Modern videos are stored as digital files that can be very large. Many people are also converting older formats into digital files because they do not degrade. Something you might be concerned about is storing video images in a safe way. You should understand some of the benefits and drawbacks of different video storage options.
 
Internal Hard Drives
 
Internal hard drives are the default storage medium for many people. These are the drives inside desktop systems or laptops. Internal drives are a good place to store video for everyday use. They are commonly used by professional video production companies when performing editing and post-production work. They are not an option for long-term storage. Hardware, software and power issues can all destroy data on an internal drive. Videos on internal hard drives should be backed up in at least one other location.
 
Memory Cards and Thumb Drives
 
Many video devices and even some converters use memory cards. Thumb drives are larger versions of memory cards that use the same solid-state technology. Memory cards and thumb drives are good options for storing video images since they are stable media. They do require proper storage and care in order to protect the data. Additionally, memory cards and thumb drives have a limited number of reads and writes. They will eventually fail if used too much.
 
CDs and DVDs
 
CDs and DVDs are two of the most common ways to store video images. Professional video production services like Cut ‘n Run Studios in Pittsburgh, PA produce high-quality output on this type of media. CDs and DVDs are a good choice for making backups of existing video files. They do take a long time to create and can contain errors due to the burning process. The advantage is that CDs and DVDs are inexpensive, resistant to damage and easy to store.
 
External Hard Drives
 
External hard drives are independent devices that attach to a computer or laptop through a cable. These drives can be incredibly large and hold terabytes of data. There are even special external drives used by video production professionals that work at a high speeds to make editing and transfers simpler. External hard drives are a good choice because they are large, easy to use and portable. The downside is that they are hard to share and could experience technical problems after a decade or more.
 
Cloud-Based Storage Options
 
Another option is cloud-based storage though a service. Videos can be kept in an off-site location that is accessible from anywhere over the Internet. This is a safe and stable option. The main drawback is that it can take a very long time to transfer videos to cloud storage service since they need to be uploaded over the Internet.
 
Consider Professional Media Transfers
 
It is important to convert any older formats to digital files for storage. Video production companies like Cut ‘n Run Studios out of Pittsburgh can convert nearly any analog format into digital files. Those files can then be copied, backed up and stored in a variety of ways. It is far easier and more reliable to store these valuable old videos as digital files since older tapes and other analog formats are likely to degrade and become irretrievable at some point.