How/Where Do You Store Your Physical Media?

[Jason Dunn]

We've done the "show us your workspace" discussion threads, so here's something that's even more appropriate for Digital Media Thoughts: show us how/where you keep your audio CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes, LPs, and whatever else you have that relates to music and video.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/media.JPG"><img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/small-media.jpg" /></a><br /><br />That's my media rack. I bought it several years back from <a href="http://www.boltz.com/">Boltz</a>. They totally rock! As you can see though, I'm running out of space...I think the VHS tapes might be archived to DVD at some point. Now THAT would be a big project! 8O So let's see your stuff - post images in the thread.<br /><br />[As a reminder, you'll need to host the images on your site, or become a <a href="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/subscribe.php">subscriber</a> to get the 10 MB media storage folder]

[David Horn]

Erm. My media storage is a wobbly eight inch tall stack of CDs/DVDs perched on my desk. Boxes? Who needs 'em? I can usually find the disk I'm looking for in about 20 seconds anyway.

The only time I get problems is when the stack falls over...

[Chris Gohlke]

Wow, those Boltz cases are nice! I looked for cases a few years back, but I always worried that when I needed to expand, I would not be able to get more of the same. So, I built my own (actually my dad build them for me, but I painted them :wink: ). I started off with two and got two more a few years back. By my calculations I should be OK for about another year. At least I know I can always get more of the same.



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[Bob12]

No pictures since mine are in several locations. My laser discs are strored on the shelves of three entertainment centers; the DVDs in a set of racks and one of the entertainment center shelves; my CDs in two other racks and a book case; and what few VHS tapes I have are in a separate cabinet.

[that_kid]

Wow Jason nice rack, I'm in the need of a really good & expandable dvd rack. The one I have only holds about 250 dvd's and that's been filled for some years now and I'm ashamed to sayt that I've been stacking the new dvd's in front of the full dvd rack. I'm also out of space with that as the stacked dvd's are six rows high and anymore could bring the whole thing down. As far as cd's go, when I get a cd I rip it to my server then put the cd away in a box and store it. I have a few vhs tapes that like you will be(a few have already) converted to dvd.

[Chris Gohlke]

Question (Jason, I know this probably gets pretty close to the line, so feel free to delete if you think it crosses it):

Jason and that_kid have both mentioned archiving old VHS to DVD. I have wanted to do the same, but some sort of copy guard is preventing me from doing it. I have a Panasonic DVR/DVD Recorder combo and I used my VCR as the input, but it won't let me copy. Homemade VHS tapes are no problem. So, am I missing something? How are you all accomplishing this?

[Felix Torres]

I keep the discs separate from the jewel cases; the disks I have in four CD albums, each good for 220 disks; the boxes in four rubbermaid under-bed storage containers(sealed plastic).
Of course, the actual music resides on the server and the Riot.

The XBOX games and demo disks go in a small 96 disk album and the dvds have their own album.
The whole thing takes about two feet of shelf space on the entertainment center. The only problem is finding the appropriate Jewel case when I loan a disk to a friend. Lately I just stick them in a blank jewel case...

[Neil Enns]

Wow Jason nice rack

Ha! I never thought I'd see *that* in print!

Neil

[Neil Enns]

Like Felix all our CDs are in binders on a shelf. They take up less than six inches of space. A third binder holds all our software CDs (with the product keys written on the front of the CD) and backups. We have very few DVDs so they're just stuffed onto the shelf that holds the TV.

VHS tapes? What are those?

Neil

[that_kid]

LOL, I was wondering about that as I was typing.

Goldkey

I go from my vcr to a sony DAC/ADC, it's basically a firewire unit that has both s-video, composite and stereo audio for both in and out. So far I haven't run into any copy protection, but usually and Jason can edit this if it's going a little to far, there is a piece of metal inside the vhs tape case that causes the macrovision to kick in. It's been said.....that if you remove that strip then you disable the macrovision but I can't confirm nor deny this. Oh I also have a betamax machine which doesn't know what macrovision is so I can run the video from the vcr to the betamax and then to the sony DAC/ADC.

[Jason Dunn]

So, I built my own (actually my dad build them for me, but I painted them :wink: ).

Looks good! Night and compressed in terms of space. Clean and functional.

[Jason Dunn]

Wow Jason nice rack

You know, I can honestly say that's the first time anyone has said that to me. :lol:

I'm in the need of a really good & expandable dvd rack.

The Boltz ones are a bit expensive, but they're very, very good. They're completely modular as well, which I found handy - I started off with two then added on another two a couple of years later.

As far as cd's go, when I get a cd I rip it to my server then put the cd away in a box and store it.

That's what I do, but the CDs stay out in the open because we use them for the cars and the stereo in our living room. I'm actually on the hunt for a network media player for the living room, and for a WMA deck for my car. So we'll see. :-)

[Jason Dunn]

Jason and that_kid have both mentioned archiving old VHS to DVD. I have wanted to do the same, but some sort of copy guard is preventing me from doing it.

