h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

In a similar (although less extensive) situation, I started making VCDs using a Terapin VCD recorder which, at the time, cost almost as much as your DVD recorder. That said, the blanks a very cheap, and you can play back in any PC (not just one with a DVD-ROM drive) as well as on most DVD players. Quality's not as good, of course. I also use it to archive programmes off my TiVo, so I have a reasonable collection of "Horizon" and "Equinox", both ancient and modern.

One question: is it worth making archive updates of the stuff that's been released on DVD? All the movies on your list, plus (series 1 of) The Young Ones, all of Star Trek, Space 1999, The Twighlight Zone are all available, as is Cosmos (which isn't on your list, but I bet you've got anyway).

Thanks for reminding me of the existence of "QED". I must dig out some of those and transfer them. I'd love some "Micro Live"s (or even "The Computer Programme" -- did you get that?), for the sheer history value.

Good luck!

I was a bit more inclusive of what I was archiving at the start. Of course, just because something is available commercially doesn't mean I'll be able to afford it all. But I'll be trying to concentrate on the stuff that's very unlikely ever to be commercially produced, and not worry quite so much about stuff that I can get elsewhere.

I don't have any of 'The Computer Programme' - that was before I got a VCR. And I *don't* have any Cosmos - is it really available on DVD? I can only find references to an unrelated Channel 4 programme, not the fabulous Carl Sagan epic.

I didn't fancy the picture quality of VCD - MPEG-1 is much worse than MPEG-2 - and the limit of one hour per disc was not attractive. At least DVD lets me put fewer items on the disc and gain picture quality - quite important when archiving TiVo.