T3D archival mediums?

[John Toeppen <toeppen@xxxxxxxx>]

It is hard to find a good Betamax these days.  My tapes are still fine. 
I need to digitally archive some of my old videos. The point being that
digitized data may be transferred and duplicated without significant
losses except by its initial compression. The copies I make of my VHS
copies will be degraded. Once it is digital one can easily move it to
multiple safe places. Film negatives are reasonably stable and may be
scanned and color tweaked (to a point).

Kodachrome is archival if it is only used in a cool hand held viewer and
properly kept.  Flesh tones are great after 50 yrs.  Ektachrome or
Fujichromes withstand projection light better than Kodachrome  However,
the reds have been quick to go in the older Ektachrome samples that I
have seen.  Heat and moisture also damage to color and emulsions.  There
is a level of detail that film will likely exclusively have for a time
yet.  Film also has a special charm related to being "the real thing". 
It is also easy to preview before digitizing.

I still have a good betamax.  I use Tesla and Slovac vacuum tubes in my
Fisher Hi-Fi Stereo audio systems.  And I use my Realists. Classic and
vintage things are art forms in themselves.  But I have not heard of a
Betamax society yet. 

My bet is that jpg and jps reading ability will be around for
centuries.  I am certain that displays will only get better.  While a CD
may have a lifetime, and the CD reader may go the way of the 5 1/2
floppy - the data could be transferred.  Count on the fact that there
are those who will collect and maintain working collections of usable
neat stuff.  It has been known to happen.

John Toeppen


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End of TECH-3D Digest 530
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