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Build a Cheap Media-Reading PC?

tsm_sf writes "A recent Slashdot article got me thinking about dead and dying media. I'd like to build a cheap PC with the goal of being able to read as many old formats as possible. Size and power consumption would be design considerations; priority of media formats would be primary. How would you approach such a project?"

3 of 255 comments (clear)

  1. Re:cant resist by Noroimusha · · Score: 0, Redundant

    a tyme masheen

    That ride sucks !

    mod him up!!! extremely funny

  2. Convert by V!NCENT · · Score: 0, Redundant

    First off all... why do you want a PC that can read all old media? Yes I know it's cool and "because you can" and all that, but old media like disk storage won't be readable in the future (magnetic loss, etc).

    So maybe it is because you want your data to be readable in the future? Then just hook everything up to you 'normal' PC and start converting to newer formats.

    What I do is that I make backups on the regular by burning data to DVD's and exchanging my data between my computers. This way my data never gets lost. I also only backup/archive that which is actually important to me. That way my home folder get's more and more 'stuffed' but 1TB storage costs about $150/â110 these days. It's a fucking joke... My backups (School map, music, save games, pictures and some movies (none include porn because downloading porn is so 2001) now takes up 3 DVD's. That's about 2 fscking dollars so who cares?

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  3. Re:USB adapters by Metaphorically · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Okay, get me an adapter for my Amiga 3 1/2" drive and another one for my Commodore 1571 5.25" floppy drive.

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