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Author Topic: How long do you keep masters  (Read 4679 times)

Big Bri

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How long do you keep masters
« on: May 27, 2004, 03:06:05 AM »

Brad and Forum

How long do you keep masters of your clients, not just final audio, but unedited work files? or do you back it up in some form of data like Retrospect or Mezzo to DVD-R.  I ask because we have hard drives full of this stuff where clients have approved the final masters and taken delivery of the final disks.  Call me paranoid but what if someone from 3 years ago comes back and wants to change an edit.  So what is reasonable?  Should I have a disclaimer that after x amount of time files will be deleted.  Please tell me what you guys do.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts
Brian Baker  
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bblackwood

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Re: How long do you keep masters
« Reply #1 on: May 27, 2004, 07:45:20 AM »

Well, I archive everything to DVD but don't charge for it (no liability if you don't charge). I plan on keeping stuff for quite some time, though IU currently only have archives that date back to March '03, as that was when I started Euphonic Masters...
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Brad Blackwood
euphonic masters

pg666

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Re: How long do you keep masters
« Reply #2 on: May 27, 2004, 10:42:03 AM »

how are archived discs generally stored, file type/bit rate/sample rate wise?
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lowland

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Re: How long do you keep masters
« Reply #3 on: May 27, 2004, 10:43:48 AM »

I also archive everything, at the moment to SADiE Exabyte archives, though this will change in the medium future. With an increase in jobs at high sample/bit rates it doesn't take that much to fill a (5Gb?) tape so I'll investigate AIT and DVD.

As with Brad my archives go back to the start of my business six years ago, and they've proved useful on a number of occasions such as when compiling albums for record company clients most or all of whose back catalogue I've done  - there's a little extra freedom to move going to higher resolution sources rather than just ripping manufactured CDs into my SADiE.
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Nigel Palmer
Lowland Masters
Essex, UK
www.lowlandmasters.com

bblackwood

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Re: How long do you keep masters
« Reply #4 on: May 27, 2004, 10:54:39 AM »

I specifically avoid using any special software to back the stuff up - don't want to be stuck trying to hack some proprietary compression algorithm or data base in five years if the software manufacturer goes away. I bought Nero and just burn the entire project folder including all audio and EDL info to the DVD...

All files are store at the capture rates, 24/44.1.
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Brad Blackwood
euphonic masters

OTR-jkl

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Re: How long do you keep masters
« Reply #5 on: May 27, 2004, 11:33:09 AM »

I'm in the same situation right now of having to dump several months worth of weekly radio show files (~3G each) off my HD onto some form of backup medium.

I was looking into an ext. firewire drive (found a 250G drive from Western Digital for $250). I know that eventually it will fill up and I'll have to do something about it again.

What do you guys think about that vs. getting a DVD burner or maybe something like the Glyph GT051 that has changeable cartridges...?

BTW - what is the max storage capacity of a DVD?
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J Lowes · OTR Mastering
Professional Audio Production for Life
www.ShoutLife.com/OTRMastering

jfrigo

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Re: How long do you keep masters
« Reply #6 on: May 27, 2004, 04:13:28 PM »

I was backing up to DVD-R, but I changed over to firewire drives about a year ago. They're so affordable now and so much easier to deal with (faster write and read, take up less space), and the capacity is large enough that you can use the same drive for quite some time.

Most archivists say you should transfer to a new hard drive after a number of years, but by the time that's an issue, the projects will be old enough that I won't feel responsible to keep them. It's also said that you should spin it up at least once a year, but I spin the current drive up once a month to add the new sessions to it, so that's not a problem. On my full backup drive, I will spin it up a year from it's last backup just to be safe.

I figure that I should keep things for a year minimum, and past that I'll hold on to it if I have room, but I'm not going to take extraordinary measures to keep it after a year. Practically speaking, however, most everything stays around longer than that.
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jazzius

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Re: How long do you keep masters
« Reply #7 on: May 27, 2004, 04:31:53 PM »

I keep everything permenetly (on DVD) and don't charge for it.....but like Brad, i don't tell the client (unless they ask).....i've got an 80 gig drive, plus another 80gig one for daily backups.....that way i don't need to make the DVD backup until a few weeks after the project is history

grock5

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Re: How long do you keep masters
« Reply #8 on: May 27, 2004, 11:53:54 PM »

When I was AE'ing, I backed everything up and kept the discs myself. As these aren't the type of thing to shove in the attic or basement, what little space I have at home for these items is damn near capacity.

