# Putting Movies on Your Fire



## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

In another thread about using the Wi-Drive, http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,98972.0.html, Andrys (Artsandhistoryfan) posted about a product called *DVD Catalyst 4.1*, which can be found here:
http://www.tools4movies.com/

It sounded pretty good to me, and the price was right (currently $9.95), so I thought I'd try it. I do have Handbrake, which is free, but I was willing to pop the $10 to be the KB guinea pig and for something that was much more transparent to use. There is a free trial that I believe converts 25% of the movie file. I read the user comments and decided to go right for it.

I was very happy with this program. It worked exactly as advertised, I had a question that was answered promptly by the developer and the price is right. I don't mind paying for stuff that does what I need it to do.

This is a Windows program. You pays your 10 bucks  and you get the download link. Installation is very straightforward.

Full details on how to use it are on the website, and in the PDF manual that comes with it. There is also a link to the online manualwhich is also accessible from the program itself, as well as some FAQs.

Basically, you pop your DVD in the drive, the software looks at it and finds the appropriate files, and lists them in the top menu. (For example, a DVD for a TV series might have many episodes or a movie DVD might have special features.) Then, from some drop down menus, you select the device you want to convert for by make and model (Amazon, Fire). You can select which of the files in the upper window you want to convert or do them all. (You deselect the ones you don't want.)

The software will rip DVDs and convert files but will not convert DRM'd files.

As with every conversion software I've used, it takes awhile. I thought it worked at an acceptable speed.

When finished, the software opens the output folder and gives you the opportunity to drag your files to your device.

There is also an app that must be sideloaded that lets you see the names of the files, Movie Gallery. They are still waiting for the app to be approved by Amazon but you can sideload the free version from this page:
http://www.tools4movies.com/2011/11/moviegalleryfree-for-kindle-fire/ 
Instructions on how to sideload it are on the page if you haven't done it before.

The free version of Movie Gallery will only show 10 movies, but truthfully, you probably aren't going to be able to fit that many on your Fire. I am definitely going to get a Wi Drive at some point. For now, this worked to put my Pilates workouts on the Fire.

There is a "Power User" option that lets those who want to to get into the nitty gritty of setting parameters (you know who you are).

I give this app an A because of its ease of use and low cost.

Use this software? You've found something else that you love? Let us know!

Betsy


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## Tip10 (Apr 16, 2009)

Betsy, 
Thanks for the review.  I bought.
I had brought down the trial but only had a few minutes to mess with it -- it definitely looked promising so was planning on digging some more but, based upon what little I saw from the trial and your review, I bought (especially since I was afraid the discounted price would end...).

Question for you -- what conversion setting are you using?  Have you messed with it enough to see a difference between the standard Fire, the Fast or one of the HQ's?

Got show tickets today and, unfortunately a visitation tomorrow, so won't get back to it till maybe early next week but I'll get back here with results after I've messed with it a bit.

Thanks, 
Tip


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Yesterday I really should have been doing something else, so I only did the "standard" Fire conversion.  I'll play with it some more.  I'll probably rip several DVDs and have them in my Dropbox so that I can move them onto the Fire as needed.

Betsy


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## Guest (Jan 21, 2012)

You probably should've just sideloaded moboplayer, not worried about the conversion or paying any money, and played the movies as they are on your Fire.

Been doing it for months. http://fireapps.blogspot.com/2011/12/tips-and-tricks-watching-avi-movies-on.html


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

okay, scarlet is tired..... read thread title as....



Spoiler



setting your movies on fire. wondered why betsy wanted to burn her DVDs.....


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Talk about yourself in the third person much, Scarlet? 

Jason, I actually like playing with software, so the $10 was a cheap thrilll. And I actually am apt to put movies on more devices than just my Fire, so ability to convert is actually important to me.

I might have looked at Moboplayer before and shrugged as I don't have access to the Android Market. But now I'm more knowledgable about things Android and found it on 1Mobile:
http://www.1mobile.com/moboplayer-86818.html

But now I have another app to try.  Will report back. (Looking at the website gives me a headache. Hope it's simpler than the discussion looks on the site. )

Betsy


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## Guest (Jan 21, 2012)

I know what you mean about playing with different software. Definitely no worries. Just thought I'd mention this other option in case other people aren't so willing to part with $10.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

No, definitely, that's what this thread should be!  I'm looking, there are a whole bunch of different versions of MoboPlayer on 1Mobile.  I have to go back to your post to see which one to get for the Fire....

OK, got it those are the codecs...I just need the app...installed

Betsy


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

foreverjuly said:


> You probably should've just sideloaded moboplayer, not worried about the conversion or paying any money, and played the movies as they are on your Fire.
> 
> Been doing it for months. http://fireapps.blogspot.com/2011/12/tips-and-tricks-watching-avi-movies-on.html


So tell me more about how you use this, Jason? Are you copying files off of the DVD to the Fire?

Betsy


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## Guest (Jan 21, 2012)

I'm actually not so sure how one would go about ripping DVD video into video files. But if you already have video files, it's pretty easy to import them onto your Fire and play them from the app.


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## Dragle (Dec 10, 2011)

Not sure I understand. You want to put movies from your DVDs onto the Fire, the software converts it into files that can be copied over, but it doesn't work for DRM'd movies.  Aren't all movie DVDs DRM'd though? (I'm not into DVD movies, so I'm sure I'm missing the obvious here).


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> Talk about yourself in the third person much, Scarlet?
> Betsy


when scarlet is tired, one never knows what she will say.....


