Shining One Posted December 20, 2017 Share Posted December 20, 2017 Although it's over 7 months away, I'm currently thinking about what to get for my girlfriend's next birthday. She will be turning 34 and it will be her 4th birthday with me. One of the ideas I'm tossing around is digitizing her movie collection. She has a vast movie collection (400+) and movie night with her kids is at least a weekly tradition. My movie collection is digital and she has told me on several occasions that she wishes she had a digital collection too. Her boys often put the discs back in the wrong case, move the movies around (making them hard to find when she wants a specific one), and sometimes damage the discs. She also has a few non-US movies that she can only watch in her room since he has only one region-free Blu Ray player. Digitizing would solve these problems. I know it's conventional wisdom to avoid giving women electronics. However, she's been very appreciative of my past efforts. She loves that she can control her thermostat by voice from the comfort of her bed. I'd like opinions from anyone, but input from female movie buffs (especially those with large disc collections) would be most welcome. Link to post Share on other sites
Gaeta Posted December 20, 2017 Share Posted December 20, 2017 If it's something I enjoy and I can keep forever I would love it. I remember one year my brother gave me the whole Star Trek NG collection on USB, I was jumping of joy! I can now enjoy them on my laptop, phone and smart-tv. Never mind what other women like. Many women don't want kitchen items for their birthdays but me I love them! Get me dishes, pots & pans, knives, and I will be thrilled. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
alphamale Posted December 20, 2017 Share Posted December 20, 2017 I know it's conventional wisdom to avoid giving women electronics. However, she's been very appreciative of my past efforts. She loves that she can control her thermostat by voice from the comfort of her bed. I'd like opinions from anyone, but input from female movie buffs (especially those with large disc collections) would be most welcome. dude the best gift you can give her is a ring on her finger...it's the gift that keeps on giving. Link to post Share on other sites
d0nnivain Posted December 20, 2017 Share Posted December 20, 2017 While I understand & appreciate the time value of money, your service is not very gift like. After 4 years together, you'd be better off getting her earrings or a bracelet. Just digitize her movie collection because your her BF & she wants you to. Don't try to pass it off as a present. 4 Link to post Share on other sites
Author Shining One Posted December 20, 2017 Author Share Posted December 20, 2017 dude the best gift you can give her is a ring on her finger...it's the gift that keeps on giving.She and I had this discussion a long time ago. Marriage is not on the table, at least for a while. Link to post Share on other sites
Author Shining One Posted December 20, 2017 Author Share Posted December 20, 2017 While I understand & appreciate the time value of money, your service is not very gift like. After 4 years together, you'd be better off getting her earrings or a bracelet. Just digitize her movie collection because your her BF & she wants you to. Don't try to pass it off as a present.It's more than just the service. There's a substantial hardware investment as well. By current estimates, I'd be buying her at least $2000 worth of hardware. Link to post Share on other sites
d0nnivain Posted December 20, 2017 Share Posted December 20, 2017 Do the hardware investments come in a box that she can unwrap & be delighted with what she sees? If so, carry on. Otherwise go to a jewelry store. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Author Shining One Posted December 20, 2017 Author Share Posted December 20, 2017 Do the hardware investments come in a box that she can unwrap & be delighted with what she sees?I can certainly wrap the media server, but she won't know specifically what it is when she opens it. It will look like a desktop computer.Otherwise go to a jewelry store.I got her diamond earrings for her 33rd birthday. Link to post Share on other sites
d0nnivain Posted December 20, 2017 Share Posted December 20, 2017 I can certainly wrap the media server, but she won't know specifically what it is when she opens it. It will look like a desktop computer.I got her diamond earrings for her 33rd birthday. Oh boy. From diamond earrings to technology . . . . not a good plan. I don't care how much work the transfer is or how much the server costs, this won't go over well. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Author Shining One Posted December 20, 2017 Author Share Posted December 20, 2017 Oh boy. From diamond earrings to technology . . . . not a good plan. I don't care how much work the transfer is or how much the server costs, this won't go over well.Can you elaborate on why it won't go over well? What would you consider an appropriate follow-up to jewelry? More jewelry? Link to post Share on other sites
No_Go Posted December 20, 2017 Share Posted December 20, 2017 Tech gift or jewelry or cookware ... anything can go IF and only if it is something that she enjoys. Your 4 years with her can tell you best: what makes her excited? Some people like presents that they can keep, other - things that they can use every day so it will remind them of the gift-giver some want experiences... Hard to tell, but if I were you I'd at least screen (talk to some close friend of her?) before putting 2 grand down on a gift she may not appreciate. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
