DAVID · Digital AV Media Damage Prevention and Repair

Digital audiovisual (AV) content is everywhere: film, television and online media; personal content from cameras and phones; and content from environmental monitoring, corporate training, surveillance and call recording to name but a few. Retention includes content reuse, regulatory compliance, and archive monetisation – each with differing needs for content quality, safety, storage, access and budget. But there is a common challenge: how to keep AV content usable in the face of adversity: obsolescence, media degradation, and failures in the very people, processes and systems designed to keep this content safe.We will research how to structure, store, monitor, repair and improve digital AV content in a way that balances long-term costs, risks of loss, and content quality. We target digital video tape, which for many remains the de-facto form of born-digital content, as well as the rapid adoption of AV as files in IT systems. A risk management approach is taken for analysing the causes of loss, not just from storage technology, but also from the systems that surround storage, and how this loss impacts the ability to use digital AV now and in the future. Scalable tools for damage detection, repair, and quality improvement are then added to deliver complete digital AV quality assurance over time. Calibration, testing, evaluation and demonstration by archive and industrial partners using real-world data ensures high quality project results.The consortium includes: a broadcaster and national audiovisual archive, both with experience of R&D in digital preservation; two industrials on the supply-side providing media migration, digital restoration, and quality analysis; and two research partners with long histories in digital audiovisual content analysis, risk management, and storage technologies. This ensures a solid bedrock for the technical work and provides the influence and reach necessary for widespread promotion and take-up of project results.