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Disc-based media backup question (1 Viewer)

jcroy

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At this point, I think I'll have to also abstain from walking by any dvd/bluray/cd sections at offline retailers (like WM/BB/etc ... and discount stores), and avoid searching through online sites like amazon, ebay, etc ...

Basically avoid any offline/online retailers which carry any items of interest which are treadmill prone.

My current anti-bucket list involves avoiding places (both online and offline) like:

- cd/dvd/bluray/record stores + sections (such as at WM, BB, discount stores, etc ...)
- comic book + board game hobby type shops
- rock concerts + nightclubs
- Toys R Us and other large toy sections (such as at WM, etc ...)
- non-matinee movie theater screenings
- fiction sections at bookstores, libraries, etc ...
- video disc rental outlets/sections (the few still left)
- computer stores + sections (such as BB, etc ...)
- fast food restaurants
- shopping malls (especially indoor ones in general)
- video arcades (the few still remaining)
- video game stores (the few still remaining) and sections (such as at WM, BB, etc ...)
- flea markets/bazaars
- thrift shops
- etc ...

For example, I am purposely not buying any current pc games + consoles (such as PS4, XboxOne). The few video games I still play are older games from a decade ago, such as single-player games like Grand Theft Auto 3, Vice City, etc ....

All this is largely to preemptively close off any further avenues to possible potential treadmills.


(More generally).

I'm sure there's other places + stuff which I haven't thought of yet, which will probably end up on my anti-bucket list.
 

jcroy

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(To come to think of it).

If I had purchased a Sony Playstation 3 back in 2008, I might have inadvertently jumped onto the bluray treadmill at the time.

At the time, I ended buying an Xbox360 largely to play Grand Theft Auto 4 (GTA4).

I remember the reviews of the pc version of GTA4, complaining a lot about the pc version being completely botched up and requiring a then-very powerful computer to run properly at all. At the time, I had recently purchased a new computer and didn't want to fork out more cash for another more powerful computer just to play GTA4.

Hypothetically if the pc version of GTA4 had been a functional masterpiece on the pc, then I probably would have never purchased any video game consoles at the time. (Previous to 2008, the last console I purchased was the original Nintendo NES back in the mid-late 1980s).
 
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jcroy

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Picked up a new internal Pioneer bluray computer drive earlier today. (I don't believe this model can handle 4Kbluray discs).

Against my better judgement, I passed by a computer store and noticed they had a new batch of bluray drives which just came in. But with that being said, it is great that LG isn't the only game in town anymore when it comes to internal bluray computer drives.

Paid about the same price as around 3 or 4 generic computer dvd drives (depending on the model and manufacturer).
 
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jcroy

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(Some background to the story).

This will sound really dumb, but I'll mention it anyways.

I had half the day off this past Friday, where I found myself driving towards the casino (again) after lunch. To force myself to not even drive into the parking lot of the casino, I ended up dropping by a Walmart and (unfortunately) checked out the dvd/bluray section. (Originally I was thinking of only getting something to eat at the MickyDees inside the Walmart). In the same parking lot area, there was also the computer store where I ended up buying that new Pioneer bluray drive.

So I went back to Walmart and went through the dump bins, and picked up some marginally forgettable $5 bluray movies I haven't watched in ages, such as Showgirls, Crank, Crank 2, etc ... On the way home, I dropped by some dollar stores and found some more $1 blurays which I ended up buying, such as the now-superfluous "season 4.5" of the revived Battlestar Galactica, and some forgettable Jean-Claude Van Damme movies. I don't know what the hell I was thinking, other than something stupid like: "Hey some new blurays to test on my new bluray drive!!!".

Also at that computer store I noticed they had a slightly older LiteOn dvd drive on the shelves (after some searching), which isn't really on the market anymore. I was familiar with this particular older model's behavior, and also ended up buying that drive too (along with the new Pioneer bluray drive).
 
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jcroy

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This habit of buying and using different dvd drives, dates back to more than a decade ago when I use to be heavily into ripping my audio cds.

Even back then, it was known that not every cd/dvd drive was created equally. Some drives were "smarter" at dealing with problematic discs, either due to scratches/wear or just simply crappy disc quality control.

So most of my mentality about investigating dvd drive behavior + foibles, is largely an informed byproduct from my days of ripping tons of audio cds.
 
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jcroy

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Nowadays with dvd drives so inexpensive (ie. $20 a pop or less), it is amusing to see what differences are in then-newer generic drives with different manufacturing dates and firmwares.

Apparently even among the same "official" model from the same manufacturer with the same catalog number, a dvd drive's behavior/foibles can differ quite drastically with different manufacturing dates (listed on the sticker the bottom of the drive) and different firmware updates.
 
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Dale MA

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It's interesting to think about the difference between "passion" and "obsession".

Maybe it's simply a passion will bring great comfort to oneself, whereas obsession leads to negative emotions. I wonder where we all fit on that scale?

Personally, films & home theatre bring a great deal of positivity to my life. They're a part of my weekly routine that allow me (& my family) to kick back and truly relax.

I could function without my collection or home theatre, but not at the level that I do with them.
 

jcroy

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It's interesting to think about the difference between "passion" and "obsession".

Maybe it's simply a passion will bring great comfort to oneself, whereas obsession leads to negative emotions. I wonder where we all fit on that scale?

Anything which becomes a "degenerate" or "chronic" activity to me, is basically well into the "obsession" territory. For me, it is stuff like gambling, booze, etc ... where only complete abstinence is essential for my sanity.

At this point, I don't know where dvd/bluray is on this sliding scale of passion <--> obsession for me. Though I strongly suspect it is straddling along the grey zone into the obsesssion side.
 

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