---------- From: Mike Sheil <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2003 08:18:27 +0000 To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: TDK sleeves = CD deterioration?
Neil Barstow wrote: > I have hundreds of those Tyvek sleeves and have found that the plain > silver CD's which I favour [better for labels] are sticking to the > plastic window in the front. This seems to cause an internal > delamination of the CD material! Sorry to see that you have joined me in the club. We should meet for a mutual CD re-burning / whiskey drinking session! Having looked now at a variety of mounts, archival et al I think that the clear viewing window in ALL - not just TDK - sleeves is DEATH TO CDs. Just to demonstrate my point place your CD [ unused ] in the sleeve with the label side [ silvered side ] to the window - breath gently into the sleeve and instantly press the transparent window against the CD and just look at what you see on the surface of the CD. Bearing in mind that the upper silvered surface is critical for the reflection of the reader head's laser anything which can affect that surface must be suspectl. Moisture, adhesive from labels, ink from CD marker pens are unknown factors in this question of CD storage. I have just managed to destroy a PC World brand CD in just 5 days using the sleeve breathing method! Clearly this is extreme but it does show that humidity strips off the silvering when subjected to the "sucking" effect as one literally peels the clear view window off the sleeve off the CD. I realise that jewel cases will contain plasticisers etc which might react with the constituent materials in a CD but at least air can circulate and deterioration will be slower than when the CD surface is directly in contact with a material which is casuing the retention of any amount of moisture, however infintesimal it may be. So my advice, based on admittedly serial abuse of some cheap CDs, is dont use any storage media which has any direct contact with the upper [ label side ] of a CD. Don't write on that upper surface except on the clear plastic near the spindle hole in the centre and don't place any label on any archival CD as any adhesive will perforce involve direct contact between the surface and moisture. And yes I know Fuji have produced a 100 year stable CD - but I'd love to see the warranty terms when your great-grand children try to collect compensation in 3003. =============================================================== GO TO http://www.prodig.org for ~ GUIDELINES ~ un/SUBSCRIBING ~ ITEMS for SALE
