I started converting when I got my first Win 98 computer.
I had read that there was a new trend happening that will make CDs obsolete.
Well, years before, I replaced my LP and 45 rpm records with 8-track. Then I replaced my 8-tracks with Cassettes. Then I replaced my Cassettes with CDs.
I replaced my laser discs with VHS. Replaced my VHS with DVD.
I spent a lot of money, time and effort to keep my music and movie collections. Even then, I lost gobs of titles and artists over the years.
When I read that now CDs and DVDs were being phased out in favor of digital music and Bluray I just couldn't do it anymore.
At first I started collecting poor quality electronic versions. I bought a WindowsME system that had a TV card that allowed me to hook my DVD player, TV and VCR to my computer and capture Audio and video as it streamed.
The files were huge. Plus it was extremely slow going. I bought additional hard drives to store all my conversions.
As technology advanced so did my collection. I replaced my old huge versions with better copies with smaller and smaller sizes. (That's why if you look closely at my list you will see duplicates. This list is from a running notepad that tracks what I have. If I find a version that could be better quality or smaller in size I check first here to see if I have it, then, if so, I go to the drives and find the file and compare it with the newest version.)
The whole process has taken me nearly 18 years to get to this point.
I still buy CDs and DVDs/Blurays but I convert them and sell, give away or throw away the originals.
I also have been converting all my written library. I bought a scanner and have scanned all of my books. Now I use free library sites to get the books I used to have that had gotten worn out, lost or destroyed over the years.
If I were to try to store all the Books, Music and Movies that I now have I would need three rooms of shelves floor to ceiling to hold them all.
Now, I store it all on drives that are the size of one book and can place all my drives at once in my lap.
I can take my entire collection of movies, music and books along with my laptop to your house and play anything you want. If you have an internet connection I can find just about any music or movie/TV Show you may want.
I have a USB port on my car stereo. I can put 16GB of music on it or I can load it up with audio books for a long drive.