[AV Media Matters] biggest sticking point being the lack of a widespread format

[tony gardner <anthony.gardner@cec.eu.int>]

>There may be a nearly un-compressed method - digitizing into a non-linear
>editor, such as the Matrox Digisuite (actually lossless compression)

Is it? I don't think so.

>Unfortunately I would have to say that no "standards" exist for archival
> reformatting of video; the biggest sticking point being the lack of a
>> wide-spread format that does not use compression. Your (unappealing) choices
>> are to let the stock deteriorate without doing anything, or pick a format
>> that uses compression. If you do choose to do something to save the video
>> now, it might be a good idea to save the originals, in case a really good
>> archival format appears, but I don't have high hopes that this will happen
>> in the near future. I'll leave it to others on the list to offer specific
>> suggestions as to which format you might settle on and why.
>
>And in 15 years, when there are no Digisuites to be found, how do you
>reclaim the data?  Digibeta, while compressed, is a standard, it's 10
>bit, has decent 20-bit audio.  The tapes can be cloned in the future
>easily.

This really is the point isn't it.

In archiving, preserving, it is the lifetime of the support - the
integrity of the bits of the analogue signal - which must be the
prime concern. Then comes an assessment of the longetivity of the
analogue or digital format to be recorded on that support -
effectively the probability to have the possibility to find a player
to read it after X years. Then comes the ease with which it may be
copied to another support (with or without a change of data format
if digital) comes next (favours server type solutions but this is
not essential. The manpower calculations have to be in the business
plan).

Here and now we are, often in a position to have to make a decision.
Doing nothing can be a cop out. So, life is compromises, the stuff
of management. Make rational well informed compromises. Get the
right questions in the right order. Don't get hung up on single
issues, which don't stand up to informed holistic debate. Don't
(only) dream of a better tomorrow, take responsible decisions now.

For material originated on broadcast standard recording equipment or
lesser industrial, semi-pro or domestic formats, (I am not talking
e.g. film, I am talking about most ENG, EFP and studio material from
the networks) must we always come back to this irrational
black/white obsession with compression? Its just one of the
compromises. A bit is not bad; the dangers are known but manageable.

"Your (unappealing) choices are to let the stock deteriorate without
doing anything, or pick a format that uses compression". Come on.
You don't mean that. This is the real world.

"Compression is bad" is a bad mantra. but i hear it too often.

Tony Gardner
European Commission
These opinions are my own, not my employers.