Video Storage Question --- DVD-R vs VHS

[Mikey]

What do you think is the better storage system when taping movies that you want to last ...

I noticed, a lot of my older DVD-R's have problems playing today .....
Older meaning, about 3-ish years old and older ....
They freeze up, pixelate etc ..........
I take care of them and my players --- so it's not a dust issue, etc.

On the other hand, I have VHS tapes that are well over 20 years old --- and they still play fine........ Like they're brand new.

Question:
Is the DVD-R format all that it's cracked up to be ?
Or is it just a temporary space-saver that sucks for archiving ?

[Dave Mc]

There is some thought that burned DVD's will degrade due to the dye or some such stuff. DVD's are still best, but make fresh copies every couple years. That way you renew the DVD and don't loose quaulity in duplication like you would with VHS. VHS is the worst possible way to save anything.

[Bo8a_Fett]

I read somewhere that dvds only had a play life of 20 years or so before degrading....maybe that was an overestimation...i've noticed that some of mine also have problems on some players but are fine on others.

[Mikey]

At this point, I have 3 DVD players

One is a old GE and will play anything including PAL's ... prob is, many times half way through the movie it gets confused and freezes up ... It also hates when you mess with the menu...

Another is a cheap Walmart $20.00 player ...... Plays fine, but wont read some DVD-R's..

The last is an old DVD-recorder/player
This thing wont hardly read anything ... even some BOUGHT silver DVD's ...
Weird thing --- if it does boot up your dvd-r, you can be sure it will play it perfect (but that's not often)

I wish someone would invent a player that plays everthing.

[Bo8a_Fett]

2 things I hate about modern dvds etc.....the lack of controls on the actual things...I mean half of them if you lose the remote you can just about play dvds and nothing else, no search or menu keys etc....the other thing is with the cheaper models the motor that runs the laser always is the first thing to go.
Same with tellies ...if you lose the remote you are buggered....you may be able to change channels or change the volume...but tuning in, brightness-contrast etc...forget it..
....rant over....I have typed....

[Dave Mc]

The ways DVD's are encoded change alot. Different compressions sometimes make playing newer DVD's on older players difficult. This is more the case with burned DVD's than storebought, since there are some standards to storebought, but still things change all the time. Remember, DVD's are basically computer disc readers and as often as computer technology changes...

I've noticed a very short use life for my DVD players. I seem to get about 2 good years out of one before it starts acting funky. At that point if you can swing it, it's best just to toss it and get a new one. The've come down so much in price that they really aren't worth fixing anyway.

[MIB41]

One thing that jumps out at me is you said "DVD-R". I use DVD+R's because I have better luck with them and compatability is not nearly as much of an issue. If you look at alot of new DVD players they only play DVD+R but NOT DVD-R's, so any time your going to shop a new player make sure it can play what you have on disc. The box typically list compatability discs on
the cover.
VHS are very difficult to maintain because they degrade with you don't use them and fade after being played too much. What I've done is converted the rarest of my VHS collection to disc so I'm assured to always have it. You can buy a good DVD recorder/upconverter for roughly $140.00. Not a bad price for what you get.
On an off note do you know what format is coming back? LPs!!! We have a record store here in Louisville that is ranked as one of the best record stores in the country (Ear EX-tacy). The owner just recently said they are selling so many LP's they are beginning to compete with Cd's! So for those wondering what they were going to do with their old record collection, just remember, they might be back after all. Every old is new again...

[HardyGirl]

Personally, I don't do the DVD thing. (or the CD thing, for that matter) One little scratch can foul up the whole thing. And I really hate double sided DVDs. Having to be so careful about picking them up b/c there's no label side, sheesh! I much prefer my VHS. I also have tapes that I've had for 20+ years, that play great. I have 2 VCRs hooked to each other. If I know I'm gonna record from a tape a lot, I make a "working copy" so my main tape won't degrade too much. Plus, (and this is a biggie for me), I hate being a slave to technology. Why do I have to go out and get a new thing and get my stuff transferred just b/c it's the latest thing? And this latest thing will only become obsolete in a few years, and you gotta do it all over again? When the old technology you have works just fine? No way! I can still buy blank tapes from Walgreens, (and regular VHS tapes from Ebay), I know a shop who will pick up and deliver my VCR to me when it's in need of repair. I don't have to worry about a laser not being able to read my media b/c of dust or a scratch or a tempermental machine. I have plenty of room for storage. So I will stick to VCRs and VHS tapes, thank you.

