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archiving master vid files – best format for size/quality compromise
I have like 12 Sony EX-1 projects that i have edited in FCP. I rendered ProRes master files of the final projects then downconverted for Vimeo upload and DVD SD output.
Now i want to archive these files as a master. The ProRes is too big (1.5 hours = 73GB…120,000k bit rate, for example) but the Vimeo .264 render is too small (same file is now 2.34GB). Is there a happy medium somewhere for archived master renders of projects that people use as a general rule? Is the Vimeo master (5000k rate) sufficient? My goal is to have these burned to blu ray at the least at some point, but really don’t know what general rules are regarding archiving digital footage these days.
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4 Replies
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to be clear, i have FCP Studio version, so can use Compressor for renders.
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For my master archives, I do a 1280×720 version at 12mbps. It looks great…good as an archive for my uses.
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Do you really feel the full quality ProRes Files are too big? It is the happy medium.
I hate to say this. At about a gig a minute on a hard drive (not the best long term storage) are about $0.04/gig, that means you’re not willing to spend $3.00 to archive your show. Using a second drive, takes that price up to $6.00.
When I think ‘archival’ issues, I think, what will be readable ten years from now (Both in format and in storage.)
While this doesn’t cover it, If you’re going to make money off the blu-ray at some point, don’t you have $6?
Best,
Jeff G
Certified Master Trainer | Adobe, Apple, Avid
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If it helps, I managed to find a way to back up all our P2 rushes without compressing them (ie – camera dump) onto LTO4 tape using a standalone tape drive.
Each tape costs £20.00 and stores 800gb of material, garuanteed for 30 years – cheaper and more robust than Blu Ray or loads of hard drives.
Bit fiddly to get it to work with Windows 7 but managed it in the end.
A.
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