[iBook] Media for Long-Term Storage (was: Two Questions....)

[Mary H.]

At 8:10 AM -0500 7/10/06, Pat wrote:

>Thanks for the answer on the CD's.

FWIW, here's info that I saved when this question was asked on 
another list I'm on. Answer was supplied by a list-member named 
"flipper" who knows his stuff.

______________________________________________________

The quality and storage of the media you record on is way more
important than most people realize. The highest quality manufacturers
make both DVDs and CDs, as most people no doubt noticed.

Just so you know, on web sites devoted to the topic, Memorex has been
regarded as one of the worst. The chemicals used break down and the
data is lost, sometimes in a matter of months. I have a whole pile of
dead Memorex CDs that were recorde slightly over two years ago. Avoid
Sony, Memorex, and any disks that are 'shiny' on both sides


As for DVD-R, I use Verbatim brand disks, but Apple, Pioneer and
Maxell brands are also good. The gold on gold varieties have the
longest life. They use Phthalocyanine dye. These were first sold by
Mitsui and Kodak, but Kodak has discontinued this line and Mitsui has
switched names and is now MAM-A but is still often sold under the
Mitsui name. MAM-A has a premium gold-on-gold line called the Archive
Gold CD-R. TDK also sells gold disk as medical grade. Medical records
must be kept for a very long period. There may be other manufacturers
with medical grade disks. Verbatim has medical grade, but use their
Super Azo Dye, which is pretty good too. When looking for gold disks,
there are some brands that may have gold colored on the label side,
but some other color on the recording side.

For a good web site selling MAM-A and other brands, see:

<http://www.datamediastore.com/cdr.html>

For details about the MAM-A discs, both CD and DVD, see:

<http://www.mam-a.com/products/general_information.html>

When buying discs that will be used a lot, look for any special
anti-scratch coating. MAM-A uses a diamond coating for durabilty.
Professional audio recording houses use them quite a bit. I worked in
studios, on both Coasts, and in Canada, and they were evrywhere. The
'bands' got "TDK cassettes to listen to the dailies, but the longer
term storage (besides 'tails out' two-inch tape) went to medical
disks. Accelerated testing expects a 300 year lifespan. That is not
too shabby, and is ridiculously better than any other formats or
variation on the usual. Memorex brand discs - I would expect them to
fail in a year. There's your 'long and short of it'.

Never buy audio rated blanks, they are sub-par for any data use. (And
that means ones and zeroes 'anything': music, video, memories, you
name it.

Here is some more info:

CD/DVD RW discs use a different technology than the write-once discs,
and are less prone to degradation.

The most common causes of degradation of CD/DVD R discs:

-Breakdown of the organic photo-reactive recording dye due to
accelerated decomposition caused by exposure to sunlight, or other
strong lights over time, especially *before* the recording is made.

-Oxidation (rust) of the metal reflecting layer. Aluminum and silver
can oxidize. Palladium and gold are less likely to oxidize, but are
more expensive.

-Separation of the plastic layers. This will happen, eventually, to
all discs, but environmental fluctuations, such as variations in
temperature and humidity, can accelerate the process.

Manufacturers, and serious recordable media consumers (and me too),
recommend these things to do to increase the life of the media:
-Store in a stable environment, away from direct sunlight. I store
them away from *all* light, before and after I record them. -Never
touch them on the recording surface. If you have to wipe the
recording surface, use a non abrasive cloth and wipe from the inside,
where the center hole is, to the outside edge, never around the disc
that would follow the recording path, and never use chemicals that
can degrade the plastic.

Sunlight is real bad.  Discs can become transparent if left in the
sun too long.  They stop working properly well before then.  It looks
pretty neat though.

It doesn't need to be pointed out, but don't get unbranded discs with
no label (shiny on both sides).  Unless you're having a party and
need a bunch of cheap coasters.  The top can flake, taking the dye
layer with it.  Labeling them with permanent marker doesn't help any.

My personal recommendations:

-Never use blank media that is more then six months old.

-The best cost/performance I've seen for disc media for must serious
uses is Verbatim DataLife media, which is also what is used by Apple
for its branded media (as of the last time I checked that).

Of the cheaper brands, I've found Fuji media to be very useful. (Nick
cited them using the Tokyo 'version' of the name, but they're Fuji
Film, around the world.

-Forget about those plastic CD/DVD containers. They crumble, break,
shatter, drop on my feet and shoot the CDs all over the room, and I
(obviously) don't like them. I use Tyvek sleeves when they aren't in
big zippered binders. Also better for keeping them in the dark.

Disc failure is not sudden and a failing disk may be more readable in
the recorder, rather than a reader. As for the price for gold-on-gold
discs,  you get what you pay for.

Verbatim MediDisc 52x 80 Min/700MB Inkjet Printable 50 Pack Spindle:
Model 94740:

<http://tinyurl.com/44fw7>

MediDisc 4.7GB 4x Speed DVD-R Inkjet Printable 50 Pack Spindle. Model 
94737:

<http://tinyurl.com/699cq>

Tyvek (same sleeves that Apple uses for their high-end 'Pro' app
packaging), made by Information Packaging, available through
publishingperfection.com:

<http://www.publishingperfection.com/information-packaging/>

DVDs run between 78 and 211 dollars for 50, BUT, never available 'in
stock' when priced under $100. Lowest I've seen, in stock ready to
ship was $137 for the 50-pack.

The CDs go for about half that. The CDs and the DVDs come with a
Lifetime Warranty. Both are DICOM certified and HIPPA qualified (for
you medical types, that is a known thing), but what it means is they
can be used for long-term storage of critically important medical
records. (Data, CT scan and Radiological film, etc.)

The Tyvek envelopes are $99.95 for 500, with smaller amounts
available at a buck apiece, or so.

Pro recommendation is to store them in the Tyvek sleeves, upright in
a closed (meaning zero light entry) place. The DVD mentioned above is
also available in a Thermal printable version, as well as in 8x
Thermal, and Inkjet type.

The "300 year estimated lifetime" on the highest quality Medical
Grade disks, mentioned above, is no joke. For an extra buck, they are
simply unbeatable.

~flipper