Re: [ARSCLIST] Gold CDs

[Mike Richter <mrichter@xxxxxxx>]

At 09:04 AM 9/24/2004 -0400, Joe_Iraci@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
> Stability of CD-R media is dependent on three variables:  metal reflective
> layer; top protective lacquer layer; dye type.

... and, most significantly, on storage and handling.

The discussion is of great interest, but the 'bottom line' is availability
and provability of such media. For example, if there were standards by
which the term "archival" was defined and enforced, then one or more lines
of blanks labelled "archival" could be used. As it is, neither price nor
manufacturer's claims can be relied on to ensure initial quality or
longevity. One may trust experience with a manufacturer and his ability to
overcome pressures of the marketplace and opportunity to reduce cost by
cutting a corner or two.

Note that while one cannot test quality into a product, some form of test
program to maintain a standard of "archival" will be needed. The fact that
the process is designed to deliver all the components needed for durability
does not mean that it will run indefinitely without flaw. Finally, as noted
in my first sentence above, procedures are needed which are at least
*believed* to make the most of durability built into the media themselves.
Whether specific ranges of temperature and humidity, methods of packaging
recorded discs conveniently and safely, and recipes for manipulating and
testing recordings preserve the recordings may not be verifiable, but at
least best practice should be defined in the hope that it's better than
throwing bare discs into drawers and wiping leftover pizza from them before
playing.


Mike
--
mrichter@xxxxxxx
http://www.mrichter.com/