DVD storage
 

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Whats devices are out there to store a DVD collection to at the moment have approx 400 dvd and want some space back

Cheers

You thought about digitizing your DVD collection?

Ripping them to your computer (you'll need plenty space mind you), and have one of the multitude of digital TV media centers (e.g. Apple TV, amongst others) play the content when you want it?

Put the DVD's in a box in the garage/basement/storage.

If that's not your speed google '400 DVD Jukebox'

Thats what I done with my DVDS, have them all stored on an external hard drive that I can watch at anytime while the cases and CDs are up in the attic out of the way.

Storage shouldn't be a hot place. Attic / loft storage may be a bad idea in the summer. Ditto garages / sheds. The key words are cool dry.

Are these pressed DVDs or did you record them yourself? "Some" DVD drives and software allow one to get an idea of how the errors are doing. This could allow you to copy the content before the error rate became too bad for the reading correction algorithm. Sorry, but I can't point you at specific drives or software. I see Plexstor in a hazy recollection.

seacue

We're talking about 4 - 4.5 gigs per dvd I reckon? Prolly more efficient use of storage to rip them to mpeg or avi format no? 90 Minute dvd = 4gb, 90 minute avi file = around 700mbs. Depends what you want to do really. I see that Wd have released a 2tb hard drive, should be nice & roomy in one of those fellas.

Seacue,

I live in Scotland, there is no such thing as a hot day here! :ok::} Although a good point.

How about using a 1tb external hard drive that should store a fair amount of dvd's uncompressed now whats the best way to get the picture to the TV otherside of room or up to bedrooms ?

Cheers

Jxc

For most of my DVDs, I dumped the plastic cases, and keep them in a CD-type binder. Only a few specially-packaged DVDs deserve keeping the boxes. I wish distributors would start using more compact environmentally-friendly paper packaging.

Imation has (or had, it seems to be discontinued) a very cheap (in some markets) storage unit that is stackable called the Disc Stakka. 100 DVDs per unit, powered via the USB cable. I seem to remember it was designed by an Australian company.

I see there's a Dacal Powerdrive which stores 100 discs per unit, and includes a reader/writer in each unit. Stackable to 5 units, extendable to 127 units. Like the old Imation product, it creates a database entry when you stick in a disc it's not seen before.

I looked up on this after the initial post, and sony has some 400 dvd/cd juke boxes that can be chained.

Personally, I have a netgear nas, that is not only network storage, but can act as a streaming server compatible with many appliances that can the display on your TV.

If you do go the digital route, I would suggest a NAS that does RAID 5 (so if you loose a disk, or need to grow, you can do it pretty straightforward without loosing your data). -- actually, I have 2 - a primary and one I replicate too so I dont have to go through the effort of restoring from physical if it went t1ts up... At one stage I did this between two locations, but then I'm messed up ;-)

The brands I use above are not endorsements, just what I either saw first or decided, at the time, to use myself. I would spend time looking around first before making any new purchases....

The nice thing about NAS('s), is that they can act as backup devices for your computers and other digital media too..

I'd wonder about any solution which involves copying hundreds of DVDs to hard disk.

I have hundreds of VHS HiFi music tapes and I can't bring myself to spend the months required to copy them to HD or CD. Using a spare PC might make it practical.

On this note, as I'm thinking of ripping my DVD collection to my NAs, anyone got any good suggestions for a DVD ripper?

DVD Decrypter, if you can still find it, or its successor ImgBurn. The former could ignore CSS. Various products by Slysoft would also be of interest. Their legality might depend on your jurisdiction. ImbBurn is legit everywhere. All small, cheap, useful software.

Seacue - copying tapes is pretty slow, in real time. DVDs will rip in relatively short time.

I've just ripped all my (purchased) DVDs for ease/storage/portability on det etc using a mixture of handbrake, an ImToo product and mactheripper. In ipod format (mp4), at a resolution that is full screen on TV, they are about 1Gb per hour.

I've been burning my DVD collection to a set of 1Tb hard drives about 200 movies per drive and play them through a Western Digital Media player (WD TV HD).
I use DVD Fab to burn them, averages about 10-15 minutes per movie at full quality.
It does help having the spare PC though, just set it running everytime you pass by the office. A couple of weeks had about 300 movies done. Quick and easy just another 100+ to go!

Jimmy

Are you shrinking the size of the file or keeping them original is there any loss of quality if shrinking and then watching on a 46" lcd ?

Cheers

I'm keeping them at original quality. I'm a little bit anal when it comes to picture and sound quality and knew I'd not be happy if I compressed them hence only getting about 200 saved in 1 Tb. I did only rip the movie off the disc though, if I want to access all the menus and extra features I'll dig the disc out of the attic.

My Hi def collection will remain as optical discs.

One movie I did have to compress was Lord of the Rings, it seems that the limit on DVD Fab is either the 5Gb or 9Gb max size, so when I combined the two discs of the extended version it maxed out at 9Gb which turned out to be 85% compression per movie. Watching the movie it has very slight black crush otherwise it looks pretty good. I'm going to re burn it and join with a different program. My wife and friends didn't notice the reduced quality.

I'm watching them on a 42" LCD with HDMi connections through a 7.1 amp.

In short if you spot picture discrepancies when watching hi def media the quality loss will annoy you, if you don't it's fine.