Thank you. The only digitial output is via HDMI to the t.v. I'm not sure if that would be commensurate with the quality of the recording on the hard-drive. But its a thought. My lap top has a HDMI input. Chris B.

--- On Sat, 13/4/13, Michael Biel <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> From: Michael Biel <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Dub, dub, dub ....
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Date: Saturday, 13 April, 2013, 18:15
> Assuming that there is a digital
> output that will allow the drive to be
> backed up, do thework on the internal drive and then back it
> up on an
> external drive.  250 GB is not much. 
>
> Mike Biel   [log in to unmask]
>
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: [ARSCLIST] Dub, dub, dub ....
> From: Chris J Brady <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Sat, April 13, 2013 12:51 pm
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
> There is a thread debating about dubbing all in sight from
> LPs / 78s /
> cassettes / reel2reel tapes.
>
> But dubbing to what?
>
> Optical DVDs / CDs rely on the changing of the chemical
> properties of
> the substrate to retain digital recordings. DVD / CD
> pressing is beyond
> most peoples means.
>
> Further magnetic media such as hard-drives is reliant on the
> integrity
> of a spinning mechanism and read and write head to say
> nothing of the
> magnetic particles glued to the surface.
>
> Solid state devices seem reliable - after all if a camera
> lost at sea
> for years can eventually be returned with the images on the
> flash card
> still extant and downloadable - then something must be right
> with this
> media.
>
> So just what are all these folk dubbing to? What end-media
> are they
> using? And what is the retention-life of that media? Is it
> really
> suitable for archival recordings? Is anything suitable for
> archive
> recordings?
>
> As an aside I have just purchased a Panasonic EX99 combi
> deck to
> digitise and archive unique and culturally valuable
> recordings on
> gradually deteriorating VHS tapes. Reading the manual before
> setting it
> up - as you do - I was alarmed to read the statement that
> the 250GB
> hard-drive was fragile and not intended for the storing of
> archival
> recordings. Help!!!
>
> What can I use as the end dub media?
>
> So what about dubbing to optical disks? I can dub to RAM and
> then
> download to a computer - hard drive. But then what.
>
> Also it appears that I cannot make back-up copies of the
> hard-drive
> which as a computer professional I find rather alarming.
>
> Any ideas folks?
>
> Chris B.
>
> P.S. I am using self-bought domestic equipment for this
> project because
> funding was refused from the very Fund that should have
> supported it. I
> could have got professional dubs done. But now the urgency
> is to
> digitise the VHS tapes as best I can whilst they are still
> playable. The
> results will go to the BFI, BLSA, and other archives for
> visual and
> audio media.
>