Permanence of Kodak Photo CD and Writable CD Media with Infoguard Protection System

As new applications for writable CD products are identified and implemented, the issue of permanence of information recorded on CDs must be addressed. As with other information-recording media, including photographic film, magnetic tape, and optical discs, different manufacturers produce products having different quality, reliability, and lifetime properties. It is important that customers carefully select their suppliers.

Kodak manufactures Kodak Writable CD Media with InfoGuard Protection System, and Kodak Photo CD media* , using materials and manufacturing processes unlike those that are used for mass-produced audio or data discs. The reflector Kodak uses is gold, a material that is not adversely affected by moisture, oxygen, or solvents. The data-recording layer Kodak uses is a carefully selected laser- sensitive dye that does not change significantly over time, even when exposed to extreme light, heat, and humidity conditions.

Kodak knows there is a large diversity in composition of the dye layers used by various media manufacturers. Data stability characteristics in other manufacturers' media vary widely. Stability is determined primarily by the types of dyes used to make the discs.We have tested Kodak Photo CD and Kodak Writable CD Media with InfoGuard Protection System, and other manufacturers' media. In our accelerated lifetime testing, over a very broad range of conditions, Kodak media were equivalent to, or superior to, all other writable CD products tested.A variety of methods are used to project product lifetimes. Typically, products are stored under a range of temperatures and humidities, and subjected to cold/hot and dry/humid cycling.

Kodak CD media, under the conditions tested to date, do not change significantly, even after testing over extended periods of time. We predict the lifetime of Kodak Photo CD, and Kodak Writable CD Media with InfoGuard Protection System, under normal storage conditions in an office or home environment, should be 100 years or more. When comparing lifetime claims from different CD-ROM media manufacturers, it is important to compare error rate data and testing conditions.We continue testing, covering many production lots of material, under a variety of testing conditions. Additional results will be reported when testing is completed. It is important to note that results from any accelerated aging tests are predictions that must be confirmed in real-life keeping tests.

Kodak Photo CD, and Kodak Writable CD Media with InfoGuard Protection System, also have been specially treated to dramatically reduce damage caused by handling. Our scratch-tolerant surface resists damage even when subjected to forces twice as great as those that would cause data loss on conventional mass-produced CDs, and five times greater than those that would cause data loss on some other recordable CD media. The resultant Kodak product has excellent physical durability characteristics.

For more information on Kodak Photo CD and Kodak Writable CD Media with InfoGuard Protection System, consumers can call the Kodak Customer Assistance Center at 800-242-2424, ext. 53. Consumers also can reach Kodak technical support staff in the Kodak CompuServe Forum by typing GO: KODAK.*

Kodak Photo CD Master, Pro Photo CD Master, Photo CD Portfolio, and Photo CD Catalog disc formats###(Note: Kodak and InfoGuard are trademarks of Eastman Kodak Company.)