This may be a dumb question but I'll ask it anyway. I'm in the process of looking into buying a Media Center and was wonder if there is any software (such as 321 Studios) that will allow me to rip a movie onto it and be able to watch it on the Media Center? Any suggestion for the type of software and which Media Center to buy is welcome.

Thanks

If I understand you right, I'll say that my Hollywood Magic MPEG card is just a treat. It's in my Media Box (PII-400) that runs our movies and juke box. There is another card that has gone even better and it's the Real Magic XCARD

Plays DVD-Video, Superbit™ DVD, Super VideoCD (SVCD), and VideoCD (VCD) 1.x, 2.0
Plays DivX™ video*, MPEG-4, MPEG-2 and MPEG-1 files
Play NTSC titles on PAL televisions, PAL titles on NTSC televisions

Full Frame (4:3 video for 4:3 display)
Letterbox (16:9 video for 4:3 display, DVD playback only)
Pan and Scan (16:9 video for 4:3 display, DVD playback only)
Widescreen (16:9 video for 16:9 display)

Audio / Video Outputs:

Composite and s-video output (NTSC/PAL)
Progressive or interlaced component YPbPr video output, scalable up to HDTV resolution (DVD playback limited to 480i, 576i and 480p)
Optional SCART RGB connector kit available
Stereo analog line output (mini-jack)
S/PDIF digital audio output (RCA)

Video Decoding:

MPEG-4 advanced simple profile level 5**
MPEG-2 MP@ML
MPEG-1
720x576 maximum source resolution

Audio Decoding:

Dolby Digital (downmixed to 2 channels)
MPEG-1 Layers I, II, and III (MP3)
MPEG-4 AAC-LC
Compressed Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS output via S/PDIF
Multi-audio track support for AVI files

Additional DVD Features:

Interactive menus and sub-picture controls
Multiple camera angles and language selection
Macrovision analog copy protection
Support for regional copy protection
Parental Lockout

Included in the Box:

IR Remote Control and serial adaptor
Quickstart Guide
CD-ROM
Xmedia player application software (DVD, DivX™ video, SVCD and VCD navigation)
Drivers
User's Guide (PDF)
Video adaptor cable for component YPbPr
Video adaptor cable for composite
Composite video cable
Audio adapter cable (mini-jack to L/R RCA)
Audio adaptor cable to sound card (mini-jack to mini-jack)
VGA Pass-Through cable

FutureProof, thanks for your reply. I'm going to look into the stuff you are suggesting. It looks like it would be a very good system. Looking back at my question I guess I should add a few more things. A few of my friends have gotten things like the HP or sony media center ( I won't comment on how cheap they are). On it they can play a disc that is copy protected but can't rip the movie to "back it up".
Now looking at your answer more closely I notice you say it has macrovision anlog copy protection and support for regional copy protection. Do you mean it provides it or will bypass it. I really would like to "backup" my disc since they may be "misplaced or damaged".
Thanks for all the infomation.

Backing up movies is easy. Start here.

I have a selection of movies on a mapped network drive (200GB Ext USB 2.0). The backups are turned into an .ISO file (from .VOBs using CloneDVD) and mounted in Daemon Tools. I then point the Hollywood Magic player at the Virtual Drive and I have a movie through my 5.1 Onkyo.

Try using anydvd http://www.slysoft.com/en/anydvd.html

and then use your favorite ripping program like clonedvd

rip the dvd to an iso and use dameon tools to mount the iso file when you want to play. there is a guide to using anydvd and clonedvd here
http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread....threadid=72022