What format should I convert my video to for long-term storage?

"acorn" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:g4c9le$kpr$1@aioe.org...
>I have a new Sony HD camera (the TG1) which saves to AVCHD. So when I look
>at the memory stick, I see a bunch of files in the "streams" folder. In
>the old days, I would just save video tapes. Now, I need to save the
>files to a disc or to a hard drive. Suppose I want to store to hard
>drives for argument's sake. What file format should I save this stuff to
>for the long-term? I am inclined to convert the 1080i format to 720p x 60
>hz in a program like Sony Vegas, but I still need to know what's the safest
>format I should save the video to after conversion? When I look at the
>files in 5 or 10 years, I want to know that I saved it in the right format!


There are several forums discussing this problem - like will the
hardware/software be still around in 10 years - deterioration
of the physical medium. There are major problems for the long-term storage
of digital media by contrast if you have a long finger nail you can hear
sound from an ancient 78 rpm shellac record! Basically you have to make
several copies to high quality digital media discs and periodically check
them and make new copies from time to time.

http://thedvshow.com/faq-pro/?action=article&cat_id=010&id=7&lang=

"Netmask" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:B0jak.16193$IK1.7278@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>
> "acorn" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:g4c9le$kpr$1@aioe.org...
>>I have a new Sony HD camera (the TG1) which saves to AVCHD. So when I
>>look at the memory stick, I see a bunch of files in the "streams" folder.
>>In the old days, I would just save video tapes. Now, I need to save the
>>files to a disc or to a hard drive. Suppose I want to store to hard
>>drives for argument's sake. What file format should I save this stuff to
>>for the long-term? I am inclined to convert the 1080i format to 720p x
>>60 hz in a program like Sony Vegas, but I still need to know what's the
>>safest format I should save the video to after conversion? When I look
>>at the files in 5 or 10 years, I want to know that I saved it in the right
>>format!
>
>
> There are several forums discussing this problem - like will the
> hardware/software be still around in 10 years - deterioration
> of the physical medium. There are major problems for the long-term storage
> of digital media by contrast if you have a long finger nail you can hear
> sound from an ancient 78 rpm shellac record! Basically you have to make
> several copies to high quality digital media discs and periodically check
> them and make new copies from time to time.
>
> http://thedvshow.com/faq-pro/?action=article&cat_id=010&id=7&lang=

A number of very wrong opinions expressed in that article, at least
in some cases he did indicate it was a guess on his part.

No one expects pressed DVDs to last 100 years.

The burned dye DVDs you can make at home aren't expected
to last ten years and can fail within a single year.

Digital tape storage can be made to incorporate a number of tricks
to insure data survival under extreme conditions. All the worlds
critical legal and financial data is stored on digital tape. Even that
requires a system of transcription to new storage medium as things
progress. Digital tape makes the transcription process fairly straight
forward.

The LTO and earlier digital storage systems will be found in service
10 to 15 years from now, based on the extent of the data stored in
those formats. VXA or the late DAT formats could be the best
option for home data archival, at this time. (cost/benefit)

Luck;
Ken

I appreciate the responses but my question wasn't about the media but what
FILE FORMAT I should use for long-term storage (whether I burn to disc or
keep on hard drive being irrelevant for this post). Once I convert from
1080i to 720p, should I save the screen data to a file format other than
AVCHD? What's the most neutral file format if I have the data open on the
screen anyway?


