Creating data files in Vegas for archive? at DVinfo.net

Brian Luce · October 15th, 2009, 09:26 PM

Is it possible to render or save video projects created in vegas as data files onto regular DVD? This would be for archiving completed HD projects.

I've heard Edius and Premiere have this capability.

Perrone Ford · October 15th, 2009, 09:55 PM

Sure, this is how I used to arcvive SD projects.

Save the media plus the .veg file and you're all set.

Brian Luce · October 15th, 2009, 10:37 PM

Is there a way to save media files as data? Something like a MXF?

I don't have blu ray so can't save media files in any video format.

I don't know much about this process, but doesn't DLT save things as data and then you have to reconstruct them back in the playable media files if you needed to display them?

Perrone Ford · October 15th, 2009, 10:56 PM

You're thinking about this wrong. When you save copies of files to DVD or LTO as "data" it's the same as putting them on a backup hard drive. When you put the DVD in the drive, it looks just like a small hard drive, and you can even open the files in your NLE right from there. With LTO you have to "restore" the files first (like copying them from your backup drive to your local hard drive) and then you can work.

While I don't save MXF files to DVD typically, I could, and it would work just like I had them on a hard drive.

If you are planning on doing this with HD files, be forewarned that you won't get much on there. HDV takes up 11GB per hour, and something like the EX1 uses 16GB per hour. The AVCHD cameras fall inbetween, and something like the HVX200 or HPX170 use 60GB per hour. So even the dual layer DVDs at 8.5GB won't be holding too much.

Brian Luce · October 16th, 2009, 12:23 AM

Okay thanks, I'd always assumed that LTO files needed reconstruction because they were in some trick archival data format, and that's why LTO couldn't be used as a playback deck. Why is that anyway? Why *can't* LTO or DLT play media files?

Perrone Ford · October 16th, 2009, 12:40 AM

Ah, now this is a horse of a different color...

LTO and DLT write data files. They do not write video files. In order for a tape deck to write playable video files, it has to read, write, and understand what codec is being used. This is why you can't just take a panasonic tape, and play it in a sony tape deck, or vice versa. And to prevent people from trying, they tend to make them different sizes.

Think of LTO/DLT as taking your video files and making them .ZIP (or .HQX for Mac folk, or .TAR/GZIP on Linux). That is how they are written to tape. To get them back, the tape deck reads the tape, uncompresses the files it wrote, and gives you your original back as DATA.

Basically, you can format a DVD just like a hard drive and it becomes aware of the file structure, and data types just like a hard drive would. Data tape like LTO and DLT do not do that. They write in their own format. But unlike video tape, they preserve every bit of the original. If you have an uncompressed HD file and save that with LTO, then restore it, you get your uncompressed HD file back. If you tried the same with and HDCam tape, or a DVCProHD, you'd store the file in that format and the original data would be lost forever.

Make sense?

October 15th, 2009, 09:26 PM	#1
Brian Luce Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,290	Creating data files in Vegas for archive? Is it possible to render or save video projects created in vegas as data files onto regular DVD? This would be for archiving completed HD projects. I've heard Edius and Premiere have this capability.

October 15th, 2009, 09:55 PM	#2
Perrone Ford Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 4,100	Sure, this is how I used to arcvive SD projects. Save the media plus the .veg file and you're all set. __________________ DVX100, PMW-EX1, Canon 550D, FigRig, Dell Octocore, Avid MC4/5, MB Looks, RedCineX, Matrox MX02 mini, GTech RAID, Edirol R-4, Senn. G2 Evo, Countryman, Moles and Lowels.

October 15th, 2009, 10:56 PM	#4
Perrone Ford Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 4,100	You're thinking about this wrong. When you save copies of files to DVD or LTO as "data" it's the same as putting them on a backup hard drive. When you put the DVD in the drive, it looks just like a small hard drive, and you can even open the files in your NLE right from there. With LTO you have to "restore" the files first (like copying them from your backup drive to your local hard drive) and then you can work. While I don't save MXF files to DVD typically, I could, and it would work just like I had them on a hard drive. If you are planning on doing this with HD files, be forewarned that you won't get much on there. HDV takes up 11GB per hour, and something like the EX1 uses 16GB per hour. The AVCHD cameras fall inbetween, and something like the HVX200 or HPX170 use 60GB per hour. So even the dual layer DVDs at 8.5GB won't be holding too much. __________________ DVX100, PMW-EX1, Canon 550D, FigRig, Dell Octocore, Avid MC4/5, MB Looks, RedCineX, Matrox MX02 mini, GTech RAID, Edirol R-4, Senn. G2 Evo, Countryman, Moles and Lowels.

October 16th, 2009, 12:40 AM	#6
Perrone Ford Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 4,100	Ah, now this is a horse of a different color... LTO and DLT write data files. They do not write video files. In order for a tape deck to write playable video files, it has to read, write, and understand what codec is being used. This is why you can't just take a panasonic tape, and play it in a sony tape deck, or vice versa. And to prevent people from trying, they tend to make them different sizes. Think of LTO/DLT as taking your video files and making them .ZIP (or .HQX for Mac folk, or .TAR/GZIP on Linux). That is how they are written to tape. To get them back, the tape deck reads the tape, uncompresses the files it wrote, and gives you your original back as DATA. Basically, you can format a DVD just like a hard drive and it becomes aware of the file structure, and data types just like a hard drive would. Data tape like LTO and DLT do not do that. They write in their own format. But unlike video tape, they preserve every bit of the original. If you have an uncompressed HD file and save that with LTO, then restore it, you get your uncompressed HD file back. If you tried the same with and HDCam tape, or a DVCProHD, you'd store the file in that format and the original data would be lost forever. Make sense? __________________ DVX100, PMW-EX1, Canon 550D, FigRig, Dell Octocore, Avid MC4/5, MB Looks, RedCineX, Matrox MX02 mini, GTech RAID, Edirol R-4, Senn. G2 Evo, Countryman, Moles and Lowels.

October 15th, 2009, 10:37 PM	#3
Brian Luce Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,290	Is there a way to save media files as data? Something like a MXF? I don't have blu ray so can't save media files in any video format. I don't know much about this process, but doesn't DLT save things as data and then you have to reconstruct them back in the playable media files if you needed to display them?

October 16th, 2009, 12:23 AM	#5
Brian Luce Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,290	Okay thanks, I'd always assumed that LTO files needed reconstruction because they were in some trick archival data format, and that's why LTO couldn't be used as a playback deck. Why is that anyway? Why can't LTO or DLT play media files?