d0nnivain Posted December 20, 2017 Share Posted December 20, 2017 Yep, more jewelry or something she specifically said she wanted. I know you are going to say that she has mentioned wanting her movies digitized like yours but trust me that wistful thinking was not the same as saying Please buy me this thing. You have some time before the birthday so why not get through these holidays then see where you are. I am one that believes presents should be magical, impractical, something you would never buy for yourself & slightly over the top or something the recipient specifically requested. If your GF is more down to earth your idea may be well received but CW says that in her mind jewelry to electronics is a downgrade. Link to post Share on other sites
PhillyLibertyBelle Posted December 20, 2017 Share Posted December 20, 2017 There are a few clarifying WU would like to ask. Do you live together? If your movies are digitised does that mean you already own the equipment? If so it seems unnecessary for her to have her own equipment when only you know what it is or how to use it? What is the message you want to send with the gift? Is it a functional utilitarian gift or are you trying to show romance, and love? Link to post Share on other sites
Author Shining One Posted December 20, 2017 Author Share Posted December 20, 2017 If your GF is more down to earth your idea may be well received but CW says that in her mind jewelry to electronics is a downgrade.Interesting. I never looked at it as a downgrade, but it's something I'll keep in mind. One thing I should note is that she asked for the SNES Classic for Christmas, which I got for her. Link to post Share on other sites
Author Shining One Posted December 20, 2017 Author Share Posted December 20, 2017 Do you live together?We do not live together.If your movies are digitised does that mean you already own the equipment? If so it seems unnecessary for her to have her own equipment when only you know what it is or how to use it?I have a media server that contains all of my movies. Using it, I can watch movies from devices in my house. She would need a media server to watch movies from devices in her house. Her server would need to have considerably more storage than mine due to her significantly larger movie collection.What is the message you want to send with the gift? Is it a functional utilitarian gift or are you trying to show romance, and love?I was hoping for both. I wouldn't be considering putting in significant amounts of work and money into this if I didn't love her. Link to post Share on other sites
d0nnivain Posted December 20, 2017 Share Posted December 20, 2017 If you think she's a techie go with it. You know her. I don't. I'm operating on CW alone here. Link to post Share on other sites
clia Posted December 20, 2017 Share Posted December 20, 2017 Personally, I would love it if my significant other digitized my entire movie collection and think that would make a great gift. I would also love jewelry. You know her better than we do. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Author Shining One Posted December 20, 2017 Author Share Posted December 20, 2017 You have some time before the birthday so why not get through these holidays then see where you are.That's why I'm thinking about this now. If I decide to go with the digitized movie collection, I estimate I would need to purchase the hardware by the end of January in order to have enough time to convert all of her movies by her birthday. It's a rather slow process. Link to post Share on other sites
jay1983 Posted December 20, 2017 Share Posted December 20, 2017 What kind of media server stores digital copies and what kind of resolution does it give? Link to post Share on other sites
Author Shining One Posted December 20, 2017 Author Share Posted December 20, 2017 What kind of media server stores digital copies and what kind of resolution does it give?It's basically just a custom-built PC running some media server software. I run Plex myself, but I would evaluate other solutions for her. I am leaning towards Plex since she is familiar with it from using it at my house. As for resolution, I would use the same resolution found on the physical discs. For most Blu-ray movies, that would be 1920 x 800, and for DVDs, it would be 720 x 480. She doesn't have any 4K discs right now (or TVs for that matter), but I would make sure whatever solution I use supports it. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Timshel Posted December 20, 2017 Share Posted December 20, 2017 While I understand & appreciate the time value of money, your service is not very gift like. After 4 years together, you'd be better off getting her earrings or a bracelet. Just digitize her movie collection because your her BF & she wants you to. Don't try to pass it off as a present. She and I had this discussion a long time ago. Marriage is not on the table, at least for a while. Ok.... If she has specifically asked for this task, yeah! On the other hand, murky waters ahead. Link to post Share on other sites
Author Shining One Posted December 20, 2017 Author Share Posted December 20, 2017 Ok.... If she has specifically asked for this task, yeah!She hasn't specifically asked for it. She has just mentioned that she wishes her movies were digital like mine, on several occasions. On the other hand, murky waters ahead.Why do you say this? Link to post Share on other sites
CautiouslyOptimistic Posted December 20, 2017 Share Posted December 20, 2017 The title of this thread is so misleading! I was coming here prepared to give ideas for gifts for a 4 year old child! 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Gaeta Posted December 20, 2017 Share Posted December 20, 2017 Why do you all assume this woman is into jewelry? Why does a current gift need to be bigger than the last one? With that theory he'll need to buy her a cadillac in 5 year time. 3 Link to post Share on other sites
Timshel Posted December 20, 2017 Share Posted December 20, 2017 I agree with another poster that digitizing her movie collection is your expertise. That's very thoughtful and no doubt that she will be happy with providing this experience for her. Four years for any woman with a man she loves. You two may be on the same page or not. If you are, you are. I guess my question would be are you sure? Link to post Share on other sites
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