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jhmccoy
Dec 17, 2003, 03:16 PM
I have a dual G5 with panther preinstalled. I want to archive my DV tapes. I can write them to a DVD but how do I reverse the process (convert it back to quicktime) so that I could edit it without having to hook up my DVD player to my camcorder and re-record the movie.

I would appreciate any help in the matter.

Thanks.


LethalWolfe
Dec 17, 2003, 03:31 PM
Do not use DVDs to archive your DV tapes. You lose huge amounts of data when you do that (DVD is about 1/4 the data rate of MiniDV). And to get the files back off the DVD you'll have to transcode them again (DVD->DV) which will be another "digital" generation loss.

DVD is great to put the final product on but it's bad to archive to.


Lethal
patrick0brien
Dec 17, 2003, 03:50 PM
-jhmccoy

I'm not contradicting LethalWolfe here, but there is something you can do. Or rather,not do.

Don't convert your DV to be playable on a DVD.

Make the DVD be your Data archive. Just copy the .qt file itself.

It will be faster, as there would ne no MPEG-2 encoding, and you can get your videos back.

Only encode to MPEG-2 to be playable as a DVD when you want that content to stay there - keeping your original footage on that DVD archive disk.
LethalWolfe
Dec 17, 2003, 04:04 PM
Patrick, the only problem w/that is it will take 3 DVDs to back up 1 hour of video.


Lethal
patrick0brien
Dec 17, 2003, 04:08 PM
Originally posted by LethalWolfe
Patrick, the only problem w/that is it will take 3 DVDs to back up 1 hour of video.


Lethal

-LethalWolfe

This is why I personally use dedicated HD's for this :D
jhmccoy
Dec 17, 2003, 05:41 PM
Thanks, I have thought of just copying the QT file, but like someone said it is a huge file. Buying firewire harddrives sounds more expensive than keeping minidv tapes. Any other ideas?

Thanks.
arn
Dec 17, 2003, 05:47 PM
Originally posted by jhmccoy
Thanks, I have thought of just copying the QT file, but like someone said it is a huge file. Buying firewire harddrives sounds more expensive than keeping minidv tapes. Any other ideas?

Thanks.


as others have stated....

I keep my DV on DV tapes.

Finished edited stuff you can record out to DV. It may be a little costly... but really is the best way if you want to be able to edit it later.

arn