# This looks like the proper place



## thepeartree (Aug 25, 2014)

Something suddenly occurred to me.

what about music? And media in general. Look, we've got a vehicle for saving books, music, and video in our hands, but as preppers, we are doing absolutely nothing to preserve these cultural resources. And even worse, we're going to have to use transfer media that may not be available any more in any wide-spread way.

To illustrate: you have a laptop with a nice terabyte hard drive. You want to trade some music with a guy for a quart of wine. What do you use? You could load it direct... IF he has a laptop. You could transfer it to CD, IF he has a player. You could transfer to a flash drive. Again, he needs some kind of player. AND, it may mean he can't give the media back, but has to keep it to play again. Of course there's a limited supply of such technology. Same for blank CD's and DVD's. 
Then we get to the need for people to start archiving the music itself. Nobody is making an effort to collect music in all its different genres, except maybe the library of congress, and you may guess how accessible that will be post shtf.

This bothers me a lot. If we get some 'ain't never goin' home again' kind of shtf, then there are huge chunks of our musical and movie past that could be lost forever.


----------



## Dalarast (May 16, 2014)

It's a good question. I remember in the book _Lucifer's Hammer_ one of the characters storing books of history and common knowledge book; but what about music.... or movies.

Remember the movie _Reign of Fire_ and the characters acting out movies of the "past"? I think music and movies may in end of days scenario. I think with no power I will have no ability to retrieve my approaching 120 gigs of music and half a TB of movies from hard drives.

Records could still work.....


----------



## Boss Dog (Feb 8, 2013)

OK I'll jump in with both feet. Most media (print, movies, music) is pure cultural rot and we could do very well without it. 
What did people do 100 years ago? They worked and played and nurtured each other at home with a little interaction with like minded friends close by. Yeah I'm closed minded. Of course I do realize if you look hard enough, you can find rot just about anywhere.


----------



## thepeartree (Aug 25, 2014)

Dalarast, at least there are plenty of off-grid solutions for power generation. Although that raises another question: what's a typical lifetime for a solar panel? I know I should have thought about that question maybe 20 years ago, but my planning has always been about bugout strategies and priorities. Well! I'd better get busy. I know that batteries can last years or weeks, but there's a definite lifespan on them, too.


----------



## Kauboy (May 12, 2014)

I'm trying to wrap my head around this.
You are looking for a method of using digital media as a potential trade good?
One primary flaw with this is the fact that the owner of the media doesn't really "trade" away an item.
They copy an item, and get an item in return for the copy.

On its face, this is not a good option for trade. It will be worthless in a very short time as everybody accumulates their music libraries.

As for a solution on how to trade one "item" of media, transferring is the only way.
The receiver would have to accept the responsibility that they may or may not be able to play the media.


----------



## thepeartree (Aug 25, 2014)

No, my main concern is that we could lose large chunks of our past if somebody doesn't make plans to archive it. Or maybe it should be "if everybody" doesn't make plans. It's sad, but unlikely that we'll have access to the internet, so we can't lean on that.

In fact there are boxes full of lp's I wish I still owned. And I sure wish I had been able to copy them to some digital medium. But the music still exists, now, somewhere out there. It will not always be the case.


----------



## tks (Oct 22, 2014)

Music or other forms of media won't be important to others until the dust settles. Once people start to settle back into communities that have some sense of stability, then they will look for things like music. There may be no widespread power available so other forms of media may become important. Sheet music may be sought after, plays and scripts might become popular, even books will be worth something. If communities are starting to find their own power sources or the govt is slowly starting to get them online, this is where your digital media may become a resource. Just so much of this depends on why shtf. Now if computers, as a basic function, are available then a stockpile of cheap usb sticks could be used. There are also small off brand media players that you can store full of music, movies, etc.. You can grab bucket loads of these cheap during the holidays, especially on sites like yugster or dailysteals. 

However you keep media, if your in the US, please keep a hard copy of the constitution, federalist papers, and the articles of confederation.


