Help! I need proof that DVDs last longer than VHS (1 Viewer)

[Kevin Porter]

I'm doing a paper for school and there's a paragraph about DVDs versus VHS concerning lasting ability. My teacher said it was totally subjective. Are there any websites I can use and cite to use in the paper? I also need something from the web on DVD rot.

~Kevin

 

[Jerry Gracia]

Alot of my older CDs sound better and un-degraded than alot of my older cassette tapes...

The same will probably be true between VHS and DVD.

I wouldn't touch "DVD rot".

The last thing we need is more "rot" paranoia.

But that's my opinion.

 

[Matt Goddard]

Below is the link off the Digital Bits for Jim Taylor's DVD FAQ. This should provide some "official" answers.
http://www.thedigitalbits.com/officialfaq.html

 

[Mark Silver]

You should tell your teacher, things that are known in the public common knowledge don't need a citation. Therefore, if she is questioning that fact that she must not be as smart as the public at large.

 

[Christian Behrens]

Some common sense (something missing in a lot of people these days it seems, HTF members excluded ) tells you something about lasting ability just by the fact that tapes physically touch the mechanics they run through when played, while digitally reading out data via a laser has nothing touching the surfaces that carry the data.
Sorry for the long-winded sentence.
-Christian

 

[Jack Briggs]

All that needs to be stated is that only light touches the surface of a DVD during play; if the disc is properly manufactured and care for, its lifespan is indefinite--as opposed to tape that stretches and breaks and is directly touched by the tapeheads. What is "subjective" about that?

And I agree: Don't go into such videophile esoterica as "DVD rot."

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

The practical reality is that as a rental product, DVDs do not last as long as VHS tapes. If properly handled, they would last substantially longer, but ask someone who owns a video store how long the typical DVD lasts versus a VHS tape.

This seems to defy logic when you think of all of the pros (no moving parts, no physical wear from play, etc.), but errors on DVDs from handling tend to be more severe when they manifest themselves than tape wear.

Regards,

 

[Kevin Porter]

Thanks for the help all. Now can someone help me with the pricing portion of the paper. I'm talking about how it's somewhat of a downfall but I need a comparison to VHS pricing when it first came out or whatever. Anyone know of any good articles/sites?

~Kevin

 

[Jack Briggs]

Ken's right. I've seen kids at Wherehouse and other retailers pull discs out of their cases, forcing the things instead of depressing the retaining spindle. Imagine how much worse it is in the case of a rental disc.

 

[Patrick Larkin]

The practical reality is that as a rental product, DVDs do not last as long as VHS tapes. If properly handled, they would last substantially longer, but ask someone who owns a video store how long the typical DVD lasts versus a VHS tape.

Well, that is subjective. Just because a VHS cassette still plays through does not necessarily mean that it should not have been replaced.

I can't believe some of the completely abused tapes I used to rent. They were in horrendous shape from being played 6,323 times and should have been replaced far earlier.

Also, on DVD. The rental place should be able to replace DVDs more often because of the lower price versus VHS.

 

[Larry Gardner]

If I was writing a paper on comparison of VHS versus DVD, I would definitely emphasis not only the wear and tear on tape versus disc, but also the player themselves.

1. VHS players must be periodically cleaned since the tape oxide as it is worn off of the tape, has a tendency to clog the tape heads (recording as well as playback heads).

2. Rental tapes basically fall into the same category as DVD (previous renters) as well as previous renters players. If a renter does not maintain their player, the deteriation effect on the rented tape can be catastropic (head alignment, jams, tension rewind, ...)

3. Over time, tape becomes brittle and can snap while being played back, causing the tape to either break completely or jam and get caught up in the capstan wheel, curling the tape.

4. Fast rewind actaully damages tapes. It is better to store a VHS tape in a playback position then a rewind position. Reason: In the playback position, the tape is stored in a constant tension. In a rewind position, the tape is stored in a fast rewind position - bound by the machine where the tape floats when being rewound - causing edge cripping when the tape moves up and down as it is being rewound. Ever listen to an old audio cassette and notice a 'whobbling' sound during playback?

