Zip disk$ are barely helping! What does one do? add another hard drive? get a CD-R?

[PS - Dave and crew - enjoy the site. Maybe do mass storage instead of scanners (my scanner is gathering dust since I got my digital camera!)]

-- Eileen Morrisot (we108918@nassaulibrary.org), August 10, 1999

Answers

Eileen, What size files are you trying to store? I find zip discs to be pretty wonderful with moderately sized files. That said I tend to work with large hard drives also at work. Maybe you could give a bit more explanation of the problems you are having? Which digital camera are you using? What file size? (funny about digital imaging--there seems to be a never-ending stream of questions). I think it has something to do with the fact that we are learning a new medium! Fred NASA MSFC Imaging Services

-- fred deaton (fdeaton@airnet.net), August 10, 1999.

I'm using a Kodak DC265... my average file size per picture is around 350kb... that allows me to store around 250 high resolution pictures per 100 meg. ZIP disk... I now have 10 ZIP disks full... I am going to upgrade to the new ZIP 250 USB drive... I'm still a bit leary of CD-R and CD-RW... These medium are still far from finished sorting them selves out to... I also don't like so much info. on one disk... i,e. 650 meg... maybe they're fine for backup but I like ZIP for daily use constantly transfering pictures from disk to disk... disk to hard drive, disk to email, etc... Also like the fact that there are over 25 million ZIP drives in use and growing everyday... 100 meg. disks are compatible with the new ZIP 250, etc... Another good option is the IOMEGA 2 gig ZAZ drive.... I don't want all of my precious pictures on one hard drive as a backup either... Just rambling sorry... Oh and I have hardly used my scanner since i went digital...

Good Luck...

JDS Mendoza, Argentina

-- Joe Summers (jsummers@supernet.com.ar), August 12, 1999.

Thanks Fred and Joe. (I thought I had slept through a CD-R/CD-RW revolution! - I guess it is still early in the game?!)

I'm using an Olympus 620L. I'm wanting to archive Publisher pages with images - they are running 7,000 to 36,000kb! I also want to manipulate images in a couple of photo programs and Illustrator and store the family photos too. 650 megs on a CD sure sounds tempting!

-- Eileen Morrisot (we108918@nassaulibrary.org), August 12, 1999.

I have found CD-R and CD-RW to be a very nice way to store pictures. For one thing, you can buy blank CD-R disks for about $1.50 each on the internet. The cost per MB is unbeatable. For another thing, if you want to share a large quantity of your pictures with friends or family, CD-R is a good way to go because just about anybody with a CD- ROM drive can read it.

When I download photos to my computer I will often zip them into a single file and copy it to a CD-R of originals. Then I can downsize, edit, or title the photos knowing that if I screw up, or one day want to print one of the pictures with it's original resolution, they are handy without taking up hard disk space.

I think Smart & Friendly's internal IDE 2x/2x/24x CD-RW is available for under $160 if you shop around.

Randy

-- Randy Weivoda (Rweivoda@compuserve.com), August 19, 1999.

Thanks, Randy! That is exactly what I had in mind. Wasn't sure if the CD-R would do it but it sounds like just what I need!

And thanks Gerald (you don't sound like a robot!) for the info on DVD.

-- Eileen Morrisot (we108918@nassaulibrary.org), August 20, 1999.

A while back, I had a HiVal CDR that I bought to store my digital image files. I had nothing but trouble with it, so I posted a help message to the CDR newsgroup and go tthis reply...

"Run, don't walk to your nearest computer store and buy a YAMAHA CDR drive."

Well, I couldn't find one at the store, but I did find one on the internet and I agree, it's a fine drive. Consider Yamaha SCSI before going with a low end IDE drive, unless you have need for a new set of coasters around your house... Ruined CDRs are ideal for that (as well as making nice portable mirrors...)

-- Jeffrey Sevier (jsevier@one.net), August 21, 1999.

After buying my Agfa 1280 about a year ago, I found my hard disk filling up rather quickly. I began moving the files to zip disks but those things are not cheap. After watching for the sales, I was able to get a Memorex CD-RW for $100 (after a mail-in rebate). I now put everything on disk. As another respondent noted, I am able to make custom CDs geared to specific members of my family. I you watch the sales and mail-in rebates you can get some terrific buys on both CD- Rs and CD-RWs.

-- Daveo (daveo@foxinternet.net), September 06, 1999.

With 12 g hard drives selling for less than $200 it is really hard to justify any of the other alternatives. It is really great to have every thing 'online' when you want it. Combine this later with a cd writer and history images can be saved at 650 meg at a time. It is really usefull to have a lot of hard drive space to organize your images into big chunks of photos onto the CD.

I zip drive makes more sense on some note books since hard drive space is so expensive. Combine this with a pcia card reader, transfer of images to the notebook and then on to a zip drive makes a winning combination. Later you can hook the notebook up to the desk top for additional processing.

dave

-- Dave Clark (Daveclark@prodigy.net), September 17, 1999.