INTERACT FORUM
Devices => PC's and Other Hardware => Topic started by: benn600 on January 28, 2008, 12:23:35 am
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So we're finally trying to clean up a bit. With the quality and extras of our instant access DVD system (based on MC), I don't have much incentive to convert VHS to DVD because it really destroys the complete and consistent behavior of all DVD rips that we use now. We have approximately 700 VHS movies and I'm really trying to figure out what to do with them. Are they supposed to go in the garbage? I really dislike filling the landfill. Or I wonder if places would pay a few cents per tape? We have well over 100 of them purchased on DVD already and I have compiled a list of most of them so at least I know what we *had* and can potentially buy the DVD if needed later. If I made some money on the tapes, I could probably buy replacement DVDs for the important ones with little out of pocket expense (I usually buy used). The quality improvement is enough of a reason to justify the upgrade and I don't plan on recreating the entire collection by any means.
It's finally that point where we have so much stuff we have to start seriously cleaning up and downsizing. Our basement is packed beyond imagination with everything imaginable. As I have spent some time with my uncle lately, helping them with upgrades and shopping around (color laser printer thread, lol) he has been telling me his newly created philosophy on gadgets and stuff. There comes a point where it isn't worth keeping everything. Just because this older stereo receiver originally cost several hundred/thousand dollars just a few years ago used to tempt him to keep it for another area of the house. Open space is worth so much, too! So I guess downsizing our stuff footprint would be great. It's a big challenge dealing with so much stuff...especially because there is some stuff that we sorta gotta keep--such as 5 very large boxes of photos (that I'm scanning in) and another 2 boxes of VHS and other tapes (already converted to DVD but probably will keep). And I'm in the process of finding a good home (recycling or whatever) for 5 old computers, some CRTs, set top boxes (DVD, VCR, Tape, Reel to Reel (lol), etc...) So lately we've been asking everyone we know if they want this stuff. It's really a desperate attempt to get the basement clean once and for all! When we cleaned one room for our theater, it meant the other two rooms and hall got piled even more. We're long over due for a good cleaning! And our computer room is overstuffed with old equipment.
And wow it's a ton of work dealing with this stuff! We had an ancient 41" projection TV down there we finally got someone to haul away. Projectors are so nice and compact!
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I'm told their a real fire hazzard due to the chemicals used to make the tape.
You could have a massive and probably very colourful bonfire with them :)
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Donated them the a local kids hospital along with a $50 VHS player.
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Some of those VHS movies might not be available yet on DVD so you may want to check before you make a decision. I also have a bunch of VHS tapes but most of those are from camcorder/TV footage so I'll be forced to convert to DVD. And I know there's one movie that I can't get on DVD either.
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I'm shocked as I look through our DVD collection at how many we did replace on DVD. Am I crazy in saying that DVD is more reliable and long-term than VHS? Because it is digital it seems like it's a gigantic leap beyond VHS and to some extent, we won't have to worry about replacing them on Blu-Ray, correct? I mean they could re-release them in HD format but it probably isn't a big concern at all. I know for me the key is MC integration so having them in digital format means I can quickly add them to our digital library. Converting a VHS would be horrible! We're talking 3+ hours to record/digitize the movie plus another 3+ hours to encode it and then it won't even look worthwhile! The more I compare the more horrible VHS look! No surround, fuzzy picture (lower-res), defects as they age, fading colors, etc. I'd rather have a pure library than a tainted one with some less than perfect DVD quality movies.
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2 years ago I sold many for $3 each, but really it was closer to $1 each when someone would come over with $20 to spend. We'd start talking about movies and I'd recommend a film so heartily I'd just throw it in with the rest. The ones I didn't sell I gave away along with my unused blank tape as anyone could just record over a movie they didn't want to keep.
I had nowhere near 700 though...
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"looks like I'm going to have to buy the White Album again.........."
Agent K, MiB
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What did everyone do with their VHS tapes?
Setting Next To My Elcaset
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Seeing your latest thread, I'm wondering if soon you'll be asking "What did everyone do with their failed hard drives?"
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Seeing your latest thread, I'm wondering if soon you'll be asking "What did everyone do with their failed hard drives?"
;D
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More like: my failed hard drives that still work! Let me guess...there are people on this forum who would graciously take 500GB "*failed*" drives off my hands, right?
I'm not gonna make that mistake. Getting 16 drives was expensive enough as it is. I can't be replacing a drive every month or two.
Happy to report it rebuilt back to full redundancy. Yep, using a drive that had previously FAILED.
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More like: my failed hard drives that still work! Let me guess...there are people on this forum who would graciously take 500GB "*failed*" drives off my hands, right?
I'm not gonna make that mistake. Getting 16 drives was expensive enough as it is. I can't be replacing a drive every month or two.
Happy to report it rebuilt back to full redundancy. Yep, using a drive that had previously FAILED.
That's why I like unRAID - can add drives at any time without rebuilding the whole array. That was I cna add drives as I need them... which means they usually drop in price before I need another.
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Right: but what if you are at capacity of 16 drives? Can you add drives repeatedly *forever*? Obviously there is some limit. It wasn't much of a stretch to get 16 to start and I knew it wouldn't last forever. I'm already down to a measly 1.5TB free. Yikes!
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Right: but what if you are at capacity of 16 drives? Can you add drives repeatedly *forever*? Obviously there is some limit. It wasn't much of a stretch to get 16 to start and I knew it wouldn't last forever. I'm already down to a measly 1.5TB free. Yikes!
You got me there. I'd probably just build a second server when I got to 16 drives.
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True. My goal is to build a 24 drive system. Obviously I'm quite a ways off, though. The longer I wait the lower prices will go! Plus, I could theoretically use 750 or 1TB drives to use fewer drives saving power and expensive card/case/psu requirements. I read about someone who had around 14TB on another forum.
I still absolutely like having a single drive of several terabytes. It simplifies things so much. I never have to move data between drives. Plus, I get redundancy on the entire data array for only a terabyte lost space where I would lose much more with 4 smaller drives...and probably wouldn't even have redundancy then. Plus, it's neat seeing the capcaity in the drive properties window that says 6.xx TB. Too bad it doesn't just display a nice 7.00TB!
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unRAID does the same thing- you can create a single, huge share. Currently, up to 15 TB can be used for storage if you use a 1 TB drive as parity for the 16th drive. I'm only going to be using 1 TB and 750 GB drives for my server. I do have smaller drives I coulduse, but as you said, the power usage isn't really worth it. Also, don't forget the extra heat per gigabyte from using multiple smaller drives when a larger one could be used.
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Yep, more power = more heat, bigger requirements on case, bigger requirements on raid card, etc. Oh, and it increases the failure rate...although huge drives have higher failure rates, too. Wonder which has the least failure rate of the two combinations?
I'd HIGHLY suggest RAID6. After some things I've read and even my own personal experience, I would never consider RAID5 for anything above 10 drives (maybe even fewer).