DVD recorders

[agcatman]

[ QUOTE ]
Well, here's my home setup.

I've got an old laptop that just runs spam filtering software 24/7 and provides a little bit of network storage for the home network for about 80Gb. We also use that to hook up to our receiver in the den to serve media files.

We have a desktop in the office that has a 250Gb external USB 2.0 drive, another 250Gb internal drive and a 200Gb primary drive.

My wife's laptop has about 40Gb and mine has about 60Gb as well and they're all networked.

The desktop and the spam machine are hard wired to the network hub and everything else is 802.11(g) wireless.


Hmm, maybe closer to a terrabyte I guess. A little overestimation!

[/ QUOTE ]

Hehe, well, that's still a lot of storage. Is it all full? Or close? How many gigs of data you got?

Is the spam because of this website? What spam guard are you using?

Do you serve this site yourself? If so, what you got for your server?

What type of internet connection do you use?

I've got Direcway 2-way satellite which is ok for the DL but not to speedy on the UL. And what really sucks is the fact that it is a USB modem. So it can't be plugged into a router or a switch. I've got an 802.11g network too, but I have to use Internet connection sharing on my client computers. Not a big deal because I have WinXP Pro on my laptop, my desktop, my daughter's desktop and the "spare" desktop and WinXP Home on my wife's laptop. I'd hate to think I had to use ICS with Win98 though. Heck, I'd hate to think that I had to use Win98 to network with period! Been there, done that and I'd HATE to have to go back and do it again!

 

[Josh]

yeah, you _can_ write to two pieces of media, and not compress, but why. DVD media is not free yet, but will be eventually to CDR prices I'm sure. The thing is, DVD-9 will not fit on DVD-5 most of the time, without compression. For data backup, who cares. For movie backup, DVD recording will explode in a few months as the dual layer burners go on sale.

Dual layer burners should start out at prices of all the latest and greatest consumer DVD things do. Currently at about $300 for the hardware, and about $3 for a disc. In the end, if you do a lota DVD backups, it will be cheaper, and better to not have to compress or change discs.

The compatibility isn't really an issue if it is just stuff for your personal use. If it works for you, good enough. But if you go to a friend with an old player, or a cheapie model, it may not. DVD- seems to be the most compatible at this point, playing on over 95% of all players ever made, while the + plays on about 85% or so. If a quality dvd player purchased today in a store, chances are 99% or greater both formats will work. It is more important to use software than decide on the format. It would just be nice if there was only one format though. Could you imagine the problems if, for example, when the floppy was starting to get popular, one drive spun clockwise, and one counter? And wrote in formats the other could not deal with. That is about how it is with the - + thing now. I can't believe there is not one standard after a few years, and that users are not upset. It really lies in philips and sony wanting to do their own thing (as sony always does, such as with the memory stick format for their other devices) and now a couple of others going along and adding that in as well.