What Digital Files Do You Keep?

[pseudosafari]

I record on a Sony Handycam mostly. Straight to Memory Stick Pro Duo. I cut and paste the created files right off the card and onto my hard drives, where they’re backed up, used, and stored. I am content with my workflow and see no reason to change.

I only save the .mts files and I scrap the rest, reformat the card and stick it back in the Handycam for the next day’s filming.

But, SHOULD I KEEP IT ALL?

The other files seem to be files used to index the videos on the card. In theory, I could copy the whole card each time and save ALL the files; then I could copy the files back to a clean card and plug it in the camera and the camera could interpret them, although I’ve never had a need to do this.

Is there any other use for those files? Does anyone have any suggestions? Should I keep all the files?

Just curious on others’ thoughts.

[birdcat]

My workflow is record to MTS – Convert to M2T to work with – Output to MOV, M2V or MPG.

Once a project is done, I burn a DVD or BD with the final, create an ISO of the final which I store either on HD if small or BD-RE if large, plus I keep the original MTS files on HD for a while then back up to BD-R for longer term. Also, if a smaller (100MB or less) MPG, M2V or MOV (or MP4) is available, I keep those around on HD.

[deviantfotografer]

Do you also backup on an External HD???? or just on your computer???

if a external HD, is it Firewire, USB????

thanks

Jarrod

[EarlC]

I do a LOT of funeral and memorial video productions each year. At the price of today’s SATA drives I simply fill it to within about 10 percent capacity, then replace. I also have/maintain a DVD copy of all productions, and often will have the original MiniDV tapes for about a year. I have duplicate DVD masters of all these projects, and more off-site as well.

[birdcat]

My current setup is 1TB internal and 2.5TB (2 + .5) external via USB. I also have a SATA dock that allows me to connect and swap SATA 3 hard drives for near line storage – As Earl said, these are getting cheaper every day (I pay about $80 for a 2TB drive).

[vid-e-o-man]

Pseudosafari, I recently found a Sony DVDirect VRD MC-5 on ebay at a reasonable price. I hook my hard disk drive Sony to it and copy the raw AVCHD files to DVD which will play HD on Blu-ray players and PS3. This allows me to keep my camcorders drive clear for new shooting.The VRD will also accept output from a VHS, Digital 8 etc. and put to DVD (I still have lots of old footage on these formats). IfI am caught up on editing, I just transfer AVCHD files from my camcorder directly to my computer for editing, rendering and burning to Blu-ray or DVD (SD) master disks, usually both formats. I then burn as many disks as I need for the customer. I am moving towards something similar to what birdcat is describing with my edited files- external disk drives. Keep shooting.

[pseudosafari]

Thanks for the all the responses but I should have been more clear.

I DO keep ALL the .mts files. I use and re-use a lot of them. I also have a good backup system to external hard drives, saved off site. I’m really happy with that and see no need to change.

But my question is more about what files to actually put on the HD in the first place. My Sony Handycam’s Memory Stick Pro Duo has a folder called AVCHD on it, and inside that folder there’s a folder called BVDM, and inside that folder there are three folders:

CLIPINF

PLAYLIST

STREAM

STREAM contains the .mts files. I copy those to my HD currently.

However, there are files in the other folders, too. They aren’t needed to play/use the .mts files. But I think I would need them if I wanted to re-create the folders on the card to play back video in the camera. I’ve never kept them and don’t plan on starting to, unless I should for some reason you can think of.

My question is really whether anyone else even copies those other files and folders off the cards in the first place, or do you just take what you want and reformat the rest like I do? Is there any reason to keep .CPI files or .MPL files out of those folders, for example? Do any of you keep those files?

Just curious, and thanks again for the responses. I love hearing this stuff and it’s great to see what others do.

[Grinner Hester]

just chunk it all on a lil firewire drive and file it away.

[Author]

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