Ah yes, good ol' Macrovision. In truth, I haven't yet started to archive commercial VHS tapes to DVD, so I'll run into exactly the same problem. Looks like we'll need something like this:

http://www.icos-tech.com/products/macmaster.html

Once I start the project, perhaps it's something we can work on together and figure it all out. :-)

[Jason Dunn]

Found a cheap one on eBay, bidding on it:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=5719270909&ssPageName=STRK:MEBI:IT

Granted, I suppose I should try and see if I'm really going to have a problem with it before I buy something...but I'm 99% sure I'll have the same Macrovision problem as you did.

[dean_shan]

Goldkey, looks like you have all the Star Trek Episodes. Is this the case?

[Chris Gohlke]

Goldkey, looks like you have all the Star Trek Episodes. Is this the case?

So far, yes, Season One of the original series should be on the way.

[dean_shan]

Goldkey, looks like you have all the Star Trek Episodes. Is this the case?

So far, yes, Season One of the original series should be on the way.

I envy you.

[pradike]

VHS?

LP's?

Perhaps the Smithsonian could help you with storage. My guess is they'd be calling soon anyway. :roll:

[ctmagnus]

Wow Jason nice rack

:rofl:

[Jason Dunn]

VHS? LP's? Perhaps the Smithsonian could help you with storage. My guess is they'd be calling soon anyway. :roll:

Um, did you forget a smiley in there, or did you want me to think you're being rude? :wink:

I don't have any LPs myself, but I know people that do - my younger brother for instance (strange, isn't it?). As for VHS, I still have them from my early movie collecting days, and I see to store them somewhere.

[jayman]

I have spent the last year converting my entire media collection into a digital collection! I sold what was left at a bootsale last weekend.

All my CDs I converted and then sold - due to now using online mp3 stores.
I sold my DVDs as I now use an online membership mailing service.
The pictures and video I take now is all digital - the old pictures I have scanned(these admittedly are in my loft).
My books I gave to charity as I now try to buy easier greener ebooks.

Now everything is on my hard drive and on my PPC, I use an XDA and always have a gig of music, a load of recent cleaned/photoshoped pictures
to show friends and at least 5 ebooks that I have not read with me at all times. I also use Movie Maker and a flash based video camera to record weddings, birthdays etc that I encode fully on the PC and as a specific small file for the XDA, to show those interested as well.

The only problem I have at the moment is that I do not have a digital backup - but a separate hard drive should do this for the pics and video as the rest is all replaceable.

[Jason Dunn]

I have spent the last year converting my entire media collection into a digital collection! I sold what was left at a bootsale last weekend. All my CDs I converted and then sold...

Uh...but if you sell the physical media, what you have in digital format is therefor pirated - you don't own the original any more, you sold it for profit, so what right do you have to keep a digital copy of something you no longer own? :?

[darrylb]

Uh...but if you sell the physical media, what you have in digital format is therefor pirated - you don't own the original any more, you sold it for profit, so what right do you have to keep a digital copy of something you no longer own? :?

Ah, yes, integrity. Where would the industry be without it? :wink:

Seriously though. I agree with Jason. At least the artist got their cut though, but only once, not twice like they should have (one for jayman and one for the bloke he sold the album(s) to).

*Sigh*, when will people do what is right?

Back on topic:

I'd show you mine, but frankly it's not very pretty. My Dad used to manufacture and sell VHS racks. We got one and turned it into a DVD rack, but it's overloaded and looks messy.

[Chris Gohlke]

Seriously though. I agree with Jason. At least the artist got their cut though, but only once, not twice like they should have (one for jayman and one for the bloke he sold the album(s) to).


The problem is the artist only gets paid once regardless. Artists get no payments on secondary sales of their music.

[Jason Dunn]

The problem is the artist only gets paid once regardless. Artists get no payments on secondary sales of their music.

Very true. In fact, I remember hearing a couple of years ago that the RIAA was making moves to try and shut down used music stores, because they weren't making a cut on it... :roll: Thankfully it seems that never went anywhere.

[Chris Gohlke]

It seems the media industry wants to treat music/movies/etc alternatively as a physical product or a lisence, depending on which model best serves their interests. If it is a lisence, then it is their right to restrict me from transferring it to someone else, but then I should be able to get it replaced if I lose or break the physical media. Alternatively if it is a physical product, then if I break it, I have to pay to replace it, but it is my right to do whatever I want with it.

[JR]

Doesn't look like much for over 300 DVD's eh? It's bigger in person. ;)

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[Suhit Gupta]

Doesn't look like much for over 300 DVD's eh? It's bigger in person. ;)

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300? WOW! Must be those boxed sets that make it look like a smaller collection than it actually is?

Suhit

[JR]

Doesn't look like much for over 300 DVD's eh? It's bigger in person. ;)

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300? WOW! Must be those boxed sets that make it look like a smaller collection than it actually is?

Suhit

That's what I thought when I saw the picture. I currently have 333 titles (648 discs). It sure doesn't look like it though. However, if I ever doubt that it's taking up space, I just have to ask my wife. She hates it that her bookshevles only room for one row of books (for now...). :mrgreen: