The only issue is whether or not your "master file," otherwise known as your produced video, is the final, end-all version OR if at any point in the future, you might want to open that project again, even if to use it as a template for another project.

If the answer is you're 100% finished, then there's no reason you need to keep the source clips and you're free to delete them. In fact, you might as well delete the PDS project file since it's all but useless without the source clips.

If there's any possibility that you'd ever want to reopen that project file, then simply go out and get an inexpensive external drive or 2. You can get spinning platter (HD/hard drives) or solid state drives (Flash/SSDs) that connect to a USB port and they can store many TB of data at a very low cost.

HDs will give you more storage for less cost, but they're slower in transferring data than flash/SSDs. As long as you have USB3 connectors on your system and the drive(s), the transfer speed should still be decent. You can also detach them so they won't clutter up your desktop or have to constantly drag them around with your laptop.

YouTube/optodata

DS365 | Win11 Pro | Ryzen 9 3950X | RTX 4070 Ti | 32GB RAM | 10TB SSDs | 5K+4K HDR monitors

Canon Vixia GX10 (4K 60p) | HF G30 (HD 60p) | Yi Action+ 4K | 360Fly 4K 360°

Quote The only issue is whether or not your "master file," otherwise known as your produced video, is the final, end-all version OR if at any point in the future, you might want to open that project again, even if to use it as a template for another project.

If the answer is you're 100% finished, then there's no reason you need to keep the source clips and you're free to delete them. In fact, you might as well delete the PDS project file since it's all but useless without the source clips.

If there's any possibility that you'd ever want to reopen that project file, then simply go out and get an inexpensive external drive or 2. You can get spinning platter (HD/hard drives) or solid state drives (Flash/SSDs) that connect to a USB port and they can store many TB of data at a very low cost.

HDs will give you more storage for less cost, but they're slower in transferring data then flash/SSDs. As long as you have USB3 connectors on your system and the drive(s), the transfer speed should still be decent. You can also detach them so they won't clutter up your desktop or have to constantly drag them around with your laptop.

Thanks so much for your thorough and extremely quick response - awesome! One followup: I used the term "master file" only because I have not Produced the videos yet. The files sit under File/Open Project. I have not clicked "Produce" on the Capture/Edit/Produce/Create Disc line for any of the videos yet.

Does that change any of your direction?

Thanks Again! Underhaze

In order to produce your final output video, you must have the original source files in the original location.

PowerDirector uses the original file to produce the edited version. The project file (.pds) has the instuction on what to do for the final output video. Project file is simply a text file with instructions. No actual video.

You should keep the orignial source video. It is not replacable.

One other suggestion, optodata talked about external storage for your original videos, you can also keep on external storage a "Packed Project Material" which is the finished project and source materal. Packed projects are portable, you can reedit on anybodys computer that has Powerdirector of the same or later version. Carl312: Windows 10 64-bit 8 GB RAM,AMD Phenom II X4 965 3.4 GHz,ATI Radeon HD 5770 1GB,240GB SSD,two 1TB HDs.

Quote ... Does that change any of your direction?

Absolutely - 100%!

I misunderstood your use of "master file," and now it's clear that you were hoping that by creating the project file, that all the source clips were contained in the PDS file.

That's most certainly not the case, and I second Carl's very useful suggestion to use the built in Pack Project Materials... feature under the File menu to store all necessary clips in a single, portable location on your new external drive.

As long as you take that step, you are free to delete the original clips from your main drive, even if you haven't yet produced the video. Please don't delete any or your original clips until after packing OR producing the project though!

YouTube/optodata

DS365 | Win11 Pro | Ryzen 9 3950X | RTX 4070 Ti | 32GB RAM | 10TB SSDs | 5K+4K HDR monitors

Canon Vixia GX10 (4K 60p) | HF G30 (HD 60p) | Yi Action+ 4K | 360Fly 4K 360°

Quote

Absolutely - 100%!

I misunderstood your use of "master file," and now it's clear that you were hoping that by creating the project file, that all the source clips were contained in the PDS file.

That's most certainly not the case, and I second Carl's very useful suggestion to use the built in Pack Project Materials... feature under the File menu to store all necessary clips in a single, portable location on your new external drive.

As long as you take that step, you are free to delete the original clips from your main drive, even if you haven't yet produced the video. Please don't delete any or your original clips until after packing OR producing the project though!

Absolutely amazing help - thank you both so much! I really like the Packed Project Material idea. I will be adding 1 or 2 external drives tomorrow then.
"Great week" to you both! Underhaze