Life span of CD games?

[pixeljunkie]

I was thinking about my precious CD game collection when I was thinking, "some of these games are pushing 20 years old!". How much longer can these things last?

I'm scared.

Hold me.

[Black Tiger]

I was thinking about my precious CD game collection when I was thinking, "some of these games are pushing 20 years old!". How much longer can these things last?

I'm scared.

Hold me.

Back in the day, they claimed that CD's would last forever. I've heard different opinions since.

I know that laserdiscs rot, but they're not just big CDs.

So just assume that you've got till next Tuesday and play as many Turbo games as you can.

[vestcoat]

Yeah, scary thought.
Fortunately I purchased all of my Duo games when they originally came out as 12" vinyls (the original system card played games at 72rpm; the SCD and ACD cards used 45 and 33 1/3 rpms respectively).
 

[grahf]

I remember reading an article on this a few years ago. Im sure there are some on google. If i remember, they stated that your average silver CD had a life expectency of about 50 years, while black CDs should last closer to 70. CDRs on the other hand, will probably only last a handful of years normal usage.

Only time will tell however.

[Black Tiger]

I remember reading an article on this a few years ago. Im sure there are some on google. If i remember, they stated that your average silver CD had a life expectency of about 50 years, while black CDs should last closer to 70. CDRs on the other hand, will probably only last a handful of years normal usage.

Only time will tell however.

'They' also say that game cart batteries shouldn't last more than like 6 years but I've got copiers of Miracle Warriors, Ys and Phantasy Star that I play every once in a while and they're still fine.

[vestcoat]

I remember reading an article on this a few years ago. Im sure there are some on google. If i remember, they stated that your average silver CD had a life expectency of about 50 years, while black CDs should last closer to 70. CDRs on the other hand, will probably only last a handful of years normal usage.

Only time will tell however.

I have some music CDr's that are now 10 years old.  It will be interesting to see how long they last.
Media storage and archiving is a pretty big industry with a strong interest to keep people looking for new ways to back-up their data.  Hopefully we can take these estimated life expectancies with a grain of salt.

[grahf]

It was just something i remember reading way back when. As long as they are stored correctly, CDs should last a long time. But plastic does break down after so long. I can see CDRs having problems, because of the nature of how they work. The whole dye thing, as opposed to a real CD. Who knows, lets all just cross our fingers that we can let our grandkids play these one day

[Odonadon]

It was just something i remember reading way back when. As long as they are stored correctly, CDs should last a long time. But plastic does break down after so long. I can see CDRs having problems, because of the nature of how they work. The whole dye thing, as opposed to a real CD. Who knows, lets all just cross our fingers that we can let our grandkids play these one day

From what I've been told, if you store them vertically they should last forever (won't warp).  I don't know about decomposition though.  Just make sure to make copies (for backup purposes only, of course) and you'll be fine unless you are upset about losing the 'original' printed disc

OD

[GUTS]

Yeah I thought the life span of CDs was theoretically a rediculous amount of time.  I've never heard of a CD going bad before unless something was physically done to it.

[esteban]

I was thinking about my precious CD game collection when I was thinking, "some of these games are pushing 20 years old!". How much longer can these things last?

I'm scared.

Hold me.

Let's put it this way : I have cassette tapes that are 30+ years old that still play fine. And they've gone through humidity (NJ sans an air-conditioner) and all sorts of crap over the years. True, I've lost many tapes over the years, but considering the medium, it's amazing that I haven't lost a majority of them by now.

Pressed CD's, in contrast to cassettes, are godlike. I wouldn't start worrying about them any time soon. The oldest CD I have is probably from 83-84 and it is faring a hell of a lot better than a 20 year old cassette .

[termis]

I had some crappy CD-R's flake away so that you could see right through them, but those were just disposable music CDs - (I make copies of my music CDs for the car and whatnot... Cause they take a beating being handled by various people and while in motion, and sorts...).

And those were only a few years old.

But true, I haven't yet had a pressed CD that I took care of go bad on me.

[Tatsujin]

in technically point of view about 30+ some years. depends on the environment they live and how they are handled. also a problem could cause the vertical store of CDs, since the inner data carrier will get slightly deformed by its own mass over decades.

the problem of digital data carriers is, if only one "important" bit get lost, you can trash the programm. analog carriers you can still listen, even the strength of the magnetic field is gotten weaker. it's just an issue of quality.

[grahf]

I think the biggest threat would be UV light, which shouldnt be a problem since everyones CDs are in cases (I hope ).

Ive got an interesting story about plastic, actually.  I have a General Electric alarm that ive had since elementry school, which makes it at or around 20 years old. Ive been using this thing as my main alarm clock all this time, and it just now in the last year started giving my problems. The slider switch was acting up. Rather than getting a new one, i decided to fix this sucker since its been with me so long. Upon trying to take it apart, all the screw posts pretty much shattered like glass. Its just the plastic finally becomming brittle because of age. Well, i was able to fix it (turns out it had a little bit of corrosion on the board. I must have got the thing wet at one point over the last 20 years ). I just had to use a little glue to put the case back together, but it looks great and still works.

[Keranu]

Ive got an interesting story about plastic, actually.  I have a General Electric alarm that ive had since elementry school, which makes it at or around 20 years old. Ive been using this thing as my main alarm clock all this time, and it just now in the last year started giving my problems. The slider switch was acting up. Rather than getting a new one, i decided to fix this sucker since its been with me so long. Upon trying to take it apart, all the screw posts pretty much shattered like glass. Its just the plastic finally becomming brittle because of age. Well, i was able to fix it (turns out it had a little bit of corrosion on the board. I must have got the thing wet at one point over the last 20 years ). I just had to use a little glue to put the case back together, but it looks great and still works.

I found this to be a lovely story  .

[vestcoat]

IUpon trying to take it apart, all the screw posts pretty much shattered like glass. Its just the plastic finally becomming brittle because of age.

So...you want me to lube the screws on my Duo???