Best practice method for archiving a DVD?

plasmavideo wrote on 11/14/2005, 4:40 AM

What have you found to be the best method for making a "backup" of a DVD to be burned at a later date? (not on the hard drive, but as an external backup). Is any method preferable for possible re-authoring at a later date as well?

1. Burn a master from the project and just do a copy DVD to make additional copies?

2. Put a copy of the .iso on to a DVD and then transfer to the hard drive when you wish to burn a new DVD?

3. Simply put your video_ts and audio_ts folders onto a DVD and restore them to the hard drive for reburning later?

Logically, it seems like the first method is the easiest, but I wonder if there are any advantages of doing it another way. Is any method better to use to minimize bit errors? Method 3 seems best if you have a several smaller projects you could put on the same DVD for future use.

Thanks.

Tom

Comments

bStro wrote on 11/14/2005, 6:00 AM

3. Simply put your video_ts and audio_ts folders onto a DVD and restore them to the hard drive for reburning later? ... Method 3 seems best if you have a several smaller projects you could put on the same DVD for future

I believe I'd have to disagree with that. Once your projects have been prepared, combining bits and pieces of them (from those prepared files) into a new project is going to be little more than a headache.

If your goal is to be able to use parts of the DVD again later, I think the "best" method is to backup your DAR file and all media used in the project (all video, all audio, all pictures including button and thumbnails). While you're at it, it's usually "best" if your video files are DVD-compliant MPEGs and your audio are either WAV or AC3. (I put "best" in quotes because there's no such thing as the best method -- it all depends on what works for you.)

If you just want to be able to make an exact copy of the disc later, I'd go with #1 or #3; Or even better, get yourself a really big harddrive and store all your prepared files on it instead of fussing with backup discs. This isn't practical for everyone, obviously, including me. ;-)

#2 seems like an unnecessary step to me unless you also need the disc in a single file, for example you plan to distribute it online.

Rob

johnmeyer wrote on 11/14/2005, 7:25 AM

TheHappyFriar wrote on 11/14/2005, 10:47 AM

doesn't really matter. any way will work. All depends on the situation.

Chienworks wrote on 11/14/2005, 12:11 PM

I like method #1 if the video is too big to have any substantial amount of room left for other files on the disc. Then making additional copies is a brain-dead disc-copy process.

I like method #3 if i have several smaller videos, or if i want to back up accessory files as well.

Whichever method you choose, make at least three copies! Label them well and store them in different places, preferably at least one of the in a different building.

plasmavideo wrote on 11/14/2005, 3:12 PM

Thanks to you all. It sure depends on the situation. After posting, I couldn't think of any technical reason not to do any of the 3 EXCEPT - . If you write to DVD it doesn't really matter which method you use, you may get bit errors, but I guess I was thinking in terms of - you burn a DVD that doesn't play correctly on a settop player, then you wouldn't want to use that as the master in the future - you would almost want to start at baseline again.

OK, burn one of #1 and #3 and make 10 copies of them and store at least 6 of them in a Mayonaise jar on Funk and Wagnell's Front Porch.

Now, who remembers where that came from!

Tom

PS - I'm not even going to bring up the topic of burn speeds! Boy, there are more opinions on that one then most anything else!

MikeA wrote on 11/22/2005, 5:06 AM

"Johnny Carson's schticks include his role as "Carnac the Magnificent," an Indian fortune teller who could give divine answers to questions sealed in envelopes and kept in a mayonnaise jar on the front porch of Funk & Wagnalls since earlier that afternoon. "

Shoul've known that, but I ended up having to look it up! BTW, I'm really feeling old right about now. Thanks Tom...