Re: Do CD's Degrade?, and DCC Question

[Kimon Papahadjopulos <kimon@orac.holonet.NET>]

lionhart@netlink.cts.COM (Jackie Zucconi) writes:

>pols051@cantva.canterbury.ac.nz writes:

>Cd's do deteriorate over time. I have heard different time spans though, 
>some being up to ten years and others being refered to in terms of 
>playings, such as several thousands of playings. One thing is for sure, 
>cd's DO LAST LONGER than either vinyl or current audio tapes. It won't 

The deteriation of vinyl records is directly related to how many times
you play them (assuming you store them properly).  If you store a vinyl record
properly and never play it, it should last for a very long time.

The deteriation of CDs has nothing to do with how many times you play them--
the scanning laser never touches the surface and has no effect on it, unlike
a record which is worn away each time the needle passes through the groove.

But CD's they oxidize over time no matter how many times you play them.  The
time frame I have heard from several different sources (including people
who are in the CD mastering buisiness) is 7-10 years.

Kimon Papahadjopoulos
kimon@holonet.net