How Do You Store Your CDs?

lxs asks: "Let's face it, CDs are a pain. They are a great way to store your data, but when you have hundreds, or even thousands of CDRs and not much physical space, storage becomes a problem. With the advent of DVD+/-Rs DVD-RAM and Blu-ray this problem will not go away, since we all will collect thousends of those in the coming years. Jewel cases take up too much space; CD folders are better, but still wasteful (and expensive); and spindles are great, but you can't find anything. I've toyed with the idea of buying paper CD envelopes, and fill up a couple of old-fashioned 5 1/4" floppy cases with CDs (those were efficient: 200+ floppies in a plastic shoebox!), but there may be a better solution out there. So, Slashdot: how do you store your CDs?"

Comments

Great Question

[mark*workfire]

I can get a 200+ jukebox CD player for my home stereo. Why can't I buy the equivalent for my PC? Daisy-chaining a couple of those together would be a perfect solution for me.

Re:Great Question

[arb]

You mean something like this?

Re:Great Question

[walt-sjc]

Yeah, great except for the fact that it's about 7 times more expensive than a 120G hard drive that holds over 200 CD's, takes much more space, more power, and is slower than snail shit. This is that reason that jukeboxes are all but dead in the computer arena.

The question was about storing CD's, not accessing them. I keep frequently used CD's on a hard disk that I don't backup (since I can recover from originals farily easily.) For storing, I got huge packs of paper sleeves for the CD's and store them in a modified old dresser that looked nice. Basically I built new heavy duty drawer boxes out of 3/4" cabinet grade plywood for the sides, 1/2" plywood for the bottom, and heavy-duty full extension drawer slides. I put the original drawer front on the box so it looks nice.

I get about 1000 CD's in a drawer that way, which is fucking heavy - so it needs the modified drawers. I also put in some front-to-back dividers to keep things neat. I use tag-board dividers to label sections so I can find things easily.

You can also find commercial heavy duty steel units with the right sized drawers from most major office supply companies, but they cost >$1,000.

cataloging...

[greywire]

perhaps more importantly, how do you catalog what's on those disks? Is there some easy to use software for cataloging disks?

Re:cataloging...

[cowbutt]

$ cat /usr/local/doc/cdcontents/cmdline
cd /mnt/cdrom ; find * -printf "%s\t %AH:%AM:%AS %Ac %p\n" | gzip -9 >/usr/local/doc/cdcontents/cdnnn.txt.gz ; cd /usr/local/doc/cdcontents/ ; umount /mnt/cdrom ; eject

Then scribble nnn on the CD's hub, and maybe a few of the more salient contents if I'm feeling enthusiastic.

I then zgrep /usr/local/doc/cdcontents/* for when I'm looking for files. I use descriptive paths and filenames.

--

Face down on my desk.

[Lazyhound]

Unlabeled, too.

You can start applauding my organisational skills any time now, folks.

Re:Face down on my desk.

[NeuroKoan]

Wow, you put them on a desk!?! Never woulda thought of that. I usually just toss 'em in the corner.

Spindle

[funkhauser]

I got into this very bad habit of storing rarely-used CDs on a large CD-R spindle. It's terribly inefficient. Don't do it. I think that paper envelopes, labeled, and stored as you suggested is a fantastic idea... ahh, yet another project for my summer break. :)

storage? we don't need no stinkin storage

[gnudutch]

I regularly record TV shows with EyeTV. I archive the files to mirrored hard drives, then burn them for viewing on TV. (I have TV-out, but the standalone DVD player looks and sounds better) After I'm done with the CDs I give them away or use them for drink coasters.

I don't trust CDR for long term storage. We don't know the long term properties of CDR dye, CD's get lost or scratched, I've even bought a 30-pack of Maxell CDR's that had a topside nick in every disc on the same location. CDR will forever be temporary storage to me.

IF you're storing SVCDs, DVDs and the like

[The_Laughing_God]

IF you're storing SVCDs, DVDs and the like, you might want to seriously consider the Sony DVP CX860/875 (and related series. They can store up to 301 DVDs (for example) in a box that looks like thick DVD player, and costs under $300

Downsides: cost (under $1/disc) is a bit more than printing CD/case labels and using jewel boxes. Some of the earlier models weren't compatible with all formats (though I know more happy users who can play their CD-R SVCDs and MP3s than unhappy ones who can't, Sony makes no promises - take some representative samples of your collection to the store to test the one you want to buy) Some of the models, at least, have a limited menu system (e.g. limited flexibility of folder/genre and playlist structure, limited title length, only 16 tracks per CD may show up in the menu)

Upsides: extremely compact storage for 301 audio or video disks. You can't beat the convenience for a DVD or VCD collection: just point and pick with the included remote. It has a quality DVD and audio player built in, which I consider a big freebie. The on-screen disc selection is great, if you buy a model whose menu system suits you; and they are daisy chainable, so if you need to store another 300 disc is a couple of years, you can tack on a second unit (which will probably cost half as much by then) instead of buying a completely new, larger, unit.

