What types or brands of video and audio tape are most suitable for preservation copying?
The longevity of magnetic tape used for video and audio recordings depends on the materials used to make the tape, careful and accurate manufacturing processes, proper storage and handling procedures and correct recording practices. Buying a brand name does not guarantee a good-quality product, but increases your chances of having a product that was properly manufactured with good materials. Even then you might buy a bad batch, so test one first by recording and then view or listen to the tape. Always buy the top of any product line. Preservation copying should be performed onto high coercivity (difficult to erase) tape. Read the tape package for information on coercivity or ask a knowledgeable clerk. Buy a known name brand. Quantegy (formally Ampex) may be the only source left that produces professional analog quarter inch reel-to-reel audiotape in North America. Preservation copying should really be done onto analog tape because of its higher stability. If you choose to copy using a
