The old video man sez:
Remember that all recording media have a life... and a death, per:
1. Audio cassettes.... 40-60 yrs.
2. VHS or Beta videocassettes.... 10 to 30 yrs.
3. paperback books.... 20 yrs.
4. Library quality paper books.... 100 yrs.
5. Real film ... 35 or 16 or 8 mm .... very variable but likely 30 yrs
or less for color.
6. plastic coated disks (DVD etc) varies up to 100 yrs.
7. Memory in hard disks.... depends on disk usage and magnetic fields.
8. Memory on chips.... maybe 100 yrs.
All sthese are estimates of life span but the point is that EVERY known
recording media will disintegrate some day, even carved rocks. Storage
condx are the keys, but is is cool and dry or cool and humid? or whatever.
Can not really test because by the time a test is done, the media has
destructed.
The more pressing problem for preservation of recorded media is the
disappearance of the players that play that format. Internet search shows
almost no new VHS video players now sold and try to find an audio cassette
player now! 2inch high band video tape... forget it.
Seems the only answer for the household treasured pics and movies is to
periodically re-record them onto the latest media available and with digital
recording, at least virtually all of the quality will be retained. So
teach ur children to copy old grand dad's photos.....
Charles Harpole, hs0zcw
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
_________________________________________________________________
Dont miss your chance to WIN $10,000 and other great prizes from Microsoft
Office Live http://clk.atdmt.com/MRT/go/aub0540003042mrt/direct/01/
Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems
http://njdxa.org/dx-chat
To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org
This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA
http://njdxa.org