In short: research the models carefully on the web before buying (some have drawbacks that may bug you) but I know many happy users, and am currently in the market for one myself.

Lateral file with Case Logic CD Pages

[tm2b]

Oy, tell me about it.

I have roughly 1500 CDs. I've ripped them all to an external 160 GB firewire disk (with another one for backup), so I want to store them in compact a way as possible.

What I do is go buy those CD folders, in as large a size as possible. I cut them open (much cheaper than buy loose pages in packs), take the pages, fill them with CDs by band, and then file them in a lateral file cabinet which also functions as my printer & scanner stand.

I can get them at any time, and it's still reasonably compact. In fact, right now I'm in the middle of reripping from 256 KBps mp3s to 160 Kbps AACs, so having them arranged this way works pretty well.

I then spool music to several near-silent computers in the house over Ethernet. In this case, the whole thing is using Macs and iTunes, but it's just as feasible to do it all with x86 boxes - my first rev used an OpenBSD server spooling through icecast.

Keep CDs dry.

[Futurepower(R)]

Big issue: Keep CDs in low humidity. I would like to buy little packages of silica gel dehumidifiers, but I don't know where to get them.

I've had CDs develop fungus, and become completely useless. Low humidity prevents this.

Re:Keep CDs dry.

[ewhenn]

Fungus??

You're not supposed to rub them between your feet!

Watch out for that paper

[CtrlPhreak]

Paper holders in the style of old floppy cases sounds like a great idea (much better than my current shove it back on the spindle system) but you've got to be careful. Being the resourceful (cheap) student that I am, I took at one time to folding up a sheet of paper outa my printer around a cd for safe transport from place to place. After extended periods of time in these sleeves my cdrs began to develop little opaque spots all over the surface and eventually became unuseable. I came to realize that the paper was acidic like all non specialty type and that this was destroying the surface of my cds. So anyway this is my expierience with paper + cds. Now I could be wrong I never really checked into it all that much, and somebody correct me if I am, but I avoid using the paper I have lying around for cds, you probubly need to check out the acidic content of the paper you're gonna use. Floppy cases may not fly because you've got that protective cover on them keeping the actual media away, while on a cd there is no such protection, and the paper will be right in contact with them. So yeah I need a new system going for me too, hopefully someone here will have somewhat of an ingenious idea I can *ahem* borrow.

Cheers,
Ctrlphreak

Re:Watch out for that paper

[adolf]

Acid? From paper? Attacking polycarbonate (see also: "safety glasses") discs? Hilarious.

Here's what really happened:

Surface of CD rests against abrasive paper. They rub together a little bit in transit. When this happens, the paper roughens areas on the CD, like fine sandpaper. No chemistry needed.

Next time, try tyvek sleeves. They cost insignificantly more money, resist tearing extremely well, and don't have such abrasive qualities as paper sleeves.

Meanwhile, you can restore playability to your CDs. Try automotive carnuba wax, Brasso, or peanut butter - whichever you happen to have handy.

discsox

[balamw]

I ultimately settled on DiscSox DJ sleeves in an IKEA shelf for my Audio CD collection (~650 CDs), but I use CaseLogic folders/spindles for most of my data discs. (Stuff I need to find in the folders, spindles for archival stuff.)

The discsox DJ sleeves are great 'cause they can hold all the inserts from the jewel box, and the DJ insert tabs allow for quick scanning of the sleeves' contents.

The DiscSox aren't cheap at about $0.50/sleeve, but they hold up better than paper. There are many other sleeves like this on the market, but the discsox hold up better in my experience.

Balam

plumbing insulation

[redwood2]

you know those long foam tubes you can get at the hardware to insulate pipes from freezing?

take a couple of those and stick them on the vertical surfaces of your cave (table legs,shelf edges and stuff) grab the trusty old x-acto and cut yourself some horizontal slits about an inch apart and presto! every narrow vertical surface is cd storage at hand.

plus, if you drink too much beer and fall over, you don't have to worry about hitting your head!

Not so good...

