While you have responded to a thread that is nearly 2.5 years old, the content is interesting to read. I chose BluRay as my archive around the same time this thread started. The progression has been quite interesting. My 25GB BluRay disks now cost about $1.50, and the slimline protective casing to put them in raises the price to about $1.75 or slightly less. One of our forum sponsors lists 25GB XDCam disks at about $22. Still. So I can back up 250GB and store those disks in protective cases for the cost of a single XDCam disk. I can purchase a BluRay reader at any local electronics store.

B&H Photo shows the current price of the PDW-U1 unit at $3199.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/502450-REG/Sony_PDW_U1.html


I recently purchased a 4x burner for less than $200. And it came with 10 25GB BluRay disks.

Videoguys.com - Pioneer BDR-206 Mega Bundle with Media and External USB Enclosure


I feel very comfortable with my choice.

I know the thread is an old one, but perhaps just as relevant today as it was 2.5 years ago.

I am tempted to buy the Pioneer 205 BlueRay/DVD/CD burner as this seems like a good long term storage solution. At the moment I am using hard drives, and I know these will all fail at some time in the future. Storing a 16gb data card on one BlueRay Disk does seem like a good option and from what I am reading, they are more robust than DVD disks.

Thanks for your input Perrone

Vincent and Perrone, I am glad you revitalized this thread as you are a testament to my sentiments as well.

As someone who has been in video for 30 years I've seen 2", 1", D2, BetaSX and a host of other playback device dependent formats come and go. So many talk about the longevity of the media but not of the reader.

We've seen CD to DVD to Blu-ray disk progression and Blu-ray drives play the older formats. I'm going to bet that Blu-ray drives will be easier to locate 10 years from now the XDCAM disc readers. Generally I think not codec specific storage devices will be more widely available that proprietary readers.

I suspect Sony is trying to make XDCAM a storage standard as the new much larger 128GB discs but I don't see that as moving to widespread use.

Blu-ray is in a "funny" place though. Whereas CD and DVD drives are in every computer, this is not the case with Blu-ray. Yet I still believe the reader is more of a standard than other formats.

We are at a strange point in storage history given speculation what media might replace Blu-ray (if anything). Some speculate archival flash type media for example. If optical disks come to an end will player be easily available 10 years from now?

When we talk about long term storage we must consider available playback in the future.

I guess the solution is to use what is currently the flavour of the day and then be prepared to transfer data to a new media type as and when it becomes available. Long winded I know :-(

As for BlueRay, well it does look very attractive today, but with 3D tv heading our way, maybe there will yet another standard to accomodate the extra data needed.

I may just treat myself to the Pioneer 205 as a Christmas present from me to me - it will make a change from the usual socks and jumpers.

I bought the Pioneer 205 a couple of months ago, to replace my early Lacie unit. I am very happy with it so far.

I have never been a fan or proprietary anything. And optical has ALWAYS been a good idea where it makes sense. Some companies have pushed multi-layer BluRay to 300GB and beyond, but of course this would require new readers which would be rather pricey. Solid state hasn't proven itself to me yet as an archival medium. I can drop my BluRay disks in a bucket of water, take them out, wipe them off, and play them. They can get dusty and be cleaned. They deal with static discharge just fine. They can be x-ray'd, etc.

If something comes along and replaced BluRay, in the next few years, I'm ok with that. I would NOT be ok with it had I sunk $5k into it. But for a few hundred dollars in players and disks... not that big a deal.

You have convinced me Perrone, I will tell Mrs Oliver that you encouraged me to buy it :-)