A safe for tapes at DVinfo.net

Steven Davis · November 1st, 2006, 04:10 PM

Do they make a safe, like a gun safe etc, that would be friendly to video tapes?

Dan Robinson · November 1st, 2006, 04:33 PM

I have a large safe deposit box at the bank for all of my most important source tapes, slides and negatives. It costs $50 a year for a good-sized box in the climate-controlled, firewalled vault in a high-rise building downtown. I have unlimited access to the box during business hours.

I'm planning on getting yet another hard drive for another footage backup just to keep in my safe deposit box. It is a great off-site backup and good way to secure peace of mind.

I looked at many types of home safes, but any affordable ones would not protect delicate tape and film against *all* of the hazards - fire, moisture, etc. Most were not quite big enough for everything I wanted to put in them.

A house fire would be the worst-case scenario for any videographer, and the thought always made me shudder. You can replace your gear, but not your years of work!

Jerry Gordon · November 1st, 2006, 08:17 PM

good point dan...i keep mine in a pelican case....safe from all but that fire thing....
Jerry

Dean Sensui · November 3rd, 2006, 02:25 AM

Our mastered shows are stored on hard drives. One set is at my home office. Another duplicate set is at the home office of another one of our co-producer/owners.

Safes can be fire-resistant. But a serious fire can eventually bake the contents of most safes.

Dan Robinson · November 3rd, 2006, 02:37 AM

Yes - offsite backups are another great idea, maybe even more effective than a safe. I have copies of my most important tapes/ hard drives with friends/family in four different states. I might be a little obsessed with backups, and it does take some extra time and money - but it is great to know that everything is safe from just about any calamity that nature or man can throw at you.

Dean Sensui · November 3rd, 2006, 02:42 AM

OK. 4 different states. You win.

If we get hit by a massive tsunami then that's the end of the show... :-)

Marcus Marchesseault · November 3rd, 2006, 03:24 PM

But what a show it would be! As the water recedes, there will be fish everywhere just waiting to be plucked from the beach!

Wait a minute...Dean lives where I live...

I worked for a company that had me put the previous day's system backups in my Chevette and drive them to another location and store them in a safe. A security officer at the location was assigned to check the tapes in and out every day. I think the flaw in their plan was the Chevette, but it was a good idea in general. Considering the value of tapes (until the video is delivered to the customer), I like to store mine in a fire-resistant safe. You can fit a whole lot of mini-dv tapes in a small safe.

I put all tapes in a ziplock bag. The plastic bag protects the tapes from moisture and keeps projects seperate.

Duane Burleson · November 3rd, 2006, 06:15 PM

I would also suggest putting Silca Gel Desicant packets in tightly enclosed spaces, such as safes, to absorb any moister. And, yes, moisture can penetrate safes.

Duane

Jarrod Whaley · November 7th, 2006, 03:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duane Burleson

I would also suggest putting Silca Gel Desicant packets in tightly enclosed spaces, such as safes, to absorb any moister. And, yes, moisture can penetrate safes.

If moisture can get into a closed safe, then it can get out, too. The result is that the air in the safe is neither wetter nor dryer than the air in the surrounding room.

You should really only have to worry about desiccant packs in completely air-tight containers.

Anthony Spadaccini · December 15th, 2006, 10:13 AM

I plan on getting a safety deposit box within the next couple of weeks, containing all of my master DV tapes, important documents, my late father's lyrics and writings (he was a lyricist, musician, and writer), one copy of each film I've done on DVD, and an external hard drive with all of my files pertaining to my films and my film company.

I know others have stored film and/or other media in their boxes, so I don't think static electricity or magnetic forces would come into play here. Maybe I'm wrong.

Anyone know?

Jonathan Plotkin · December 15th, 2006, 05:12 PM

A standard fire-resistant safe isn't designed to protect media, which are likely to be damaged at lower temperatures than paper. Search on "media safe" and you'll find that they're pretty pricey. The best deal I've found is one made by Brink's.

Here are the specs: "Protects film, video, cassettes, computer disks, back-up tapes, photo negatives by maintaining the internal temperature to below 125 degrees during a fire up to 1550 degrees for one hour. Approximately .15 cu ft of storage capacity. Inside dimensions are 8 1/2"W x 8 1/8"D x 6"H.UL listed"

I paid $ 150. and it only holds a handful of tapes, so I use it for stuff that I haven't had a chance to copy and keep off-site.

JP

November 1st, 2006, 04:10 PM	#1
Steven Davis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 3,065	A safe for tapes Do they make a safe, like a gun safe etc, that would be friendly to video tapes? __________________ What happens if I push the 'Red' button?

