long term backup DVD's

[EvanAdams]

Ok so I am begining a new project. I am moving all our old 80's and 90's VHS tapes onto DVD. I am going to be using a LG RC-199H. LinkTastic It does DVD+R Rual Layer and many other formats.

But question is: What do I look for in media to prolong life as LONG as possible.

 

[corkyg]

There is not a lot of choice in dual layer media. Good DVD+R will be fine - more importantly, it is how you will store them. A cool, dark place is best. Nothing is really forever - but . . . I can still get data off of some 20-year old 5.25" floppies.

Let me know how this all works - I have the same project to do, but am procrastinating.

 

[EvanAdams]

What makes a good quality DVD+R?

 

[ubercaffeinated]

Dye quality and bonding, and compatibility. Another factor is the burner itself. Will it be able to make good burns? And as someone else mentioned, storage is also a crucial aspect in keeping disks for long periods of times. Cool dark place, with no moisture. A case that won't warp the actual disk.

Check out this forum, they're fanatics about making great burns: http://club.cdfreaks.com/forumdisplay.php?f=33

Read in depth about your particular burner too (ie about firmware, how to fine tune, etc).

Also, depending on your burner, you can actually change there booktype of dvd+r disks to make them register as dvd-rom disks in dvd players giving you almost 100% compatiblity. And DL disks aren't worth it really, but if you go that route, get only the verbatims.

 

[Zepper]

There are some CD media that claim to be archival, but they are very expensive - gold reflective surface, etc. I haven't heard of the same in DVD media.

.bh.

 

[corkyg]

Right - none of these things have been around long enoughto prove or disprove OEM claims for longevity. Right now it is all theoretical for the most part. I've got CDRs that are 10 years old and still good. Done with 2X burners and $5 disks back in 1996.

 

[Cerb]

Use Taiyo Yuden discs, and clone them again in a couple years. The medai can last a long time, but there are no guaruntees.

 

[ubercaffeinated]

Correct, taiyo yuden or mitsubishi chemical company discs will last the longest. Make sure to burn at half the maximum speed of your burner too, to minimize errors. Have the latest firmware.

 

[akugami]

Originally posted by: makoto00
Correct, taiyo yuden or mitsubishi chemical company discs will last the longest. Make sure to burn at half the maximum speed of your burner too, to minimize errors. Have the latest firmware.

Good advice. I also do the same thing and pretty much every disc I can find, some from 5 years ago, are still in good working order. CD's and DVD's are suppose to last 20 years or something I think. The truth is some of those el'cheapos are really junk and you're lucky to get 5 years off of them. You get what you pay.

I use TY's and also burn at 4x speed. In bulk they're only about 35-45 cents a disc for single layer discs in bulk spindles (no cakebox, no sleeves). You can also use the printable surface type and invest in a CD/DVD printer to pretty it up or just use a Sharpie like I do. Just because it's rated at 8-16x doesn't mean you should burn at those speeds. The exception being a disc that you don't expect to keep around for more than a year.

 

[oldbutdumb]

I don't have a dvd burner but I got burned making cd backup images of my HD. About the 7th disk of a set was defective and when my system crashed and I had to format the HD, the backup wasn't there. What a pain. But I was using junk disks that I got practically for free at Staples or Office Max. (don't remember which). I won't do that again (got a spare external HD.

 

[akugami]

If it's important. Make doubles. I mean, quality blank DVD's can be had for less than 50 cents per. Quality CD's are roughly on par. It only takes about half an hour extra (assuming 4x burn speed for DVD, even less time for CD's) for each extra disc. Well worth the extra few hours invested compared to being royally screwed when the time comes and you need those discs. A spare HD is good but much like bad discs, there is the risk of a corrupted HD.

 

[AnitaPeterson]

Not sure about the "half speed" of the burner.

Honestly, I much prefer to use a lesson from a recording engineer, back in the CD-R days: "Always, always, ALWAYS record at the lowest speed allowed by the media. "

When the archival time/lifespan is of the essence, why be in a hurry to record 2 hrs in 5 minutes???