Poll: Going Digital

[Esotera]

Due to a lack of space and getting fed up with the weight of all my books, I've finally decided to sell most of my collection & replace it with e-books instead. So I thought I'd make a thread about how much you've embraced new technology that lets you store massive amounts of information in relatively little space, and also allows some reminiscing about old collections. You don't necessarily have to post about books - it could be about transferring from Xbox games to a steam library, or CDs to itunes.

Anyway my story: I have somewhere in the range of 100 books in my collection, and when I move out permanently I will have nowhere to put them and no means to transport them as I don't drive. Therefore I've listed them on amazon and will sell them off gradually over the year, replacing the ones I care about with digital copies. Including university textbooks I should be keeping around 20 books as they currently have no digital editions. It feels a bit weird but I suppose in the same way that I've got rid of all my CDs by ripping them, and substituted the Xbox for Steam, it's just the next logical step.

As for an overall aim, I just want more space & have way too much stuff as it is. I guess I'm aiming to reduce the number of material possessions I have to the point where I could carry them all in a couple of bags. As I don't plan on ever getting a car, weight is pretty essential.

Anyway, your turn!

 

[Elementary - Dear Watson]

I have over 500 Dvds... and I still buy more. Until there is a robust, legal way for me to copy this collection to digital, that can be accessed from a piece of hardware, and can be watched on as many devices as I want, then I will stick with my DVD's.

Just on the off chance though, is there a way of legally backing up DVDs, to, say, a server that I can plug into my TV and keep the resolution that I get from my upscaling DVD player and my 3D Blu-ray player? And keep the high quality surround sound?

 

[OneCatch]

I've had to start going digital with books because there's no room in my flat for the veritable library I have at the family home (and as much as the luddite in me was reluctant to change, an e-reader is easier).
I still back all my ebook purchases up though.

Music I have on CD - even stuff I buy digitally I back up, just because iTunes has a history of screwing people over when it comes to purchases.

Games are a bit of both. I'll get physical if I can, but if it's a lot cheaper on Steam, or requires Steam authorisation anyway, I'll just download it. Since I rarely buy games anywhere near new, my Steam collection is a lot bigger than my physical one (though a lot of that is smaller games like Sanctum, Deadlight, Antichamber, Universal Sandbox)

With Steam you can always re-download anyway, so even if my computer exploded I'd always have access to the games I've bought there.

EDIT: Films and TV boxsets are all physical as well - I'm not gonna spend a few hundred quid on huge hard drives to back them all up digitally!

 

[dementis]

I stopped buying DVDs a while back, I'll usually purchase the digital version of a film so I can watch it on multiple devices (not at the same time).

With books I'll buy the series I've been reading for years in physical form (Hard back if it was anything from the "Legend of Drizzt" series) and I'll buy newer books from a series I want to check out on kindle as it's cheaper and I haven't wasted time and paper in buying it if I don't enjoy it.

Games are almost fully digital as I mostly buy through steam, the odd action game is bought for the 360 and I play a few classics on the PS2 when the mood strikes me.

 

[Aris Khandr]

I have not purchased a physical book, movie, or game in a year and a half. I have purchased albums, but only when Amazon is selling the CD and the digital copy together for less than the digital alone. And in all of those cases, I have handed off the CD as soon as it arrived. I have kept a few physical books, most notably my copy of The Last Unicorn signed by Peter. Everything else is on a server from Amazon, iTunes, or Steam.

 

[Albino Boo]

I have over 500 Dvds... and I still buy more. Until there is a robust, legal way for me to copy this collection to digital, that can be accessed from a piece of hardware, and can be watched on as many devices as I want, then I will stick with my DVD's.

Just on the off chance though, is there a way of legally backing up DVDs, to, say, a server that I can plug into my TV and keep the resolution that I get from my upscaling DVD player and my 3D Blu-ray player? And keep the high quality surround sound?