November 1st, 2006, 04:33 PM	#2
Dan Robinson Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Charleston, West Virginia Posts: 131	I have a large safe deposit box at the bank for all of my most important source tapes, slides and negatives. It costs $50 a year for a good-sized box in the climate-controlled, firewalled vault in a high-rise building downtown. I have unlimited access to the box during business hours. I'm planning on getting yet another hard drive for another footage backup just to keep in my safe deposit box. It is a great off-site backup and good way to secure peace of mind. I looked at many types of home safes, but any affordable ones would not protect delicate tape and film against all of the hazards - fire, moisture, etc. Most were not quite big enough for everything I wanted to put in them. A house fire would be the worst-case scenario for any videographer, and the thought always made me shudder. You can replace your gear, but not your years of work! Last edited by Dan Robinson; November 1st, 2006 at 08:38 PM.

November 3rd, 2006, 02:25 AM	#4
Dean Sensui Inner Circle Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 2,054	Our mastered shows are stored on hard drives. One set is at my home office. Another duplicate set is at the home office of another one of our co-producer/owners. Safes can be fire-resistant. But a serious fire can eventually bake the contents of most safes. __________________ Dean Sensui Exec Producer, Hawaii Goes Fishing

November 3rd, 2006, 02:42 AM	#6
Dean Sensui Inner Circle Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 2,054	OK. 4 different states. You win. If we get hit by a massive tsunami then that's the end of the show... :-) __________________ Dean Sensui Exec Producer, Hawaii Goes Fishing

December 15th, 2006, 10:13 AM	#10
Anthony Spadaccini Tourist Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Claymont, Delaware, USA Posts: 2	Safety deposit box I plan on getting a safety deposit box within the next couple of weeks, containing all of my master DV tapes, important documents, my late father's lyrics and writings (he was a lyricist, musician, and writer), one copy of each film I've done on DVD, and an external hard drive with all of my files pertaining to my films and my film company. I know others have stored film and/or other media in their boxes, so I don't think static electricity or magnetic forces would come into play here. Maybe I'm wrong. Anyone know?

November 1st, 2006, 08:17 PM	#3
Jerry Gordon Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Leicester, nc Posts: 86	good point dan...i keep mine in a pelican case....safe from all but that fire thing.... Jerry

November 3rd, 2006, 02:37 AM	#5
Dan Robinson Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Charleston, West Virginia Posts: 131	Yes - offsite backups are another great idea, maybe even more effective than a safe. I have copies of my most important tapes/ hard drives with friends/family in four different states. I might be a little obsessed with backups, and it does take some extra time and money - but it is great to know that everything is safe from just about any calamity that nature or man can throw at you.

November 3rd, 2006, 03:24 PM	#7
Marcus Marchesseault Trustee Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 1,961	But what a show it would be! As the water recedes, there will be fish everywhere just waiting to be plucked from the beach! Wait a minute...Dean lives where I live... I worked for a company that had me put the previous day's system backups in my Chevette and drive them to another location and store them in a safe. A security officer at the location was assigned to check the tapes in and out every day. I think the flaw in their plan was the Chevette, but it was a good idea in general. Considering the value of tapes (until the video is delivered to the customer), I like to store mine in a fire-resistant safe. You can fit a whole lot of mini-dv tapes in a small safe. I put all tapes in a ziplock bag. The plastic bag protects the tapes from moisture and keeps projects seperate.

November 3rd, 2006, 06:15 PM	#8
Duane Burleson Regular Crew Join Date: May 2006 Location: Sterling Heights, Michigan Posts: 105	I would also suggest putting Silca Gel Desicant packets in tightly enclosed spaces, such as safes, to absorb any moister. And, yes, moisture can penetrate safes. Duane

December 15th, 2006, 05:12 PM	#11
Jonathan Plotkin Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Ithaca, NY Posts: 122	A standard fire-resistant safe isn't designed to protect media, which are likely to be damaged at lower temperatures than paper. Search on "media safe" and you'll find that they're pretty pricey. The best deal I've found is one made by Brink's. Here are the specs: "Protects film, video, cassettes, computer disks, back-up tapes, photo negatives by maintaining the internal temperature to below 125 degrees during a fire up to 1550 degrees for one hour. Approximately .15 cu ft of storage capacity. Inside dimensions are 8 1/2"W x 8 1/8"D x 6"H.UL listed" I paid $ 150. and it only holds a handful of tapes, so I use it for stuff that I haven't had a chance to copy and keep off-site. JP