Re: [ARSCLIST] Identifying Acetate Tapes

[Steven Smolian <smolians@xxxxxxxxx>]

Your college is correct.  Audio is translucent, polyester opaque.

Steve Smolian

----- Original Message -----
From: "Watsky, Lance" <lwatsky@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2005 10:25 AM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Identifying Acetate Tapes


I was hoping that someone can tell me if the following statement is true or
incorrect:

A colleague was telling me that you can tell the difference between an
audiotape that was recorded on an acetate tape, versus one that was created
on a polyester base, by holding the tape up to a light source. The colleague
went on to say that light will pass thru the acetate tape, whereas it will
not pass thru polyester tape.

I found this rather strange because with film, the opposite is true, light
will not pass thru an acetate film, but will be able to shine thru the
polyester film.

I personally believe that what the colleague was seeing had more to do with
the fact, that since acetate tapes are much older, that the audio packs are
going to be looser, and that what she was actually seeing is the light
coming thru the gaps.

Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Lance Watsky
Preservation & Media Specialist
The Georgia Archives
5800 Jonesboro Road
Morrow, GA 30260
678-364-3764 (phone)
678-364-3860 (fax)
lwatsky@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.GeorgiaArchives.org


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