Hi all. I'm very new to digital video. I want to know what is the best
file format (PC) to store video/clips for future editing. Currently I am
saving the files from my DV camera in AVI format. Is this a "lossless"
format, or should I archive in some other way?

Mike.

In message , Brayne Ded
writes
Hi all. I'm very new to digital video. I want to know what is the best
file format (PC) to store video/clips for future editing. Currently I am
saving the files from my DV camera in AVI format. Is this a "lossless"
format, or should I archive in some other way?

I'd suggest that you have a look at:
http://www.camcord.info/archiving

--
Tony Morgan
http://www.camcord.info

"Tony Morgan" wrote in message
...
In message , Brayne Ded
writes
Hi all. I'm very new to digital video. I want to know what is the best
file format (PC) to store video/clips for future editing. Currently I am
saving the files from my DV camera in AVI format. Is this a "lossless"
format, or should I archive in some other way?

I'd suggest that you have a look at:
http://www.camcord.info/archiving

--
Tony Morgan
http://www.camcord.info


Good info, but my DV camera doesn't have DV-in.

In message , Brayne Ded
writes

"Tony Morgan" wrote in message
...
In message , Brayne Ded
writes
Hi all. I'm very new to digital video. I want to know what is the best
file format (PC) to store video/clips for future editing. Currently I am
saving the files from my DV camera in AVI format. Is this a "lossless"
format, or should I archive in some other way?

I'd suggest that you have a look at:
http://www.camcord.info/archiving

--
Tony Morgan
http://www.camcord.info


Good info, but my DV camera doesn't have DV-in.

Tough. Maybe you should have read
http://www.camcord.info/buying
before you bought.

--
Tony Morgan

"Tony Morgan" wrote in message
...
In message , Brayne Ded
writes

"Tony Morgan" wrote in message
...
In message , Brayne Ded
writes
Hi all. I'm very new to digital video. I want to know what is the best
file format (PC) to store video/clips for future editing. Currently I
am
saving the files from my DV camera in AVI format. Is this a "lossless"
format, or should I archive in some other way?

I'd suggest that you have a look at:
http://www.camcord.info/archiving

--
Tony Morgan
http://www.camcord.info


Good info, but my DV camera doesn't have DV-in.

Tough. Maybe you should have read
http://www.camcord.info/buying
before you bought.

--
Tony Morgan

I got the information I need from another more helpful member via email, but
thanks for the sarcastic up-your-own-arse replies at the same Tony. Damn he
was right about you

In message , Brayne Ded
writes

"Tony Morgan" wrote in message
...
In message , Brayne Ded
writes

"Tony Morgan" wrote in message
...
In message , Brayne Ded
writes
Hi all. I'm very new to digital video. I want to know what is the best
file format (PC) to store video/clips for future editing. Currently I
am
saving the files from my DV camera in AVI format. Is this a "lossless"
format, or should I archive in some other way?

I'd suggest that you have a look at:
http://www.camcord.info/archiving

--
Tony Morgan
http://www.camcord.info


Good info, but my DV camera doesn't have DV-in.

Tough. Maybe you should have read
http://www.camcord.info/buying
before you bought.

--
Tony Morgan

I got the information I need from another more helpful member via email, but
thanks for the sarcastic up-your-own-arse replies at the same Tony. Damn he
was right about you

And I'd be very interesting in hearing the advice you were given. If he
suggested archiving MPEGs, then he should have also mentioned that they
are lossy.

And he should also have mentioned that AVI files are simply containers
for some video format or other.

And he should have mentioned that you'll only get about 20 minutes of DV
(or more accurately AVIs containing DV) on an archive DVD.

So just what was the advice you were given? Obviously is was very
questionable advice, otherwise he would have posted here to educate us
all (that's the way Usenet is).

--
Tony Morgan
http://www.camcord.info

"Brayne Ded" wrote in message
...

"Tony Morgan" wrote in message
...
In message , Brayne Ded
writes
Hi all. I'm very new to digital video. I want to know what is
the best
file format (PC) to store video/clips for future editing.
Currently I am
saving the files from my DV camera in AVI format. Is this a
"lossless"
format, or should I archive in some other way?

I'd suggest that you have a look at:
http://www.camcord.info/archiving


Good info, but my DV camera doesn't have DV-in.


So what does it record to?...

In other words then, don't wipe your raw footage, use a editor that
can export / save an 'Edit decision list' (EDL), this means that you
can then re create the project anytime. Otherwise treat yourself to a
new camera that does have DV-in ! :~)

"Brayne Ded" wrote in message
...

"Tony Morgan" wrote in message
...
In message , Brayne Ded
writes
Hi all. I'm very new to digital video. I want to know what is the best
file format (PC) to store video/clips for future editing. Currently I
am
saving the files from my DV camera in AVI format. Is this a "lossless"
format, or should I archive in some other way?

I'd suggest that you have a look at:
http://www.camcord.info/archiving


Good info, but my DV camera doesn't have DV-in.

Your only real option is to use the original tapes as backup, or archive the
AVIs in 19 minute chunks to DVD in data mode (35minute chunks if you have a
DL burner).

Using DVDR is great for selective backup, but price per GB is higher than
tape. There are also people on this group (I'm not one of them) who disagree
with the use of optical discs as backup media. You can find more info by
searching this group on Google Groups.

You can still archive "to" DV tape without DV-in. All you do is stripe your
unused tape by recording the full hour with the lens cap on, but a few
seconds after you start recording, clap or take a camera flash picture (with
the cap off for that bit, obviously). What you end up with is a tape with a
continuous timecode and a one frame audio or video "flag" right at the
start.*

Shoot your raw footage, making sure you start after the "flag".

Capture the entire 60 minute tape, including the "flag".

Put the AVI file into your editor, cut out everything up to but not
including the "flag" frame. Cut the black (lens cap) footage from the end.

Save as a new DV AVI (will not need to render, so it should be very quick)
using a consistent name, such as the tape number (you do number your tapes,
don't you?).

Seems like a lot of bother, eh? It is - for each tape you have an hour of
preparation before it can be used. You also need to keep at least one full
tape (13 GB) of free disc space on your capture PC.

As long as you note the duration of the new AVI, down to frame accuracy, you
have a DV AVI that you can reproduce EXACTLY from the original tape. All you
need is the start point (flag frame) and duration**.

If you now use that numbered AVI in your video projects, all you need to
archive is the project file (to CD or whatever) and you have all the
information needed to be able to produce an exact duplicate of the project
at a later date.

It means you get through a load of tapes, though, cos you only ever use them
once.

* You don't need to stripe the tape again if you ever decide it no longer
needs to be archived.
** To be honest, you don't even need to go through this rigmarole. It's
intended to show you the concept, but as long as you can come up with a way
of establishing a start point and frame-accurate duration, you don't even
need to stripe the tape. For example, you can use a clapperboard a few
seconds after you press "record" on the live shoot using a virgin tape. You
might also be lucky enough to have a capture program that only starts the
capture when it's getting valid data, so if you let the virgin tape play for
a few seconds and then start recording, your first frame will always be the
first actual frame filmed.