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Preservation Formats for Video
An empirical examination report by Montevideo
In order to ensure the long-term continuation of the innovative function of dissemination of media art, the NMAI developed an infrastructure for streaming media. Streaming is a technique whereby audio and video files can be listened to or viewed via a network. The current technology makes it possible to show existing video material on request (on-demand content). NMAI’s distribution collection, which includes 1,600 titles amounting to a total of some 600 hours of video art, is transferred to and stored on hard disks. At the Institute’s mediatheque, it is possible to transmit the work directly from the hard disk to the server to the end user, for the purposes of distribution and research. Via broadband, Surfnet and Gigaport (the universities’ intranet) will make the on-demand content in context available for research.
Formats for preservation
Formats for preservation: Digital Betacam for artworks, MPEG2 for documentation, interviews etc. Unique copies and works older then 10 years should get priority in preservation. Preservation of video art entails cleaning of the tapes and migration to another format. Documentation, consultation with the artists and the conversion of the analogue signal to Digital Betacam have turned out to be the essential criteria for the preservation of video works for the future. Tests and recent developments have shown that Digital Betacam is the best choice for the preservation of these works of art. The signal is compressed in the proportion of 1:2, which is invisible to the human eye. This is in contrast to Mpeg 2, where compression is certainly visible. Moreover, Digital Betacam is an accepted standard. A higher degree of compression is tolerable for presentation; DVD is more and more often used for this purpose. If the tapes are treated correctly and are stored under the right conditions, works that are preserved in this way can be transferred to a new carrier within ten years, without loss of quality. The status of the material is essential for selection, preservation, and further treatment. Digitisation should be implemented using materials of the highest possible quality. This will have to be as close as possible to the first generation, to the master.
Formats for presentation
Formats for presentation: MPEG2, MPEG4 & Real Media. The Netherlands Media Art Institute investigated the various formats and systems for digital storage and established procedures. Since then works from the collection have also been distributed on DVD. Works seven years or older are conserved on high quality Digital Betacam's and are digitised from this source. For DVDs and on the internal server MPEG2 is used. For internet presentation of the collection Real Media, in the future MPEG4, for life streaming MPEG4 is used.
Streaming Video
The Netherlands Media Art Institute researches several aspects of video streaming: compression, algorithms, broadcasting, encoding technology, licensing, and authentication and archiving. Main requirements are quality of the video play-back, standardisation and longevity. Other parameters are efficiency, costs, compatibility, and integration with adopted technologies.
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Digitisation
→ High Quality Video Formats.
→ Internal and External streaming formats.
Feasible →Low Quality Formats.
Additional resources:
AktiveArchive
The Conservation Awards
DOCAM | Documentation and Conservation of Electronic Media Arts Heritage
IMAP | Independent Media Art Preservation
Montevideo Guideline
EAI Online Resource Guide for Exhibiting, Collecting & Preserving Media Art
→ Curatorial Tools
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