I'm an avid collector who has amassed a collection of 1,600 DVDs/blu-rays and counting, and I just bought a house where I'll finally have a room exclusively for my library.
Only thing is, my old, crumbling particle board shelves were tossed in the move and now I've got nothing to hold my precious collection and an extremely limited budget. I'd love to construct built-ins with beautiful cherry wood or something but why do that when I can spend that money on more DVDs? :)
So I was wondering what some of you other folks do for a cost-effective way of storing your collections? Suggestions, comments and ideas welcome.
riotinmyskull
11-03-09, 11:18 AM
track shelving...
http://i38.tinypic.com/2mw8ao5.jpg
Mister Peepers
11-03-09, 01:24 PM
Cheapest is to do your own shelving. Particle board stuff ends up being more expensive.
milo bloom
11-03-09, 05:02 PM
We just bought four of these, with two extra shelves for each
your budget can`t be that limited if you have 1600 movies :D
well, then again might be the reason why its suddenly limited :)
dkedvd
11-03-09, 06:33 PM
Yea, really the cheapest way to go is to build your own. Before i went out and bought shelves I had built my own. Wood is pretty cheep at places like Home Dept. It worked out great. But I moved and hadn't built the shelves in a way they could travel so sadly had to tear them down.
darkhawk
11-03-09, 09:31 PM
If you have alot of dvds, you might also think about using binders.
dkedvd
11-03-09, 09:48 PM
If you have alot of dvds, you might also think about using binders.
NONONONONONO! There is only one proper way to store a DVD and that is in a proper DVD case. Binders are nothing more than DVD scratches. In a proper DVD case the disc "floats" the only parts of the disc that should touch the case is the center and the very tip of the edge.
Hank1215
11-04-09, 09:56 AM
NONONONONONO! There is only one proper way to store a DVD and that is in a proper DVD case. Binders are nothing more than DVD scratches. In a proper DVD case the disc "floats" the only parts of the disc that should touch the case is the center and the very tip of the edge.
If you get good binders this is not a problem. I use Targus binders in a 264 and 320 count. Right now I have about 3600 in the binders, some of which have been in going on four years. I have yet to find scratches caused by the binders. I have a lot more to put in since I have almost 5500 titles on over 7000 discs. At some point there just isn't enough wall space for shelves. I continue to display collectible sets and certain box sets, but when I get a new DVD if I open it and all that is inside is the disc, it goes straight into a binder. I do file away the cover art and any insert into file folders I keep in four banker boxes. The cases go into large plastic bags, then stored in the crawlspace under my house.
Don't be afraid of binders.
andicus
11-04-09, 10:23 AM
I find that the Oskar storage shelves are cheap and effective.
Unfortunately, I need another one and they don't seem to be available in Canada any longer.
RJ MacReady
11-04-09, 02:41 PM
Thanks for the advice, all.
Looks like track shelving/shelf standard is the way to go.
Not interested in binders, the idea is to have it displayed library-style to show it off. :)
And I'm by no means loaded—I'm just a humble newspaper journalist and I've been collecting since '98. Plus DVDs are my only "vice," so to speak. I'd imagine around 500 of my DVDs were obtained on the cheap via Columbia House or Big Lots.
Trevor
11-04-09, 07:36 PM
I'm converting all standard cases over the thin packs.
bi0hzrd51
11-04-09, 08:42 PM
I built my own but with limited space the shelving only holds 700 but that works for me as I dont have even 700 yet lol...
Question on the track shelving. For those of you that use it, how to you keep the dvd's from sliding back/sticking out where the vertical track is? Im liking the looks of them but just worried about them sliding. Also how do you keep them up on the side that isn't leaning against a wall. Thanks in advance.
SpinalGuffman
11-04-09, 11:48 PM
I'm converting all standard cases over the thin packs.Doesn't this wreak havoc with the cover inserts?
milo bloom
11-05-09, 09:49 AM
Doesn't this wreak havoc with the cover inserts?
