Storing Large files 10gb+ each for long term storage? DVD best option?

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furnaps

furnaps

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Aug 12, 2012
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I am a pretty avid gamer and I like to backup my games. I also Like to record a lot of video of my gameplay for Lets plays or random gameplay videos and alot of these I like to keep around, for memories or as backups in case my edited version I upload to youtube didn't come out so well.

Thing is I am running out of space by doing this.. I'm currently using a 500Gb External HDD, 500Gb Internal HDD and a 2Tb Internal HDD to record footage onto and keep.

I would like to free up space somehow.. I've already used Virtualdub to transcode the files into a smaller format but It doesn't help a whole lot when you have 100's of videos and you cant transcode games :) ..

So I'm trying to come up with options to keep these files without clogging up my HDD's.. The only thing I can come up with is .Rar'ing them up into parts and speed forever burning them to DVD Discs..

Is this the best and Most cost effective solution?

Thanks.
 
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furnaps

furnaps

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Aug 12, 2012
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Hmm I'll check it out Cloud storage never crossed my mind because of the file sizes I am dealing with I would be waiting quite a while to upload them all the time. Just one folder of videos from one game is over 100Mb transcoded. and Raw can get over 500mb ( But I would of course be transcoding first).. I would probably need about 2Tb of storage rite now to move what I have.

Also I've been wondering about NAS storage also but I'm affraid of HDD's failing. Honestly I do not know much about storage even though I have built quite a few computers and consider myself pretty tech savvy as far as storage goes I usually only ever had to pop a HDD in my PC and set it up as Raid 0 or w/e I wanted.

HDD prices are getting cheaper but I would need to learn some things about NAS and any alternatives.

 
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furnaps

furnaps

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Aug 12, 2012
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For under 10Tb of storage what would be my best bet? A Raid Enclosure, NAS, or External HDD bay? I'm not a rich person and this is only for personal use so I really can't do anything fancy. External HDD"S are great but You don't have the expandability with them.

Edit: Or a small server..

EDIT: Ok asfter looking up Raid enclosures and NAS systems I simply Can't afford that route..Hell most of them were $700+ Without any drives..I'm starting to think I would be better off taking an old junk PC and throwing as many HDD's as I could into it and use it as a server..
 
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furnaps

furnaps

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Thinking about it even more If I could get a SSD for my main HDD, and get rid of some of my 500GB HDD"S and replace them with 2TB HDD's My PC's HDD bay would have ALOT more room..
 
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Recycled

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Oct 31, 2013
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1. DVDs are not good.
DVDs will cost more to burn that it would cost to buy hard disks.
DVDs do not have a long shelf life. You are better off with USB hard disks for durability.

2. Cloud storage is not good.
Cloud storage can disappear without notice. (Check the TOS and EULA.)
Cloud storage should be assumed to be snooped by everyone and their K-9.
Cloud storage depends on Your internet connection, which is an unknown (to me.) I'm talking about upload, not download. A 12Mb/s line may only upload at 768Kb/s, which turns into 40KB/s. (b=bit, B=byte)

3. USB hard disks are Your answer for backup.'

4. Google keeps 3 copies of everything. You should do the same. I have lost one disk to a drive failure, then cloned on of my backups the wrong way, and needed the third copy...once out of a library that spans about a dozen hard disks over 10 years.)

--Andy
 
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Kuru42

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I agree that cloud storage is problematic for all the reasons above. I've read that flash based storage degrades, in some cases faster than DVD. Having a bunch of external hard drives concerns me because you are relying on a magnetic field remaining stable and at the same time the electronics and mechanics have to hold up as well. As much as I like raid, it is good for availability, but is not a true backup solution; it offers no protection from fire or intentional sabotage. From what I've read about "archival grade" DVD's, I don't trust them.

I did find something called M-Disc. It seems that these discs can be read my standard DVD drives, but they require a special DVD writer. I think the DVD's run about three dollars each. I just wanted to ask if anyone has any experience or knowledge of the viability of these. Maybe something independent from what m-disc.com has to say.
 
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Recycled

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Kuru42, I've keep a multi-TB library (of mostly ebooks and MP3 audio books) for many years now. I have pulled out (maybe 6) backup hard disks after 3+ years of storage, and all have worked so far. LTS (Long Term Storage) specs say you should spin up the HD once a year or the lube on the spindle could drain to the bottom and cause it to gaul and seize eventually. I've never experienced this problem.

I've recently added 12TB (6x2GB) hard disks of videos (mostly old sci-fi) which are plugged into a pair of HD Media Players. I've got it backed up off site (at a friend's house.) Zero problems with the video library so far.

About a year ago, I built myself a setup to rip our old family movies on VHS to MP4s, so I could hand them out to family members as Christmas gifts. I built a DVD burner to duplicate the discs. (I should have spent the money on a bunch of USB hard disks.) I burned CDs, DVD+Rs, DVD-Rs, DLs, and M Discs.

M Discs are harder and slower to burn than are regular DVDs. You often get defective burns that ruin discs, even though they were warrantied the last time I checked.

M Discs were only available as DVDs (4.5GB) the last time I checked, but BluRay 25GB discs have been "coming" for a very long time. They could be vaporware? (I just checked their web site. They claim the 25GB discs went into production in June, 2013 but I can not find them for sale anywhere.)

Having used 4.5GB M Discs, the ONLY thing I can say good about them is that they are supposed to have been tested by the DOD.

I erred once and took a large box of burned DVDs (backups of install discs) to my storage unit. I figured it was a mistake and picked them up the next day. Half those DVDs were ruined after (just) 24 hours in 100 degree + temperatures, high humidity (in as much as humidity got inside the Sterilite box they were in) and from bouncing around on the 1-hour round trip. I will NEVER trust my data to optical discs again!

USB hard disks are the best way to go. Nothing else comes close.

--Andy
 
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