I wouldn't ask them if there are plastercizers because too many might just lie because they want the sale or because they don't know and want to look the expert. Instead ask them what they are made of and find out if that has plastiziers in it. Of course, if you do ask and they say "Yes, we use plasticizers, I would take their word for it." (smile)

I keep my collection in those eight to a page acid free loose leaf pockets in a metal box with dessicant from every purchase I have made. I expect to back everything up to Blu-ray in a few years ((as we all will)) so I don't think longevity is that big an issue. In a few years, we can put everything on external harddrives??? (smile)

((((((Since I spelled it 3 different ways, I'll look up how to spell plasticizer and then go to bed.))))))) Yes, that's the way.

(in reply to Halcyon)

Hmm... when leaglebob said "external hds" that got me thinking. What do you guys think the life of a Ram-Drive (i.e., pen-drive) is? That seems to be the best storage for data; though the day before mass pendrive storage becomes cheap is probably far away. Granted, you can get 1gb for around $70 now, that's far off from $.70 for 4.37gb.

Oh, and leaglebob, remember the key isn't backing up your data every few years onto the "next generation" of media (in this case, blue-ray). The key is to back up your media every few years onto the next generation of "reliable" media; meaning, if you were converting from cdr to dvdr, you wouldn't want to convert your data on kodak cdrs to optodisc dvdrs

(in reply to leaglebob)

How about DVD+/-R/RW can for long term storage???

(in reply to Halcyon)

quote:

ORIGINAL: kiger

you wouldn't want to convert your data on kodak cdrs to optodisc dvdrs

Optodisc DVDRs are actually quite well made... just poorly supported on some drives. This is slowly being fixed however. Not to say that Optodisc is top quality media or anything, but the manufacturing on their 'A' grade discs seems quite good.

Of course for longevity I'd trust Taiyo Yuden second to none!

(in reply to kiger)

Kiger--I agree. I wouldn't purposely back up to "any" inferior product. But I do assume Blu-Ray will be as reliable as Dvd and CDR and Cassettes (smile). I have read that Blue-Ray blank disks will soon cost within 10% of Dvd so to me the more relevant concern has always been the "cost" of the backup. Right now, I have seen harddrive prices drop to .35 a gig and .29 per dvd==so harddrive storage is 7 times more expensive and I don't think it is 7 times safer.

Right now, I have a huge collection of CD music. I'm thinking of skipping the DVD backup and wait for the BlueRay. Of course, once backuped, I'm going to keep the original cassettes and CD's!!!

Of course, after BlueRay will be polarized electron spin nanotubes with everything ever written or recorded in the space of the zero on the watch interface upon which it is stored. Then I'll lose the watch. bobbo.

(in reply to Dolphinius_Rex)

I suggest using DVD-RAM for long storage... !

DVD-RAM was introduced by Panasonic to make safe backups of DATA in the industry. DVD-RAM have a CRC control while writing and a "shelf live" of a least 10 years garantied.
DVD-RAM a quite slow to write because of the control process of DATA while writing. The 3x medias can be written at about 1 to 1.5X and the new maxell 5X at about 2 to 2.5X.
Of course making a PERFECT backup of DATAS is far more EXIGENT because having a wrong "pixel" from time to time in a movie is not important.
So think about this:
- people doing DVD-RAM burning save their DATA
and people doing CD-R/RW or DVR R or RW burning learn ONLY "music and movies piracy"

(in reply to wilson2888)