It's only a few millimeters off each side, usually just blank space. I've run into a few where text or a fairly crucial part of the artwork bleeds into that space and I just end up leaving that alone. The Aqua Teen movie and Cloverfield are two that I can't convert for that reason.
Otherwise, when you pull the case off the shelf, you can see where a little bit of the spine artwork bleeds onto the front and back if it's a different color, but it's the spine on the shelf you're looking at 99% of the time, and most titles are still recognizable. Titles with double stacked text I don't bother with.
Some things I've done that I consider fairly clever: I took the standalone nuBSG miniseries disc, and the miniseries disc from the complete S1 boxset, and I put both in a clear double slim, with the artwork from the standalone disc turned around on the inside so it can be seen when the case is open. Also took the Razor bonus disc and put it in a double slim with the Razor from the S4.0 boxset.
I took my copy of The Ring 2 with the slipcover, put the movie in a slim case and the Walmart bonus disc in a slim case, and now they both fit into the slipcover.
dkedvd
11-05-09, 10:09 AM
It's only a few millimeters off each side
That should have been the end of the typing... The answer is yes! I understand needing room but any "solution" that leads to the destruction of the DVD or artwork is sacrilege.
I wish someone would create a DVD thin case that is 1/4inch wider (or whatever the exact measurement is) so that standard artwork could be inserted without having to cut or bend. This person would make a fortune off me alone. I would gladly buy a case per DVD I own to convert.
Trevor
11-05-09, 10:19 AM
Doesn't this wreak havoc with the cover inserts?
Pretty much what Milo said.
Converting a 14mm standard case to a 7mm thin case means that you have to trim or fold 7mm.
99% of the time, you lose nothing important, although one could argue that nothing on the cover art is important, really.
And surprisingly, the spines stay completely readable, although there are a few that I haven't converted because the spine font was so large.
Trevor
11-05-09, 10:28 AM
That should have been the end of the typing... The answer is yes! I understand needing room but any "solution" that leads to the destruction of the DVD or artwork is sacrilege.
I wish someone would create a DVD thin case that is 1/4inch wider (or whatever the exact measurement is) so that standard artwork could be inserted without having to cut or bend. This person would make a fortune off me alone. I would gladly buy a case per DVD I own to convert.
#1 - Your (our) opinion is valid, but you do realize it is extreme, right? Valuing a few millimeters of black space on the sides of a piece of paper is pretty silly. Actually, many throw away the entire case and artwork. After all, the movie is the whole point, right?
#2 - You don't have to destroy anything to convert to a thin case. You simply fold the useless edges of the cover art over.
dkedvd
11-05-09, 11:27 AM
#1 - Your (our) opinion is valid, but you do realize it is extreme, right? Valuing a few millimeters of black space on the sides of a piece of paper is pretty silly. Actually, many throw away the entire case and artwork. After all, the movie is the whole point, right?
As a COLLECTOR my point is not extreme, it is correct. Though if you are just someone with a lot of DVDs then sure destroy away, DVDs probably mean nothing to you.
#2 - You don't have to destroy anything to convert to a thin case. You simply fold the useless edges of the cover art over.
Folding is destroying.
Trevor
11-05-09, 11:40 AM
As a COLLECTOR my point is not extreme, it is correct. Though if you are just someone with a lot of DVDs then sure destroy away, DVDs probably mean nothing to you.
Folding is destroying.
DVDs mean nothing to someone who doesn't care about the blank edges of the cover art? Seriously? Lots of people throw away inserts, cover art, even the entire case and just keep the DVDs. I would never accuse them of being incorrect or less of a fan than a meticulous collector like myself.
I hold similar positions to you, but am willing to admit that they are extreme.
jjcool
11-05-09, 11:53 AM
I'm converting all standard cases over the thin packs.
This. Cuts down on the collections footprint dramatically.
I thought about binders for a little bit, but I ahd a bad experience with them years ago, and I couldnt bring myself to risk scratching all my dvds, so I went with the conversion, and couldnt be happier with the results.
