ELL: RE: on-going discussion on archiving issues

[Brian Levy]

  I hope you guys aren't tired of this thread yet....


>Thank you, Anthony, you've given me a lot to work with, I'll need to think
>it through some more, esp. the part about video capture and storage to
>hard disk, since our budget is so limited right now.  Maybe we can get a
>grant for that soon, though
>[GARDNER Anthony (PRESS)] i bought a pc based system with a good quality
>video card (to 50Mbps),dvdreader, a dvdr and cdr burner, cheap authoring
>software for dvd-video, some adobe siftware for editing and stills, and
>realvideo software. This cost 25000dollars a year ago in europe.
>  .  What would be wrong with burning DVD's directly from our old VHS,
> Beta, HI-8, and now, Digital-8 (non-professional quality equipment)
> masters?  I mean as soon as DVD burner technology gets more affordable,
> and more standardized, say in the next three years or so?
>[GARDNER Anthony (PRESS)] Nothing. Decide whether you are going to make
>DVD-videos, for playing on any domestic DVD video player, and/or DVD ROM
>storing higher bit rate and therefore better quality video. I would guess
>that your DV recordings will come out well on DVD-video, as will probably
>VHS and HI8: for beta (SP?) you might need to do some tests.
>[GARDNER Anthony (PRESS)] The BBC at JITS2000 talked about their tests for
>transferring their UMATIC archive to DVDROM. They made tests at different
>bit rates on a selection of critical material, and then examined the
>images in freeze frame for any blocking or other artefacts. This is a good
>pragmatic way of doing things, if not entirely rigorous. Choose
>imageswhich are a bit noisy, shot in low light, with plenty of movement.
>I guess video capture might be worth the investment in proper computer and
>capture equipment in the meantime, is that right?  And then it would be
>all the easier to transfer the computer .mpeg2 or whatever files to burned
>DVD's?
>[GARDNER Anthony (PRESS)] Yes.
>We don't intend any web access outside the Caddo tribe to our audio and
>video, so it's not the same issue as say the Library of Congress here in
>the US with their Folkways collection all or much of which is made
>web-accessible.
>[GARDNER Anthony (PRESS)] Understood
>We just want these audio and video recordings to be accessible by members
>present, and, importantly, future of the Caddo Tribe.  I'm with you, I've
>accepted the reality that vault storage without maintenance would be
>disastrous, a fairy tale.  I don't buy the simulated aging tests by CDR
>companies.  I see the need to migrate every five to ten years.
>And maybe to buy a CD tester in the meantime to monitor digital
>deterioration.
>[GARDNER Anthony (PRESS)] Do they exist?
>I guess it would also be best to capture all audio from first gen. CD or
>DAT directly to computer hard drive, and have that be one archival copy.
>We already have two CDR copies of everything stored in separate location,
>one silver dye, one gold, but I am considering doing only gold from now
>on, based on what others on these lists have said about relative
>longevities of the two, and particular problems with silver discs forming
>silver sulfates or something due to sulphur contents in the atmosphere all
>over the world.on our watch [if we can help it!]'.
>[GARDNER Anthony (PRESS)] Once again JITS covered this in some detail. I
>can forward some documentation if you wish.
>One point they made was to chose the CDR disc and the recorder together:
>disc A in recorder X, and disc Y in recorder B may well give excellant
>jitter and error rates, whereas disc A in recorder Yand disc B in recorder
>X may give unacceptable results - it is difficult to condemn either the
>discs or the recorders in isloation.
>They also made the point that CDR is a domestic format and that this may
>well lower the quality control and manufacturing standards of the project:
>thus your choice of good quality discs from reputable manufacturers is
>good. I am not an expert in the different types of CDR - I am sure you
>know more than me.
>
>Also interesting what you say about not 'going backward' and making analog
>copies of everything, despite the possible lack of CD players in say fifty
>to 150 years from now.  Esp. given, as you say, how expensive professional
>modern analog reel to reel recorders and the like would be.  I know others
>feel differently on this issue, in the end it's also a matter of
>man-hours, we just don't have the staff to do every possible backup
>strategy, so we have to choose carefully amongst all the
>options.  Migrating seems the safest, though it pre-supposes people after
>we die will still care enough to keep the process going, on that we are
>banking.  And, as one linguist friend in Calif. said, 'we're not going to
>let these precious language and cultural material die on our watch [if we
>can help it!]'.
>[GARDNER Anthony (PRESS)] A management and financing problem as much as a
>technical one. You have to make the choices you feel are justified. We say
>here if you have 5 experts there are always 6 'best' solutions.
>I too enjoy these interchanges: what did we ever do without email?
>For me it is an opportunity to  apply my ideas.
>[GARDNER Anthony (PRESS)] Good luck with your project.
>
>I really appreciate you help.
>
>                   Brian Levy
>
>
>I really appreciate you help.
>
>
>                   Brian Levy
>
>------------------------------------------
>Brian Levy
>Cultural Activist
>Kiwat Hasinay Foundation:
>Preserving Caddo Heritage
>211 W. Colorado Ave.
>Anadarko, OK  73005  USA
>(1) 405-247-5840

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