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Author
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Topic: Preserving space: recordable media shelf-life
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Blackarrow
Member Posts: 3118
From: Belfast, United Kingdom
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 11-04-2009 06:34 PM
  
Editor's note: This topic is a spin-off from Apollo 11 original TV telemetry tapes are missing. If APL finds the recordings, NASA will be ready: it is maintaining its capability to playback and view one- and two-inch tapes if they are ever found. Very wise. I am keeping all important VHS recordings and at least one VHS player. I suspect VHS will be watchable long after all "superior" digital recordings have become unreadable. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 11-04-2009 07:45 PM
VHS tapes have a shelf life of about 15 to 20 years (depending on how many times they have been watched and how they are stored) before they start to degrade quickly. The Space Camp tapes I mentioned under another thread, now 22 years old, were nearly lost to degradation.By comparison, CD-R, DVD-R, and DVD+R discs have a life expectancy of at least 30 years, if not much longer (some estimates place it outwards of 100 years). |
Colin Anderton
Member Posts: 151
From: Great Britain
Registered: Jan 2005
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posted 11-05-2009 04:27 AM
This is certainly not my experience; I have tons of tapes (that were stored correctly) that are all still in perfect condition.I think tape back-ups are a good idea. |
Mike Dixon
Member Posts: 1397
From: Kew, Victoria, Australia
Registered: May 2003
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posted 11-05-2009 04:17 PM
Nor is it mine... I have some dating back to 1982 and they're still perfect. That said, Robert did mention the tape life was dependent upon storage and the amount of times they'd been viewed. I'd suggest the quality of the tape (and the state of the player for that matter) are also critical ingredients. |
mjanovec
Member Posts: 3811
From: Midwest, USA
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted 11-05-2009 05:38 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Robert Pearlman:
By comparison, CD-R, DVD-R, and DVD+R discs have a life expectancy of at least 30 years, if not much longer (some estimates place it outwards of 100 years).
Unfortunately, those estimates for CD-R and DVD-R (and DVD+R) longevity may be somewhat exaggerated. Certainly, quality of the media varies greatly between manufacturers...with some discs experiencing problems in 5 years or less. There is evidence to suggest that some of the Japanese-made discs have the longest expected lifespan, while of the cheaper product (often bought in bulk for pennies a disc) has a much less reliable lifespan. I prefer Mitsui media for all of my CD-R achiving. It has never let me down in the 10+ years of archiving audio and data. I have also discovered that CD-R media that has had an adhesive label applied to the top surface (which is where the information is effectively stored, even though the laser reads it from the bottom side) can be even more compromised. I have CD-R discs with labels that are now either unreadable or contain numerous errors. They key approach is to always back-up important data...and do it regularily. The more important the data is to you, the more frequently you should back it up. If it's really important, back it up on two separate devices. |
MadSci
Member Posts: 226
From: Maryland, USA
Registered: Oct 2008
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posted 11-14-2009 02:31 AM
...and store at least one copy off-site.Now that 'digital film' has become fairly inexpensive, I've taken to filling up the cards in my camera, then copying them onto my computer, backing them up to external hard drives, making DVDs of them, an then storing the DVDs at work and the CFC/SD cards themselves go into a safety deposit box at my bank. Belts and suspenders! |
Mike Z
Member Posts: 451
From: Ellicott City, Maryland
Registered: Dec 2005
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posted 11-14-2009 08:13 AM
I have VHS tapes from 1977 that still look the same and my friend has audio reel to reel tapes from the mid 60's that still sound fantastic. It's the things I tape today on my "new" VCR that look and sound bad. My new VCR is only 5 months old. I use the wet VCR head cleaner and it still looks the same. I have WAY too many tapes to convert to DVD. |
cspg
Member Posts: 6210
From: Geneva, Switzerland
Registered: May 2006
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posted 11-14-2009 11:49 PM
quote:
Originally posted by MadSci:
Now that 'digital film' has become fairly inexpensive, I've taken to filling up the cards in my camera, then copying them onto my computer, backing them up to external hard drives, making DVDs of them, an then storing the DVDs at work and the CFC/SD cards themselves go into a safety deposit box at my bank.
Isn't new technology supposed to make our lives easier and a symbol of progress? Apparently not. But it's good for a consumption-oriented economy (4 back-ups for one data!). Now I understand why everybody tells me to keep my 25-year old car... And I'm glad I don't have to "back-up" books...  |
Colin Anderton
Member Posts: 151
From: Great Britain
Registered: Jan 2005
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posted 11-15-2009 03:21 AM
quote:
Originally posted by mjanovec:
I have CD-R discs with labels that are now either unreadable or contain numerous errors.
I agree. I almost lost some important audio by storing it on discs that I'd attached labels to. VERY BAD IDEA! The labels had lifted slightly, forming bubbles under the surface, and had pulled the material holding the data away from the disc. Fortunately, I did still have the original disc with that audio on, so I got away with it.I think the best way is to store video recordings as data discs. I've converted all my video (masses of it) to this form, and haven't had a single problem. I'm currently in the process of converting the audio collection, and it resides on external hard discs at the moment. I haven't decided yet which way to archive it. |
space1
Member Posts: 853
From: Danville, Ohio
Registered: Dec 2002
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posted 11-15-2009 05:12 AM
You might consider archival storage products designed for electronic media, such as these. They are not very expensive, and just may make a big difference. I currently have CD's stored using their CD sleeves and CD case inserts.------------------
John Fongheiser
President
Historic Space Systems, http://www.space1.com |
Blackarrow
Member Posts: 3118
From: Belfast, United Kingdom
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 11-15-2009 11:12 AM
Just a thought... does it degrade the quality of a DVD recording to write a title on the top surface using a special CD or DVD marker pen?And another thought... is there any difference in anticipated lifespan for a recording made on DVD-R; DVD+R; DVD-RW; and DVD+RW? |
NASAROB
Member Posts: 38
From: Astoria NY
Registered: Feb 2009
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posted 11-17-2009 08:01 AM
Could there also be another problem in 25 years; will the hardware still be available to play back today's DVDs? While you can still buy VHS players today, it seems to me there are fewer and fewer models available. |
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