How to face the challenge?
Introduction
Until recently, the popular belief was that information stored on audio and videotape
is permanent. Magnetic tape has become the archival storage medium of our age. In the
short term, magnetic tape has allowed us to save and replay history at will, whether a
major national event or important personal moment.
Now we realize that with audio and videotape there is no long term. Magnetic media has
a very limited life span and priceless sounds and images are in danger of being lost.
Audio and video collections require specific care and handling to ensure that the
recorded information will be preserved. Special storage environments are necessary to
ensure that the recorded information is preserved for longer than 10 years. For
information that must be preserved indefinitely, periodic transcription from old media to
new is necessary, not only because the media are unstable, but also because the recording
technology will become obsolete.
The magnitude of the problem of magnetic tape deterioration is just starting to be
realized. Virtually all of the magnetic tape ever recorded older than as little as 10
years may be in serious jeopardy. The threat comes from several sources, but the largest
threat is chemical in nature, coming from the breakdown of the binder, or glue, that holds
the magnetic particles to the polyester base of tape. As this hydrolysis process
(sometimes known as "Sticky Shed Syndrome" ) occurs, the tape often gets coated
with a tenacious adhesive that makes it extremely difficult to play. In some cases the
problem can be so severe that the magnetic material literally falls off or sheds from the
base leaving a pile of dust and clear backing. The problem of hydrolysis has been known
for some time, but the extent of both the problem and catastrophic effect it has on
magnetic media is just now reaching widespread public visibility.
At risk is virtually the entire inventory of recorded media, from master audio
recordings of symphonies to videotape recordings of the news gathered over the last 40
years. Virtually our entire audio and visual heritage from the 1940's to the 1980's is in
serious jeopardy. No tape is safe from the multiple threats that vary from accidental
erasure and physical loss due to fire and flood, to the slow disappearance of the machines
that are required to play the tapes back. Coupled with Sticky Shed Syndrome, the threat is
far greater than anticipated. Realistically, some of the vast inventory of tapes are of
little value being copies of other materials, but many others are masters, original
recordings, that cannot readily be duplicated. And the amount of tapes needed to be
restored is so huge, that it would take decades, even if facilities, techniques, and
funding were readily available.
Facing the challenge
The question is; what to do to face this problem that has been described by Jim
Lindner as "a tidal wave at our shores"?
The problem is immense indeed. Over the last decades more than 10 billion blank audio
tapes were sold worldwide. Assuming that only one percent of these tapes contains really
unique recordings (like family events, interviews, meetings, live recordings etc.) we are
talking about 100 million audio tapes that are in potential jeopardy. At an average length
of 70 minutes per audio tape 87.5 million CDs would be required to save the entire
collection and about 20,000 man-years to do the actual conversion work. This is assuming
that all tapes can still be recovered and conversion is to a CD. Given the 10 year period
in which this needs to happen it is obvious that there is a major challenge ahead to
preserve our legacy recordings.
There are various ways to preserve unique audio data. For information that must be
preserved indefinitely, periodic transcription from old media to new is necessary, not
only because the media are unstable, but also because the recording technology will become
obsolete. Companies like Vidipax
specialize in professional enhancing and recovering services from a variety of sources
including legacy tape recording equipment.
Converting audio tapes to CD using a PC is the only viable and cost effective option to
save recordings for consumers. PC's are in wide spread use enabling access to virtually
everyone. Recording software needs to be very easy to use to appeal to the wide
audience that needs to save their audio tapes.
Conversion to CD
Conversion to CD to preserve your audio tapes can be done with tools like the PolderbitS Sound Recorder and Editor. The ease of use of this
product makes it especially useful to a wide audience with low to average computer skills.
Kris Colt from Boise, Idaho, USA told us: "I'm currently using your software to
convert over 500 old family history cassette tapes. Having tried numerous other audio
capture utilities on the market your Polderbits Sound Recorder is by far - hands down -
the VERY BEST!! I love it because it's SO SIMPLE to use, it captures with greater clarity
and works right every time!".
The PolderbitS Sound Recorder and Editor helps you to
digitize your recordings. The Recorder makes sure you get your recordings into the digital
world after which you can edit them with the Editor. Typical editor tasks are splitting
your recordings into separate tracks, cutting blank spaces and fade tracks in and out.
Once your data is digital and the way you like it you can 'burn' it on CD.
Of course the lifespan of a CD has its limitations too. The official statement of
Kodak, a leading manufacturer is: "We predict the lifetime of KODAK Photo CD, and
KODAK Writable CD Media with InfoGuard Protection System, under normal storage conditions
in an office or home environment, should be 100 years or more. Under controlled
conditions, our best estimate of the data life of these products is 217 years, which
provides room to incorporate reasonable differences of opinion as to what constitutes
'normal storage conditions' ".
So a CD lasts a life time, but at some point your recordings will need to be
transferred again to the then current media, probably a descendant of our current DVD. The
good news is that by then you will need much less media to store your recordings. Having
your data in digital form will definitely help you and our next generations with future
conversions.
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