[78-L] "archival" CDs?

[Eric Jacobs]

Hi Rodger,

As others have already pointed out, perhaps the greater risk is
obsolescence of the CD format rather than deterioration of the
media.

Once you are in the digital world, you need to commit to data
migration in order to keep your digital audio in a current
format.  Figure on a major migration every 10 years.  Fortunately
the migration process can usually be automated if the files are
on a server.  At some point you'll have to ingest all those
gold CD-Rs - long before their supposed 300-year lifespan.

Mitsui/MAM-A markets their discs very well.  The fact of the
matter is that the dye layer (pthalocyanine) is still organic.
And organic materials have a finite life.  Unlike shellacs and
LPs, you can't put CDs on a shelf for a few centuries and expect
them to be usable - even the gold CDs.

So store your discs dark, cool, and dry if you want maximum
life.  You will still need to check the data on the CDs every
few years to make sure there's no corruption.

Assuming that you are saving WAVE data files, I strongly
recommend generating MD5 checksum files (a type of digital
signature) for each digital file.  This will allow you to test
the files for data corruption.

See

http://www.theaudioarchive.com/TAA_Resources_FTP.htm#Checksum_Tutorial

to learn more about checksums.

If your university has an IT department, you may want to speak
with them about their resources for long-term archiving of data
if you have a large number of digital audio files.

Hope this helps!

Eric


-----Original Message-----
From: 78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com
[mailto:78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com]On Behalf Of Rodger Holtin
Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2009 1:38 PM
To: 78-List
Subject: [78-L] "archival" CDs?


I've recently transferred some reels to digital for the university where I
work and the archivist says she wants them on GOLD CDs as they are "archival
quality."
 
Since they don't carry those at CheapIsUs Office Supply or Radio Shark, this
is new to me.
 
True?

Rodger

For Best Results use Victor Needles.

.



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