There is the Kaleidescape cinema one system that can store up to 600 DVD-quality or 100 Blu-ray and you can buy an additional storage unit for even more space. The down side is the cost, at over £3000 for the basic unit and the same again for more storage, it ain't cheap. You will have to get the ground crew chap to work out how to mount a BMW on the hardpoints on your typhoon to bring it back from Germany. Smuggle one or two in and the profits will pay for it easily.

 

[Boris Goodenough]

I have over 500 Dvds... and I still buy more. Until there is a robust, legal way for me to copy this collection to digital, that can be accessed from a piece of hardware, and can be watched on as many devices as I want, then I will stick with my DVD's.

Just on the off chance though, is there a way of legally backing up DVDs, to, say, a server that I can plug into my TV and keep the resolution that I get from my upscaling DVD player and my 3D Blu-ray player? And keep the high quality surround sound?

http://www.dvdfab.com/blu-ray-ripper.htm

There is this, but I haven't tried on different screens, just on my computer. It keeps the sound format.

 

[Elementary - Dear Watson]

There is the Kaleidescape cinema one system that can store up to 600 DVD-quality or 100 Blu-ray and you can buy an additional storage unit for even more space. The down side is the cost, at over £3000 for the basic unit and the same again for more storage, it ain't cheap. You will have to get the ground crew chap to work out how to mount a BMW on the hardpoints on your typhoon to bring it back from Germany. Smuggle one or two in and the profits will pay for it easily.

http://www.dvdfab.com/blu-ray-ripper.htm

There is this, but I haven't tried on different screens, just on my computer. It keeps the sound format.

Cheers guys! I have to admit, it's not something I have looked into massively... just something I haven't seen yet! But from your suggestions I will look into it more seriously!

And Albino... I may have to use a C-17! Fit hundreds more in that!!

 

[Boris Goodenough]

http://www.dvdfab.com/blu-ray-ripper.htm

There is this, but I haven't tried on different screens, just on my computer. It keeps the sound format.

Cheers guys! I have to admit, it's not something I have looked into massively... just something I haven't seen yet! But from your suggestions I will look into it more seriously!

And Albino... I may have to use a C-17! Fit hundreds more in that!!

I would just like to "warn" you about Bly-ray ripping, it can MAX go 12 MB/s, so it will take some time to rip ~25 GB

 

[Elementary - Dear Watson]

http://www.dvdfab.com/blu-ray-ripper.htm

There is this, but I haven't tried on different screens, just on my computer. It keeps the sound format.

Cheers guys! I have to admit, it's not something I have looked into massively... just something I haven't seen yet! But from your suggestions I will look into it more seriously!

And Albino... I may have to use a C-17! Fit hundreds more in that!!

I would just like to "warn" you about Bly-ray ripping, it can MAX go 12 MB/s, so it will take some time to rip ~25 GB

I feel a VERY long term project approaching!

I did the same with all my music onto iTunes a couple of years ago... It took me all the evenings over a course of 3 months! This will be MONTHS longer! :S

 

[Angie7F]

I have one basket full of magazines and novels but recently everything is online and digital for me.
i am about to throw out all that is rest of my hard copues and will be totally digital soon.
Saves so much time and also keep my house dust free

 

[Lionsfan]

Called me old fashioned, but I just prefer physical to digital for books, movies, and games.

I don't own anything for E-books, I don't have a lap-top so portable movies can't happen, and I don't trust game companies not to somehow screw me over in the future

 

[shrekfan246]

I don't care about the space, I don't care about how much easier it could keep things to clean and organize, I'm not going to get rid of my physical collections of anything. Granted, I generally don't buy movies anyway as I don't watch them all that often and my father or best friend purchase ones I'd potentially be interested in, but my video game collection isn't insignificant and I've lately been building up a book collection as well.

An E-Reader just isn't the same as a good old thick book in your hands, flipping the pages and enjoying not having some luminescent light glaring in your face. Also not having to care about keeping it charged just so you can read something.

