Which Toast DVD format for Large iTunes Backup?

[Greenjeens]

Hi guys,

I'm about to backup my 100GBs iTunes library to DVD-R discs, mostly because I have a pile of DVD-R's sitting here. Figure i need at least 22.
I don't mind spending a little more money on DVD-R instead of DVD-RW if it will cut the time down feeding discs.

I also believe if I date the backup, then it might be possible to just backup new music at a later time with a smart playlist organized by date.

iTunes is stored in 99% Apple Lossless format. I'm considering using Toast 7, which I feel comfortable using, but not sure which of DVD format choices is the smartest move? The "Mac and PC" seem obvious, but I'm not sure the ramifications in terms of recording time or future flexibility of any of the selections.


Can anyone comment on the best "Data DVD" format using Toast 7?
Lists these options for Data DVD burning...(includes disc spanning)
Mac Only
Mac & PC
DVD-ROM (UDF)
ISO 9600
Custom Hybrid
Mac Volume

thanks, David

 

[Lacero]

Mac Only is the only option to backup using Disc Spanning with Toast 7, otherwise I would stick with Mac & PC.

I wouldn't suggest DVD-ROM (UDF) as it isn't optimize for easy access on the Mac, you'll get a lot of disc seeking.

ISO 9660 would be an alternative, but I'd stick with Mac & PC.

If you're looking at incremental backups, try another program such as SilverKeeper.

Or do what I do, I save all my music backups on an external Firewire HD (250GB).

Here's to the Crazy Ones ​

 

[Greenjeens]

Mac Only is the only option to backup using Disc Spanning with Toast 7, otherwise I would stick with Mac & PC.

I wouldn't suggest DVD-ROM (UDF) as it isn't optimize for easy access on the Mac, you'll get a lot of disc seeking.

ISO 9660 would be an alternative, but I'd stick with Mac & PC.

If you're looking at incremental backups, try another program such as SilverKeeper.

Or do what I do, I save all my music backups on an external Firewire HD (250GB).

Thank you, good info, didn't know disc spanning only worked with the "Mac" data selection. Guess I'll just keep it simple and use the Toast "Mac Only" setting.
Suppose I could do some experiments, but it just seems so much easier to ask someone who's actually done an itunes library back up before.

Anything else you think I should know before embarking upon an iTunes backup?

I do have all my music on an external 200GB Seagate/OWC Drive, but was warned a HD can fail at anytime and data is not really "safe" until copied to some kind of permanent media.
Seems better to be safe than sorry...

edit: Been researching the Silverkeeper and adding another external HD option.
Perhaps just adding another external drive for backup might be smart/secure plan, rather than dealing with mass disc burnings. The Lacie triple interface 250 GB for around $220 looks promising. With either Sliverkeeper or Dantz retrospect backup software. I have Dantz but never used it. Came with the OWC external HD.

LaCie d2 Hard Drive Extreme with Triple Interface
http://www.macworld.com/2005/11/reviews/lacied2hdextreme/index.php

I already have the one FW 400/800/USB 200GB drive... so for daisy chaining it appears one can..
"Just connect the FW800 ports (say between drive 1 and 2), and on the last one run out with the FW400."

thanks, dave

 

[quigleybc]

Hi guys,

iTunes is stored in 99% Apple Lossless format.

Damn, no wonder you have 100 gigs to backup...

have fun..

 

[Greenjeens]

Damn, no wonder you have 100 gigs to backup...

have fun..

I'm now at 150GB's. Just bought a new 400GB Seagate USB/FW HD. (I know I should have bought the drive to get the 5 year warranty and separate case to save a little more... But on top of learning how to partition format & use Super Duper to back up my iTunes library and main HD, then trouble shoot Quicktime 7.1.1 breaking Toast 7's ability to convert apple lossless to AIFF when burning cds.... all these new projects for the very first time by reading posts and tutorials ....
my Brain HD got filled up!

Actually, i should have bought a 400GB SATA/Fw drive and been ready for in the future for a very fast HD connection, when I move everything over to a MacIntel... but that would have cost a lot more, which I couldn't afford. ANd I'm still be stuck trying to figure out the best thing...

So, I just bought the ready to go Seagate, obsolete 7002.8, 16mb 400 combo drive, which will work just fine for itunes/backup/DVD images and I won't lose EVERYTHING on my HD, due to some malfunction, while trying to make up my mind the BEST HD to buy, afraid of not getting the Right One for the future!

I decided it's better to backup sooner rather than later. Losing 150 GB of ripped CDs would be heart breaking and huge undertaking to have to start all over, when for ~$200 +30 tax/ship, I need not worry about any data lossless!
Perfect music forever


Cost $200 or about the same price as as 13 $15 CD's.

Storage is just so cheap in the last couple of years and lossless files sound so good, I think the value of one's CD sourced iTunes collection deserve a greater value,

Maybe if a few more "computer" users gave their favorite playlists a listen, either in a good sound showroom on an adequately powered clean receiver (separates) driving a pair of higher resolution, quality bookshelf "home audio" speakers, they may be pleasantly surprised how good old music can sound! Please do your ears a favor and listen to some really good/expensive audio equipment, that isn't a "computer speaker". One doesn't have to spend a fortune, there are descent bookshelf speakers in the $300 range, maybe a little less. But better drivers, crossover s and rigid cabinets do have a cost.
Also, one _must_ have a "real" subwoofer to hear the full range that's recorded on most kinds of music. A matching subwoofer can be purchased later and added to the bookshelf/satellite mains, when the budget permits.


and a (real) subwoofer they would have a better benchmark of the kind of sound quality that's available for playback on their very own computer.

In only the recent years we have the ability to listen to our itunes music over higher resolution home audio systems (mine M&K 1600's + 12" Velodyne Servo Sub), it seems short sighted to save a little bit of money on storage drives and ruin all the source material by MP3 coding, which throws away 90% of the bits! AAC sounds very good, better than MP3, depending on sample rate etc, but still won't hold up to later audio format conversions. Any later conversions of a music file that is in a lossy will introduce artifacts very rapidly.


Audio pros listen to, and work with, even higher resolutions than our 16 bit, CD quality audio. CD quality is the minimum standard I want to archive!

 

[scottlinux]

Why not use a DVD9 disc? You get about 7.9GB of data on those [formatted]. Even though they are advertised as '8.5GB' it's not an 8.5GB disc. But a lot of space.

 

[Greenjeens]

Why not use a DVD9 disc? You get about 7.9GB of data on those [formatted]. Even though they are advertised as '8.5GB' it's not an 8.5GB disc. But a lot of space.

The Dual Layer DVDs are very expensive and the best deals I could find run about $4.50 minimum, for poor quality Ritek and I still have to span discs.

Maybe for a small library writable discs would be OK...

I backed it all up on DVD Mac only, but it didn't go smoothly, one of the discs stuck, so it messed up my orderly burning process
Wasn't quite sure how to get all the data back into itunes should there be a drive failure too.

So, I bought a 400GB HD for $200 and backed the now 150GB library, to a 320 GB partition, using "Super Duper" back up sw. Relatively cheap and painless, though it took hearly 4 hours to write the first back up to the drive. Now, I just do "smart updates" which take only 10 minutes or so, a couple of time a week, backing up newly added songs.

Hard drives are just so cheap these days, it's not that expensive keeping a main drive and a clone, considering the value of the data should it be lost.