Re: [AV Media Matters] cassette tape shelf life?

[lists.rlhess@mindspring.com]

Brian (and friend),

I'll do a short version of my rant:

Nothing is guaranteed. There have been lots of good and I'm sure lots of
bad cassette tapes.

The best cassette machines appear to be out of production or nearing the
end of their production lives.

Most of the cassettes I've had that are 25 years old are still playable.

Get the important stuff transferred off to CDR while you still have access
to an excellent playback machine. Use gold CDRs.

Consider working in the audio (as opposed to computer) domain for
throughput considerations. The cost differential between audio and data
CDRs has dropped. Check out machines and media pricing at (at least)
www.ttapes.com, www.americandigital.com, www.tapes.com

Of course, if you want to do stuff to make the material sound better, clean
it up, etc, use a computer (I use Sek'd Samplitude and assorted other
stuff), but for direct 1:1 transfers (as most archivists need for the first
copy at least) the audio domain is easy and familiar and fast.

Cheers,

Richard

At 08:42 AM 11/19/2000 -0800, you wrote:
>
>Hello all,
>
>This is from a friend working with another Oklahoma tribe.  Could any of
>you guys give some answers to these questions about analog cassettes, about
>whose shelf lives I do not know that much.  I'll forward on to him any
>answers anyone could provide.
>Thanks for the help.
>
>            Brian Levy
>
>forwarded message:
>
>do you have any information on how long cassette tapes may survive before
>becoming unplayable? or losing their fidelity?
>i'm sure storage conditions would make a great deal of difference but do
>you have any sense of this question?
>
>Brian Levy
>Kiwat Hasinay Foundation:
>Preserving Caddo Heritage
>211 W. Colorado Ave.
>Anadarko, OK 73005  USA
>(1) 405-247-5840
>xernaut@bigfoot.com