storing my backed up DVDs

[Sossity Corby]

I recently bought some plastic poly slim profile double capacity CD storage cases for my backed up discs, they are black, they also come in clear, they have little hubs that hold the discs in place. I do notice that if there is alot of pressure against the outsides of the cases, that the 2 discs inside are squeezed against each other. So I will try to avoid too much out side pressure. I find them to work because I can incrementally have them taken off site for storage. I have a CD storage box off site that can be incrementally filled with these poly double cases with my discs in them. I looked at a CD case that had individual slots for putting the discs in, but this would require me keep it at home & to wait until it was full before sending it away for off site storage, & this seemed to defeat the purpose of off site storage. The double cases allow me to get 2 times the amount of storage, 2 per case as opposed to 1 for a standard jewel case, & their slim profile takes up 1/2 the space of a standard jewel case. Are they a good way to store my backed up buckets? which is better? clear poly plastic or black poly plastic? I got black to keep more light away from discs. Would like some input before I completely commit to this system of storage, if I have chosen the right type.

Sossity

[Marc Rochkind]

Sossity--

Wouldn't the cases be in the dark when stored anyway?

Are the written surfaces suspended in air, or are they in contact with another surface?

Here's a great reference if you haven't already seen it: http://www.itl.nist.gov/iad/894.05/docs/CDandDVDCareandHandlingGuide.pdf

--Marc

--Marc

[Sossity Corby]

Sossity--

Wouldn't the cases be in the dark when stored anyway?

Are the written surfaces suspended in air, or are they in contact with another surface?

Here's a great reference if you haven't already seen it: http://www.itl.nist.gov/iad/894.05/docs/CDandDVDCareandHandlingGuide.pdf

--Marc

--Marc

I have 2 DVD-Rs per slim poly case, they face each other, & are very close to each other, & I just write a little bit on the inside hub/ring with special CD/DVD marker by sharpie. The written sides do face each other. I am a bit confused, trouble deciding, I need a system that is very compact, hold a lot of discs in a small space, that will go easily under my mothers desk, & a good protective way for my mom to take discs/transport them in her bag as I incrementally back up, without damage & easily put into the box under her desk without her having to touch/handle the disk in any way. I notice one can get a lot more into a box if the discs are in sleeves, but have read that they scratch the discs, & the paper in some sleeves can attract moisture, & can warp discs over time. CD DVD cases seem to be preferred over sleeves, but then read that the hub ring where the disc sits/snaps in can put too much pressure on the discs hub. Also read that darker colors can attract more heat to the discs so now I wonder if I choose the right color slim poly cases, maybe should have chosen clear. I am in southern California, & it does get fairly hot & humid in the summer, is cooler & dryer in the winter, but my moms office has air conditioning.

So now I am torn between slim double cases or going to sleeves. I saw online an aluminum DJ box that comes with sleeves that hang from edges inside the box like hanging file folders, would this be good? if I choose sleeves, what type would be best? I notice there are many types, paper with a clear plastic window, plastic sleeves, some with felt etc. They also come with & without flaps. There was also a type called Tyvek where they are made of a moisture resistant material. Can one safely keep sleeves with discs upright in a box or is it better that they hang like the ones that come with the aluminum box I saw online?


I found some of the Tyvek sleeves online, I copied & pasted the description;

CD/DVD Dupont White Tyvek Sleeves with 4" Clear Window and Flap (Automated Packaging Grade)

Tyvek is a DuPont registered trademark for a family of tough durable sheet products of high-density polyethylene fibers. It also makes for a simple, protective sleeve for your discs.

The exceptional whiteness of Tyvek?enhances graphic images. Tyvek?cd envelopes have a higher strength-to-weight ratio than paper and other cd sleeve materials. It's not only significantly lighter than paper, it's stronger. Which can be pretty important when you're sending discs by mail. Tyvek?cd sleeves are incredibly water and moisture-resistant, making it just as protective in a hurricane as it is from a coffee spill at the office. Liquids simply run off its smooth surface, keeping the contents perfectly dry. The Tyvek cd sleeves hold 1 CD with a 4" round Mylar window for easy label viewing. Safe for DVD storage too!
Features

    * Weight is lighter than white paper sleeves but the material is stronger than white paper sleeves.
    * Reduced shipping costs while protection is stronger than standard white paper sleeves.
    * Made with genuine Dupont tyvek material.
    * Dupont provides the highest quality tyvek in the world.
    * Tyvek material is a material patented by Dupont.
    * Automated packaging grade quality.
    * Good for both end user customers and large volume replication factories.

Would these be a good archival material to store my DVDs in?

What about card board CD DVD mailer sleeves? would these work for long term storage?



Individual CD/DVD cases are not practical for me as I don't have my own space for storage of them, am having to use my moms office, so it has to be compact.

