Are Your CDs and DVDs Rotting Away?
When the CD was invented (25 years ago), it was sold as a replacement for audio cassettes and records not only because of its higher quality audio, but also because of its longevity. Unlike a cassette or LP, they told us, there's nothing that rubs against the CD as it plays, meaning -- in theory -- it could last forever. Turns out that's not so true. Web designer Dan Koster has discovered that 15% of his collection of 2,000 CDs has suffered from what is called "CD rot."CDs are made of multiple layers, with a reflective layer sandwiched in the middle between two layers of clear plastic. Rot occurs when that metallic layer starts to corrode or when the plastic layers separate. This results in a disc that looks like it has tiny holes in it when you hold it up to a light, or a more noticeable discoloration spreading from the outside edge inward.
Regardless of the cause, the result is the same: unplayable music and unreadable data. Frighteningly enough, there's no reason to believe modern DVD, Blu-ray, and HD-DVD discs won't suffer the same fate.
What can you do? Creating backups is your best bet, which means ripping every CD you buy to your computer and making copies of software. But given the nature of modern copy protection, creating backup versions of many things impossible. You can also make sure you keep CDs and DVDs out of the sun, in cases, and in a cool area.
If you thought that burned CD of pictures from your honeymoon was going to outlast your marriage, you might want to think about another means of preserving those pics.
From Newsvine
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Don Baddorf @ Aug 20th 2007 2:08PM
Your description is true for DVDs, not CDs. Commercial CDs are one piece of plastic that is sputtered with metal (usually aluminum) on one side. The sputtered side is then coated with lacquer to prevent corrosion.
c maclean @ Aug 20th 2007 3:12PM
i heard the dyes are analine, and will fade, rendering the media useless.
vhs was a sad joke too. i can still run my kodachrome super 8 movies, though....
Killer of the Queen @ Aug 23rd 2007 6:25PM
AHH NO WONDER all of my CD's are all moldy and have that certain smell. I always thought it was because I didn't take care of them well enough. Now I am certain that it's not my fault. CD rot. I can't wait to tell my girlfriend.
Lahela12 @ Mar 12th 2008 3:03AM
Is keeping your cd's in the original case the best bet? How about keeping them in those CD books?