[Hector]

This is the best way to store VHS tapes:

[Mikey]

One thing that jumps out at me is you said "DVD-R". I use DVD+R's

When I said DVD-R, I ment BOTH versions (+ and -) ... The Dash was just to seperate the R from the DVD while writing it

[cjefferys]

DVD+Rs are the most compatible if your burner allows you to change the booktype (not all burners do). If you can change the booktype to "DVD ROM", that disc should play on almost any DVD player. Otherwise, DVD-Rs tend to be a bit more widely compatible than DVD+Rs. (you can't change the booktype of DVD-Rs, it's not in their spec)

I still have VHS that are 20+ years old, but I'm sure they've degraded since then. The thing about VHS is that it's analogue. If there is degradation (and they all will eventually degrade), they will still play but they won't look as good. DVD is digital, it will either play fine all the way through or it won't. I agree that the best thing to do is to transfer the VHS you want to keep onto a good brand of blank disc. Don't cheap out, the crappy brands won't last nearly as long. I'd recommend Taiyo Yuden discs. They are generally considered the best brand you can buy. Outside of Japan though, you will have to go online to buy them, you can't buy them in stores. They should last longer than most brands, but you should still back up onto new discs every 3-5 years just to be safe.

[apes3978]

Personally, I don't do the DVD thing. I have plenty of room for storage. So I will stick to VCRs and VHS tapes, thank you.

Yeah, but what do you do about any new releases? I can't think of any new release that is put out on VHS, except "maybe" a new kids title (which WALMART seems to carry...)

Even if you do not buy any new DVDs, what if you want to watch a new DVD release? You can set and wait for it to maybe show up on one of the cable networks (because "regular" TV almost never shows movies at all) but that could be a long time in coming because SHOWTIME, CINEMAX, etc. don't show everything...

And you're always saying what a 70's fanatic you are: Do you know how many of those series are out on DVD now and most aren't all chopped up like they'd be if taped off TV...

I'm not knocking VHS because there are way more titles on VHS that have yet to be released on DVD so it is worth owning a VHS player... But if you want to see naything new (or DVD releases of old things) then you do need a DVD player... You could always just go to WALMART or something and buy one of those VHS/DVD combo players for like $65 and have both... I have one of those and never had a problem with it...

[Cosmicman]

I just spent three days transferring all my VHS tapes to DVD. A lot easier to copy and take care of. I keep them in a heat safe, scratch resistant pouch case. They seem to be fine as long as I don't let the kids handle them.

[HardyGirl]

Yeah, but what do you do about any new releases? I can't think of any new release that is put out on VHS, except "maybe" a new kids title (which WALMART seems to carry...)

Even if you do not buy any new DVDs, what if you want to watch a new DVD release? You can set and wait for it to maybe show up on one of the cable networks (because "regular" TV almost never shows movies at all) but that could be a long time in coming because SHOWTIME, CINEMAX, etc. don't show everything...

And you're always saying what a 70's fanatic you are: Do you know how many of those series are out on DVD now and most aren't all chopped up like they'd be if taped off TV...

I'm not knocking VHS because there are way more titles on VHS that have yet to be released on DVD so it is worth owning a VHS player... But if you want to see naything new (or DVD releases of old things) then you do need a DVD player... You could always just go to WALMART or something and buy one of those VHS/DVD combo players for like $65 and have both... I have one of those and never had a problem with it...

There are not a lot of new releases I really care for anyway, (I don't usually go to the movies, unless I take my class to see something), and I do have digital cable an OnDemand, so I can tape movies from that. And if I'm really DEPSPERATE (not that I normally am) to own something not on VHS, there is a DVD player in this PC.

[spiderrogue]

im a dvd guy..thought and swore that we never would be...but if we didnt "conform" to the "man"...we would be left behind in the movie system...we still have several vhs movies...but 90% of what we have are dvds...and a lot of those replaced the vhs tapes that we had originally bought. i know that dvds wont be around forever(as vhs, cassette, lps, etc werent really either)...but for now, it's ok. and with things like blu ray, hd dvd coming out, obvisiously, there are "better" formats on the horizon. one word of advice for dvd owners...if you make you own dvds..do not use the stick on labels that cover the whole disc...go lightscribe....the labels will warp your dvds after time..trust me...ive thrown quite a few dvds away due to that...the labels are almost impossible to remove once they are on....anywho...