Something to remember CDR by...

[BERIGAN]

There's actually three chemical reactions inplace here:

1. The plastic housing and the binder (adhesive) layer.

2. The aluminum layer and the binder layer.

3. The plastic housing at the aluminum layer.

Can't forget the adhesive. After all, we have the adhesive layer to thank for *sticky shed syndrome* on 70's-era cellulose acetate reel tape. The binder used on this particular kind of tape absorbed moisture and caused the metallic flakes that form the information layer to come off during playback, leaving a black resudue on the heads and capstans.

Don't forget the labels on the cds! I just found a cheap 2 cd opera used, and the label and I guess the plastic coating on top is sluffing off!

[Shrdlu]

No method of storing information lasts forever. I share your concerns about this, as I have many CDrs of OOP recordings. (So far, none has died on me.) However, the Lord said "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." (Matthew 24:35) The preservation, without any loss, of the Scriptures is further proof that they are the Word of God. He is the one who has kept them in existence. Even the most recent Scriptures (the books of John and Revelation) are still about 1900 years old, and the oldest book is Job, going back about 3000 years. Of course, the original manuscripts no longer exist, but preservation includes perfect copying and translation into other languages. In English, the King James Bible is a perfectly preserved collection of all of the Scriptures. In its context, it leaves far behind any deep groove, ear-in-the-dead-wax vinyl Blue Note LP from Alfred Lion's filing cabinet.

[Brad]

I think the key here is how well you treat your cds. I think most of us here are probably nuts about that kind of thing where I see my son not really caring as to condition. I've found that it's pretty hard to abuse a cd so if you treat them right they should last. I don't have a lot of cds from the mid 80s but the ones that I do play fine.

[Claude]

I just discovered the first "rotten" CDs in my collection. A 3CD set from Hyperion Records, with Tatiana Nikolayeva playing Shostakovich´s 24 Preludes and Fugues op.87. This set from 1990 is "Made in England" and was problably made by the Nimbus pressing plant, which was known for it's manufacturing problems in the late 80's.

http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/details/66441.asp

On all 3 CDs from the set, the laser skips on the last third of the disc, with drop outs increasing progressively. No deterioration is visible.

Reinier ("bluerein") made me aware of the fact that this problem is well known and that the manfucturer replaces the defective CDs.

More info is available on the Hyperion website: Bronzing

'Bronzed' CDs

A note about corroding CDs manufactured by Philips & Du Pont Optical UK Ltd (PDO):

The pressing factory PDO has acknowledged responsibility for producing some CDs between 1988 and 1993 using a lacquer which was not suitable to withstand the corrosive effect of the sulphur content of paper used in the printing of CD booklets and other paper parts. The problem has been extremely disruptive to us and has caused much embarrassment. We can only apologise for any alarm and inconvenience caused and assure you of our commitment to your satisfaction.

The symptoms of the corrosion are obvious. Audibly it manifests first towards the end of the disc (i.e. the outer edge) and sounds not unlike rhythmic LP surface noise. Visibly it manifests as a coppery-bronze discoloration, usually on the edge of the label side of the disc. (NB. It is NOT the overall yellow tint which is common to all PDO pressings. This is due to the addition of a tiny amount of yellow dye which PDO adds to the polycarbonate for cosmetic purposes.)

At the time that PDO were manufacturing the affected CDs for us, they were also pressing for other classical labels and we suggest that you check any discs you have from ASV, Unicorn-Kanchana, Pearl, DGG, IMP, Decca and Collins. Given the nature of the problem of corrosion, in that it progresses over time, we recommend that you check any suspect discs on, say, a six-monthly basis. The name of the disc manufacturer is usually (but not always) engraved around the centre hole of the disc in the transparent area. If there is no manufacturer’s name shown at all then it would be worth checking with PDO. They have agreed to replace any CDs which are corroding as a result of the defect. If you have reason to believe that there are discs in your collection made by PDO which are showing signs of corrosion, contact PDO directly.

