DVD-R or DVD+R best for archival image storage?

Is DVD-R or DVD+R best for archival image storage?

Leicaman said:

Is DVD-R or DVD+R best for archival image storage?

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Up to now, I've only seen archival-grade DVDs in DVD-R. Also, I'd stick with the DVD-5 single-layer 4.7GB discs for more reliable data storage.

Wherever possible, I still use archival grade CD-Rs [phthalocyanine, gold reflector] for critical long term data storage; the CDs that I use are rated for 100-200 year storage life.

Just a personal preference on my part; lots of other folks have different opinions.

Hope this helps.

Neither - DVD's have have not proven to be very good for long-term storage for me.

In as little as a year I have had corrupt files on them.

At the moment, stick with CD's for your most critical files. for the moment, I keep all of my archives on a Hard Disk.

Taiyo yuden are the best disks. dvd+r has a robust structure that is more dependable than -r. Here's a good explanation:

http://www.cdfreaks.com/reviews/Why-DVDRW-is-superior-to-DVD-RW

Get a very good price on authentic Taiyo disks at http://www.supermediastore.com

I Have Never had any corruption in CD's or DVD's however, have lost HD's in the past 1.5 years [supposedly good drives]. One minor point I have not checked in the past 6 months, that was right after loosing the second HD.

So which is [are] actually more reliable??? 2 DVD's kept in separate areas or 1 currently used and 1 backup HD.

In past years they ALWAYS said NWVER use a HD for long term storage as they were considered reliable for less than 2 years. Then 2 years ago [maybe 3] I started hearing CD's only good for months so use HD's for storage and never CD's ?? the next thing was DVD's were superb don’t use any thing but high quality DVD's for long term storage, months later DVD's bad in 1 month only use HD's.

Well I am confused and think perhaps I should have a setup with dual CD, DVD, and HD back up. But someone would come up with the redundant redundancy corrupts long term storage.

Recently there was a thread promoting and condemning Raid-5 and Mirrors and so on.

As everything appears inadequate I am almost confused enough to give up.

E300 said:

Neither - DVD's have have not proven to be very good for long-term
storage for me.

In as little as a year I have had corrupt files on them.

At the moment, stick with CD's for your most critical files. for the
moment, I keep all of my archives on a Hard Disk.

Click to expand...

--
Ray
RJNedimyer

External Hard Drives are cheap. I use dual external HD's. This gives me 3 possible copies (i.e., my live Aperture database and 2 Vaults [library backups in Aperture terms]).

As my catalog of image assets grows, I will upgrade the capacity of both drives. This also guarantees that I will get the latest interfaces to assure future accessibility (remember SCSI interfaces?).

I would like to archive to DVD, but it's just too inconvenient (i.e., too many discs) and Blu-Ray is too expensive at this time.

There is a lot of info flying around on this as you can see. I have found that what ever DVD/CD medium you end up with you should burn it as slow as you can. My friend works as a company that sells DVD media and did some lab testing. You get a much better signal to noise ratio at the slower speeds.

So while you can burn a high speed and verify it today it may fade in a couple of years. If you can increase the S/N you should get a longer lasting DVD from fading.

DVDs also will fail due to delamination of the layers. This can be slowed or stopped by proper storage.

I personally used multiple HDs. One on my desk and a portable I store off site.

http://adterrasperaspera.com/blog/2006/10/30/how-to-choose-cddvd-archival-media

--
Gabor

http://www.panopeeper.com/panorama/pano.htm

The real truth here is that we have no idea what storage devices will still be around in 10 years.

I've got files on zip disks from 2000. Anyone have a zip drive in their current computer?

I try to have everything on DVD (lots of them) as well as external HD.
--
peace
http://www.muskopf.org/slideshow4
http://www.myspace.com/muskopf_photos

Allow me to throw this into the mix. Amazon's S3. Extremely cheap.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/browse.html?node=16427261

dengar69 said:

Allow me to throw this into the mix. Amazon's S3. Extremely cheap.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/browse.html?node=16427261

Click to expand...

