What would be the lifetime of these: Cassette Tape, CD, DVD, VHS Tape?

Worztron

Hi.

Sorry if this is not in the correct category.
What would be the lifetime of these: Cassette Tape, CD, DVD, VHS Tape?
Let's presume they are kept in decent conditions i.e. in a room with average temperature and out of direct sun light. All are kept in their original containers.

NothingMan

167,000 hours exactly. Once that time is up, on the button, they will explode.

Korvanica

you forgot BluRay, HDDs, SSDs, vinyl records, and delicious sandwiches

mike65

Cassette Tape, longer than you might think if not abused
CD, shorter than you might think even if looked after
DVD, see CD
VHS Tape, see casette tape

upandcumming

Sorry if this is not in the correct category? Ugh...

AnonoBoy

Depends on the quality. Cheap blank cassettes have a tendency for sound quality to deteriorate rapidly if not used. Sound can bleed through from one side of the tape to the other and eventually the whole tape will only play Billy Joel songs no matter what was originally recorded on it.

Tom Cruises Left Nut

AnonoBoy wrote: »

Depends on the quality. Cheap blank cassettes have a tendency for sound quality to deteriorate rapidly if not used. Sound can bleed through from one side of the tape to the other and eventually the whole tape will only play Billy Joel songs no matter what was originally recorded on it.

The thought of Billy Joel has ruinged my day :pac:

Krieg

I think the average lifespan of a CD is 15 years

AnonoBoy

t|nt|n wrote: »

The thought of Billy Joel has ruinged my day :pac:

Not a fan of the BJ (Billy Joel) but I freakin' love this song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6gZefW4yEA

mike65

UGH Billy Joel

C30 C60 C90 GO!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_R0Kvk7G9U

krudler

I have a copy of Raiders of the Lost Ark on VHS tape from 1982 that still works

cosmicfart

Worztron wrote: »

Hi.

Sorry if this is not in the correct category.
What would be the lifetime of these: Cassette Tape, CD, DVD, VHS Tape?
Let's presume they are kept in decent conditions i.e. in a room with average temperature and out of direct sun light. All are kept in their original containers.

put them all in the freezer they will last for centuries just ask Dr Evil

mike65

So the shop never tracked you down?

Star Bingo

mike65 wrote: »

UGH Billy Joel

C30 C60 C90 GO!

ugh mike its like Adamant meets Sultan of ping. young guns STFU

starlit

Depends which type of CD or DVD such as an ordinary music cd or movie dvd or whether its a CD-R/CD-RW/DVD-R/DVD-RW used for storing data/files/movies or copying stuff etc CD's Roughly 5-15 years I think depends on the type of CD. DVD's in general its over 300 years! When its copied and burned cd's/dvd's its 2-3 years aprox is its lifespan so varies depending on the Cd/Dvd.
A cassette its 10-30 years is its lifespan I think. Roughly 15 years I'd imagine. VHS lasts about 15 years as far as I know. Have all types to prove that lol!

Daegerty

A pressed CD or DVD should last around 20 years

one you burnt yourself might only last 1 year depending on the quality

iamstop

Records do not come into this conversation, they are timeless.

Star Bingo

all my tapes / lp's / cd's are boxed up. whats the life of an iPod's SSD i wonder

nlgbbbblth

VHS tapes - I have some from the early 1980s that play fine. Both originals and stuff taped off telly.

Cassette tapes - never bought any but used plenty blanks in my time and 25 years on, some are still going

CDs - I have a few very early CDs (from 1983 and 1984) that play perfectly. The much-reported "disc rot" only related to a couple of English pressing plants.

CDRs / DVD-Rs - you'd be lucky to get ten years. Stuff burned at a lower speed tends to last longer.

Vinyl - timeless. Perfect sound forever although a lot of the vinyl reissues of the last few years are pretty disappointing. Keep your money and seek out a original pressing for a few quid more. Ultimately a reissue = a reissue (no matter what the format).