What is the shelf-life of a DVD vs. my existing analog or digital tapes?
Among the manufacturers that have done testing, there is consensus that, under recommended storage conditions, CD-R, DVD-R, and DVD+R discs should have a life expectancy of 100 to 200 years or more; CD-RW, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, and DVD-RAM discs should have a life expectancy of 25 years or more. Little information is available for CD-ROM and DVD-ROM discs (including audio and video), resulting in an increased level of uncertainty for their life expectancy. Expectations vary from 20 to 100 years for these discs. Most video experts agree the life span of analog or digital video tapes is between 8 to 12 years and they recommend transferring them into digital media within the first 5 years.
