BAVC Media’s Preservation program, in collaboration with other leading organizations in the field, is helping to develop open source tools that make the work of media preservation more accessible and more efficient.
Quality Control Tools for Video Preservation
QCTools (Quality Control Tools for Video Preservation) is free, open source software developed by BAVC Media
In collaboration with Dave Rice and the Dance Heritage Coalition. It offers conservators and archivists new tools to enable the inspection of video signal characteristics for batches of digital media, in order to prioritize archival quality control, detect common errors in digitization, facilitate targeted response, and thus increase trust in video digitization efforts.
Version 1.3.1 available for download (Windows, Linux, MAC OS and other operating systems), along with a new command-line companion for efficiently generating QCTools reports.
Source Code:
https://github.com/bavc/qctools/archive/v1.3.1.zip
User Documentation (gui | cli)
To download other versions, or the latest build (between releases), visit:
Get Access To Educational Materials
BAVC Media is developing a series of tools, curriculum, and hands-on training opportunities with the goal of furthering education and equity in the field of audiovisual preservation. We aim both to address the urgency of preserving high volumes of historic audiovisual content held on degrading obsolete formats and to develop a more diverse and inclusive pipeline of preservationists.
A/V Artifact Atlas
AV Artifact Atlas (AVAA) is an open-source guide used to define and identify common technical issues and anomalies that can afflict audio and video signals.
The goal of AVAA is to advance the audiovisual archiving field generally by strengthening the practice of reformatting archival media content.
Created in partnership with New York University’s Digital Library Technology Services and the Stanford Media Preservation Lab.
AV Compass
Developed with the support of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, BAVC Media’s latest tool supporting the audiovisual preservation field is a suite of free online resource that offers comprehensive instruction in organizing and preserving a media collection. Intended for use by individuals and organizations alike, AV Compass features step-by-step educational videos, PDF guides and a simple, easy-to-use tool for creating accurate inventories. AV Compass dispels the uncertainty of how to begin thinking about preserving old tapes, films and discs. This resource will guide users through creating a preservation plan and taking specific steps to make that plan happen.
AV Compass is a web-based suite of educational resources that includes:
- Instructional guides and 11 short videos that walk a user through the assessment
- Overview of preservation concepts
- Directions on how create a preservation plan and make it happen
- A free tool to create an inventory of your collection, which you can export and send to BAVC Media
Preservation Glossary
BAVC Media Video Preservation Round Table in 1996 at Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, MN.
