Longevity of RW media?

[Erendiox]

I guess I was just curious. Many forms of older re-recordable media lose quality after being re-written (ie. VHS tapes, cassette tapes). Now, I know that CDs and DVDs are digital media, as opposed to analog, but I understand there is still some physical process going on when a CD is burned. Do RW CDs and DVDs loose quality or data accuracy after many uses? Will they ever really wear out aside from the normal wear and tear of handling them?

[superbovine]

I guess I was just curious. Many forms of older re-recordable media lose quality after being re-written (ie. VHS tapes, cassette tapes). Now, I know that CDs and DVDs are digital media, as opposed to analog, but I understand there is still some physical process going on when a CD is burned. Do RW CDs and DVDs loose quality or data accuracy after many uses? Will they ever really wear out aside from the normal wear and tear of handling them?

you should google for this, but there is a big debate out there. the older cd-r, cd-rw media supposedly not suppose to last that long depending on the type. times vary on the estimate and type etc. Although I have cd-r from 1997 that still work fine. anyways, you want buy what they market as "archive quality" cd-rw that should last around 100 year, or whatever the time maybe. the time will depend on brand and type etc. most newer cd-r on the label have the length of time they last, and it is probably going to be longer than you live.

[Timelessblur]

more CD-R and CD-RW life span is a few years. I have a few CD-R from 2000 that still are good but at the same time some of the CD-R have degread and are starting to have problems and they are from the same spindal. some over just a few years old. I donlyt really trust them after 3 years.

[Chappers]

Remember the good old days when we thought they would last forever?

[Blue Velvet]

I've got some CD-Rs that still read perfectly and they're about 8-9 years old.

It depends on the quality of the disks and how they're stored -- somehow those bumper-value no-name spindles of blanks don't do it for me...

[Erendiox]

Any thoughts on the RW media though? Thats kinda what I was aiming for. Like how many times can you re-write to an RW cd before it starts going bad. Or does it go bad?

[yg17]

Any thoughts on the RW media though? Thats kinda what I was aiming for. Like how many times can you re-write to an RW cd before it starts going bad. Or does it go bad?

I've got a CD-RW I rewrite all the time for use in my car and its still fine. Honestly, I bet by the time the CD-RW no longer becomes useable, DVD+/-RWs will be cheap enough to become the standard

[superbovine]

Any thoughts on the RW media though? Thats kinda what I was aiming for. Like how many times can you re-write to an RW cd before it starts going bad. Or does it go bad?

it depends alot on weather you just writing new files or rewriting files. it will not last forever. i.e. i would have a backup of everything you put on the cd.