[PADG:448] Re: DVD cleaning

[Tyra Grant <stgrant@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I received two responses re: DVD cleaning.  Both were good and I
have permission to compile and re-post.
Tyra Grant

Key:
Original Post: Tyra Grant
Cornell (Boris Michev, Media,
Microforms, and Newspapers Supervisor, Department of Preservation and
Collection Maintenance Instruction, Research, and Information Services,
Olin Library)
Michigan (Jeffrey W. Pearson,
Librarian, Askwith Film and Video Library, U. Michigan, Shapiro
Library)

We will soon begin lending videos on DVD and I have been asked about DVD cleaning machines.  I want to make sure whatever advice I offer about DVD care and cleaning is up-to-date.

1.      Starting with basics: are CDs and DVDs the same as far as care and cleaning go?

Yes, as far as care and cleaning, they are pretty much the same, but with some small differences (e.g. the data layer of the DVD is only half as thick as CD, so it can be repolished twice less than a CD)

Pretty much. DVDs are easier to damage than CDs, but care and cleaning is
the same. The NIST "Care and Handling of CDs and DVDs" is an excellent
reference.

2.       What's the latest on the best way to clean DVDs? (I have the NIST guidelines---are there any better or additional guidelines I should secure?)

The NIST guide is adequate in terms of care. Cleaning and repairs in my experience can be done either with a normal CD cleaning machine of the "DVD/CD/Game Doctor" type that sells for about $50 (the electrical type) or with a commercial machine that costs about 10-15 times more. The commercial machine will do a better job repolishing, so if your collection is big and you have funds, you probably would want to consider getting a commercial machine. Also, look at the guidelines that the FAQ page provides.
Also, you probably know that stores like Best Buy carry a thing that is called "D_Skin" disc protector. It is a plastic circle that is snapped around the DVD to protect from scratches (it does not interfere with the laser reading the data). Ideally it is a great device, however there are some problems: it is expensive (a box of 20 costs $19.99, you can imagine how much $ you'll have to spend for the whole collection); and the more serious problem is that there is no sure way to prevent some patrons from helping themselves with some protectors -- your staff must be very alert (I tried with counting the protector as a separate piece in the item record, but the results were not very promising)

> I
> think the NIST guidelines are all you need. I reference a good
> Library
> Journal article below.

3.       Are any DVD cleaning machines recommended?  Does anyone have experience with these? Are the machines considered equal-to, better than or not-as-good as hand-cleaning?
I would say that using a machine is preferable to hand-cleaning.

We tried a cheap hand-crank disc repair unit,
and we were not impressed. For
simple cleaning, I would just hand clean with a disc cleaning solution
and
cloth.  We bought the RTI
Eco-Junior, for about $3K. It does a fine job of repairing
scratched discs, and cleaning discs. There have been very few damaged
DVDs
that we have not been able to repair. Here is their website.
http://www.rtico.com/
 
Here is a good article in Library Journal that talks all about disc
repair
and various machines.
http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA412872

4.       Should I be seeking advice or information on this matter elsewhere?  If so, where?
There are various forums on the web dealing with DVDs, if you do a search you can go to some of them and see if there is anything helpful.  I am also pasting a web page with FAQs about DVDs that I personally find very helpful:  http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html  Let me know if I can be of further help (although this is about all I can tell you, other than that it turns out that VHS is a much more reliable format -- we've had to replace considerably more DVDs since we started buying them).

> I asked Cornell one follow-up
> question offline:  
> I suspect we will be purchasing a commercial dvd cleaning
> machine.  Can you recommend the best machines?  Also, do those
> snap-on dvd protectors damage the
> dvds?
Our DVD collection is
comparatively small -- about 4,000 titles, and we decided that for us a
commercial machine will not work due to a prohibitive cost. For our
purposes the Game Doctor is just fine. So, I'm afraid my expertise here
is not too great.

The DVD protectors are actually very cool -- ideally this is the best
protection. I don't remember whether I told you that once you snap it on,
you don't need to remove it, because it does not interfere with the laser
reading the data. The only thing is you have to figure out a way to
prevent people from taking the protector.

Not to scare you or anything, but we have had to replace (or simply
withdraw and not replace) quite a few. Nevertheless, the switch to DVD
seems to be inevitable.