If I did the math correctly, this is super, super expensive
--
wayne

The format of disc is really not as important as the quality of Discs and hardware that you use. If you have Nero, you can actually use a program called Nero CD speed to actually check the quality of your burned media. There is also another program called Kprobe that is similar. IMHO DVD+R is by far the superior format.

Most major disc companies really buy their discs from a variety of manufacturers. Meaning that while you may buy a good batch of "Sony" discs on Tuesday, they could be totally different by next week. The Nero CD speed tool also identifies the actual manufacturer of the disc. WHich could help in finding what works best in your hardware.

I am in the IT field and have done extensive testing and back ups to DVD media as part of my everyday duties. And through this I would only recommend only two brands of discs for backup. Taiyo Yuden which you mostly have to buy over the internet, and Verbatim. I use nothing else and haven't for years. I have never had a problem with disc degradation.

There is a great community over at http://www.cdfreaks.com with a plethera of gr8 information.

FYI... I usually test 2 or 3 drive firmwares to find out which one actually allows for a better burn.

Hope this helps

There is only one archival format guaranteed to last > 100 years and then to be still readable with available hardware.

Please explain! As I know of none. Please do not say photographic prints as NONE I know of are even guaranteed to last even 6 months.

Truth be told, No format is "guaranteed" to last that long. "Archival quality" only means it has the potential to do so, NOT that it will survive, nor if it does that it will do so undamaged.

Les Olson said:

There is only one archival format guaranteed to last > 100 years and
then to be still readable with available hardware.

Click to expand...

--
Ray
RJNedimyer

DVD-R is the format that all DVD readers can read effectively. For archival purposes get MAM-A gold DVDs and store them on their sides in a jewel case away from light, heat, and moisture. The jewel case actually does a very good job of buffering the environment of the DVD and adds protection from the outside conditions.

The dye is the important part and the dyes used in the MAM-A are the most stable being produced. The gold CDs have a longer life but I expect that in the next 5 years a lot of data will be reburned onto Blue Ray discs anyway.

or have your prints cryogenically frozen. A bit pricey though.
--
'Everything in photography boils down to what's sharp and what's fuzzy.'
-Gaylord Herron

Hard drives are the only way to go.

You can get 500GB for $99.00. Have 3 of them with a copy of every photo on each one. Put one in your computer, one external and one keep in another physical location (not in the same building). This last point is hard for many of us, it is to protect against fire.

There are also fire proof safes. I don't know if they really work but have read they do and plan to go that route eventually.

With the DVDs you are going to end up with a bunch of them and a year or two from now you will be poping them in and out of your computer with great fustrtion as you try to find the DVD that has the picture you are looking for on it.

There are lots of threads on this subject in the forum. Take a look.

Yours,
Carl

Leicaman said:

Is DVD-R or DVD+R best for archival image storage?

Click to expand...

Booger007 said:

I am in the IT field and have done extensive testing and back ups to
DVD media as part of my everyday duties. And through this I would
only recommend only two brands of discs for backup. Taiyo Yuden which
you mostly have to buy over the internet, and Verbatim. I use nothing
else and haven't for years. I have never had a problem with disc
degradation.

Click to expand...

I've been using the Taiyo Yuden -R disks for backup for quite some time. They have several price levels. And I am wondering if the cheaper ones are reliable. Have you tested the less expensive Taiyo Yudens in your testing? And after reading the posts, it sounds like I'll switch to he +R disks, as well.

I have been using 'whereisit' for the past five years, and have over 4000 optical discs catalogued using this program. Also all the ext HD. I can locate and find an image (usually 5 copies of it) in about 5 minutes at the most.

Also... I archive to CD, DVD, and HD will all originals. Librarian anyone?
--
Richard Katris aka Chanan

... until then I have my copies on CDs
--
regards
Martin

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I am a part time wedding photographer (50% of my income)