Why Home Movie Videotapes Don?t Last Forever
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Culprit #2: Usage/Duplication
Unlike DVDs, in which a laser “reads” the data without ever touching the physical disk, a videotape makes contact with the equipment heads every time it is played. This eventually wears down the tape. And every time a copy or “dupe” is made of the tape, each successive “generation” loses quality and clarity.
Culprit #3: Environment
The third major enemy to videotape is the environment, including heat, moisture, mildew, water, and so on. These elements react with the materials that comprise the videotape, and cause warping, distortion, and brittleness. Eventually the tape will be unreadable in any type of player.
Videotape is Magnetic
Understanding the chemical makeup of videotape is helpful in realizing why it is so fragile. It consists
