Can someone go through the pros/cons of the different package formats?
.iso vs .mkv?
.iso/.mkv vs VIDEO_TS folders?
.iso/.mkv/video_ts vs mp4?
Thanks
ISO vs MKV: ISO is an image of an entire disk; it’s well-suited to DVDs that have MULTIPLE titles on them. MKVs are preferred for SINGLE titles.
VIDEO_TS: I don’t see any good thing about them. They’re just a folder-full of stuff that could better be kept in the original as ISO.
MP4 can be troublesome on the WD products; but they’re necessary if you want to use them on iPods or iPads…
An .iso of a DVD will allow you to have full menu support, while a .mkv recode of the same DVD can support subtitles and languages and chapters, but will not have menus. On the other hand, a well-made .mkv can be considerably smaller than the .iso image. So, between the two, the choice is between having menus, or having smaller files (and the time it takes to create them).
Having the DVD ripped as a VIDEO_TS folder full of .VOB’s should be the same as having it ripped as an .iso. It should have about the same size, and it will support menus. However, under the latest firmwares, many people are reporting issues with .vob files playing back poorly. Since it takes the same time to decrypt to .iso as it does to decrypt to VIDEO_TS, unless you’lre lucky like me and not affected by the new firmware’s issues, you’re probably better staying with .iso.
The .mp4 container has always caused many people problems. It’s certainly nowhere near as functional on the WDTV boxes as .mkv is. Subtitles and audio support seems to be lacking. And the playback of video has been problematic for many.
If you want small sizes, you’re best off going with a well-made .mkv. The WDTV boxes seem to love .mkv files, even though it takes a bit of time to encode the files.
If you are unconcerned about size and time, and/or want menu support, you’re best to go with .iso, at the minute.
And again Tony types faster than me 
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I like RG’s answer better! :)
Thanks for the responses!!! How about streaming an .iso vs. .mkv over a wireless/wired network? If the video is of the same quality (no compression) will one stream better than the other on a WDTV? Right now, it seems like .iso is the answer for me, with a compressed .mp4 version if I ever want to play on my ipod/ipad.
I personally hate DVD/BD menus. Typically, I want to get from A->Play as soon as possible. This is why I go with MKV’s stripped down to just english sub-titles and the main track.
This might be due to my horrible network config, but after re-converting all my mp4/iso files into simple uncompressed MKV’s – I very rarely have anymore problems with choppy/stalled playback or unsynced audio. You could also re-encode your “source” mkv’s into smaller files for playback on portable devices. Handbrake does a great job with re-encoding MKV files. I do this frequently to make movies for an android phone.
What software do people use to make .mkv files?
If you’re making a compressed .mkv, then most people use Handbrake. (And most people use the “High Profile” preset, but change the output to .mkv instead of .mp4)
I believe, for just ripping the DVD to .mkv, without compressing it at all, most people use MakeMKV.
Oh, and to answer your other question… the same stream should stream the exact same over your network, regardless of what container it was in.
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Con: MKVs with internal idx/sub are hardly readable.
Techflaws wrote:
Con: MKVs with internal idx/sub are hardly readable.
And:
Con: MKVs with external idx/sub stutters if size greater than approx. 2.5GB/hour 
[This is a problem with HD rips]
Cocovanna
Hmmm. My Avatar Rip (5 Gig/hour) doesn’t stutter… It has the main title, 4 audio tracks, and two subtitle tracks (bot VobSub)
