Disc Backup

A cheaper, more accessible alternative to Tape Backup. The discs last nowhere near as long (just look at your video game discs), but every single computer has a CD/DVD burner, Blu-Ray burners are only $50-80, and 50-disc 1.5TB spools are available for $25.

Blu-ray

Blu-ray recordable discs are surprisingly no longer as expensive as they used to be, and they are the most accessible and effective archival method.

Types of Blu-ray

• BD-R (25GB) - The most common and most economical disc format. Plexdisc is recommended, 50 discs for $25 on Amazon.
• BD-R Dual-Layer (50GB) - While it may be more convenient to have a dual-layered disc, you still have to flip them over and it is more expensive. Just stick to the normal type.
• BDXL (100GB)

Archival

• Do not use CD Jewel cases with Blu-Rays or DVDs. These will cause the dual layered disc to split over time. Use a DVD case, the disc spool it came with, or a felt disc book, they're pretty inexpensive.

Reliable Burns with Links

Burning Blu-rays on Linux can be a pain, and often results in useless "coasters" from failed burns.

The most reliable method is to create a UDF using k3b or Brasero (but only create image, don't burn). Then you use CDRTools to burn, rather than growisofs (which spits out a strange "error").

• Allgood38.io - Burn Blu-ray Disks on Linux and Minimize Coasters

CDRecord Command

You must install CDRTools, a custom package set, to run cdrecord. Add the CDRTools PPA to Ubuntu and install cdrecord. Then you can run the following command:

 cdrecord -v -dao driveropts=burnfree dev=/dev/sr1 2015-05-07-Picture-Music-Backup.udf 

DVDisaster

DVDisaster is a critical item for burned mediums. This is a command line version:

 dvdisaster -i 2015-11-26-YouTube-Videos.udf -e 2015-11-26-YouTube-Videos.ecc -c

MakeMKV (Linux)

If you're attempting to watch Blu-rays from the store on Linux, due to ACCS DRM, you will need to rip them before you can watch them. MakeMKV is a bit difficult to install as well, and it is only a 30-day trial (though Linux beta is free until March 2015).

• MakeMKV Installation