Something Chris Hurd said in another thread
(http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?p=747277#post747277)
got me thinking.

I'd really like to see a chart that compares the storage capacity, lifespan and cost-per-minute of various media formats (such as P2, SxS, hard disk, XDCAM disk, Blu-Ray, HD-DVD, DV/HDV tape, DLT tape, Dual-Layer DVD, etc.) recording various flavors of HD codecs, (such as HDV, AVCHD, XDCAM, HD DVCPRO, Redcode, Cineform, etc.).

I've searched on these forums and come up empty, but it's possible I missed something.

Here's the info I'd like for each codec on each format:
- the resolution actually recorded to media
- cost-per-minute for acquisition
- the maximum minutes that can be recorded to currently available media
- estimated archival life
- estimated cost of equipment/recorder to handle the media

As HD camera equipment comes down in price, and increases in quality, my decision about which format to buy into may very well come down to the ongoing cost of acquisition and archival storage. A cross-format comparison would be really helpful in this decision.

I'm sort of talking off the top of my head, here, so any ideas about how to do this would be welcome.

What do you think?