For digital filmmaking, where you do store your DV / HDV tapes? The hot humid weather has arrived, and I can not afford to continuously air condition cool my home. I know tapes should be kept "somewhere cool and dry", but where is that in an average home? The basement is cool, but not dry. Refridgerator is cool but I would not want to risk condensation, etc. I do have a second unused refridgerator-- I could perhaps keep it on a very very low setting-- thoughts on that? Another solution? Use of dessicants/ What do you all do for this problem?
I have them in a drawer next to my computer. I can still read Hi8 tapes from 1994 OK, so I can't be doing too bad :).
quote:
Originally posted by MarkG
I have them in a drawer next to my computer. I can still read Hi8 tapes from 1994 OK, so I can't be doing too bad :).
But is there loss of quality? Has there been any research done as to the rate of (if any) bit information loss off tapes with storage. There has to be some, if for no other reason than from gamma radiation from space constantly blasting the little particles on the tapes. With optical storage that is not an issue, but for magnetic data storage there is always some data loss over time; with PC drives I think it sort of gets self-corrected by the operating system, but not so on a tape. I guess some lead shielding bags could help, but for the immediate term I am concerned about humidity. That said it is good news that your '94 tapes are still readable!
If you are concerned about losing your tapes you should make duplicates and put them in a bank safe deposit box so they will be in a temperature controlled and fire proof area seperate from your main tapes in case something happens. You should also try to fastforwad/rewind each tape once a year to prevent the lubrications from causing the tape layers from sticking together.
RJSchwarz
San Diego, CA
RJSchwarz
quote:
Originally posted by rjschwarz
If you are concerned about losing your tapes you should make duplicates ...
That is an excellent idea. Are there tape duplicator machines or drives for doing that? Anybody know of a link to a DV tape duplicator? If affordable I would like to buy one.
Import the raw tapes into your video editing program.
Export the raw footage out to blank tapes from your video editing program.
I've not done that but it should work.
RJSchwarz
San Diego, CA
RJSchwarz
The only downside is that you'll normally lose the timecode that way.
quote:
Originally posted by rjschwarz
Import the raw tapes into your video editing program.
Export the raw footage out to blank tapes from your video editing program.
But it sure would be nice to have a tape deck to do that instead of having to use the camera. I recall 10-15 years ago having a tape drive in a 5.25" drive bay in my computer, storing data to small 8mm tapes or something like that. You would think there would be a demand for such a device for all the digital camcorders now on the market, that some company would pick up on this and make an affordable tape drive like that for DV/HDV, to make part of our computers?
I believe there are decks that do that but most independent filmmakers can't justify the cost. You can probably find one in a film school or television broadcast studio though.
RJSchwarz
San Diego, CA
RJSchwarz
