What's the 'best' long term video storage ?

[HighTekHillbilly]

Hi...I have proabably 100 hours or so of older analog video, as well as some newer digital footage that I need to get a reliable, easily accessible copy of (for future editing). Since I don't have enough hard drive space to commit presently, would I be better off getting an external drive enclosure and use hot-swappable drives in the enclosure ? If so, can anyone recommend a certain brand or offer any advice on what I should know before starting this project ? I've always just captured video as I wanted to edit, but most of the video is of my kids and I would like to keep it all indefinatley. Some of the analog stuff is over 10 years old and
I know it won't last much longer as is.

P.S. I have read that burnable CDs/DVDs are not the way to go for long term archiving. Is there any other media I should consider ?


Thank You

[Terry Stetler]

I use hot-swappable removable HDD drives for archiving. Get one bay, a few compatable trays and a couple of big HDD's and go to town.

For archiving whole projects I finish the edit then use the PACKAGE function to move all the source files and an updated project file to a folder in the video drives root.

This folder gets Zipped up with an appropriate name (event + date) and copied to the current removable HDD in the safe.

[HighTekHillbilly]

Thanks Terry, that's everything I needed to know...and more.

Jeff

[Devil]

I don't think there is ANY sure long-term method available. Apart from the fact that all magnetic and recordable optical media (including hard disks) are subject to changes over time, and the denser the data packaging makes them more sensitive (e.g., DVDs are more sensitive than CDs etc.), there is another problem: will you be able to connect the hardware in a few years? You simply cannot run a HDD of >10 years in a modern 'puter, because their interface was different and you cannot plug the interface into a PCI slot. Modern computers are dropping the COM ports and the LPT ones are the next to go (anyone want a tape backup, using an LPT port? I have one). Technology changes and who can say whether a computer will even accept your video format in another 10 years? Your DVD drive will play CDs, today, but your BluRay one tomorrow won't.

The only way is to record two versions (e.g., tape and DVD) of each video: when you see that one of them looks like fading away, copy it to another more modern medium (or to the same in, say, 5 years if it looks like being around for the time being). Otherwise, your precious DV tape or HDD recording of it will become as useful as a 78 rpm disc or an 8-track tape.

Then. of course, you have to store and maintain it properly, no matter what medium you use.

[Ormond Williams]

I use hot-swappable removable HDD drives for archiving. Get one bay, a few compatable trays and a couple of big HDD's and go to town.

Can you explain this "hot-swappable removable" type of HDD drive a little more please?

Have you tried the device in the link below, to attach normal hard drives to the computer for extra storage? I haven't, but am thinking about it.
http://www.cyberguys.com/templates/sear ... 1=131+0858

[sjj1805]

Ormond Williams
There are Internal Removable Hard Drives and External Hard Drives.

Internal Hard Drives
These connect to the IDE Slots on the motherboard. As far as I am aware every motherboard has two IDE slots, each capable of supporting two devices known as a Master and a Slave. All Four Devices are named
Primary master, Primary Slave, Secondary master, Secondary slave.

Normally you have to open the computers case to get to these devices which are typically 1-3 Hard Drives plus a DVD Drive and or CD Drive.

To prevent you from having to open up the computer every time you want to swap a Hard Drive you can buy a Hard Drive Bay. These fit in the slots at the front of your computer - the same as your DVD/CD writer does. The IDE cable connects from the motherboard slot to the back of the Hard Drive Bay.

You then have Hard Drive Caddies - these are cases that contain the hard drive. the case slides into the hard drive bay and is locked in place with a key. It is a simple matter of turning your computer off, sliding the hard drive out, sliding another one in, turning back on and away you go.

I have 3 such Hard Drive bays in my computer and a collection of hard drives to fit.

External Hard Drives.
Thes connect to the computer either by way of a USB cable or IEEE1394 firewire cable. The hard drive sits inside a case normally alluminium (for purposes of heat dissapation and robustness).

I have connected 2 such external hard drives to my computer.
I have found that they can be a bit temperamental though when you transfer a large amount of DATA in one go and can suddenly disappear from Windows Explorer. for this reason I prefer to keep my video editing on the drives connected to the IDE slots.

The advantages of the external drives are that they are portable. You can unplug them and then plug them into a different computer. Great for keeping all your setup disks on, downloaded stuff, back ups, etc. and a handy way of transporting something from one computer to another.

[wontonpe]

Just curious - I own one of those firewire dual hard drive swappable enclosures & so far 2 drives. They run through a firewire 800 card. Worked great for storing audio and text files. I was hoping to store some background & image sequence files that I have created, but the first backgrounds I put on became corrupted with artifacts when I went back a month or two later to use them.(good thing I had them on DVD) This kinda makes them useless for dependable video storage. Does anyone know what could cause this problem? Would installing a removable 2nd drive in my case possibily fix this? I currently have a second case drive I store editing data on.

[sjj1805]

wontonpe
As I have mentioned above

There are Internal Removable Hard Drives and External Hard Drives.

Internal Hard Drives
These connect to the IDE Slots on the motherboard.
I have 3 such Hard Drive bays in my computer.

External Hard Drives.
These connect to the computer either by way of a USB cable or IEEE1394 firewire cable. The hard drive sits inside a case normally alluminium (for purposes of heat dissapation and robustness).

I have connected 2 such external hard drives to my computer.
I have found that they can be a bit temperamental though......
For this reason I prefer to keep my video editing on the drives connected to the IDE slots.

One of my two external Hard Drives appears reliable and rarely loses connection with the computer. I have tried 4 other hard drives in that same case and also the other external case. I have connected the external cases with USB and also Firewire. but all my other hard drives lose connectivity when transfering large amounts of information to/from the computer. Those drives all work without a hitch if placed into one of the internal drive caddies.

The Internal Hard Drives, ie those in removable caddies that connect to an IDE Port are the drives I use for my video work. Never have any problems with them.

Regards
Steve J