This isn't anything new. Digital archiving issues have been discussed in photography circles for years. One of the main points of the film vs digital debate has been the archival life of digital images. The issues extend far beyond the physical media of digital information. They extend to format, accessibility, encoding, etc.

While the article seems to be talking about CDs and DVDs burned on a PC, I wonder if this also applies to commercially pressed music CDs? How long will my CD library last? Is there an expected life of the outer protective layer? Just what I need, another issue to add to my already hyperactive paranoia

Bob

Quote:
While the article seems to be talking about CDs and DVDs burned on a PC, I wonder if this also applies to commercially pressed music CDs? How long will my CD library last? Is there an expected life of the outer protective layer? Just what I need, another issue to add to my already hyperactive paranoia

Bob

I've been listening to R2R tapes that have been stored properly from as far back as the fifties with no problems. I doubt CDs have a lower lifespan than tapes.

There is also an issue of digital format. If there is no machine to decode the CD format, then you're SOL. I think it's easier to build a machine that will read an analog tape than a digital reader unless you have all the specs.

I've got a bunch of games that are entertaining for kids, but are on 5.25" floppy disks that run on an IBM PC- compatible computer using MFM drives. Who's got one of those machines left?

CD's is the same issue. If our machines break, we can't read the disk. I've even got a laserdisk player before getting into DVD. What next?

Microsoft, I heard, has been very concerned with information being lost because it can't be played back on later machines. This is a real issue, and always has been, but much more so today due to the explosion of information available on the internet.

Anyone remember the wire recorders before magnetic tape? My late dad got one many years ago with the spools of wire. It was very interesting, as he recorded my voice when I was a toddler, before he got a tape machine. You can't play the wire recording without that wire machine!

I wondered who bought those laserdisc players. You've got me beat. Betamax was a far into the pit as I ever got.

The process will go on. We've all moved some analog tape to CD and some VHS to DVD and if we have to keep doing that sort of thing, I suspect we will. Aint the rapid march of technology great?

Sorry for the late response; it's typical for my schedule.

Well, we've all transferred from older medium to newer. I've got DVDs and HD just came out! More transfer later?

Laserdiscs had better resolution than VHS and broadcast standard def TV at that time. I think the sound was PCM encoding. The player has a choice of digital vs. analog sound. I never quite understood how one gets an analog track on a digital disk.

I heard that someone is investigating the issue of archiving information. I mentioned Microsoft, but there has to be others working on this. Books seem to have lasted a long time, but those deteriorate.

The advantage of digital media is large storage in a small space, but the disadvantage is that you cant read it like a book - you need equipment to get the information. Even with microfiche, you can still read it with a magnifier, but it's not as easy. Which medium, that can be read without worrying about what format the information is stored, shall be chosen?

Chisel and stone...lasts forever, no equipment needed to read back. There are plenty of blank media available locally also. So teh local economy will be helped, no need to import the stuff. Will a DVD be readable in 2000 years? Rocks still are, but in 2000 years who cares about the obsolete information. The new inhabitants won't care, they will just want either hip hop or rice.

Of course it will survive. Marketing will make sure of it.
Special products will be sold at great expense to allow future audiophiles to experience the much more realistic qualities of 16 bit digital recordings compared to the latest technology.

For really really perfect sound pre 16bit get an older Philips player that had teh first 14 bit chips. Since everything old has to sound better than anything current and new. I bet Zander or some other goofy companies can make it sell well. We don't need no stinking 16 bit, the original 14 bit Philips chips, now that was what CD was meant to be...I guess Philips/Sony just don't know sound, they got all the way out to DSD sampling rates, so far past teh original CD patents. Now DSD patents are teh aduio standard for teh finast sound, except for those who think otherwise. When going onward in technology, is not as good as the old stuff? Only in teh bizzare world of audio, how come VIDEO is better with digital, HDTV, don't tell my some nudnicks think standard broadcast is better? VHS, LaserDisc, DVD, now Blu-Ray, see how things do get better....not in audio, $45K Cd only players with obsolete not in procution chips are acclaimed as superior!!! Ya gots to be fully entertained by it all. I am.I think 1914 Bi-Planes are better than current Boeing 787 recently introduced?

True, but that literally will be "rock" music.