Re: [ARSCLIST] Further thoughts on the new CLIR report. DVDs

[Parker Dinkins <parker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Of the approximately 600 pieces of optical media that were below the water
line in our building during the Katrina flood, only 4 were DVD-R media. None
of those pieces survived.

On the other hand, most of the other manufactured DVDs and CDs and gold CDRs
did survive. The exceptions were mostly manufactured DVDs and CDs whose top
layer dissolved or came off, allowing water penetration. In some cases, the
reflective layer of some manufactured audio CDs have pit holes, where the
reflective layer was dissolved, but still are playable.

Furthermore, there seemed to be more failures in multi-disc music
collections than single releases.

This is not a scientific study by any means, but I would not want DVD-R
media for unmanaged long term storage.

---
Parker Dinkins
MasterDigital Corporation
CD Mastering + Audio Restoration
http://masterdigital.com


on 3/24/06 6:16 AM US/Central, Steven Smolian at smolians@xxxxxxxxx wrote:

> This report suggests the use of DVDs, recorded at 24/96, be considered as a
> standard on which preservation work would be stored.
> 
> We know from last year's (?) NIST report on optical media longevity that the
> only medium truly capable of long-term, reliable storage is a CD with a gold
> reflective layer.  Unless it slipped past my radar, there is no such
> recordable DVD at present.  Using a DVD for long-term stoage appears as much
> of a gamble as using anything but gold for similarly intended CD storage.
> 
> It follows that archivally-intended projects for which the final storage
> medium is the DVD should also be preserved at 44.1/16 on gold CDs until there
> is a gold DVD on the market.