HOW LONG WILL YOUR DVDs LAST?
There have been many stories in the press of DVD data lasting only months or a couple of years. Back in the 80s there were similar stories about VHS tape - and recordings made then still play happily now. Even so we need to ensure that precious data (e.g. your wedding, childhood videos, photographs etc.) is retained securely. Manufacturers have claimed live expectancy of DVD media at 25 to 100 years, but there are many variables.
PRESSED DVDs (and pressed CDs) i.e. the ones you buy in the shops which are mass-produced, should last many years - assuming you have a player that will play them in the future. Even so, there is some research that suggests that pressed DVDs may still decay over a long period.
CD-R / CD-WR: There are concerns that these are not as reliable as once thought, and not as reliable as home-burned DVDs. Hence, precious audio recordings should be transferred to DVD (or hard drive).
DVD-RW (and DVD+RW): i.e. erasable discs. These are considered the least reliable, and should only be used for temporary storage e.g. a few weeks. They should be stored in darkness and away from heat.
DVD-R (and DVD+R): as used by Radley Video. Most of the research into life-spans of discs has been applied to this type, since these are commonly used for recording personal material. The research is inconclusive, but the consensus is that life-spans of at least 25 years should be achieved, assuming that A-grade discs are used, and they are properly stored. There is some evidence that this type is as secure as pressed DVDs, and the main problem in the future will be the ability to find a machine to play them, rather than the disc itself. However, care in storage is critical, and the following is a guide:
- Use only branded A-grade blank discs. (Radley Video uses Verbatim & Taiyo Yuden blanks).
- Store in a case which protects the disc from light (the dyes used will be damaged by strong light).
- Avoid heat, dust and dirt (the surface is quite delicate, and easily scratched).
- Never use sticky labels on the disc - when spinning at high speed the weight of the label will damage your disc and player.
- If labelling with a pen, ensure it is designed for use with discs (some inks soak into the disc).
- Never touch the playing surface of the disc - sweat attracts dust, and the chemicals can damage the surface of the disc.
- If you have to clean the disc, use a cloth designed for cleaning camera lenses, and wipe from the centre out, not in spirals.
- Don't allow the children to use the disc as a frisbee. There is risk of decapitation. and worse, the disc will be damaged.
BLU-RAY (computer burned discs i.e. BD-R): Blu-ray discs have an additional protective coating, and do not use the dyes used in burnable DVDs. Hence there are claims (mainly by the manufacturers) that their life spans are longer than DVDs. At present there is insufficient research to verify this.
LONG TERM STORAGE: All computer storage systems are capable of losing data, and Radley Video now archieves all DVDs on a portable hard-drive in addition to the DVD images stored on local hard-drives. We also aim to provide CDS with a copy of each DVD for the archives.