MPEG-2 to archive movie footage?

derksen12 wrote on 3/14/2003, 8:06 PM
This weekend I will be capturing about a dozen or so VHS-C tapes onto my computer. Capture will be into .avi format using VV 3.0. I'm looking simply to archive them so that I can select segments later (as well as to preserve the originals). Should I render them into MPEG-2 and stick them onto DVDs? or does anyone have a better suggestion?
Thanks in advance,
Michael

Comments

Chienworks wrote on 3/14/2003, 8:31 PM
If you're capturing to DV by using an external A/V -> DV converter connected to a firewire port, then leave them in DV .avi format if at all possible. This will require about 225MB/minute though. If you're capturing to uncompressed .avi then render them to DV files which will compress them about 5:1. If you have a DV camcorder you could print all the captured clips DV back out to MiniDV tape for storage.

MPEG is highly unrecommended if you're planning to edit the files later.
pconti wrote on 3/14/2003, 11:08 PM
I second Chienworks. If you want to edit them later leave them in avi format. MPEG-2 is acceptable as a permanent archive but the compression generates artifacts and since you're starting with VHS -- which has its own issues -- you don't really want to add any more junk to the pictures.
fetch wrote on 3/14/2003, 11:43 PM
I always archive my work as uncompressed avi back to mini dv. Because you never know when you will want to edit them again, especially with the great plugins that are coming through.