[BrokenHalo]

I considered spindles for a while, and agree they can be convenient and cheap. I've seen quite a few CDs stored thus with nice circular scratches, though, resulting presumably from small particles of dust or whatever becoming trapped between them. Probably not good if integrity of data is important to you.

What I Do .

[jantheman]

1. Number CDs in YYMMDD-char(base 36) format (I'm unlikely to burn > 36 a day)
2. Get an empty CD can
3. put in the oldest 10/20 CDs in chron' order.
4. put a bit on platic sheet - size of a cd + a 1/2" x 1" tab - threaded onto the spindle, and write on the tab the number of the cd it's sitting on.
5. repeat steps 4 & 5 till can is full.
6. lock it up & label the can case.

when you open the can, the tabs spring out.

(Do I need to explain the rest?)
job done

(oh yes - a little spreadsheet too : cd number,subject type (e.g mp3,pdf,app),extra info (e.g. for albums- artist,album,#tracks,bps,vbr/cbr....))

Re:VCDJ

[jpsst34]

Though this doessn't solve the issue of physical CD storage, it is an elegant solution to gain access to all of your CD data at any time without needing to locate the CD.

Build a Virtual CD Jukebox.

WOW DO YOU LIVE IN A STUDIO APARTMENT?

[Alpha27]

How many CDs do you really have???

You make CDs sound like VHS tapes. I current store my CDs in loose leaf binders, with CD sleeves. For example, I have a 2" thick binder, with 16 pages, with each page holding 8 CDs; it can hold up to 128 CDs, not including the booklets that may come with the CDs. I like the CD sleeves, and they aren't expensive if you know how to shop. If you go and buy the premade CD books, that will cost you money. If you get a loose leaf binder, and the sleeves, you will save 50% or more off the price of the premade books.

I'll put it to you this way. DVDs are a better solution, but I don't like their current prices; I'll wait till they come down to the cost of CDs.

What you need to do is.... House cleaning for CDs. That's right, you need to clean your room. Sorry to sound like your maternal one, but it's the honest truth. I have CDs i know I can throw out. When will you ever play that first version of *insert_first_iteration_of_computer_game_here* again? Sometimes, you just have to throw it out.

I have old computer books collecting dust. My book collection is a bit heavy considering. I have books double-stacled in bookshelves through out the house.

You could spend the time putting all the data to DVDs or Harddrives, or just deal with it and clean up your collection.

*now speaking in a motherly voice*
Now stop asking slashdot questions, and go to bed, you have work tomorrow. And brush your teeth, I can smell the cheetos.

Here are some places to buy silica gel

[vaxer]

http://www.preservesmart.com/products.htm

http://www.jakesmp.com/CSD_Silica_Gel/CSD_Silica _0 01_M.html

Dewey Decimal

[Anonymous Coward]

This is going to sound quite a bit weird, but where i have them in jewel cases in boxes, or where i have them loose separated by sleeves, I tab them by dewey decimal. (i used to be a library aide.) So when i'm looking for my literature it's under literature by type, fiction by author, and when i want pictures of friends they are under biography.

I doubt that this would be at all simple for anyone who hadn't been in libraries putting books away for fifteen years of their life, but there you go. I also try to keep a relavent catalogue with cross-indexing, but... didn't i mention i'm crazy?

Upside down is wrong, people

[slaker]

If you're someone who stores CDs label-side down on a desk, you're doing it wrong. The label side is much closer and has much less polycarbonate between it and the reflective coating that you REALLY don't want to have scratched. CD Players are designed to read through scratches on the data side of the disc. There's no coping mechanism for damage to the reflective coating.

My methods for organizing 3200 audio CDs/DVDs: 3 400 disc CD changers, 3 300 disc DVD changers. The contents of each changer are indexed in a plaintext file and a searchable web db. That takes care of about 2/3s of my storage needs, and since all these units have a display and a PS/2 port, it makes labelling simple.

I like jewel cases, so I keep my cases in them. I got a local cabinetmaker to build me some nice 7' tall shelves to store cases. They're simple, pine construction, but he put on oak trim. They look nice, and keep my collection visible. The overflow is kept in $10 3' bookcases I got from Kmart. I organize cases alphabetically.

For data discs, I just throw everything in 200-CD binders. Those sit on the bookshelves in my computer room. I have a couple for games, a couple for drivers, one for OSes and apps, and about 10 for my prodigious collection of pr0n.

I store my CDs and DVDs

[Triumph The Insult C]

on kazaa. it's really quite useful.