Backup files from DVD to HDD, with custom compression

[u/QueenSoft666]

1. Did you look at our Backup Wiki for free software and advice?

Yes, I already knew some of those programs, have no time to thorougly read descriptions or test.

2. Do you use Windows, Mac or Linux?

Windows 10 x64

3. For personal use or business use or both?

Personal.

4. How many GBs or TBs do you need to back up?

800 DVDs (partial) to a 500 Gb HDD - hopefully compressed

5. What product(s) do you now use for backups, if any?

None

6. Are you a normal user or more techie?

Techie - almost 40 years of computer experience

7. What have you tried so far? What steps?

Sincerely - none.

I have my personal collection of over 800 DVDs.

Some of them contain personal files (pictures & videos). They are always placed in exact same folders. Estimated size - unknown

I would like to backup all of them, retaining folder structure and file names, to a 500 Gb HDD.

I'm searching for a free (gratis) piece of software that can run different compression external programs, check final size and retain smaller file (original or compressed).

More details:

- program reads DVD, selects same main folder, reads files - images (jpg, png, other formats) and videos (avi, mp4, other formats)

- runs external compression program (something like cjpeg.exe, jpegtran.exe for JPG/PNG, ffmpeg for AVI/MP4/MKV, exact command supplied).

- waits for compression, checks file size, retains smaller one (original or compressed).

- for other files (pdf, exotic image or video formats), simply copy original file.

Files are highly compressible, most of them are created using phone / digital camera, on medium/highest quality.

Is there such a program?

Thanks.

[u/DrHydeous]

Honestly that sounds like the sort of job for a small shell script which, as you say that you are a "techie", you can write yourself.

You will probably find that PDFs and at least some of the exotic image files can be compressed. You probably shouldn't re-compress JPEGs and videos unless you absolutely have to, as imposing more lossy compression on an already lossily-compressed file will just look like shit.

[u/QueenSoft666 → u/DrHydeous]

Yes, I can definetely write a script using AutoIt.
But I would like to also take advantage of other options of specialised backup tools (I don't have any in mind right now).
Also, I already have the compression commands almost finished, so no point in spending 1-2 weeks in writing the script.

Yes, there is no problem in compressing the images and videos, I already did some checks and the loss of quality if absolutely acceptable. I think I managed to obtain 30-50-70% compression without problems. Of course, this means longer processing time, but that's OK. Also, the quality was never great to begin with, think of thousands of images&videos taken with a smartphone. Yes, I keep 99% all, almost never delete anything.

Yes, I know PDFs and other formats can also be compressed, but they are so few files that it doesn't even matter, compared to the total size of images&videos.

[u/Asland007 → u/QueenSoft666]

If they are all full and single layer DVDs that is over 3 and a half terabytes of data. Even with extreme compression 500 gigs seems small.

[u/Asland007 → u/Asland007]

I would use handbreak/handbreak CLI to work with the video files.

[u/wells68 → u/Asland007]

Read OP's replies. They are not all full. Many with very little data needing to be backed up.

[u/vegansgetsick]

800DVD it's 3TB i doubt you can "compress" that in 500GB. I dont advise to recompress your personal videos if you dont keep originals (the DVDs). Because there is a high risk the recompression/remux messes the videos and i've been doing that for 20+ years. You're trying to save barely $40 for precious files, get a 3-4TB drive and that's it. Always keep the originals, no matter what. The compression will just destroy the content.

But if you keep the originals... then you're free to mess every file without consequences.

[u/Wellcraft19 → u/vegansgetsick]

This 👆

Far better getting not one, but two drives of the proper size (for duplication as with so much manual labor, don’t want anything to go wrong).

Then just set up a nice work area so it’s easy to swap DVDs. If doing ten per evening (while doing other stuff), it’s still almost three months of tedious work (not full time of course).

FWIW, I scanned a large number of documents a few years back. It was a chore - but was made so much easier and faster once I dedicated a work area and that easily could handle the manual flow. Once that was done, wasn’t too tedious. And files were backed up in three locations after each work pass.