Anyone know offhand the MTBF of DVD-R media?

[Jim Bancroft]

Would anyone know how long a DVD-R disc is supposed to be good for? I know VCR tapes are rated at 10 years+ before trouble is supposed to start, but I wasn't sure about DVDs.....just wondering if I have to worry about backing up my vid library anytime soon.

 

[sparkyclarky]

It depends on the quality of the media - top notch stuff stored in the right environment should last a long time (I'd say at least 25 years). Cheap stuff might not even make a year before going out.

As far as what qualifies as top notch vs. cheap, that's a whole different discussion which I'm not entirely qualified to speak to.

 

[VicodiN]

www.digitalfaq.com has plenty of info on which media (DVD-R) is top-notch and which isnt... Pressed DVD's (retail movies, games etc) are pretty much designed to last indefinitely if cared for properly..

 

[DaveSimmons]

Of course you should always make 2+ copies of anything you really care about, possibly from 2 different brands/spindles if it's irreplaceable.

Even with premium blanks there can still be a factory defect in a disc, possibly even an entire spindle of discs (bad vat of chemicals for one disc batch).

 

[BespinReactorShaft]

Intriguing quote from digitalfaq...

What is the life expectancy of a DVD?

A common question people ask these days is: How long will my media last? And it's a good question that nobody knows the answer to. Media makers love to make bold statements that their discs will guaranteed last for 50-150 years, but it's more marketing baloney than anything else. Dye based media will probably last several decades at minimum, due to the chemicals and structure of the media. Phase change media, as discussed above, may die before your burner does. Advanced aging tests have shown varying results, but all come to the conclusion that your DVD-R and DVD+R media will last for decades, maybe up to a century if you're lucky. Other evidence has even suggested that dye-based media will outlast pressed metal media! As usual, nothing lasts forever. Buy good media and store it properly to avoid problems in the future.