Shelf Life


Tutorial Home >Music and Video >Digital Music >Archiving Digital Multimedia >How do I learn more about shelf life for different archives?
Tutorial Home >Music and Video >Digital Video >Archiving Digital Multimedia >How do I learn more about shelf life for different archives?
Tutorial Home >Music and Video >Digital Music >Archiving Digital Multimedia >Safekeeping >Shelf Life
Tutorial Home >Music and Video >Digital Video >Archiving Digital Multimedia >Safekeeping >Shelf Life

  Step 1:  Flexible Magnetic Media

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Magnetic media varies, but you can expect on average 10 years of life from disks and tapes.
  Step 2:  Rigid Magnetic Media

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Hard disks and hard disk cartridges will last a little longer because the disks are rigid. 15 years is probably the maximum amount of time you can expect.
  Step 3:  Optical Media (CDR/RW)

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Standard CDs can last 20-50 years, but CDR/RW technology uses a dye that can fade, especially if exposed to UV light. You should expect good performance for 5-10 years before having problems.
  Step 4:  Source Material

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Both digital and analog videotapes and audiotapes fall prey to shelf life. If you intend to keep the original materials for historical purposes, plan to recopy it regularly.