DVD safer than Blue Ray ?

[mrobert]

Hi,

I was told that DVD last longer than Blue Ray. That sounds unlikely to me as the Blue Ray is a newer thechnology. So what is the best supprt regarding longevity? I would like to pick the best one to backup my data.

[hech54]

I doubt there is any scientific data proving either is "longer lasting"....but I'd personally pick CD and DVD for data storage. I've got some pretty damn old DVDs and some really old CDs that are still perfectly readable after all these years. Maybe that in itself is almost scientific proof to some....who knows.

[redwudz]

I don't think there is much difference between longevity of DVD media compared to BD media. Just my opinion, though.

What would be a more important consideration is the quality of the media itself. I have some cheap DVD media that had about a 30% failure rate after two years. And I also have better quality DVD media that is fine after five years. Same with CD media.

I use Taiyo Yuden DVD - for single layer DVDs, Verbatim DVD + for dual layer and Verbatim BD - for Blu-ray media. No problems with any of them using different burners and many backups.

[Ai Haibara]

Yeah, I don't think I've seen any actual honest analysis on the longevity of a BD disc - and, of course, I haven't (personally) heard of any BDs failing, yet. (...well, they haven't been around long enough for one to see if the burned disc will fail after a handful of years...)

There were some comments, mostly during the BD/HD-DVD 'war,' that BDs were slightly more fragile or susceptible to problems due to scratches/etc., because they kept their data layers close to the thinner outer plastic layer, or something like that. Whether or not any of that's true, I don't know. I'm not willing to scratch any of my BDs to test. (Not that I have any BD data discs, though...)

[victoriabears]

All media storage, tape or digital is enormously affected by the quality of storage environment, I treat and store my collection with care, cool temperature room and no direct sun on the shelving or whatever.

I recentyl finished my vhs transfer project and tapes from thirty years ago played very well, and they have been moved 5 times and from the uk to canada

[hech54]

I threw my old data CDs in a wooden Ikea CD storage box, many without sleeves....and every one I've tried still read perfectly.

[TreeTops]

They both will probably last until the next great media evolution. Something like holographic disks maybe. Then we will have to move all of our important DVD or Blue-Ray stuff to the new media. It is a never ending process.

[Forum Troll]

Back in the days of videohelp.com's ancestor sites, 78rpmhelp.com and phonographhelp.com, people asked how long would their records and cylinders last. Almost 100 years later, they are still playable.

[AlanHK]

These have lasted 5000 years so far.

Translation

1-2. 64 sheep, remainder of
the account balance of day 21
3. 13 lambs, 12 goats, responsibility
(of) Dugga
4. 20 lambs, responsibility (of) Ur-nigar
5. From the account-tablets.
6. 16 lambs, 5 goats, (for which the
tablets) are not available.
7. [ . . . ] from Nippur

8. 2 [+ x?] lambs, 2 goats, day 23
9. […], day 24
10. [x lambs(?), x] goats, day 26
11-12. [total? x] lambs, 2 goats,
[dis]bursed.
13. […, responsib]ility of UrdLi9-si4
14. […] 5 sheep, 1 she-goat
15-16. […] goat … 7 goats,
[responsib]ility of Ur-Baba.
17. From [GN?]
18. [x] lambs, 2 goats, day 27
19. [x lam]bs, 2 goats, day 28
20. [x lam]bs, day 30
21. [from x-]x-ša6 -ga
22. [… fr]om Šukubum

This is just accounting records though. The music tablets have DRM and are unfortunately now lost to history.
So take care to use open formats if you want to be legible 5000 years in the future.

[TimA-C]

Although it does look there has been some loss of data there. I'm sure many slab players would throw out errors when trying to read that slab. Maybe they should have used Verbatim slabs and ImgChisel instead?

[lordsmurf]

I don't think there is much difference between longevity of DVD media compared to BD media. Just my opinion, though. .

There were some comments, mostly during the BD/HD-DVD 'war,' that BDs were slightly more fragile or susceptible to problems due to scratches/etc., because they kept their data layers close to the thinner outer plastic layer, or something like that. Whether or not any of that's true, I don't know.

There are some serious concerns for Blu-ray longevity, due to structural engineering.
You should read about it here: http://www.digitalFAQ.com/forum/media/2814-hd-dvd-rw.html#post14295

All discs are not created equal.

[Calidore]

I recently bought a PS3 when Gamestop sent me a $100-off coupon (bastards!). I picked up several older (hence, inexpensive) games at the time, and when I asked to see the discs in advance, the clerk mentioned as I examined them that BDs were much more scratch-resistant than DVDs. I don't know if six is a valid test, but all six were indeed clean save for fingerprints. I wouldn't take any odds on finding six straight random Xbox360 games being scratch-free at Gamestop.

[lordsmurf]

BDs were much more scratch-resistant than DVDs.

Yes, they are, but don't be fooled by that.
This is all explained in my link a couple posts back.

[mrobert]

Thanks for the feedback! I'll pick the stone in the end, now looking for a USB stone writer

[oldfart13]

Didn't we go through this before? How many Ritek DVD discs are still useful? I pulled out some of the earliest recordings made on my Panasonic E80H c. 2003 and the Ritek discs are now unplayable ("no disc" when put into a computer drive). These were stored in albums or spools in my bedroom for the past 8 years (non smoking, away from light or heat). The Panasonic RAM discs I have are all functional all these years later (I recorded several shows to RAM that have never been released on DVD/Blu Ray) though it's getting hard to find players to play them (the new Seiki 3D Blu Ray player that was just released apparently supports the format). Most of the other discs that were done on Verbatim, TY, MCC, etc. are all still readable. Looking like media is everything for long term storage. CDs used different recording technology but my oldest burned discs from the early 1990s are still all readable. Maybe something to think about...

[fritzi93]

BDs were much more scratch-resistant than DVDs.

Yes, they are, but don't be fooled by that.
This is all explained in my link a couple posts back.

Yeah. Remember how that was one of the selling points for Blu-Ray? You know, the TDK hard coat polymer? Practically immune to scratches, or so they implied.

Bullshit. I've bought a number of used Blu-Rays, most of them when my local Blockbuster closed shop. I had several that were unplayable (or they skipped), and polishing doesn't bring them back, unlike with DVDs.

I suppose in a parallel universe you could say they'd be worse without the coating. The design is bad and they damn well *need* a better coating. What a great argument that is.

[TBoneit]

Yeah, I don't think I've seen any actual honest analysis on the longevity of a BD disc - and, of course, I haven't (personally) heard of any BDs failing, yet. (...well, they haven't been around long enough for one to see if the burned disc will fail after a handful of years...)

There were some comments, mostly during the BD/HD-DVD 'war,' that BDs were slightly more fragile or susceptible to problems due to scratches/etc., because they kept their data layers close to the thinner outer plastic layer, or something like that. Whether or not any of that's true, I don't know. I'm not willing to scratch any of my BDs to test. (Not that I have any BD data discs, though...)

I read some threads on another forum, sorry can't remember where, where memorex (Philips) media burned in LG BluRay burners would lose the data in 3months to a year.

Some I found
http://forum.dvdfab.com/showthread.php?t=12449
http://forum.blu-ray.com/blu-ray-pcs-laptops-drives-media-software/105426-memorex-4x-b...ay-blanks.html