Backing up a "Delete Unused Media" Master.

Question

When we're finished editing a program on FCPro (latest version, with almost new computers) we'll go thru the Media Manager and use "Delete Unused Media" - and then save that (the folder and Sequence clapperboard)onto a DVD-R.
Works great. And almost always restores perfectly.
But sometimes, although we shoot on a CF Card (Canon XF300 camera and a Panasonic HVX200) the client will give us a Betacam tape, we need to capture from that - and of course Media Manager won't take "just a short clip" we use from that card. As I understand - it doesn't have the proper Time Code or something like that, not really relevant to my 'issue' here!
But then the "Delete Unused Media" files can be 12 or more gig. so it needs several DVD-r's to write to. We use "BackUp" the Apple program that comes with Mobileme to do this as it seems to understand how to breakup a large file to multiple dvd-r's. Usually restores them just fine, too.
But it can be a little flakey . . . it crashes more often than it should during this lengthy procedure. We'll get a BackUp Failed" error. When we click 'history' we see some vague (to us) like "An internal application error has occurred. The archive could not be created. End Backup at . . . "
Doesn't help us much. We're using v 3.2 of BackUp. We'll have the same problem on a specific job with 3 different Mac's - so it's not "the" computer. Anyone have any experience with this . . . ?
It does work most of the time, seemingly intermittent when it fails.
Finally, maybe the easiest solution is to use some other program to backup to DVD'r's. Anyone know of any program that will backup large files (like Backup does) to multiple disks?
Thanks very much,
Larry

Answer 1

Hi Meg,
Thank you for your thoughtful response. BOY, did you open a can of worms around here! Either I just learned something VERY important from you that I didn't know (that I should know!), or perhaps you're mistaken in this particular instance ('cause I didn't make it clear in my original post - as it wasn't directly about THIS issue you've answered) - but in the back of my mind it IS a good issue - we'll see.
I did not know that about the reel name! I believe you're saying as long as it has a reel name - the Unused Media "portion" of it will be deleted when I do a DUM. (Delete Unused Media!)
OK - so we shoot on our Canon XF300 before I import it, I see it automatically names the Reel "Canon XF" and all the footage I shoot on the CF card - the DUM works perfectly. It also HAS a reel name!
But then the client give us an old Betacam tape - and we capture the footage from that. Say it's a 30 minute tape. What I've found - and we're trying to figure out how to avoid - is if there is a 30 second scene on that 30 minute tape that we incorporate into the sequence - when I DUM the sequence - it will save the entire 30 minute tape! Even though we just want to use 30 seconds. That's how it works. Now I don't remember if we "name" that Betacam tape as a reel - we probably do, but I don't remember. But are you saying . . . that if the "capture" (whether from analogue tape or digital cards) has a REEL NAME - the DUM feature will work?
I sure hope you're right - because so far - DUM works for us perfectly - EXCEPT when I include 'old' footage from Betacam or M2 tapes. Of course, that creates a very big file we're NOT wanting 95% of. So I think you're saying if we go back to the DUM sequence and "name" the beta tape - (if it isn't now) - then the DUM feature will work perfectly, as it does now on everythig else.
Thank you Meg - this is important to us as it comes up all the time.
Now pretend you're wrong and the Betacam footage DOES have a reel name. A workaround would be to take each clip we use from the Betacam tape and make a self contained movie of those few seconds, and use that on the timeline. But that would be really bulky. I'm really hoping you're right about the reel name. Have you had any experience with this?
Really thanks, Larry