Video Storage Question --- DVD-R vs VHS

[cjefferys]

1300 tapes? Damn, I down to a couple hundred and thought I had a ways to go yet. Factory pressed DVDs should be ok for quite some time. Just like original pressed CDs, I have some of those that I bought over 20 years ago and they still play fine. The problem is not pressed discs, but recordable burned ones. They use a type of ink to save the data, and the problem is the ink breaking down over time. No one really seems to know how long those suckers will actually last.

[ctc]

Hmmmm....

OVERALL DVD is a better storage medium. Both have problems, and none will last forever, but:

-VHS degrades when played AND over time. After about 100 plays the coating will start rubbing off the tape. (The heads of the player actually contact the tape, so this is unavoidable.) Also, the tapes themselves will start to derez after about 10 years. This'll make the image "fog up." I HAVE tapes that I've watched hundreds of times and can attest to the degrading. (I think I'd watched my copy of "Rock and Rule" a thousand times. Me and the guys can recite the whole thing from memory....)

-DVD last a lot longer. After about 20 years the plastic will start yellowing, but even this doesn't NECCESSARILY mean the disk won't play. Constant playing doesn't degrade the disk as much as a tape, either. As for scratches, you CAN have a DVD resurfaced. Fixes any scratches and chips, but costs about $50 per disk. Like VHS, recording an a slower speed will give a better resolution pic with DVD. Unfortunately, once a movie/show/whatever is recorded digitally, it's a LOT easier for the company to change formats, forcing you to buy your collection again. Although it's ALSO easier for home computers to convert. I figgered recording my collection as data will make it easier for ME to convert as neccessary.

I bought a DVD/VHS recorder a year ago, and it's a cheapie one, and it works pretty good. It decides to find tape protection at weird times (like, on tapes I recoded myself years ago) but I figger if I ever upgrade my computer I can re-edit the fragments. I needed one 'cos I had about 1600 tapes, and when my VHRs die, I might not be able to get new ones.

I'm down to around 1300 tapes now.

Don C.

[FullerDawg]

Guys I've backed up over 2000 DVD over the past few years and all seem good.One main thing to remember when burning DVD's is to burn at slower speeds I usually burn at 2x .I was told to do this along time ago by a computer geek.Also use higher speed disc which are better quality like 16x. Anyway that has seemed to work for me. I'd hate to think I need to redo them every 3 to 5 years . No way Too many

[spiderrogue]

you and me would get along nicely...i wanna use those discs with pre made labels..dang..im just not caught up yet....maybe next year, i will have either the inkjet printable ones or a lightscribe burner that isnt a lite on(dont like that brand)....
when i did use the labels..i had one of those label kits that came with the applicator that lets you get them centered....but yea..wish i had known that they cause so many issues down the road, back then...i wouldnt have used them....they do come off..with a lot of work...a lot....

[cjefferys]

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...

Not only that, but it's very easy to make a disc "unbalanced" by not putting the label on EXACTLY centered, which can cause the disc wobble which can cause problems and possible damage. So yes, stay far away from labels, use either lightscribe, or inkjet printable discs (I use the latter)

[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...

[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.

[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.

[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...

[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.

[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

[Hector]

This is the best way to store VHS tapes:

[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.

[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...

[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.