Storage Media - Is writable DVD reliable?

Hi,

I'm interested in people's opinions on storage media.

Is DVD+R / +RW a reliable media for data storage in the long run? I ask because I have had numerous problems in the past with CD-R discs that work perfectly well immediately after they have been burned, but seem to "decay" over time and produce read errors.

How do people here store their recordings?

I'm currently looking to buy a Camcorder, with the intention of burning the captured and edited footage to DVD, so at present DV-in is not really a selling feature. However there is not much point in recording for posterity if the storage media is likely to fail in a few years.

Regards,
Gerald

[vonhosen]

Like a lot of people here I record with a DV camcorder & load the original tapes to the PC where they are edited & authored to DVD.
The DVD is then used as a viewing & distributing medium while the original footage DV tapes are never written over, but kept for archiving or making further copies from should I suffer with disc decay.

That said I have been doing the above for a fair few years & haven't had any disc rot yet. All disc brands are not created equally. I would advise using good quality media (as opposed to simply the cheapest) for best results.

[MarkE19]

It's not just DVD rot that you need to worry about. Ask any parents with young children and a DVD player. Even origional DVDs get easily damaged beyond the point where they will play. I work with a couple of people that buy DVDs and then get me to make copies as the origionals were damaged within days by their little darlings . Either that or they have gone back to VHS for them

Mark.