To avoid losing precious records and memories, we should face the "CD deterioration issue" now. Comment: I would like all discs and media including live concerts such as CDs, records, DVDs, and Blu-rays to be available on Youtube and U-NEXT.

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Jul 17, 2022 16:31 Otakuma Keizai Shimbun

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Otakuma Keizai Shimbun

PhotoTo prevent the loss of precious records and memories, now is the time to face the "CD deterioration problem

To prevent the loss of precious records and memories, we must face the "CD deterioration problem" now!

　The CD (compact disc) is a recording medium widely used around the world.

　Forty years have passed since its launch in 1982, and although it has been replaced by a variety of alternative media, it continues to appear more frequently than ever.

　On the other hand, various "age-related degradations" resulting from the "40 years" have also been occurring. The post by Twitter user tara introducing this situation has attracted a lot of attention.

Click here for more images and the original article for more details.

 

I've heard rumors that this is the deterioration of CDs.

This is a CD that was at my parents' house. It was made in West Germany, so it must have been produced before 1990.

My father lamented that he could no longer listen to his numerous collections."

　Tara tweeted the above, along with three photos. He said that he searched for Western music CDs in his parents' house for his father, who was ill in bed.

　However, when she took out the CDs, she found that some of the surface gloss had deteriorated and the entire surface was dotted with small spots. In the second photo, which is a close-up of the deteriorated area, the CD, which has become transparent, is clearly visible.

　This is a moderately shocking image. However, the contributor, tara, said, "I had heard that 'CDs deteriorate,' and if you do a search on the Internet, you can find many (deteriorated) images, so I was not aware that I had taken something new, and I was honestly surprised at the response. In fact, the life of a CD is 10 years.

　In fact, the lifespan of a CD is said to be 10 to 30 years. And as the tweet said, the CDs that tara posted on Twitter were produced overseas in the 1980s. In other words, even if we estimate more, they have already reached the end of their life span.

　By the way, the largest number of CDs produced was 270 million in 2000 (according to the Recording Industry Association of Japan), and the 1990s was the heyday of the CD, when its existence had such a strong impact on society that the term "million seller" was frequently heard. In light of this, the incident that Mr. Tara encountered this time is likely to happen in many households in the future.

　There are several reasons why CDs deteriorate. There are several reasons why CDs deteriorate: "sponge binding," "humidity," "direct sunlight," and "scratches."

　Sponges are sold in sets of two as cushioning material, but this is only in consideration of damage during transportation. This sponge is not necessary for everyday use, but as a result of neglecting to dispose of it, it is hydrolyzed by moisture, etc., causing it to adhere to the CDs. Incidentally, the CDs that tara posted were similar, and in a later post, she reported evidence that her father had previously removed them.

　

　Humidity is also a point that requires special attention in Japan, which has a humid climate by global standards. At the time of this writing, in July, many people enjoy music on CDs in their cars, but storing them on the dashboard of a car that is not air-conditioned is also very risky.

　Even if you store your CDs at a constant temperature and humidity, be careful not to expose them to direct sunlight; the recording surface of discs, including DVDs and Blu-Rays, is vulnerable to sunlight. In addition, it is advisable to find a "dark place" for storage.

　These measures mentioned above, however, are unfortunately only a temporary fix. The best solution may be to "burn" the data to DVDs, PCs, smartphones, etc. as soon as possible.

　I hope that this post will help to raise awareness about the state of storage media and the importance of collecting old CDs.

　I hope this post will help to raise awareness about the nature of storage media and people who collect old CDs," he said in closing.

<Cooperation for this article

tara-san (@tara72062500)

（Junpei Mukaiyama)

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)