"Ken Maltby" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:v_2dnduTJ5zzWPTVnZ2dnUVZ_v7inZ2d@giganews.com...
>
> "Netmask" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:B0jak.16193$IK1.7278@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>>
>> "acorn" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:g4c9le$kpr$1@aioe.org...
>>>I have a new Sony HD camera (the TG1) which saves to AVCHD. So when I
>>>look at the memory stick, I see a bunch of files in the "streams" folder.
>>>In the old days, I would just save video tapes. Now, I need to save the
>>>files to a disc or to a hard drive. Suppose I want to store to hard
>>>drives for argument's sake. What file format should I save this stuff
>>>to for the long-term? I am inclined to convert the 1080i format to 720p
>>>x 60 hz in a program like Sony Vegas, but I still need to know what's the
>>>safest format I should save the video to after conversion? When I look
>>>at the files in 5 or 10 years, I want to know that I saved it in the
>>>right format!
>>
>>
>> There are several forums discussing this problem - like will the
>> hardware/software be still around in 10 years - deterioration
>> of the physical medium. There are major problems for the long-term
>> storage of digital media by contrast if you have a long finger nail you
>> can hear sound from an ancient 78 rpm shellac record! Basically you have
>> to make several copies to high quality digital media discs and
>> periodically check them and make new copies from time to time.
>>
>> http://thedvshow.com/faq-pro/?action=article&cat_id=010&id=7&lang=
>
> A number of very wrong opinions expressed in that article, at least
> in some cases he did indicate it was a guess on his part.
>
> No one expects pressed DVDs to last 100 years.
>
> The burned dye DVDs you can make at home aren't expected
> to last ten years and can fail within a single year.
>
> Digital tape storage can be made to incorporate a number of tricks
> to insure data survival under extreme conditions. All the worlds
> critical legal and financial data is stored on digital tape. Even that
> requires a system of transcription to new storage medium as things
> progress. Digital tape makes the transcription process fairly straight
> forward.
>
> The LTO and earlier digital storage systems will be found in service
> 10 to 15 years from now, based on the extent of the data stored in
> those formats. VXA or the late DAT formats could be the best
> option for home data archival, at this time. (cost/benefit)
>
> Luck;
> Ken
>
>

"acorn" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:g4chjs$hrn$1@aioe.org...
>I appreciate the responses but my question wasn't about the media but what
>FILE FORMAT I should use for long-term storage (whether I burn to disc or
>keep on hard drive being irrelevant for this post). Once I convert from
>1080i to 720p, should I save the screen data to a file format other than
>AVCHD? What's the most neutral file format if I have the data open on the
>screen anyway?
>
>
> "Ken Maltby" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:v_2dnduTJ5zzWPTVnZ2dnUVZ_v7inZ2d@giganews.com...
>>
>> "Netmask" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:B0jak.16193$IK1.7278@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>>>
>>> "acorn" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>> news:g4c9le$kpr$1@aioe.org...
>>>>I have a new Sony HD camera (the TG1) which saves to AVCHD. So when I
>>>>look at the memory stick, I see a bunch of files in the "streams"
>>>>folder. In the old days, I would just save video tapes. Now, I need to
>>>>save the files to a disc or to a hard drive. Suppose I want to store
>>>>to hard drives for argument's sake. What file format should I save
>>>>this stuff to for the long-term? I am inclined to convert the 1080i
>>>>format to 720p x 60 hz in a program like Sony Vegas, but I still need to
>>>>know what's the safest format I should save the video to after
>>>>conversion? When I look at the files in 5 or 10 years, I want to know
>>>>that I saved it in the right format!
>>>
>>>
>>> There are several forums discussing this problem - like will the
>>> hardware/software be still around in 10 years - deterioration
>>> of the physical medium. There are major problems for the long-term
>>> storage of digital media by contrast if you have a long finger nail you
>>> can hear sound from an ancient 78 rpm shellac record! Basically you have
>>> to make several copies to high quality digital media discs and
>>> periodically check them and make new copies from time to time.
>>>
>>> http://thedvshow.com/faq-pro/?action=article&cat_id=010&id=7&lang=
>>
>> A number of very wrong opinions expressed in that article, at least
>> in some cases he did indicate it was a guess on his part.
>>
>> No one expects pressed DVDs to last 100 years.
>>
>> The burned dye DVDs you can make at home aren't expected
>> to last ten years and can fail within a single year.
>>
>> Digital tape storage can be made to incorporate a number of tricks
>> to insure data survival under extreme conditions. All the worlds
>> critical legal and financial data is stored on digital tape. Even that
>> requires a system of transcription to new storage medium as things
>> progress. Digital tape makes the transcription process fairly straight
>> forward.
>>
>> The LTO and earlier digital storage systems will be found in service
>> 10 to 15 years from now, based on the extent of the data stored in
>> those formats. VXA or the late DAT formats could be the best
>> option for home data archival, at this time. (cost/benefit)
>>
>> Luck;
>> Ken
>>
As far as file format is concerned everyone will have a different opinion -
for me I would keep the original format to maintain original quality and
maybe in the future there will be improved codec's available to allow
conversion to whatever is the flavour of the month in formats. It's a bit
like Hollywood storing original negatives for future releases rather than
dupes or internegs etc. They can then do quite good restorations often
revealing information never seen before on newer stocks or digital
transfers. I would vote for keep the original format..