It's only through practical necessity that my PC gaming collection is mostly digital, because there's hardly anywhere in my local area to find PC games any longer. I don't have the internet connection or hard drive space to house a massive collection of games that are all 20+ GB in size, and at the moment I don't have the money to upgrade. As far as console games go, I've made my opinion on that very transparent over the past few months. Suffice to say, the day that I can no longer purchase physical copies for my consoles that work completely disconnected from the internet is the day that I no longer play console video games.

 

[Comocat]

As someone who has moved about once a year for the last 10 years, I certainly love e-formats. I haven't gone fully digital with games or movies yet because I typically don't live in places that have bandwidth to make those avenues feasible. I primarily buy all my books in e-format now though. It's awesome having my library every where I go.

 

[SerBrittanicus]

My games are mostly digital now with most being brought on Steam, but I usually get disc versions if I get a console game (although buying console games is very rare for me).

Music is and has been for a very long time all digital for me with most of it coming from Amazon download.

Books on the other hand will never be digital for me - I don't like E-readers and much prefer the feel of a physical book in my hand, as well as to have my library on display. However the size of my book library (approaching 1000 books now) can be problematic due to its sheer size and weight.

 

[IndomitableSam]

Most games I buy the digital format of these days, if available. I don't buy music at all, very few movies, so that doesn't count... I love my real books. Not to say I don't do audio or ebooks, I have some of those, too. But I still buy hard copies of pretty much all books. I'm surrounded by books all day at work, but have them at home, too. I've got a couple shelves filled with books and boxes packed away until I can afford more. I don't feel the need to display them, just have easy access. I'm kind of afraid a few have gone missing in moves over the last few years, but I'm sure there are just boxes in places I haven't thought to look.

 

[wings012]

Games I don't mind owning digitally since in the end, its a product enjoyed on a digital device. That can't be enjoyed any other way for those who might quip that print media can be enjoyed digitally.

As far as books/comics are concerned, I rather much prefer having the paper version in my hands to flip. And I collect figures so space was never really a thing for me.

And its nice to have media in a form that doesn't fight for screen space.

 

[an annoyed writer]

I'm not all digital. I have a truck with lots of space and a tow package, so moving my stuff isn't a problem. I only get digital when it's the only option available, so I have most of my game collection and film collection sitting on my shelf. Music is the only place where I'm mostly digital, as most of the music I listen to doesn't come on a widely-available CD. All of it is backed up though. I also collect figures and props, so I always make sure I have the space to work with.

 

[Wintermute_v1legacy]

Games I don't mind owning digitally since in the end, its a product enjoyed on a digital device.

That's my opinion aswell. I don't mind having a digital library when it comes to games or music.

Movies and books on the other hand, I like to feel that I actually HAVE them. As in, they're right there, I'm looking at them. Books in particular, because I love to feel the paper, the smell of a new book, the cool little details of a fancy cover, etc, etc.

I guess I'm kind of old fashioned. I don't feel the need to be constantly surrounded by gadgets and computers, my cell phone is kind of shit, I don't own an iPad/Kindle/whatever, I always carry pen and paper in case I have to write anything down/make any notes. When I'm out, I prefer to leave my computer/internet behind for a little while.

 

[SquidVicious]

For the most part, although there are still a few things I like to have physical copies of but I'm far beyond the point of thinking I need a physical copy of everything. CDs were the first to go and now my mp3 player and computer for music listening, making the occasionally backup CD for the car in case my mp3 player's battery drains. Between Netflix, Amazon, HuluPlus, and Amazon Instant Video I can find most of the movies and TV shows I want to watch, but I do make the occasionally exception to this rule if I find a DVD that's consider a cult classic or just really hard to find. I've mostly moved over to ebooks with the exception of RPG books because it's easier to have a physical copy if you need to quickly find a rule, although I do have PDFs of everything as well and have keep copies on my tablet.