Real-world workflows

Media use cases

The same source may need a preservation copy, a stream-preserving remux, and a smaller access copy. These pages explain why different formats make sense for different jobs.

Foundational

Preservation master vs access copy

Why keeping a source-preserving master and a smaller everyday copy is not contradictory.

Audio CD

Audio CD to WAV/CUE

Preserve CD-DA PCM together with track boundaries, gaps and disc layout information.

SACD

SACD as a disc image

Why an SACD ISO is useful when the goal is to preserve the authored high-resolution disc structure.

HDCD

Preserving HDCD

Why the original undecoded 16-bit PCM matters, and where WAV/CUE and lossless FLAC fit.

DTS-CD

DTS-CD to FLAC

A useful example of losslessly preserving an encoded bitstream carried inside CD-style PCM samples.

Video discs

Full-disc ISO vs MKV remux

Preserve the authored disc object, or preserve selected original audio/video streams without re-encoding.

Music library

Lossless master + portable copy

Keep one archival source and derive MP3, AAC or Opus copies for everyday devices.

Portable video

Why MP4 + H.264/AAC travels well

A compatibility-first combination that still makes sense when playback breadth matters more than exotic features.