Best Medium for Viewing and Long-term Storage?

[cam10ra]

Hi all.

You helped me out and told me earlier that it's best not to view/store my pics on the SD card. So, the following question I have is what you all recommend I use for permanent storage of my pics and for viewing them on? Is a CD or DVD OK?

Thanks for the help.

[micha56170]

I would suggest two external hard drives (one as a back-up). Cds or DVDs have a life time of about 5 years (CD RW a little bit longer). I have seen HDs 10 years old and working. One thing you have to take care of: The interface. HDs switched from IDE to EIDE to ATA/SATA, who knows what comes next. Storage online looks nice, but do you really know, who's on business in 10 years?
IMHO HD is the best solution but you have to keep an "older" computer to read the different types.

[Don Schaeffer]

How about prints?

[Franglais]

I would say prints first. You can see it immediately, and a properly made and conserved print is supposed to last 100 years or so.

Second an external hard drive (USB) kept offline (disconnected) to avoid a virus attack wiping the contents, plus another hard drive as backup at some distance to avoid fire destroying both copies.

I keep on renewing my external hard drives. When a bigger drive appears I buy one, consolidate two or more smaller drives and turn them into backups or something.

CD and DVD are not a solution. They are much more expensive than a hard drive, have a shorterlifespan and if you want to do the consolidation thing then you have to read back hundreds of CD's rather than just plugging in the old drive and doing a copy.

[Anbesol]

I was going to say prints as well. They do also make gold archival cd/dvd's as well, but they are like $5 a pop!

Hard drives will not last as long as a print would, I actually have a couple of 9 year old hard drives that are out of commission. However, as years go by you can keep transferring from one hard drive to your next. So, hard drive is my choice. Just make sure not to ditch your hard drive for years and years. Bottom line though: do both - print and hard drive. In a photo album they should last at minimum 100 years (assuming you have archival inks and paper, which most decent ones are). Don't print everything of course, just the ones most important to you.

[gryphonslair99]

For me storage is two; 2TB hard drives in a Raid 1 configuration (When something is written to one hard drive it is automatically copied to the second hard drive) along with this: http://mozy.com/

Hard to beat off site storage.

[cam10ra]

Thanks for the replies, all.

Sorry about getting back so late.

I agree with the common tone here that actual pics are probably the best, but I do have a few videos, as well, so I was leaning towards digital storage.

I'm glad you all told be about the hazards of storing on a cd/dvd. I never knew that the content only lasts several years!

Many of you recommend a hard drive. What's the minimum size? Would like a 16 gb flash drive be alright.

Thanks for lending your expertise.