Time to stop using DVD:s

Since I already have my music on a computer using CD:s pretty much only as a way to purchase DRM free digital music and for backup purposes I've been thinking about doing the same for video. When we couldn't watch a DVD the other day because of a faulty disc I decided that it was time to take the plunge.

The price and sizes of hard disks have been somewhat prohibitive before, but now a 500G Seagate FreeAgent USB drive was only 950 SEK (~150 USD). I can store about 100 DVD:s for a cost of 10 SEK per DVD. The only thing that's left now is the tedious process of ripping all a selection of my DVD:s.

I'm using the free DVDFab HD decrypter to rip the entire DVD, and then DVD Shrink to remove all unnecessary stuff (extra material, foreign language tracks, FBI warnings, etc.). In the end I have a ripped copy that is instantaneously available, without annoying ads and warnings. As an added bonus I don't need AnyDVD to slow down my DVD drive in order to keep it quiet.

An introduced inconvenience is that the first time I want to watch a movie I first need to rip it and wait 30 minutes for the process to finish before I can watch it. But for me its definitely worth it.

On a side note I got a 250 GB MyBook exactly a year ago for 50 SEK more, proving Kryder right.