Re: [ARSCLIST] Long-term/preservation audio

[stevenc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

----- Original Message -----
From: <Mwcpc6@xxxxxxx>
> It seems that there are two completely different types of long term
> preservation.  One is designed to keep the audio content constantly
available in the
> best condition possible for the indefinite future.  At present the only
way to
> do that is to capture it with the highest resolution digital technology
> available and then provide lossless migration as formats evolve.
>
> However if one wants to put audio artifacts into a form that can be placed
in
> a time capsule (or very long term dead storage (salt mine?) for 50-100
years,
> a medium that uses the simplest possible technology might be preferred.
Of
> course 100 years from now it might be literally child's play to build a CD
> player from scratch, but if they can do that, playing back a 1/4 in. 7-1/2
in/sec
> tape would also be trivial.
>
> Right now I am in the process of trying to find upgrades and drivers that
> will allow me to access the files I made five years ago now that my new
machine
> uses Windows XP.  I restore sanity by listening to tapes I made fifty
years ago
> and that still play just fine on any of several decks I have around.
---
For that matter, we might try finding the necessary equipment and formulae
to
create shellac discs!  I have some dating all the way back to 1896 which
seem
to have survived the contury-plus with no noticeable degradation, and I can
play them if all else fails with a straight pin and a large paper cup...
Steven C. Barr