I eventually settled into 60 days on the redundant HD's for every session, with the understanding that if the building takes a hit, HD falls apart, files corrupt, we assume no responsibility. Clients were advised of this and were encouraged to take the option of a DVD of the files ($20 - seemed fair enough) of which they take home with them.  

This has led me to the realization that, in this market, most clients don't want to pay for backups if given an option.

Which reminds me.

I was at a graduation ceremony the other day, and every single person I saw had a camera with an LCD screen on the back of it. I thought to myself, "Nobody here is gonna have a single picture of this thing in 10 years" .

Made every picture I took with my 35mm seem to hold some importance.
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OTR-jkl

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Re: How long do you keep masters
« Reply #9 on: May 28, 2004, 12:29:31 AM »

**********STUPID QUESTION ALERT!!!!!**********

What does the +/- mean when talking about DVD R & RW drives?
(I have absolutely no idea...  Embarassed  Embarassed  Embarassed )
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J Lowes · OTR Mastering
Professional Audio Production for Life
www.ShoutLife.com/OTRMastering

jfrigo

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Re: How long do you keep masters
« Reply #10 on: May 28, 2004, 01:10:04 AM »

OTR-jkl wrote on Thu, 27 May 2004 21:29

**********STUPID QUESTION ALERT!!!!!**********

What does the +/- mean when talking about DVD R & RW drives?
(I have absolutely no idea...  Embarassed  Embarassed  Embarassed )


Just different formats, but they both really do the same thing in the same way. The typical (oversimplified) story goes something like this: Sony decided they wanted something that would pay them a royalty, so they came up with the proprietary "plus" format since that sounded better than a "minus", even though it's actually a dash, but...  There's actually a website they devoted to it. Look here:
http://www.dvdplusrw.org/
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grock5

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Re: How long do you keep masters
« Reply #11 on: May 28, 2004, 01:10:09 AM »

OTR-jkl wrote on Fri, 28 May 2004 00:29

**********STUPID QUESTION ALERT!!!!!**********

What does the +/- mean when talking about DVD R & RW drives?
(I have absolutely no idea...  Embarassed  Embarassed  Embarassed )


They are two different "formats".

Most of the newer drives will do both.

FWIW, The "+" can write at 8x speed now, while "-" is chugging along at 2x, IIRC...
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Doug Van Sloun

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Re: How long do you keep masters
« Reply #12 on: May 28, 2004, 10:56:35 PM »

bblackwood wrote on Thu, 27 May 2004 06:45

Well, I archive everything to DVD but don't charge for it (no liability if you don't charge). I plan on keeping stuff for quite some time, though IU currently only have archives that date back to March '03, as that was when I started Euphonic Masters...


I archive everything I do as well.  I learned early on that most of my clients weren't willing to pay for archives so I stopped charging for backing up but I do make note on the invoice that the archive is no charge but the restore will be a "nominal fee".  Clients who really need the restore seem more than willing to pay the restore fee.
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Doug Van Sloun
http://www.focusmastering.com
Omaha, NE

OTR-jkl

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Re: How long do you keep masters
« Reply #13 on: June 08, 2004, 02:09:40 PM »

FYI -
I decided to go the DVD backup route and bought a Plextor PX-708UF drive. Its hooked up via firewire thru my SIIG card. I tested it out yesterday and it works great. Nice, quiet drive. Couldn't be easier to get up & running. I have a whole slew of weekly radio shows on my HD - each one is ~3G. Only takes a few minutes to burn each one.

The way I figured it, if each pgm were on its own disc, then any one pgm could be taken to another location for some kind of work (w/o tying up the whole external drive - external firewire HD, that is) + I didn't like the idea of all back-ups being on the same drive in case something should happen to it.

Also, per recommendation from BB, I ordered a spindle of plain 'ol Taiyo DVD+Rs from this place <www.dsgi.com> and - like Brad - was impressed with the shipping packaging as well as the speed at which they operate. They were ready to ship product to me before I could even get the check out the door. I imagine I'll be calling them back when I finish this spindle.

Anyway, that's my B/U method as of now...
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J Lowes · OTR Mastering
Professional Audio Production for Life
www.ShoutLife.com/OTRMastering
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