In 1982, when the Compact Disc was invented and again in 1997 when the Digital Versatile Disk was invented, optical disk technology was hailed as the new "space-aged solution" to the fragility and instability of magnetic tape, the standard for recording applications that had been around since 1928. And, optical disk looked so much cooler than those boring brown tapes!
It is said of CD and DVD that the media will outlive the format, and it's proving to be true. The ever growing shift to streaming content online is a harbinger for the demise of the optical disk as a viable format. Walkmans, DVD players and camcorders are already largely things of the past. They have all basically been replaced by the Smart Phone.
"So is optical media dead?" No, but it's not going to be around forever.
Stored properly, optical media will last from 20 to 100 years, depending on who's study you're reading. However, set-top DVD players and computers with optical drives (that can play a DVD) are not being made much anymore. Like the VCR, these devices can still be found for sale online and in thrift stores, but for how much longer and in what condition?
"So what's the best thing to do when getting my memories transferred off of old, out dated formats?" Well, we recommend that you get something familiar AND something "future proof".
Opt for a CD/DVD to play in your legacy player AND get a digital video file on a USB Flash Drive a.k.a. thumb drive. Then copy the files from the Flash Drive to your computer as a back up. THEN...upload the files into the cloud for the safest, cheapest long term storage solution.
At Affordable Archives we can help you understand and deal with all of the above. Reach out to us and we'll guide you through it.
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