Re: [ARSCLIST] The state of cassette tape

[Jerome Hartke <jhartke@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Careful" studies have one problem in that they are time-consuming, and
results are obsolete by the time they become available. Hard drives do have
one advantage in that SMART results are available to the user that can be
used to predict failure of the specific part. I am not aware of anything
similar for other forms of mass storage.

Predictability of longevity is difficult, if not impossible. At best, it is
statistical, and specific part can fail even when the population appears to
be quite good. Regular testing of archival media is a solution. It is not a
pleasant one, since it requires effort and expense, but searches for a
"magic bullet" will not be productive.

Jerry
Media Sciences, Inc.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
> [mailto:ARSCLIST@xxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Steven Smolian
> Sent: Saturday, January 15, 2005 11:27 AM
> To: ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] The state of cassette tape
>
> A careful study is badly needed on the stability of stand-alone hard
> drives
> for long term storage.  The issue was raised here a few months ago about
> the
> long-term lifetime of these devices.  Remember also that their content is
> magnetic, subject to all those issues.
>
> My feeling is that, for long term storage, the fewer moving parts, the
> better.  I'm sure a great number of previous formats (and the cassette and
> DAT, present day) come to mind in which the not-easily-reached moving
> parts
> can create havoc and more business for the likes of us.  It's bad enough
> with pads and springs.  When motors enter the picure, things reach a new
> level of maybe.
>
> Steve Smolian
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Don Cox" <doncox@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Saturday, January 15, 2005 6:37 AM
> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] The state of cassette tape
>
>
> > On 15/01/05, Steven C. Barr wrote:
> >
> >> Another possibility would be some sort of appliance into which one
> >> could plug a hard drive and record content or retrieve content of
> >> selected types. Since the need for actual program operations would be
> >> minimal, all sorts of obsolete CPU's could be used as "brains." I just
> >> saw an ad today that offered 160GB HD's for Cdn$99.95...that's about
> >> $00.00000000025/byte... Steven C. Barr
> >
> > Or about 40 cents to store a CD.
> >
> > Regards
> > --
> > Don Cox
> > doncox@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >
> >
> > --
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