Question about Need to Save Original File

[mirmar8]

I have a basic, pretty ignorant question (so my apologies): If I downloaded/uploaded a 1.5 gb video of my son playing soccer onto my desktop's hard drive and I use/edit some clips to be included in a video I make in VS X8 and then upload the completed new video onto Youtube, do I need to retain the original 1.5 gb video for the Youtube video to work? I assume the answer is no, but I wanted to make sure. These long videos take up a lot of space on my hard drive and I typically use just some relatively short clips to make my videos. Is there a way for me to keep on my computer just the video clips I made/edited from the downloaded/uploaded video, as opposed to keeping the entire 1.5 gb original video?

Many thanks!

[Terfyn]

You do not need the original video in order to upload your edited video on to YT. The original video supplies the clips for use in your edit. You may wish to archive the original video for your records.

Incidentally you say 1.5gb video. Is it on DV or SD card? If on SD card you can erase shots you don't want before downloading to VS.

[Ken Berry]

I archive all my video on an external hard drive, and keep it there for some time until I am sure I will no longer need it. Given the fairly dramatic drop in the price of external hard drives, this seems to me a practical way of storing video.

[John-T-Smith]

I use this USB3 dock with fan to swap drives http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-SuperSpe ... B0055PL2YI for multiple copies of important files (or subject matter drives will all files of a chosen type)

Another option is http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6820147511