Backing up (Apple Lossless) iTunes Library to DVD?

[Greenjeens]

Given the fact that a HD can fail at anytime, no matter what kind of reputation or warranty it has, I'm (a newb) looking for the correct format and procedure to burn my 100+ GB's worth of iTunes (Apple Lossless) files to discs.

So far it appears DVD-R is an appropriate media, which I have plenty of. I'm familiar with Toast Titanium 7 software, which has very useful CD text function, which iTunes burns seem to lack. Not sure if CD text makes a difference in archiving a large Apple Losslessly written music library to disc though?

I'm not sure which is the best format to write the 25 or so DVD's in, since my music files are 95% Apple Lossless. I'd hate to lose my entire music collection in the event of a HD failure or have to reconvert the files to some intermediate format to repopulate my HD collection losslessly, if I archive them in the incorrect format.

Several users mentioned writing the iTunes library to DVD Data format, but I'm not sure how starting with Apple Lossless effects writing to DVD data, and then back to AL would actually work out? Any tips?
I have Dantz retrospect and the other sw that came with the Pioneer DV-109 drive, but have never used them.
Writing to dual layer discs is possible but looks too expensive. DVD-RW is too slow. I don't mind feeding a bunch of DVD-R discs, to make sure my collection can be recovered.

Also is it possible to write the discs to a PC and Mac compatible format for a complete idiot/failure proofing? I see Toast Titanium 7 has several options, but not sure which is exactly the way to go, in the event of a catastropic HD failure.

Thanks,
Dave

 

[fartheststar]

Link from the apple site.

Your apple lossless files will be the same on the DVD as they will on your hard drive. They will be an exact digital copy.

Since you have so much music, you might think about an external hard drive if you don't like the DVD option.

Edit: You don't need special software or to convert from/to other digital formats. It's more simple than that. And apple lossless files should work fine on Windows PC's.

 

[Greenjeens]

Link from the apple site.

Your apple lossless files will be the same on the DVD as they will on your hard drive. They will be an exact digital copy.

Since you have so much music, you might think about an external hard drive if you don't like the DVD option.

Edit: You don't need special software or to convert from/to other digital formats. It's more simple than that. And apple lossless files should work fine on Windows PC's.

Thank you so much for the link. Much too obvious. The mystery is solved!
I had assumed incorrectly that a DATA DVD involved a change in the encoding, when it appears it's a more player/reader format change, not an encoding change making it unreadable in standard CD player drives.

I still feel dumb, but whew what a relief, this has been bugging me for months. I've been crash coursing with codecs and conversion tools and run into some problems having to reconvert files from PCM, AC3 or analog to aiff to AL or having to strip DRM from iTunes downloads by burning on CD-RW then to AL and not finding an easy way back to MP3...just expected more of the same challenges.

I do have an external hardrive, a 200GB (OWC/Seagate), with 80GB left and I've been cautioned that my music data is still not "safe" until burned to some kind of media. Re-importing and editing my entire CD/DVD music collection is a task I'd rather not have to repeat.

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

David

 

[ehayut]

I don't know about the best format from the list you gave.

But when I back up my music, I use DVD-RWs. That way, every time I back up my music, I don't need to throw out the old DVDs. Also, I don't have to keep track of the new stuff I've added to my library since my last backup, I just burn everyhting to 4-5 DVD-RWs.

 

[fartheststar]

I don't know about the best format from the list you gave.

But when I back up my music, I use DVD-RWs. That way, every time I back up my music, I don't need to throw out the old DVDs. Also, I don't have to keep track of the new stuff I've added to my library since my last backup, I just burn everyhting to 4-5 DVD-RWs.

Well, you can make it easier on yourself by only doing incremental backkups after the first one - making a playlist based on import date - saves a lot of time. iTunes will keep track of it by import date, you won't have to worry.

 

[Moof1904]

My wife and I encoded all of our CDs as lossless and have them on a shared network drive for each of us to use while in our respective home offices. There's so much music that backing up to DVD just wasn't feasible. I ended up buying a second hard drive and using it as a backup.

With the price of drives, it didn't cost much to obtain a couple of hundred gigs of space.