[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Re: [ARSCLIST] Mass Digitization
On 17/05/07, Steven C. Barr(x) wrote:
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Schooley, John" <John.Schooley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
>> And wouldn't most archeologists and anthropologists KILL to have a
>> sample of popular songs or stories from these past civilizations?
>> We've got them in spades, but perhaps part of the problem is they
>> date from a time period too recent to yet be of interest to scholars.
>> Unfortunately, the formats are much more fragile unlike stone or even
>> parchment. Well cared for, a Gutenberg Bible will probably last
>> another century. Many recorded works won't last until some time in
>> the future when academia deems them worthy of study or
>> preservation...
>>
> The one significant exception, of course, being shellac records! As
> long as they aren't dropped, allowed to stay wet for any significant
> length of time, or wind up in a fire, they seem to be essentially
> inalterable through age. I have 78's over a century old, which at the
> very least play as well as they ever did...!
I doubt if the signal-to-noise ratio is as good as it was when the discs
were new. And there is certain to be some damage to the groove walls
from playing on primitive record players.
When a transfer can be made from a metal master, the results are clearly
better than from a consumer-owned copy.
Regards
--
Don Cox
doncox@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx