Video Format Backup Dilemma

[AVC]

Hi, im currently in dilemma in selecting which video format to use. I wanted to backup or archive my video which are currently cluttering up my hardisk which only left me with 1.4GB. Ive been testing several format, such are like

Nero AVC (standard AVC)
Realmedia (Rmvb)
x264
vp7
wmv9

all of which mostly tested using vdub, except for nero and real. The problem is, which should i use, considering for archiving. I mean, for example, if i back it up using vp7, in two or three years time, can i still be able to watch or open this videos? will the codec still be outhere? Im only backing up videos at quality of 800kbps in which x264 and vp7 seems to be excellent at this. While Nero AVC gives mildly good quality, but the encoding time took too much time.

And if anybody have any better format for backup, please do tell.

(p.s. anybody know the method of converting to quicktime mov? which prog are suitable)

[daamon]

Hi AVC,

Welcome to the forums.

The format you decide upon should very much take into account what you want to do with your footage in the future: Is it just going to be played back or are you going to want to edit it?

Also, what format is it in at the moment? Divx / Xvid, MPEG1, DV AVI, RM etc.

As for converting to MOV, that's bound to be covered in the guides listed under the "How To" section, to the left.

[AVC]

My videos currently are in xvid format, all of them are xvid format, each of them are roughtly -700mb+, i will only keeping them in my pc, no planning of transfering to dvd or cd. While another half of my videos are in vob, these are music videos, and im planning for transfering it to my car video entertainment (when i got one that is )

[daamon]

Hi AVC,

Any conversion to another format is likely to noticeably reduce picture quality. As they're in Xvid at the moment, if it were me I wouldn't change the format. Instead, I'd get myself a decent sized hard drive (my local supplier has 400Gb Seagate Barracudas for AUS$400) and keep them all on there.

400Gb / 0.7Gb is approx 570 films.

Of course, only you can decide on present quality, and quality after changing format and how much you want to spend on storage media.

If you're worried about the codec not being out there in the future - download the install file for the required codec and save that along with the films.