25 Jun
1998
25 Jun
'98
12:54 a.m.
Now, I've found 9tack tape to be _very_ reliable,
second only to paper
tape. Certainly a lot more reliable than EPROMs, PROMs, etc.
If kept in proper environment.
> I had even new taps failing to record.
Good, branded tapes, or just random cheap ones?
Branded - a pcs at 140 USD.
The other thing is, nobody has said that you only keep
one backup, right?
:)
Keep the original EPROM, in use, and hope you
don't need a backup
Shure thats why I have them - Backup isn't the bussines it's
the tool.
Keep a copy on your PC's hard disk, for looking
at, and for burning an
EPROM from if your screwdriver slips and applies 12V to the Vcc pin of
the EPROM...
I still use an 8085 systems for the EPROM thing :)
Keep a copy on floppy disk or PC streamer tape, just
in case you delete
the wrong file
Keep a copy on paper tape in case all else fails.
And keep a copy on CD-R, 9-track, Zip, etc. Whatever else you can store
it on. The more copies you have, the more likely one will be readable in
the future.
:)
>>> And any magnetic media is crap for long
time archival.
>>> Just ask some (ausio) tape fans about tapes from the 60s.
>> Oh, I don't know. I've managed to play 1960's reel-to-reel audio
tapes
>> (and early 19790's video tapes, reel and cassette) with no real
>> problems. If you pick a suitably redundant format for the data I suspect
>> it'll be OK.
> Managed to play and recovering all information are
> different things.
Yes, but
(a) you'd use a partially redundant encoding system (I _know_ I
would) so you could recover partially damaged data.
(b) 'damage' that affects audio or video
recordings may not have much
effect on data (and vice versa). For example minor print-through would
certainly be audible, but it might be possible to set the read thresholds
so a digital tape drive wouldn't notice it. Ditto for fading. On the
other hand drop-outs have a much greater effect on digital data than on
audio or video recordings.
true.
> And back to CDs (to reunite the two threads):
> Theres a huge difference between your listed
magnetic things
> and CDs - the music sector - I bet any summ you want that
> there will be new drives in 20 years from now, able to read
> a CD made today (if the CD contend isn't damaged of course).
Firstly a CD player is not that easy to convert into a
CD-ROM drive. My
CD-ROM drive _is_ based on a CD-player, and I have the service manuals
both for the CD-ROM drive and the player. The mods are not that simple.
I'm not talking about converting - I'm talking that in 25 years
still new drives will be available to read CDs - Maybe some kind
of hyper-DVD-super-ultra drives - but able to read 'regular' CDs.
Secondly, where do I get a 78rpm record player these
days (new, of
course). Or a Playtape player. Or an 8-track cartridge player. Music
formats do go out of production as well.
Stop. 8-track - or what ever special formates beside regular
phonographic disks had always only a special small ocurence -
like ZIP drives, or almost any old media on computers beside
mybe tapes. For 78rpm players you should take a look at a
shop for analogue enthusiasts - there are still _new_ players
available - ok, I don't know if they sell more than 100 pcs
a year word wide, but they are available - and for 33/45rpm
players, almost any audio store still has at least one _new_
model to offer. Even Quelle (big mail order company in Germany)
still offers players. And now it's almost 20 years after the
CD.
Again, I give no chance for special devices and solution, but
I think there will be new CD Players even in 25 years - I am
shure ther will - I bet any money you want - or wait - I what
about my Pascal Microengine ? You'll get it if there is no new,
working, CD reading device availabe in 2023 :)
Servus
hans
--
Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut
HRK