Like everyone else, I am very excited about this camera. However, the thought of no tape backup for all my HD material is scary. How does everyone plan to backup their data: DLT, RAID's, DVD's? The thought of backing up to a regular old hard drive is pretty scary, to me, and DVD's, though Apple is now including dual layer, 8gb, burners in the new G5's, still doesn't seem practical if you are shooting a lot of HD. So what is the safe, economical solution?

Peter

So what is the safe, economical solution?

My guess is that until recordible optical disks with ~25-50GB capacity become common, the cheapest way to backup files would be to dozens of DVD-R's. Anything I don't want to lose, I do this for anyway, even with my HDV footage happily archived on miniDV tapes. Also, more people can read DVD-R's than tapes so it allows for better file sharing.

A No Nonsense Approach to the P2 Workflow paper is now posted on the Panasonic site. It references several archive solutions.

http://catalog2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ModelDetail?storeId=11201&catalogId=13051&itemId=93120&catGroupId=14569&surfModel=AG-HVX200&surfCategory=Cinema%20Series%20Cameras&displayTab=R

Sorry for the long URL, I don't know how to make those cute tiny urls. Anyhow go to this website and click on the White Paper link.

Best,

Jan

Hey Jan, tiny URLS are easy. Just copy your URL into your clipboard, go to tinyurl.com, paste it in, and it should be obvious from there.

I agree 100%

I need tape. I have over 300 dv tapes with old concert footage. I record shows and weddings and do not just edit and distribute, I archive the concerts as well. I might need a few hundred terabytes of hard drive space, much more in HD. I can't afford a hard drive for every gig.

IMNSHO, if Panasonic cares to sell this camera to consumers or prosumers, they will need an HD capable recording tape drive. Whether it means coming out with a more robust tape that can handle the bandwidth, then so be it. Myself and others cannot go the P2 or hard drive route as it's just way too expensive and an inconvenience to be switching memory cards, whether P2 or compact flash.

Also, do we already have computers capable of editing that bandwidth? What about distribution, where is Blu Ray or whatever other recording option? At least with the JVC, I'll be able to go to DVHS, not even sure if the Sony FX1 records to DVHS.

I am not sure about this move away from tape, in fact I believe the need for tape is greater as the bandwidth of the medium increases, as far as I see, there is no alternative. With HD material streaming at such high rates 100MB/sec or whatever it is, I believe tape storage will be more crucial. If not tape storage, then some Blu Ray style optical disk recording format that isn't too expensive but more along the current price of DVDs/tapes and if not that cheap let's say around $25/1hr tape or disk. I hope Canon is listening.


Like everyone else, I am very excited about this camera. However, the thought of no tape backup for all my HD material is scary. How does everyone plan to backup their data: DLT, RAID's, DVD's? The thought of backing up to a regular old hard drive is pretty scary, to me, and DVD's, though Apple is now including dual layer, 8gb, burners in the new G5's, still doesn't seem practical if you are shooting a lot of HD. So what is the safe, economical solution?

Peter

Thanks Jan, I will check it out.

Peter

Jan, that white paper is enormously helpful. Can we get a sticky for the forum so that everyone knows it exists...I think a lot of people here would find it a great resource.

Peter