Stackable CD indexer

I HAVE STACKS OF STUFF so when I read Charles Arthur's review of the Imation Stakka CD Storage system, I thought it might be a cool way of reducing the two shelves of computer CDs that I have sitting beside my desk. There are Open Source alternatives as well but Disc Stakka is an automated carousel that stores, protects and retrieves 12 cm optical discs. They can be data CDs, DVDs, music and game discs. Each €145 Stakka unit holds up to 100 discs and connects to your computer via USB for power and data. Like my 3Com stackable hubs, I can put up to five high in clusters and create a tower that holds up to 500 discs without requiring additional cabling or desk space. I would easily have a personal terrabyte of indexed storage this way. You need to let your own computer read the disc, which is then indexed the OpdiTracker content management software. OpdiTracker is actually a database and search engine that you can browse to find files. I could confidently keep my images files on CD instead of buying (and trusting) additional external hard drive space. Using an electronic search engine helps locate any disc or file within seconds. That would be helpful because the stuff I need on the shelf is always deep into the corners when I go searching by hand.

• Each unit stores, protects and retrieves up to 100 of your favourite 12 cm discs, including data CDs, DVDs, music and game discs.
• Disc Stakka's fully motorised disc insert and eject helps protect your valuable discs.
• Connect towers using powered USB hubs to control over 100 towers (that's over 50,000 discs) from a single computer.
• Use the bundled OpdiTracker content management software to capture disc content, automatically recognising whenever you insert a new data disc into your computer's CD or DVD drive.
• Search OpdiTracker's database of stored discs by title, keyword, directory or file name to find and eject any disc within seconds.

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Imation -- "Disc Stakka" with FAQ.
Charles Arthur -- "At last, the CD storage system you've been waiting for - or is it?"

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