Kent2000
11-05-09, 12:47 PM
On a similar note, does anyone know of local stores that sell 2-disc slim cases, or is ordering online the only option?
dkedvd
11-05-09, 12:54 PM
On a similar note, does anyone know of local stores that sell 2-disc slim cases, or is ordering online the only option?
I get mine from Staples. They are very good quality.
SPIDERone
11-05-09, 01:26 PM
If space isn't an issue, check WalMart -
They have the wood racks in black for $19.xx and they hold ~200 discs. I've literally gone through over half a dozen different types and these have held together nicely (I have 4 of them and some other shelves right now).
Atlantic makes some nice, tall metal shelves. The price changes quite a bit. Buy.com has it for $85:
http://www.buy.com/prod/atlantic-maxx-12-multimedia-shelving-steel-atlantic-maxx-12-multimedia/q/loc/111/201645057.html
I've bought one as low as $59 but the 2nd one cost me $129. These are great if you don't have a lot of room. They claim to hold 450DVDs, but I have 500 on one (half blu/half DVD). They're a bit wobbly (and can come crashing), so I suggest securing it to a wall if possible (it includes hardware for this). Probably my favorite type just due to its large (tall) size - I have a lot of the smaller shelves and they just take up so much space as they're short and fat.
dkedvd
11-05-09, 01:59 PM
If space isn't an issue, check WalMart -
They have the wood racks in black for $19.xx and they hold ~200 discs. I've literally gone through over half a dozen different types and these have held together nicely (I have 4 of them and some other shelves right now).
My wife had them back at her parents before we got married and I didn't like them. they were very "wobbly" or so I thought.
dkedvd
11-05-09, 02:02 PM
For those converting to thin packs...
You can download (for free) software called "DVD Cover Gold". You can download a cover off line and the software will automatically size it for a thin pack. That is if you don't want to cut or fold your original artwork. This way you can store the original ceases/artwork in a box in your basement or something.
Mister Peepers
11-05-09, 02:48 PM
For those converting to thin packs...
You can download (for free) software called "DVD Cover Gold". You can download a cover off line and the software will automatically size it for a thin pack. That is if you don't want to cut or fold your original artwork. This way you can store the original ceases/artwork in a box in your basement or something.
Yeah, I was going to suggest just scanning it and then shrinking the width by the desired amount and printing it out.
danwiz
11-05-09, 06:30 PM
You can also download artwork already sized for Thinpak cases at r1db.com. For a long discussion on converting to Thinpak see my thread here:
http://forum.dvdtalk.com/dvd-talk-covers-cases-inserts/552957-how-many-people-converting-their-collection-thinpaks.html. In that thread you'll see that some people hate the idea and some people love it. On page 2 of that thread you can see that there are also other ways to reduce the footprint of a collection.
You can also see my collection pictures here:
http://danwiz.com/Dec2005DVDCollection/Feb09DVDCollection.html
At this time I have converted everything which I can to Thinpak - out of 551 "packages" of DVDs I have converted 431 to Thinpak (7mm thick), 34 to Single Size (14 mm thick) type box (e.g. the "Friends" Season Sets and "Simpsons" Seasons Sets) and have NOT converted 81 "packages" - like "The Wire", "Six Feet Under" and so on.
I have neither folded nor cut any artwork - all of my original artwork is in the closet. I have downloaded the artwork or else created my own.
milo bloom
11-05-09, 08:17 PM
I'm just not that attached to the pieces of paper that happened to be wrapped around the DVD. Like I've said in numerous Star Wars threads: I'd be happy with 16x9 versions of the original editions, even if they came in a brown paper bag.
If it's any consolation, the usual targets of my hack and slash campaign are DVDs I've purchased used and often have abused cases anyways. I'm doing them a favor by putting them into clean, new slim cases.
Kent2000
11-05-09, 10:45 PM
I get mine from Staples. They are very good quality.
