No, you don’t need a 700-disc DVD changer. You need some time, some patience, some software, and about two hundred to three hundred bucks. But once you’re done, you’ll have a DVD library you can stream anywhere.

First and foremost: this is technically illegal under the Digital Millenium Copyright Act, but realistically speaking, nobody is going to care as long as you don’t start sharing your collection on the Internet.

What You Need:

- A Windows PC with a DVD or Blu-Ray drive: ripping DVDs in bulk on any other platform is a pain in the ass.

- A network-attached storage drive, at least two terabytes in size. This is basically a hard drive that plugs into your wireless router. This has two advantages: it means not storing your rips on your computer’s hard drive, and it means you can access your DVDs anywhere, even on the road; most NAS devices have web logins.

- MakeMKV: It’s simple and it’s free while in beta (and it’s unlikely to ever leave beta). This turns your DVD into a file that can be encoded by…

- Handbrake. Handbrake is what will turn the raw video ripped off your discs into a viewable file.

- A lot of time: unless you have no job or a tiny DVD collection, this isn’t going to take an afternoon.

What To Do

Install Your NAS: this is as simple as plugging it into your router and the wall. Fiddle with the settings if necessary; most of them come with everything you need preinstalled, and will autoconfigure to play back information on your PS3, XBox 360, or Roku. Take the time to lock it down with a password; if people are stealing your WiFi, they can also steal your movies, and that can have legal implications.

Pick a Disc to Rip and Run MakeMKV: basically, you’ll pop in the disc, and it will show you all the content on the disc: trailers, special features, and the movie itself. As a rule? The movie is the one with the longest run time. Rip that: it will take the full file and put it on your hard drive. Remember, save it somewhere you can actually find it.

Apply Handbrake: Next, open that MKV file in Handbrake. Handbrake has a lot of options, so, here’s the simplest:

- Keep the resolution as native to the file unless you have a huge TV, then consider upscaling to 720p.
- Set the video codec to H.264
- Set the audio to either PCM, AC3, or DTS Passthru (format will be automatically chosen by Handbrake)
- Under the video tab, choose Constant Quality and set the slider to an RF of 18 or so. If you want, rip a short item like a movie trailer and play with a few settings to see what you like.

Move It To Your NAS and Stream It: Just check to make sure the first few minutes are running without problems, and you’re done.

Rinse and repeat until done. And now you can watch your movies anywhere. Yes, even the airplane. Isn’t technology wonderful.

On Tuesday May 4th, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment will release IRON MAN: THE COMPLETE 1994 ANIMATED TELEVISION SERIES and X-MEN: Vol. 5 on DVD! And we have three sets of each to give away to you, our loyal reader!

Nick Fury, War Machine, Scarlet Witch, Spider Woman, Hawkeye, Whiplash, and of course, Iron Man, are all here in this 3-disc collector’s edition. While the X-Men 2-disc-set contains the final episode, Graduation Day, with 14 episodes in all. Complete your X-men collection with this must-own final installment of this great animated series.

I know that these DVD’s are going to be greatly enjoyed by our winners because when I showed them to my four year-old son, his reaction was, “This is awesome!” You can’t get a better review than that, folks. I also happened to “review” them (strictly for educational purposes, of course) and I must concur. These videos are really, really good.

All you have to do to enter is tell us who your all-time favorite superhero is and why (yes, it’s a two-part response – you can do it) in the comments below. On Wednesday, May 5, we’ll select six winners at random to receive these fun and valuable collector’s items. It’s that simple!

To help get you in the mood, here’s a couple of clips from the DVDs…

Sports fans can experience unlimited access to the intensity and immeasurable talent of 2009 NBA Finals MVP Kobe Bryant when ESPN Home Entertainment, in conjunction with Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, present Kobe Doin’ Work. Kobe Doin’ Work brings together legendary New York filmmaker Spike Lee and one of the biggest names in sports today. This ESPN Films presentation takes an unprecedented look at the NBA star and features unlimited access to Bryant before, during and after one of the season’s biggest games leading to the 2007-08 playoffs, the result being a definitive portrait of one of the sport’s greatest athletes.

Lee and cinematographer Matthew Libatique spent the day with the Los Angeles Lakers superstar. Utilizing 30 cameras and wiring Bryant for sound, Lee brings the audience onto the court with Bryant as his Lakers battle the San Antonio Spurs in a game with major playoff implications.

This unique DVD offers an on-camera introduction by director Spike Lee, along with footage of Kobe Bryant during the fourth quarter, his press conference after the game, a Kobe Bryant photo montage, and an E: 60 Behind the Scenes feature.

All you need to do to be entered to win is drop us a comment naming your five all-time Los Angeles Lakers players. They can be your five favorites or the five you thought were the best. Up to you. Good luck and start Doin’ Work!

The winner will be chosen on Saturday, November 28.

When Tracy Holmes of Belleville sold three DVDs for $10 at her garage sale Aug. 15, she thought she was doing well. She was getting rid of some movies that she and her husband hadn’t watched in a long time and making a little money as well.

About a week later, when her husband, Fred Holmes, asked her what had happened to the DVD of “Sin City,” she suddenly felt sick.

Her husband had been secretly saving up money, at least $1,200 so far, for a Christmas family trip to Disney World in Florida for the couple and their three children, Nick, 11, Trevor, 7, and Isabella, 2.

“He thought apparently (the DVD case) was a great spot to hide it from me, and it was,” Holmes said. “I didn’t think to look there.”

“My kids are pretty upset about the whole thing, and I feel just heartsick,” Tracy Holmes said. “It’s always been a dream of mine to go to Disney World at Christmas.”

Well I know banks are going through problems right now but I hardly think the DVD industry should be considered as an alternative for your savings.

That’s a really heartwrenching story though. You know what else is pretty heartwrenching? I’ve got these five passes to a first-class trip to Disney World and no one to use it on. Say…waitaminute…

*lights fire

I am slightly warmer now! Thanks cavemen for bringing the wonderful gift of fire to us all!