I read the PDF link about storage but unfortunately I could not read it all; it made my computer freeze up & could not scroll through the pages, I had to shut down & restart my PC. Adobe reader makes my computer run very slow or it freezes it.

thanks so far, I know I have a strange situation, but it is all I have & need to adapt to it.

Sossity

[ScottBuckel]

Sossity -

I purchased, at Target, a larger binder that has about 40 sheets that hold 8 DVDs per sheet (4 on the front and 4 on the back of each sheet).  The binder has a zipper and is about 3 inches thick.  I picked up two of then years ago and store my software CD's and DVD's in one and data in another. This was orginally designed for music CD's, I think they still sell them, but they are not archival.

I have also seen boxes that hold the tyvek sleeves and they work well, they would easily fit into the DJ box, and that sounds like a realy good approach to me.  In fact I back up some of my lab data using a very similar approach.

A friend just bought the following item:  http://www.lightimpressionsdirect.com/item.action?itemGroupId=30 and they really like it.

I hope this helps,

Scott

[Marc Rochkind]

There seems to be a conflict between two requirements:

1. Written surface should not be in contact with anything, and
2. The package should be extremely thin.

I don't know what the answer is, but it seems that if #1 is compromised then the archival properties of a disc are severely reduced.

--Marc

[Sossity Corby]

Sossity -

I purchased, at Target, a larger binder that has about 40 sheets that hold 8 DVDs per sheet (4 on the front and 4 on the back of each sheet).  The binder has a zipper and is about 3 inches thick.  I picked up two of then years ago and store my software CD's and DVD's in one and data in another. This was orginally designed for music CD's, I think they still sell them, but they are not archival.

I have also seen boxes that hold the tyvek sleeves and they work well, they would easily fit into the DJ box, and that sounds like a realy good approach to me.  In fact I back up some of my lab data using a very similar approach.

A friend just bought the following item:  http://www.lightimpressionsdirect.com/item.action?itemGroupId=30 and they really like it.

I hope this helps,

Scott

this looks good for what I need, what type of sleeves are best? paper based ones or plastic? I read about someones bad experience with plastic sleeves sticking to the discs, I think they were storing CD-Rs which I learned have or seem to have a vulnerable surface. What type of sleeve do you thiinks works best in areas with heat & high humidity, as I do not have alot of control over my enviornments, in Southern California, we get moonsoonal moisture coming up from mexico in the summer so it can get humid & hot. In winter it almost goes the opposite, cold & dry at night. Will plastic scratch the discs badly? I notice that

this is where I read the Tyvek sleeves are supposed to be soft & help with this issue. here is a description of them I found online;

CD/DVD Dupont White Tyvek Sleeves with 4" Clear Window and Flap (Automated Packaging Grade)

Tyvek is a DuPont registered trademark for a family of tough durable sheet products of high-density polyethylene fibers. It also makes for a simple, protective sleeve for your discs.

The exceptional whiteness of Tyvek?enhances graphic images. Tyvek?cd envelopes have a higher strength-to-weight ratio than paper and other cd sleeve materials. It's not only significantly lighter than paper, it's stronger. Which can be pretty important when you're sending discs by mail. Tyvek?cd sleeves are incredibly water and moisture-resistant, making it just as protective in a hurricane as it is from a coffee spill at the office. Liquids simply run off its smooth surface, keeping the contents perfectly dry. The Tyvek cd sleeves hold 1 CD with a 4" round Mylar window for easy label viewing. Safe for DVD storage too!
Features

    * Weight is lighter than white paper sleeves but the material is stronger than white paper sleeves.
    * Reduced shipping costs while protection is stronger than standard white paper sleeves.
    * Made with genuine Dupont tyvek material.
    * Dupont provides the highest quality tyvek in the world.
    * Tyvek material is a material patented by Dupont.
    * Automated packaging grade quality.
    * Good for both end user customers and large volume replication factories.

do you know if the material of the Tyvek sleeves is archival? or would I be better off with the plastic polypropylene sleeves that come with the box from light impressions? are sleeves better if they are hanging like file folders? or are they ok just sitting upright in a box? does it make a huge difference if they are hanging like files or sitting upright in a box?  are felt sleeves safe for discs? the ones that have a sort of soft surface, I have read that these scratch.

thanks for the input, I think I may go with sleeves for storage, it allows me to get alot in a small amount of space.

Sossity

[markpirozzi]

If we are looking at the same item, 75 sleeves are provided. They hang from a "rail" on each side of the box. You can store 150 CDs/DVDs per box.

Mark

[Sossity Corby]

I have settled on using sleeves & a box for my discs, which would be better? polypropylene plastic sleeves or Tyvek sleeves? does it matter much? I read Tyvek is soft & there is less risk of scratches than with plastic & paper. Have read about plastic sticking to the disc surfaces. for my situation, which might be better? I will be giving these discs to my mom to carry in her bag to work to place in the box under her desk, as I backup/burn my buckets to disc, this will be my off site back up storage set up for now.

Thanks for the input so far

Sossity