Edited July 21, 2004 by Claude

[Claude]

Today I received replacement CDs from PDO.

Thanks for the tip, Reinier

Edited August 10, 2004 by Claude

[nmorin]

After years of writing the titles and artists onto the CD with a Sharpie, my wife tells me she heard on the radio about how THAT will hasten the demise of the cd. Greeeeeaaaaat.

Edited August 16, 2004 by nmorin

[mowgli]

Here is a report on care and handling of CDs and DVD:

Care and Handling of CDs

[Claude]

I just read an article in the german Stereoplay magazine, where an engineer from the TDK laboratory in Luxembourg is quoted saying CD-Rs have a life expectancy of 60-100 years, when stored adequately.

Hmm ... How come that dozens of Fuji CD-Rs that I burned in 2002 have become yellowish and are partly unreadable, despite being stored out of daylight?

All the other CD-R brands I used in the same year (when I had subscribed to emusic and downloaded more than 2000 albums) are ok.

So it should be added that the life expectancy is several decades only when the disc has been manufactured correctly. But how does one know which brands are durable and which are not?

[couw]

I just read an article in the german Stereoplay magazine, where an engineer from the TDK laboratory in Luxembourg is quoted saying CD-Rs have a life expectancy of 60-100 years, when stored adequately.

Hmm ... How come that dozens of Fuji CD-Rs that I burned in 2002 have become yellowish and are partly unreadable, despite being stored out of daylight?

All the other CD-R brands I used in the same year (when I had subscribed to emusic and downloaded more than 2000 albums) are ok.

So it should be added that the life expectancy is several decades only when the disc has been manufactured correctly. But how does one know which brands are durable and which are not?

it used to be so that only a couple of the handful of plants that produce CDrs could be trusted for good product. Fuji did not put out product from those plants, but used the same plants that produced all of the no-name shite. Similarly, part of the Philips and TDK disks were from bad production. In the old days only Sony, Maxwell (certain types only), and Kodak could be trusted. Kodak was the best, but they stopped producing disks... Nowadays, things have levelled AFAIK and there still being only a handful of plants producing disks, almost all are good. Quality control is what differs most as far as I can judge, buy cheap, buy duds that won't burn properly. Buy a bit more and you're in. Pay LOTS more and you're in for a small eternity. But who wants that?

[Man with the Golden Arm]

After years of writing the titles and artists onto the CD with a Sharpie, my wife tells me she heard on the radio about how THAT will hasten the demise of the cd. Greeeeeaaaaat.

Never, ever use a "Sharpie", them babies gas-off for a while. You can pretend to be Rudy VG and scribe it in the clear spot in the middle.

[wolff]

After years of writing the titles and artists onto the CD with a Sharpie, my wife tells me she heard on the radio about how THAT will hasten the demise of the cd.    Greeeeeaaaaat.

Never, ever use a "Sharpie", them babies gas-off for a while. You can pretend to be Rudy VG and scribe it in the clear spot in the middle.

Oh, crap!!!

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

Here is a report on care and handling of CDs and DVD:

Care and Handling of CDs

Re: the 'Do Not:' section of the report --- why would they advise against storing discs horizontally for years on end?

[LAL]

Here is a report on care and handling of CDs and DVD:

Care and Handling of CDs

Re: the 'Do Not:' section of the report --- why would they advise against storing discs horizontally for years on end?

This could be a/the reason.

Environmental factors can affect the rate of disc degradation. In each of the three basic disc types, environmental forces will degrade the data layer much faster than the polycarbonate substrate layer (the clear plastic that makes up most of the disc). Because degradation of the data layer will render the disc useless well before the polycarbonate begins to deteriorate, the relative degradation rate for the polycarbonate layer is not used for life expectancy considerations. Physical mishandling of the disc is usually the cause of polycarbonate layer damage. The polycarbonate may also flex or bend if stored for a long period of time in a nonvertical position.