[MacDV] Re: archiving footage on DVD

[R B Williams]

> Michael Winter wrote:

> .... I know Erica
> mentions a high failure rate for DVD, but I haven't seen that compared
> to tape -though I'll admit I don't have as much experience in the DVD
> realm and I haven't been using DVDs for more than a few years.
>
> -Mike

regarding DVD failure rate -

We have kept project data for testing this failure issue for 11 years now. I am
convinced that burn speed makes a difference in archival life. 3 different master discs
in storage have become unplayable on consumer players. This is out of 318 samples burned
at 4x speed. Each of them CAN be read in a Pioneer master deck with advanced error
correction, but customers would not have access to such equipment.

The 1x burned version (same material, same age, identical blanks) is fine. So, projects
we duplicate in house always go out pressed at 1x. It's well worth the time on the front
end to have customer satisfaction down the road.

Now that mini dv has found its way into the consumer market, we offer projects in that
format as well. Very few are sold, so I guess convenience wins over quality in the
average home.

R.B.