly make my life easier.

1. It provides a backup in case the disc gets damaged.
2. With appropriate software I can watch the movie on any device anywhere in the house. This was useful when I had Covid, for example, when I was holed up in my room to not spread it to my family. I could watch on an iPad or laptop without leaving the room. Multiple people can watch movies at the same time without attached DVD players. We don’t very often, especially now that we only have one TV, but we have in the past when the adults and older kids wanted to watch something that the younger kids didn’t.
3. When the family is deciding on a movie to watch, the entire list is easily visible to everyone, just like choosing what to watch from a streaming service—but the movie never drops off the catalog like they do for streaming services.

If you never watch a movie again, buying a DVD is usually a waste of money and space. Renting from a streaming service is generally cheaper and then you don’t have to store anything. But there are movies we go back to over and over through the years because they’re really good and so much of what’s produced is garbage. Those we own.

The time cost to rip the movies is not really relevant. I spend a lot of time on the computer anyway, so ripping my DVDs can happen in the background while I’m doing other things—like editing photos, for example.

YMMV. But for us it’s really convenient.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Well, that gives me something to think about.

SteveR Loc: Michigan

There is an App called Plex that allows for the streaming and organization of movies. Combine this with an actual server and you have a catalog of movie at your disposal.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Yes, and most of the YouTubers mention that.