----------



## thepeartree (Aug 25, 2014)

Yes, that would be a good idea. Most people will be shocked at how few pages the Constitution is. I know I was. I am fairly sure that computers will be around and most use so little power that it should be possible to use them as we do now, though possibly not the net. There is development going on for an internet that operates with ham radios instead of wires. If it completes in time, that will make a lot possible. But, I see cd's/dvd's being the common trade item. There are so many players out there that I don't see them disappearing in a hurry. With no real internet to lean on, the music and movies will spread only as fast as people can trade them. No tv means that these dvd's are going to be a main source of entertainment, along with books and an occasional live play. People will tend to get tired of movies as time goes on and they will want to swap for new content. I suppose some will want it on flash drives, but those people are going to pay extra for the drive, I assure you.


----------



## Old SF Guy (Dec 15, 2013)

thepeartree said:


> No, my main concern is that we could lose large chunks of our past if somebody doesn't make plans to archive it. Or maybe it should be "if everybody" doesn't make plans. It's sad, but unlikely that we'll have access to the internet, so we can't lean on that.
> 
> In fact there are boxes full of lp's I wish I still owned. And I sure wish I had been able to copy them to some digital medium. But the music still exists, now, somewhere out there. It will not always be the case.


Here's to hoping no one thinks to prep DISCO... or anything the BG's ever did.


----------



## Ralph Rotten (Jun 25, 2014)

If you are considering Data Prepping then read Calizona. Good book, but the author is an asshole. 

You will want to look towards a device you can easily recharge. Android tablets typically only charge from a wall outlet, but phones, ipads, and ipods can all be charged from battery packs. Solar cells with a USB connection will also work. Saw a couple handheld windmills with USB on sportsmansguide.com.

Anyhow, Data Prepping is serious stuff. What is the point of surviving the pocyclypse if you got no jams or porn. Seriously.


----------



## tks (Oct 22, 2014)

I use android, all of my products from some cheapo no name brand to my Samsung, Amazon,and Toshiba tablets and media players charge just fine off of my battery pack and solar charger. My older tablets charge slowly but they charge. The only one that doesn't charge is an mp4 player that was crap to begin with.


----------



## tks (Oct 22, 2014)

Old SF Guy said:


> Here's to hoping no one thinks to prep DISCO... or anything the BG's ever did.


Your lips to G*d's ears.


----------



## thepeartree (Aug 25, 2014)

I don't know about porn, but I am worried that in any long term shtf, we're going to lose a lot. So maybe once I assure physical preparedness I'll start on as much digital prep as I can. Just in case we can't find a square-dance caller.

And sorry osfg, but I happen to like their first album 'Odessa'.


----------



## Dalarast (May 16, 2014)

IF I had the physical means to charge my devices I may be the music/media king on the east king coast. We have one roll-up solar charger in each of our bug out bags and we have a larger vehicle emergency charger for my jeep; but as I mentioned in previous threads power has never been a focus for me. 

Note: I'm younger than most (had to throw that out there) but I have converted all my parents records and the few records I had (and purchased throughout the years) into digits too. I did this for storage reasons; but I kept all the records in my house. The sad thing.. we do not have a record player; but have a victorla from my grand parents sitting at my parents house.. hand cranked music?

As far as keeping hard copies of the Constitution and such. It should go without saying that everyone should keep history - be it books, pictures, music, etc. But the Constitution is something that when back at home and I get a new soldier in garison I give him/her a pocket sized Constituion and Decleration of Independece. Think its something all soldiers should carry and know. I also gave them to my kids. They are cheap to pick up (or online for about 2 bucks I think) and make a point to others - especially soldiers.


----------



## thepeartree (Aug 25, 2014)

Just to save you a few bucks, both are available online for free. I don't regard power as a problem. I have a good generator and a pack that takes AA batteries to recharge devices, as well as the usual micro USB cables. Dalarast, all you have to do is borrow my turntable. Rates will be reasonable


----------



## Dalarast (May 16, 2014)

HA! Why are you people still up! 

