Tape Longevity
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You are currently reading a thread in /g/ - Technology
You are currently reading a thread in /g/ - Technology
Alright /g/, so what's the real lifespan of magnetic tape? Every source I find on the internet seems to bounce anywhere between 10-30 years. However, I've got tapes of all types (VHS, cassettes, 8-tracks) that are far older. Some of the 8-tracks are even upwards of 50 years old and still sound okay if the mechanisms are still working or repaired. Before you bring up climate and storage, many of my tapes were left out in an unprotected garage for ten years and still sound/look great.
So what's up with that?
>>51255099
Magnetic tape 50 years ago wasnt even commercially viable, radio broadcasts were live.
>>51255437
Ford started putting 8-track players in their cars in 1965. What say you to that?
>>51255099
Your garage is probably pretty nice for storage
Also, that figure is for newer tape formulations, the tape formulations of the 60's/70's usually are more durable but had worse properties
There's also other problems related to the base in which the magnetic forumla is impregnated, some defective tape formulations would become dust by themselves, even if stored right
>>51255437
If we want to get technical, RCA commercially released their own cassette format in the 50s.
>>51255747
So you're telling me that my 8-tracks will outlive my other tape formats?
>>51255779
The newer ones yes, specially the VHS
It's also the kind of data stored, the wider the bandwidth the less time tape can store it
>>51255437
3/4 inch R2R was pretty commercial 50 years ago, not everywhere like cassettes in the late 70's but they weren't uncommon
>>51255822
That's pretty depressing to think about. I guess all things must dry up and crumble in the end. Just like us.
>>51255822
I do have VHS tapes from 80s though. Some of them still look almost new on the screen? Don't they at least degrade before finally dying?
>>51255437
they've been doing it since WW2, faggot
>>51256154
We can all thank based Hitler-san for that one.
