DVD writer : mac or PC ?

[LordOpie]

I have both computers and need to archive.

Any reason to choose a burner for one platform over another?

[Silver]

No such thing. The software you'll use is different, but a DVD writer is a DVD writer.

[binary visions]

Yeppers. Same hardware connections.

If you want something that's portable between the two systems, buy a USB or FireWire drive.

[corey_freerider]

I borrowed an older Mac desktop for video editing and it had a built in DVD burner but would only burn the Apple brand DVD's (I think) I tryed some other brand but they just wouldn't work. Probably just my bad luck and crappy DVD's

[binary visions]

If you only tried one brand, it was probably just that DVD player and that brand that wouldn't work together.

I don't recall Apple ever branding any DVDs.

[Transcend]

Apple does indeed sell nice white branded cds with a big silver apple on them. They cost a mint and are just plain CDS with a sweet logo.

[corey_freerider]

Yep thats what mine looked like. I'm sure I was trying some other crappy DVD's though too that wouldn't work. It's happend to me before with regular CD-R's

[narlus]

Apple does indeed sell nice white branded cds with a big silver apple on them. They cost a mint and are just plain CDS with a sweet logo.

sounds nothing like their normal business practices. :rofl:

[LordOpie]

since y'all revived this thread...

I know this sounds silly, but DVD capacity just isn't enough. I have 80Gb of current data to backup, but still be accessible and as I produce more work, I'll need to archive.

My new plan is to go with two 300+Gb external drives, rotate them for archiving nd daily backups... I'll keep one at home and swap them every week.

Of course, I'll eventually run out of room.

Thoughts?

Should I ask my boss for a DVD jukebox (expensive, I believe) or just keep buying bigger and bigger HDs? (saw a terrabyte drive :drool:)

[syadasti]

Should I ask my boss for a DVD jukebox (expensive, I believe) or just keep buying bigger and bigger HDs? (saw a terrabyte drive :drool:)

Get a RAID 5 consumer data vault (or even better - build your own with older PC) - there are quite a few on the market now. Most external HDDs aren't too durable thats why they only have a 1 year warranty.

[LordOpie]

RAID 5? SOunds expensive? As for using another computer, you mean like a server? While I do have several older PCs and Macs laying dormant, it'd be a pain to swap them out each week -- need to keep a live backup off site.

EDIT: while I'm not certain what a "RAID 5 consumer data vault" is, RAID sounds fast, speed isn't necessary since I'll be backing up overnight.

[binary visions]

RAID isn't necessarily for speed, it's also for redundancy.

I wouldn't bother. Do what you said: two drives, rotate them for backups. Burn to dual layer DVD all your most critical things.

[syadasti]

RAID 5? SOunds expensive? As for using another computer, you mean like a server? While I do have several older PCs and Macs laying dormant, it'd be a pain to swap them out each week -- need to keep a live backup off site.

EDIT: while I'm not certain what a "RAID 5 consumer data vault" is, RAID sounds fast, speed isn't necessary since I'll be backing up overnight.

NAS for the consumer.

Here is do it yourself NAS article (
http://www.tomsnetworking.com/2006/08/01/cheap_fast_diy_raid_5_nas/).

Here is another do it yourself NAS article (
http://www.tomsnetworking.com/2006/08/08/diy_nas_smackdown/).

If you don't have any spare parts around, its probably around $700+ for either solution brand new.

You could also get an LTO 100/200 GB or VXA 160/320GB tape drive for about $700 brand new (or cheaper on eBay used) if this is meant for off site storage.

HDDs don't hold up in regular backup rotation if it requires moving it around much (i.e. off-site). Thats why they haven't been adopted in widespread commercial backup use vs. tape.

[narlus]

since y'all revived this thread...

I know this sounds silly, but DVD capacity just isn't enough. I have 80Gb of current data to backup, but still be accessible and as I produce more work, I'll need to archive.

My new plan is to go with two 300+Gb external drives, rotate them for archiving nd daily backups... I'll keep one at home and swap them every week.

Of course, I'll eventually run out of room.

Thoughts?

Should I ask my boss for a DVD jukebox (expensive, I believe) or just keep buying bigger and bigger HDs? (saw a terrabyte drive :drool:)

80 GB? that's it? and it's too much for DVD? that's not even 20 single layer DVDs...

man, i've got over 150 DVDs burned as backups of data. it's not that big a deal, you just have to keep on it.