Yes the Constitution and Decleration of Indendence are available online - but in the case of my soldiers I can't spot check digital stuff like my SMG and 1SG can't check my digis of my "leaders book". Personal gripes in my life aside... gotta have some things physical. 

Ohio.. I got family up there in and near Canton. I'm sure a media trade business can be in line. Basically we will establish the East coast version of Hollywood and Bollywood all into one.


----------



## thepeartree (Aug 25, 2014)

Hehehe.... yep, I'm just down the road from there. I'm sure we can work something out. For that matter, there's room nearby for good neighbors. I want to have good people around here. There are a couple places I'm pretty sure will be vacant, come the day.


----------



## pheniox17 (Dec 12, 2013)

Why not learn how to play instruments and solve half the delima


----------



## Dalarast (May 16, 2014)

Not everyone has talent for musical instruments... and you would all get annoyed of my daughters and I all playing uke's to Christmas songs and various "ska" and Hawaiian bands


----------



## Arklatex (May 24, 2014)

tks said:


> I use android, all of my products from some cheapo no name brand to my Samsung, Amazon,and Toshiba tablets and media players charge just fine off of my battery pack and solar charger. My older tablets charge slowly but they charge. The only one that doesn't charge is an mp4 player that was crap to begin with.


I can attest to this also. I have a Samsung galaxy 4 and a Kindle fire that both charge fine off a USB battery pack. Although I don't have one, I have used a buddies roll up solar panel to charge both the USB battery and the devices themselves.

Peartree, how do you like the AA charger? I bought the cheap one from Walmart that uses 4 AA batteries but it really sucks. All it really does is maintain the current charge so you can continue using the device for awhile. Tried it on both apple and android, same story.


----------



## rickkyw1720pf (Nov 17, 2012)

I would't worry about music as it is all written down. What do you think the people in the orchestra are looking at, and even pop music the musicians have written music and notes to learn and play with.


----------



## thepeartree (Aug 25, 2014)

Arklatex said:


> I can attest to this also. I have a Samsung galaxy 4 and a Kindle fire that both charge fine off a USB battery pack. Although I don't have one, I have used a buddies roll up solar panel to charge both the USB battery and the devices themselves.
> 
> Peartree, how do you like the AA charger? I bought the cheap one from Walmart that uses 4 AA batteries but it really sucks. All it really does is maintain the current charge so you can continue using the device for awhile. Tried it on both apple and android, same story.


I have the same one. It holds 4 AA batteries and can charge a phone 2 to 2.5 times. Seems to work, but I'd really prefer a rollup solar. If they weren't so dang expensive. Somebody go make me a backpack wind generator (vertical)!

I think the battery charger really only works if you turn power on the phone all the way off. If you use it when the phone's on, it's going to maintain a charge level as you said. The good part is that there are so many ways of getting electricity. It doesn't take much power to charge phones/tablets.


----------



## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

The methods of storage change so rapidly. Who among us has the hardware and operating systems to read a 5 1/4 in floppy disk, or even a 3 1/2. A lot of data has already disappeared, and will continue to disappear. Nitrate film, kinescope, 35 mm film, polaroid prints, videotape, VCRs. All these things will turn to dust. It's the way of the world.


----------



## CrackPot (Nov 11, 2014)

Actually, apart from a big EMP or X-Class CME, I'm set. I've been collecting (a la Lucifer's Hammer) media on a PC server in a rack in my basement. I have over 15,000 movies, 12,000 TV show episodes, 300,000 MP3s, 25,000 book PDFs (skills, medical, science, etc.) and 65,000 comics books. Not that in a teotwawki I'd have than much free time to enjoy it...


----------



## thepeartree (Aug 25, 2014)

rickkyw1720pf said:


> I would't worry about music as it is all written down. What do you think the people in the orchestra are looking at, and even pop music the musicians have written music and notes to learn and play with.


How many people in the general population who can read sheet music, play it on an instrument, sing it (worth listening to)? How many will survive shtf? And how many will pack their piano/accordian/drumset in their bugout bag? Will the sheet music survive past the first time he runs out of tinder?


----------

