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Convention Paper

The Deterioration of Magnetic Tapes and Its Assessment by Physical and Chemical Testing

Authors: Hinterhofer, Otto; Binder, Konrad; Kranner, Leopold; Schüller, Dietrich

AES Convention 104 · Paper 4701 · May 1998

Abstract

The chemical stability of audio carriers is of crucial importance for the integrity and the readability of recordings. Although, in general, magnetic tape is a widely used and reliable datacarrier, several problems related to its chemical stability have been observed. Most prominent is the so-called Sticky Tape or Sticky Shed Syndrome, which is the outcome of pigment binder degradation. Magnetic tapes (audio and video) of relatively recent production suffer from this phenomenon, and it is not yet known to what degree stocks of magnetic tapes will be affected in the future. The paper describes chemical and physical methods for the assessment of the degree of such degradation. The aim is to explore methods to assess the most endangered tapes in order to transfer them onto new carriers before they become unplayable.

Details

Published in
AES Convention 104
AES Convention
104
Paper number
4701
Publication date
May 6, 1998
Session subject
Recording Restoration and Enhancement
Affiliation
Csterreichisches Kunststoff Institut, Wien, Austria ; Phonogrammarchiv der Csterreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Wien, Austria (See document for exact affiliation information.)
Type
Convention Paper