Thanks! I'll be sure to look for those next time I hit the town.
shellebelle
11-05-09, 10:55 PM
Hi all,
I'm an avid collector who has amassed a collection of 1,600 DVDs/blu-rays and counting, and I just bought a house where I'll finally have a room exclusively for my library.
So I was wondering what some of you other folks do for a cost-effective way of storing your collections? Suggestions, comments and ideas welcome.
I have 2 DVD changers from Escient. Each changer holds 400 discs. Granted I've got a heck of a lot more than 800 discs, but that's what I use at the moment. I don't have any of my TV series loaded into them, just my movies. We are in the process of discussing getting one for the Blu-Rays.
Of course, my hubby would love it if I would quit buying movies. Yeah, like that will ever happen!
dkedvd
11-05-09, 11:50 PM
Hi all,
I'm an avid collector who has amassed a collection of 1,600 DVDs/blu-rays and counting, and I just bought a house where I'll finally have a room exclusively for my library.
Only thing is, my old, crumbling particle board shelves were tossed in the move and now I've got nothing to hold my precious collection and an extremely limited budget. I'd love to construct built-ins with beautiful cherry wood or something but why do that when I can spend that money on more DVDs? :)
So I was wondering what some of you other folks do for a cost-effective way of storing your collections? Suggestions, comments and ideas welcome.
Atlantic Media shelves:
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg52/dkephotography/dvdcollection.jpg
hindolio
11-06-09, 01:49 AM
...I wish someone would create a DVD thin case that is 1/4inch wider (or whatever the exact measurement is) so that standard artwork could be inserted without having to cut or bend. This person would make a fortune off me alone. I would gladly buy a case per DVD I own to convert.
imho, id like to see a 9mm case (that is 2.5mm "wider" on each side to accomodate the loss of 5mm on the spine). this way, spine readability would be 100% guaranteed methinks. and that 5mm savings in space results in about 35% total when compared to a standard 14mm case. i could use 35% more shelving :D
Chadm
11-06-09, 05:03 AM
I have a custom made pine shelf that set me back 400 bucks. So I'm probably not the best person to be offering inexpensive solutions.
nemein
11-06-09, 07:33 AM
I have a ton of TV on DVD that I'm starting to put into either those slim CD cases in a drawer that fits that case perfectly or into Unikeep binders http://www.unikeep.com/ that I can then make custom cases for. I know a lot of people worry about binders, but let's be real the time when you run the greatest risk of scratching things is when you are putting it in or taking it out and if you have an sizable collection how often are you really looking at any specific individual disk anyway? There are some DVDs I have that I haven't watched in years. I have also been using binders for years and haven't had a problem yet. JMO
Baron Of Hell
11-06-09, 09:44 AM
Why do those now playing stands cost so much? If you don't know what I'm talking about there are still little stands that you place your case in but it is kind of like a mini theater presentation.
SpinalGuffman
11-09-09, 02:08 AM
You can also download artwork already sized for Thinpak cases at r1db.com. For a long discussion on converting to Thinpak see my thread here:
http://forum.dvdtalk.com/dvd-talk-covers-cases-inserts/552957-how-many-people-converting-their-collection-thinpaks.html. In that thread you'll see that some people hate the idea and some people love it. On page 2 of that thread you can see that there are also other ways to reduce the footprint of a collection.
You can also see my collection pictures here:
http://danwiz.com/Dec2005DVDCollection/Feb09DVDCollection.html
At this time I have converted everything which I can to Thinpak - out of 551 "packages" of DVDs I have converted 431 to Thinpak (7mm thick), 34 to Single Size (14 mm thick) type box (e.g. the "Friends" Season Sets and "Simpsons" Seasons Sets) and have NOT converted 81 "packages" - like "The Wire", "Six Feet Under" and so on.
I have neither folded nor cut any artwork - all of my original artwork is in the closet. I have downloaded the artwork or else created my own.Nice solution. I would never fold or cut because it would bug me the same as it dows several others in this thread. Plus it seems like I end up reselling about 10% of what I buy at some point. And some people who I might sell to would never buy a dvd with fold creases in the cover art.
Buy: