What is my best Archiving method?

[paulot]

I am trying to figure out the best way to archive MiniDV files for future editing. I currently go through the whole authoring to DVD process for each tape, but I'd like to keep the source data somewhere so I can edit it later (even years from now, maybe).

If I chop up the AVIs, I still need about 3-4 DVD-Rs for each hour of video. And it's a pain to copy them, not to mention the occasional coaster.

Is there a codec that would let me put 1 hour on, say, one DVD-R and still provide good quality and editability? I was thinking WMV, but I welcome your opinions.

Thanks.

[glockjs]

personally i would use divx or xvid over wmv. but that just me. why not make them into dvd quality mpeg? that way u have a final product that you wouldnt have to re encode in the future....

[Jester700]

personally i would use divx or xvid over wmv. but that just me. why not make them into dvd quality mpeg? that way u have a final product that you wouldnt have to re encode in the future....

Because MPEG isn't made for editing.

Personally, I'd just keep the tapes. In a couple years Blu-ray should be out and the point will be moot, and you'll have spent hours transferring to DVD-R for no reason. Hours you can't get back...

[jimmalenko]

I'd use a secondary hard drive (either external or preferably in a removable HDD bay ) and transfer straight to that in DV-AVI.

[Paul Simmel]

I am trying to figure out the best way to archive MiniDV files for future editing. I currently go through the whole authoring to DVD process for each tape, but I'd like to keep the source data somewhere so I can edit it later (even years from now, maybe).

If I chop up the AVIs, I still need about 3-4 DVD-Rs for each hour of video. And it's a pain to copy them, not to mention the occasional coaster.

Is there a codec that would let me put 1 hour on, say, one DVD-R and still provide good quality and editability? I was thinking WMV, but I welcome your opinions.

Thanks.

If the tapes are digital, they'll be fine. If they are analog, copy them over to digital. I don'y know about other editing software, but in Vegas, when "capturing", if you save the .veg file, you can load this later, and re-capture the exact same footage (cuts) from the original tapes. Most Vegas users just save the tapes and reconstruct in the above way if/as needed.