What Files To Keep

paulsmithy · Post by **paulsmithy** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 6:19 am

Hey guys

Just getting a tad confused with files and formats and what i need to keep.

OK, so I have lots of clips for example taken of our baby. I tend to create projects for each of these, putting clips together per month. Once rendered I will therefore have the individual files and a project file, titled for example 'Baby November 2008', 'Christmas 2008' etc. (As an aside, I then put several projects together and burn a DVD for my family etc).

To clear out the amount of files I am storing on my hard drive I obviously therefore (I think) effectively have twice as much as I need. Assuming I no longer want the "individual" clips, am i safe just keeping the project files (ie Baby November 2008 etc). I guess in essence what I am asking is are they in a standard format still or have they been VideoStudio-ised in some way so wouldnt play on their own through a media player etc. Of course, by keeping the project files I can also pick and mix making finished DVDs.

Hope that makes sense!

Thanks all

Post by **Ken Berry** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 7:39 am

I'm sorry to have to tell you that the project files are nothing more than small text files. They contain no video at all. They are a bit like a road map. They list in text form the video clips that are included in the project, where they are stored on the computer, what editing you have done to them; what transitions, music, and titles you have added; and what you may have rendered them to.

In other words, the project files are of no use in themselves if you don't keep the video files to which they refer.

The only way you can 'safely' get rid of the original video clips is to render them into a final DVD-compatible mpeg-2 (Share > Create Video File > DVD). That gives you a totally new video, and once you are happy with it and don't think you are going to change anything in it, you could delete the original files you used.

Mind you, quite a few of us hold on to the original files for quite some time even after we have produced our DVDs. I, for example, have 3 TB of hard drives in my main computer, plus 6 external hard drives, so I have the luxury of space to store lots of video for quite some time. Others may archive their original videos e.g. if originally DV, by simply keeping the original mini-DV tapes; or if on a mini DVD, by keeping the mini DVD; or the SD card... Or by archiving them as files on a DVD (as opposed to converting them to a video DVD)...

paulsmithy · Post by **paulsmithy** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 7:47 am

I may be confusing myself here. I think my files are what you meniton...ie they have been rendered. I do one at a time and then create a new project and stick them all together when I make a DVD.

So, for example, I have a big file called Baby November 2008 as well as the individual clips. If I use a media player to open this (WINDVD or whatever) it plays it. So does that mean that is safe to save?

Black Lab · Post by **Black Lab** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 12:46 pm

If you have rendered it (Share>Create Video File) then yes, you can delete the pictures/clips.

Post by **Ken Berry** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 1:49 pm

Yes, that is so. I thought you were talking about the real project files (which use the .vsp extension -- standing for Video Studio Project...)

Clevo · Post by **Clevo** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 3:12 pm

Because I don;t multi-trim any video I generally keep everything in it's own folder. When I run out of space on my HD I will invest in an external one.

But that's just me.