5. There are many moving parts in a VHS player versus a DVD player which basically just has a drawer and tracking laser assembly.

6. DVDs are easier to mass produce (given the technology borrowed from CD /LD manufacturing). They are also cheaper. In the beginning prior to mas production - VHS tapes were creating in real-time, unlike today where tapes are fast recorded.

Plus DVDs are digital versus VHS which is an analog technology. The resolution of VHS (and even Super VHS) cannot compare to even the mediocre authored DVD.

Plus, DVD's can offer (notice I said can), features unheard of or even unavailable with VHS (access, audio, high resolution, ...) EVen D-VHS cannot provide all the features provided in the DVD specifications.

Hope this helps somewhat!

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

Well, that is subjective. Just because a VHS cassette still plays through does not necessarily mean that it should not have been replaced.

The rental store has to turn over their inventory when the DVD becomes unplayable. Whether one considers it subjective or not, customers will tolerate analog noise and even the occasional tape splice, but they will not tolerate the disc becoming unplayable. It's a combination of having the entire playing surface exposed and having a failure mode that tends to become catastrophic rather than gradually deteriorating. Fault tolerance is about the only thing that analog media have going for them these days.
Regards,

 

[Dwayne]

I'm doing a paper for school and there's a paragraph about DVDs versus VHS concerning lasting ability. My teacher said it was totally subjective.

What is so subjective about that? Sounds like she's biased for VHS or something.

 

[Qui-Gon John]

When's the last time your DVD PLayer "ate" your DVD?

 

[Douglas Bailey]

Kevin,
Check out the DVD FAQ, specifically section 3.12, which talks about this. That section says that DVD-ROM/DVD-Video discs should last from 50-300 years, versus 10-30 years for magnetic media (including videotape).
The site also includes links to two studies on format durability, but these are for CD-based formats: neither mentions DVD specifically, so I don't know if they'll be useful to you.

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

When's the last time your DVD PLayer "ate" your DVD?

In late 1999, my combi DVD-laserdisc player ate my Bambi laserdisc. I eventually retrieved it undigested. Does that count?

Regards,

 

[Eric Huffstutler]

Several post have hinted at it and one touched on the obvious...

DVD's can't be erased accidently.

They are not eaten by the machine.

They don't wear out since there is no surface to surface contact.

They don't dry-rot in 100 years like tape can.

"DVD ROT" is a misused term for an extremely rare occurance that has been discussed elsewhere on the forum many times over so no need to go further here.

Now player's going bad, optic pickups getting dirty, and firmware problems are a different ballgame but the DISC themselves should last forever.

 

[Lars Vermundsberget]

Quote:

"In late 1999, my combi DVD-laserdisc player ate my Bambi laserdisc. I eventually retrieved it undigested. Does that count?"

---

HOW could that happen?! Would it be a disc that already had a crack in it?

 

[Rod Melotte]

Here is a test, drop the VHS tape into a bowl of Coke, then drop a CD into a bowl of Coke. Wipe both off and see which one sounds better

 

[DavidEC]

>< POINT ><

Audio CD disc was first marketed by Phillips in 1972 which the basic DVD format is based on and the VHS tape was created by JVC in 1976 as a replacement for the Sony BETA tape which was a 1/2" version of their 3/4" tape cartridge format.

So really the CD has been around longer than the VHS tape.

>< POINT ><

Everybody posted that nothing touchs a DVD while playing back.. but the motor/drive touches the hub of the media, and can damage the media if the drive is not working correclty (but the same can be said about tape)

>< POINT ><

STORAGE or PLAYBACK??:

If you are talking about playing back the media daily then the CD/DVD would last the longest as long as the playback device did not break.

With tape, it will heat up and streach due to friction from the tape riding along the path inside of the player.

Even if the players motor and other parts were cooled.

If you are talking about storage only then a correctly made CD/DVD would have less chance to degrade over time than the oxides on a tape, where the glue/bonding agent would have a chance to dry out and become brittle.

--David