Storage/Data Redundancy Options

[ugahairydawgs]

I'm in the process now of ripping my DVD collection using the method in the sticky at the top of the forum. I have not yet purchased anything really for my HTPC setup and want to try and do it right, even if it takes me a while to get there. I'm currently renting an apartment, so projection screens and seating aren't anywhere near a priority. I'm pretty sure that a Mac Mini will be the way I go for the PC, but I wanted to get the storage setup first so I can just use my MBP in the meantime.

Obviously ripping a DVD collection (around 150 or so, plus another 25 or 30 DVD TV series sets) is going to take a while and that is fine, but I want to make sure the data is secure so that if, a year from now, a hard drive fails I'm not SOL. An IT friend of mine suggested a Drobo setup, which seems pretty cool. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001CZ9ZEE/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

The reviews aren't over the moon for that box, but not terrible either. What does everyone here use? Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

 

[blevins321]

Mac Mini is definitely the way to go . I love my current setup of Mac Mini + Plex + Synology NAS. Take a look at the thread HERE. And my review the Synology DS411j HERE. Edit: Drobo is very slow. My 2nd Gen S couldn't maintain a constant stream of HD; even over FW800.

 

[Che Castro]

Ripping 150 DVD's wow thats a lot,dont you want bluray quality thou ?

Im still mad i wasted time burning DVD's years ago , there all collecting dust now

 

[ugahairydawgs]

dont you want bluray quality thou ?

Not enough to buy the BluRay replacement for all of those DVDs.

 

[mstrze]

Not enough to buy the BluRay replacement for all of those DVDs.

Plus the quality of encodes from Handbrake is pretty darn good. Not BR quality of course, but it's certainly reasonable from a DVD source.

My ATV encodes actually look better than the output from my 10yo DVD player.

My set-up, is a Mac Mini feeding an ATV. I have all of my iTunes library on an external hooked up via USB 2.0 to the Mini in the other room, wirelessly connected to the ATV2. I use Time Machine to back up both the internal Mini drive and the iTunes external.

I know this differs from your goal, but it's a fantastic setup. Especially if you are not looking to play back any foreign file types, just the results of that stickied procedure.

 

[itickings]

Obviously ripping a DVD collection (around 150 or so, plus another 25 or 30 DVD TV series sets) is going to take a while and that is fine, but I want to make sure the data is secure so that if, a year from now, a hard drive fails I'm not SOL. An IT friend of mine suggested a Drobo setup, which seems pretty cool. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001CZ9ZEE/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

How much space do you actually need? And do you need easy expansion in the future? Less complicated is better than more complicated. In fact, if your ripped discs will fit on a single drive, I wouldn't even bother with RAID. Just get another drive for offline backup and be done with it.

If you need more capacity than a single drive will provide, things are getting more complicated. I know that the Drobo sounds very cool in theory, I was in fact even considering it a while ago but skipped it. It is as far as I know using a closed proprietary format for the drives, and from the amount of people with problems appear to be quite unreliable. That is NOT a good combination in my opinion.

In my case I went with unRAID instead. The downside is that it needs a computer, and the upside that drives of different sizes can be mixed (and added) just like the Drobo, one drive can fail without affecting stored data and multiple drive failures will not affect data on non-failed drives at all. I currently have a mix of drives (2x2TB, 1x1TB, 1x750GB and 1x500GB) for a total of about 4.25 protected TB, and with Plex on the way things are looking really good.

My setup is obviously not ideal for everyone, but you asked what people were using

 

[paduck]

The Mac Mini should be good. You may want to add an external drive for media at some point, but you won't need to do that on Day One. A 1TB external "green" drive ought to be fine.

One nice thing about a Mac Mini is that it sips energy. If 1 watt = $1/year+, then it will save you a lot of money over something that eats more power. Multiple that by five years and the computer goes a long way towards paying for itself.

 

[ddub60]

Media back up

I am (finally) very happy with my set up. My iTunes library is stored on a 3TB external drive with a FW800 hook up. I use Carbon Copy for back ups to a second 3TB drive (USB); this runs daily during the wee morning hours (I save time machine for the internal HD with work documents and pictures where I t care about versions).

For redundancy (or paranoia) I use a couple of older drives for second copies of TV shows, movies, and music. I store the drives in a closet; once a month I hook them up and Carbon Copy updates the content.

 

[techchallenger]

The simplest plan IMO:

Connect iTunes in PC (500GB for example) to external drive (1.5TB for example) - keep your iTunes music, movies, tv there. Connect an additional 2TB external for time machine to back up 500GB PC and 1.5TB external. Stream from PC to AppleTV 2.