Backup or stream dilemma

[mjb]

A cloud drive seems like a good place to store my modest (1TB) music library, but it may cost about the same per month as a streaming service. Why would I choose one over the other?

[mansr]

You never know when a streaming service will drop your favourite album or replace it with some awful remastered version (or go out of business entirely). A cloud drive stores exactly what you want it to. On the other hand, streaming services offer a huge catalogue of music, more than you'd ever buy for yourself.

[firedog]

I have a different solution. Multiple backups of my own library.

Use streaming service. If there is something I especially like, I buy a download or a disc version and add that to backup.

Best of both worlds, in my opinion.

[foodfiend]

I like the "best of both worlds" that firedog proposes!

 

However, if push comes to shove, I would choose the cloud drive, since those are your files, and you have the right to modify and control the content. Of course, the company that manages your cloud drive could suddenly change their policies (Ts&Cs), which would mean the process of looking for another provider and loading the data up on the cloud (I am still reeling from Amazon Cloud's decision to terminate unlimited cloud drives). However, it is far better to me than the streaming service, where I do not own any of the music, let alone have ability to tweak and control the content. Frankly, streaming is like a all-you-can-eat buffet. However, I surmise that my appetite is limited, and my need to listen to a huge range of music beyond what I already own (more than 3000 CDs + purchased lossless music) is limited. I have spent significant effort tidying the metadata on my music files, and I like them the particular way that I have done it. Hence, my belief is that whatever streaming service I use, will be firedog suggests, to try out an unfamiliar piece of music before buying.

[mjt5282]

I have several backups of my ripped and purchased audio files (offsite, cold storage, live copy) and also subscribe to several streaming music services.  I usually discover new music through the streaming sites, for music and artists I enjoy, I still buy the audio CD. My children also use the streaming music more than buying CD's, which they claim is an anachronism.  I tend to use streaming with say, Apple Music, when I'm traveling, instead of bringing my old iPod classic.

[Ralf11]

1 Tbyte HDD will run you $100 or so - just buy one

 

that & mansr's comment are why I'm a dreamer, not a streamer...

[mjb]

On 7/10/2017 at 2:24 PM, firedog said:

I have a different solution. Multiple backups of my own library.

Use streaming service. If there is something I especially like, I buy a download or a disc version and add that to backup.

Best of both worlds, in my opinion.

 

Multiple backups it what I’m doing now, but it’s a royal pain to keep them all up to date when I edit tags or add something. That’s why I was thinking about one “master” in the ether. Like you, I still buy CD’s, or possibly a download if it’s something I like.

[mjb]

On 7/12/2017 at 6:41 AM, Ralf11 said:

1 Tbyte HDD will run you $100 or so - just buy one

 

that & mansr's comment are why I'm a dreamer, not a streamer...

Yes, they are cheap these days....

I like “dreamer, not streamer”.... this should be a t-shirt!

[Ralf11]

I thought about a T-shirt but was worried I'd get arrested...

[monteverdi]

My internet service is very inconsistent and not reliable so I want an alternative where I am independent from it. I like streaming especially to discover new music and to listen to music I rarely listen to but I need also a way to enjoy music also when the net misbehaves.

That also makes any cloud service very unattractive  and I am not so sure about safety and long term availability of my files.

 

I did some searches to decide which external USB  drive I should use for backup. My main concern is longevity of my data. There are M-disks which are pretty archival but too much a pain to use (5 or 25 GB/disk). For backup the disk will not be used daily and I think in general backup drives should be not connected except during backup. So the requirements for a backup drive should be quite different than drives which are daily used to write and rewrite constantly like builtin drives. I have not seen any  info about  reliability which differentiates these use modes. HDD are still much cheaper than SSD but also slower. Any recommendation for specific external USB drives?

 

Of course I could buy every couple of years a new drive and just copy the old backup drive but as far as I know myself I likely will forget to do that.

[davide256]

 

On 7/10/2017 at 6:28 AM, mansr said:

You never know when a streaming service will drop your favourite album or replace it with some awful remastered version (or go out of business entirely). A cloud drive stores exactly what you want it to. On the other hand, streaming services offer a huge catalogue of music, more than you'd ever buy for yourself.

 

They kind of go hand in hand; stored music for the serious stuff you know you like and streaming for the chance to hear new things without  purchase regret if you don't like them.