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## kindlegrl81 (Jan 19, 2010)

At this point I have been using the instructions in this Link to convert DVDs:

http://tabletorials.com/2011/11/convert-dvd-to-kindle-fire-for-free/

I will have to check out the moboplayer for those files I have on iTunes.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Dragle said:


> Not sure I understand. You want to put movies from your DVDs onto the Fire, the software converts it into files that can be copied over, but it doesn't work for DRM'd movies. Aren't all movie DVDs DRM'd though? (I'm not into DVD movies, so I'm sure I'm missing the obvious here).


I don't know...it worked on the ones I tried. I only tried things I can't get on Netflix or Prime. Like my Pilates workout.  And _Top Hat_ with Fred Astaire.

Betsy


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

"putting the moves on your kindle"?


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## CegAbq (Mar 17, 2009)

Pre-Fire, I ripped a lot of my DVDs to my computer & then converted them to .avi format using FairUseWizard so that I could put them on my netbook. Haven't gotten around to figuring out whether I can take those .avi files and convert them to Fire format either using Handbrake and/or FairUse.
Just been lazy/busy.
But I've read lots about DVD Catalyst & am glad to hear from Betsy that it works so smoothly. I'll explore whether I have to re-rip or can use the .avi files I already have.
And I plan on checking out the other 2 links/products others have posted here. 
And then think about either a Wi-Drive or the Seagate GoFlex Satellite Mobile Wireless Storage (pricier but lots more storage space)


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

CegAbq said:


> Pre-Fire, I ripped a lot of my DVDs to my computer & then converted them to .avi format using FairUseWizard so that I could put them on my netbook. Haven't gotten around to figuring out whether I can take those .avi files and convert them to Fire format either using Handbrake and/or FairUse.
> Just been lazy/busy.
> But I've read lots about DVD Catalyst & am glad to hear from Betsy that it works so smoothly. I'll explore whether I have to re-rip or can use the .avi files I already have.
> And I plan on checking out the other 2 links/products others have posted here.
> And then think about either a Wi-Drive or the Seagate GoFlex Satellite Mobile Wireless Storage (pricier but lots more storage space)


If you already have avi files, I think Moboplayer should work well for you,,,

Betsy


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## CegAbq (Mar 17, 2009)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> If you already have avi files, I think Moboplayer should work well for you,,,
> 
> Betsy


Sure did!    

It was just a little tricky trying to figure out how to exit the app once I was ready to pause & leave. 
But, moboplayer works great playing my avi files! Thanks foreverjuly for that post.


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## Shastastan (Oct 28, 2009)

This is a great thread, THANKS!!  For our trip, I had purchased a movie and the 1st season of 24.  Had I known about being able to put your dvds on, I would have done a few of those instead and saved a few bucks.  Like Betsy, I don't mind spending a few bucks for software that gets the job done for me.  

Stan


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## Eliza Baum (Jul 16, 2011)

Thanks for the info on Movie Gallery. I hadn't gotten around to looking for something that would show the names of the movie I loaded, and now you've saved me the trouble!


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Bear in mind that the Fire won't hold very many user added movies and I've read that they need to be smaller than 2 GB.

Glad that the thread has been useful.  We had some threads about this early on, but none lately since folks gained experience.  Hopefully we'll add tools and tips as they become known.

Betsy


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## Shastastan (Oct 28, 2009)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> Bear in mind that the Fire won't hold very many user added movies and I've read that they need to be smaller than 2 GB.
> 
> Glad that the thread has been useful. We had some threads about this early on, but none lately since folks gained experience. Hopefully we'll add tools and tips as they become known.
> 
> Betsy


Might be nice to have some how to "stickies" in the Tips section for some of this type of procedural/algorithm stuff. I think this would be a help to our most excellent moderators to refer the repeating-type of questions. Just sayin......

Stan


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Well, we do have a Fire FAQ at the top of this forum.   The movie tips are more appropriate to a thread, as with new software coming out all the time, it's a moving target.

Thanks for the kind words.  We try!

Betsy


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## Shastastan (Oct 28, 2009)

Thanks to Betsy, I found this link that explains a lot re "how to":

http://www.tools4movies.com/2011/11/how-dvd-mkv-avi-etc-amazon-kindle-fire-fullscreen/

Maybe not......I followed all the instructions and got 1 of my dvds onto the Fire. It's an older movie, 782mb, starring Spencer Tracy. The aspect ration came out at 4:3. It's in portrait on the Fire using between 1/4 & 1/3rd of the screen. Compare this to a movie that I bought from Amazon that uses most of the screen in landscape. It was an interesting experiment, but the results are just too small for me to watch. I should note that I don't have a smartphone to watch movies on either. FWIW

Okay, it does go to landscape, but you have to put it there before the movie starts. I guess you can make some adjustment of the "black bars" if you go to "power user mode". I'll have to try that when I have time to "convert" a movie which takes about 40 minutes for the one I did, "Broken Lance." Note that the purchased one goes to landscape automatically and uses more of the screen.

Stan


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Older movies are probably not going to be at the same width to height ratio as today's movies.  You'll likely have some black space on the sides.  This happened on Top Hat, too.

Betsy


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## Cyanide5000 (Aug 30, 2010)

Would it not just play movies like normal? and auto correct the width/height problems? never watched a movie on mine tho so i wouldnt know


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## Shastastan (Oct 28, 2009)

I'm going to take this one off and try a newer flick.  I think these procedures are good especially if you have bought a lot of dvd's.

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk


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