Archiving Large Projects - how do you do yours?

Alan Mills · #1 (**permalink**) 11-01-2005, 10:18 AM

This thread http://www.videoforums.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=5754 has prompted me to think about this again. The poster was originally asking if it was possible to include his captured AVIs on his DVD production, presumably as a form of archive.

Depending on the size of these, this is hardly a practical solution what with 15 mins or raw SD capture AVI to a single sided DVD-R.

So how does everyone do their project backups? Till now I've tended to perform batch captures of my tapes so that I can recapture exactly as before. That way I only need to archive off the project itself. Much more managable.

But now I work in high def, batch capture is not quite that usable. i.e. not guaranteed frame accurate. And what with the captured AVIs being some 40-odd Gb per tape running a bundle of these off to DVD-Rs surely can't be the best way. At the moment (early project stages) I'm just making sure I have an exact copy of everything on a seperate drive but I'm not that comfortable with this.

So what does everyone else do?

CrkMStanz · #2 (**permalink**) 11-03-2005, 02:55 AM

My overindulgent extravagent backup solution

I do my editing on a 10k rpm SCSI drive - when I'm done I insert a normal IDE harddrive into my system (internal drive - not removable or external) then backup my project (original capture, project, and work files) to this drive - then remove it, label it, and put it on the shelf, and format the SCSI drive for the next project.

Permanent easy-access backup - and fully rewritable to get any changes.

once USB memory drives get to be of sufficient size I'm sure I'll switch to those.

don't make the mistake of buying the cheapest harddrives on the market for your backups - you will learn to regret that, and a 'last year/months model seagate IDE drive" really isn't that expensive.

Andy Lockwood · #3 (**permalink**) 11-03-2005, 04:08 PM

External hard drives for me.

I capture to an Iomega external 80Gb for whatevers current, writing to the machines 120Gb internal while I'm working. When I'm finished, I back up to a Maxtor 200Gb external.

I only save the finished DVD, with the cover, label and invoices/correspondence etc all in one master folder

I then just store the original tapes.

LukeD · #4 (**permalink**) 11-03-2005, 04:28 PM

i put all the avi files i use onto a Cd-RW and store those. im stuck for tapes as chc productions (alson in bladon) has come and nicked all my tapes :cry:

Alan Mills · #5 (**permalink**) 11-03-2005, 05:03 PM

Originally Posted by LukeD

i put all the avi files i use onto a Cd-RW and store those. im stuck for tapes as chc productions (alson in bladon) has come and nicked all my tapes :cry:

CR-RW?? really?
1 hour of SD capture is about 12Gb whcih must be getting on for 20 CDs.

Whn working in HDV, even backing up to DVD-Rs is not really viable.

LukeD · #6 (**permalink**) 11-03-2005, 05:39 PM

Originally Posted by Alan Mills

Originally Posted by LukeD

i put all the avi files i use onto a Cd-RW and store those. im stuck for tapes as chc productions (alson in bladon) has come and nicked all my tapes :cry:

CR-RW?? really?
1 hour of SD capture is about 12Gb whcih must be getting on for 20 CDs.

Whn working in HDV, even backing up to DVD-Rs is not really viable.

well i do that when i run outta space...we buy one thoose 1000 cd spindles and that lasts a yr (about) or else i just leave it on my HD

Andy Lockwood · #7 (**permalink**) 11-05-2005, 01:44 PM

Hey Luke. Buy a DVD writer man. Cheap as chips these days and you'll save a bloody fortune on CDs. Stop wasting money booze at your school parties and get with it!

Or another HD of course.

irishmark · #8 (**permalink**) 11-06-2005, 01:20 AM

I've got 3 regular IDE drives sitting on a shelf all labled up. When My media raid startts to get full i jus go buy another ide drive and backup onto that. - I've found firewire too slow when I need to do a quick backup - especially when you transferring about 50gigs of media.
Its the best way when considering pondpergig over duration it takes.

not pretty but it works well for me. - With Sata drives being hot swappable you may wanna consider those too.

Mike Thorpe · #9 (**permalink**) 11-06-2005, 10:36 AM

Soon, external SATA drives will become more commonplace and you'll be able to use an external drive that operates at the same speed as your internal one. Hooray!

CMS_Edit · #10 (**permalink**) 11-12-2005, 05:57 PM

Indeed, Our new asus mobo has an sata port on the rear panel! just hook a drive up and dump to it, gotta be the fastest/easiest way at the moment