carrying DVDs

[ganchan]

Anybody carry their DVD collection with them in their van -- or even in a minivan? I was thinking about stuffing my DVDs into one of those big 300-sleeve cases, but I worry that the sleeves might scratch up the discs....

 

[c_hasbeen]

one of my kids keeps all of hers in the case they come in, it takes more room but they are protected.
her thought is better safe than sorry. however I know that cd's never seem to get hurt by riding in a sleve thing on the visor of a car.

 

[ganchan]

Maybe I'll use the "triage" method -- keep the most treasured or irreplaceable DVS in their original cases, and put the less-valued ones into a multi-sleeve case that can be tucked away in a corner.

 

[cyndi]

It broke my heart to part with my vinyl and my CDs (and my books)

I copied my most favorite CDs to my laptop and a thumb drive (not a day goes by that I don't miss at least one of them) and gave everything to a friend. In theory I would have access to them when I was in town. The theory has since been disproved.

Bummer, but it's all part of being free. The weight of the CDs and storage space was just not available. And that was in a Class C.

 

[ganchan]

I digitized all my CDs to MP3 and sold the originals, so I'm in good shape there. (I had no sentimental attachment to the discs themselves.) I'd digitize all my DVDs too, but the process would take forever and consume enormous amounts of drive space.

 

[c_hasbeen]

I am old school, the art work on the albumcovers is something to be looked at while liting to them.

 

[MikeRuth]

Anybody carry their DVD collection with them in their van -- or even in a minivan? I was thinking about stuffing my DVDs into one of those big 300-sleeve cases, but I worry that the sleeves might scratch up the discs....

I have carried CD's and a few DVD's on a soft case that holds up to 250 disc's and they have been in it for close to 14 years now, no problems even with the old crap gold colored Kodak discs. They probably have a 100,000 miles on them now. ]

You'll be fine

 

[Matt71]

I have a rather large DVD collection that I'm not looking forward to dealing with. I also considered the multi-disc cases, but I have over 500 DVDs plus a few series, so we're talking about 600 actual discs. I'd like to transfer them all to a big portable hard drive, but that will likely take forever and a day. Should be able to get them all on a single 3TB hard drive though.

 

[offroad]

There are several tools available to do this. But they take a crazy amount of time. Start to finish of many DVD to playable Mpeg4 file is one hour if lucky. Your time is better spent in patronage to your local library. You can borrow a DVD. But while on the move this might be impossible. You need about five different software tools to make this work. Most are free but one cost $50 one time cost for the software. Do you wish to make this a hobby? It could become one.

 

[SoulRaven]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVD_Shrink

 

[offroad]

DVDSHRINK will not work on many of your DVDs.

 

[offroad]

You can also try DVDdecyrptor which will also not work on all your DVDs.

 

[SoulRaven]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_120%

 

[offroad]

Might work. Test it

 

[MK7]

There are no other options, other than those 200-250 sleeved binders. Lugging 500-1000 DVD's in their cases, inside a van is just plain nuts.

Almost every movie is available for download at 800-900mb for 720p and 900-1200mb for 1080p....in MKV format. That can be like 2600, 2-hour movies per one, 2gb WD external drive that sells for $70/shipped. It's not legal, but hey, neither is Vandwelling in most places. Downloading them takes time though, but I would start by stop buying DVD's.

 

[Matt71]

I did find this monster on Amazon that holds 520 discs

http://amzn.com/B006G4BW2E
Can maybe use it as a foot stool in addition to disc storage.
My big worry is that it's the equivalent to leaving a suitcase full of money in your van.

 

[compassrose]

Bought sleeves (holds 8 per 2sided sleeve). 20 in a 3" slant ring binder from Sams Club. Using a label maker to label each sleeve (so discs get put back in the same location) and I number the pages (a page in notebook one is 1.18). I downloaded a free program called Ant Movie Catalog and I am cataloging the DVDs. Under "Media Label" I put the page the disc is located on so I can find them. Time consuming but I only have movies that I watch over and over. I down load the info and movie cover art/posters from www.imdb.com. Not all my DVDs will get put in the albums. I have a copy of Wizards that is signed by Ralph Bakshi. One of my daughters attended a ComicCon that he was scheduled to be at. So she took my DVD and asked him to sign it (free unlike a lot of them).

http://www.antp.be/software/moviecatalog

 

[akrvbob]

I regularly break laws as a vandweller and don't feel guilty about it all. I live by the simple moral belief to do as little harm as I can and do all the good I can. I believe the moral imperative to stop damaging the planet not only allows me to break those laws, it requires it. We're destroying our grand-children's future for a few more moments of luxury. I consider that deeply immoral and can't obey laws that require me to do it.

On the other hand I never steal movies, books or music. That's another persons hard-work, talent and creativity and that person needs to be rewarded for it as he sees fit.

By stealing his creation, I harm her and make it difficult for them to continue creating. I want to encourage their creativity, not stifle it.

But, we all have to make our own choices in life as to how we will live them and the moral code we follow. I'm not sure "I want it, so I'm taking it" is the best possible moral code.

Bob

 

[LeeRevell]

You could store a lot of CD and DVD disks in paper jackets and place them under the mattress of your couch/bed. Anything flat can go under there.

 

[GrantRobertson]

I have a rather large DVD collection that I'm not looking forward to dealing with. I also considered the multi-disc cases, but I have over 500 DVDs plus a few series, so we're talking about 600 actual discs. I'd like to transfer them all to a big portable hard drive, but that will likely take forever and a day. Should be able to get them all on a single 3TB hard drive though.

Matt,

In the spirit of minimalism, and in the spirit of your recent post on your existential philosophy, I would suggest that you just sell all of your DVDs and be done with them. Are those movies really that important to your future enjoyment of your life? Will sitting up and watching a movie (which you have already watched several times) really be more valuable to you than just going to bed early and then getting up early the next day and hiking out to that perfect photo location with plenty of time to catch the sunrise or the plants and animals just waking up in the morning?

To me, all those DVDs would just be a shackle, chaining my mind to my old life.

Now, music is another matter. But I still wouldn't recommend trying to keep ALL of it. Just keep the stuff that actually means something to you. Remember, the idea is NOT to have a bigger collection than the next guy. It is to have what you need to help you enjoy your life. You can "rip" your CDs to hard disk and it will take up a heck of a lot less space than video, but then you knew that. I use a program called Exact Audio Copy to get the best copy of the audio off of the disk. It takes a little more set up than other programs but it will get cleaner audio than some other programs which don't handle scratches or data loss very well. Then you can sell the CDs as well.

Grant