Dgundam mentioned that Hanasaki Mai raws are 1.9GB in size. As 1080p files have become the norm, its not unusual to find 2GB size files for one episode. I keep my jdoramas in a 5TB portable HDD hoping one day 7TB portable will appear in the world.
Unfortunately, portable HDDs have not advanced further than 5TB and watching Gunshi Kanbee and Ryomaden filed out my 5TB and now I have gotten a second portable HDD for jdoramas. I really wanted all my jdoramas in one portable HDD so everything is easily searchable.
Yes, I can get a 12TB desktop HDD and not run out of space for 2 years at the rate file sizes are going but I like the portability of easily being able to watch anything on any screen. Maybe the answer is a network drive. It will be a while before I have troubles remembering which show is on which portable HDD and I can always refer to my blog to remember when I watched it.
dramahd used to provide 720p encodes which were a lifesaver because the file sizes were half the 1080p ones. The other answer is of course, to be more strict when deleting jdoramas after watching. I used to only delete 'do not watch' jdoramas but now I am starting to delete shows that do not get a 'watchable' rating because why keep if I have no intention of rewatching.
That being said there are some hardsubbers who encode their stuff into smaller file sizes like blitz fansubs which I appreciate. As someone who enjoys jdoramas for free, I can't complain. I can get almost any show I want and if English subs, are not available it is a lot easier getting Jp subs.
Occasionally I do think about how many shows I have stored, the shows that are on my rewatch list and to watch list, some of which I never got around to after so many years! I wonder if more people don't store their jdoramas anymore since you can find quite a few shows on Netflix now. I just like knowing I can rewatch Coffee-ya no Hitobito or Black President anytime I want.
I don't need to watch everything in 1080 (720 will do at best), and I can't afford the bandwidth to do so either. I know people take issue with the various streaming sites but by hosting videos of multiple resolutions they provide a very useful service for those of us without great internet.
ReplyDeleteToo bad doramax265 is dead for long time now and I hadn't the time to download and backup most of drama on that website when it's still alive. I didn't have that much storage to save the raw streaming WEB-DL files that being uploaded for example from Magic-Star. 😁
ReplyDeleteFor all the talk on file sizes - there is something about watching shows in their original format or quality. Sometimes I can't believe I am watching the same show - it is not just resolution, you notice totally different things. Quite often a scene that appeared basic is actually well crafted and full of symbolism that is lost in the change of format. I know trying to describe it is a pointless exercise - it is like trying to review a screen from a Youtube video - once it's gone through YT compression that is all we see.
ReplyDeleteGiven the upset surrounding streaming services (as that market changes very quickly) I suspect the current situation for Jdrama you refer to is only a temporary one. Given your love for many older dramas, you may regret deleting instead of just shifting less favoured shows to a different drive.
i dont delete, i just buy more HDDs. the problem with netflix etc is you dont know when they will take down the drama once they lose the licence. unless its an actual netflix produced show.
ReplyDeletestreaming websites are bad but being able to see dramas from 10-15 years ago is a godsend.
i just hope the kids get interested in dramas. because me getting these shows would be wasted when i pass. i dont know anyone in real life who appreciates and watches jdramas like we do in this site. for the writing acting etc no matter the genre. its an acquired taste to watch jdramas i guess lol.
real life people i know would just stream k and c dramas.