While we largely talk about saving *old* programs and data here, there
is an aspect we cannot ignore: making sure any transcriptions are good
into the future. All of us who have tried to read some tapes that are
just a few years old which gum up in the drive know that it is truly
a false economy to buy anything except the best. (And I still swear by
3M Blackwatch, and *at* Memorex MRX IV.)
Now that I'm beginning to recover enough from all the events of the past
year to get minimal free time devoted to archiving, I find that my
favorite CD-R media - Kodak Gold Ultima - is evidently being phased out.
Kodak no longer lists gold/gold data media on their web page of "active
media", and many of the online distributors have exhausted their warehouse
stock. I've only got a few hundred left here.
Now those of us who have been involved in darkroom activities for a while
know that Kodak products/processes *do* come and go. Sometimes the reasons are
environmental, sometimes the reasons are marketing related. In any event,
this is one product I had grown to trust and now I'll miss it. (I still
miss many of their fiber based papers and ortho films, and some of those
disappeared a few decades ago! At least all that Selenium Toner I've
absorbed over the years will preserve me for the next couple centuries...)
It appears the demise of Kodak Gold Ultima is mostly marketing - they
have a web page discussing its current "non-holding-inventory" status:
http://www.kodak.com/cluster/global/en/service/faqs/faq1008.shtml
I reproduce the FAQ at the bottom. (Note that while they claim *their*
cost has risen over the past two years, looking at the invoices *I've*
been paying the price has actually dropped from $1.75 in bulk two years
ago to just under a dollar each in the last batch I bought.)
It looks like while they aren't *officially* discontinuing it, they are
rasing the minimum order requirement to 100000 pieces, and it seems that
all the distributors I deal with are no longer stocking it.
Kodak's suggested replacement media - Kodak Ultima aka "Silver Plus" - is
readily available, and looking at the techincal data on it it may be just
about as good as the Gold Ultima. As far as I can tell, it's the same
Phthalocyanine dye in both the Gold and "Silver Plus". The "Infoguard"
topcoating seems to be just as good (if not better, judging by my scratch
tests!) on the "Silver Plus".
(Note that I put "Silver Plus" in quotes. While the official Kodak marketing
material never uses this phrase, all of my Kodak invoices show this as the
product's name. Note that the current Kodak pricing on "Silver Plus"
is very good - straight from Kodak it's less than $0.30 each in bulk.)
The other gold/gold name brand media that I'm aware of is Mitsui. These
have never been as regularly distributed here in the states as well as Kodak,
but it is possible to get them (even though a quick sample of online
retailers show that of those who carry Mitsui CD-R's, only about 20%
stock gold/gold.) I don't have as much experience with Mitsui Gold's, but
they do have a good reputation in at least the bootlegging community. (Good
to know that all those bootlegged Dead concerts will outlive the official
record company CD's, huh?)
I *did* pick up a pack of 80-minute IBM-labeled gold-colored CD's at the
local Staples store and was quite surprised to find that the ATIP info
claims the dye is Phthalocyanine and the media actually made by Ricoh.
Of course, this doesn't mean that any other pack of IBM-labeled disks will be
made by the same company or have the same specifications, and AFAIK Ricoh
doesn't offer much in the way of archival properties data the way
Mitsui and Kodak do.
Tim.
Kodak's FAQ 1008 follows:
1.Why has Kodak ceased holding inventory of KODAK CD-R Gold Ultima media?
The demand for KODAK CD-R Gold Ultima media has fallen over the last two years. Due to
these lower sales volumes, it is now far more expensive to make.
However, the main reason for this change is that KODAK CD-R Ultima media - our unique and
patented CD-R that contains a special combination of silver and real gold in its reflective layer - is
now performing at levels that are essentially equal to KODAK CD-R Gold Ultima media. For
standard applications, no other brand beats KODAK CD-R Ultima media for stability.
2.But what if I still want KODAK CD-R Gold Ultima media?
There remain some commercial applications for which KODAK CD-R Gold Ultima media is
perfectly suited. To support these applications, Kodak will continue to make, on a custom-order
basis, KODAK CD-R Gold Ultima media. There are special order conditions that apply - contact
your Kodak sales representative, distributor or reseller for full details.
If your media needs support the 100,000-piece minimum order requirement, you can still custom
order NSP, thermal white, inkjet white or inkjet clear KODAK CD-R Gold Ultima media. Custom
orders of these products will be packaged in the commercial bulk configuration which consists of
4X100 stacks of discs with a blank substrate at each end for protection, no spindle,
shrinkwrapped. All custom order product is barcoded.
3.Is Kodak eventually going to discontinue Kodak Gold Ultima CD-R Media?
Kodak currently has no plans to discontinue this product line.
4.How much information can each disc hold?
KODAK CD-R Gold Ultima discs have 650 MB / 74 minute capacity.
5.Why wouldn't I switch to another media brand now that Kodak doesn't stock Gold Ultima
CD-R media?
Kodak still offers the highest performing media on the market in the form of KODAK Ultima
CD-R Media. This media is the only disc on the market containing added gold for maximum
stability while also offering maximum compatibility and longevity. Through meticulous testing
Kodak continues to find that competitors' CD-R discs, which have a reflective layer of pure silver
only, degrade quickly over time, resulting in the loss of important information.
6.What recording speeds can I use for CD-R Gold Ultima media?
You can record at speeds of 1X to 12X to create discs that comply with the following standards:
CD DA, CD ROM, CD-ROM XA, and CD-I.
7.What is the expected data life on KODAK CD-R Gold Ultima media?
KODAK CD-R Gold Ultima media has a projected lifetime of 200 years or more. For more
information , see
http://www.cd-info.com/CDIC/Technology/CD-R/Media/Kodak/html
8.Does KODAK CD-R Gold Ultima media have the INFOGUARD Protection System?
Yes, KODAK CD-R Gold Ultima media has INFOGUARD Protection. The INFOGUARD
Protection System is proprietary and includes one of the most stable dye layers available today,
along with super-tough overcoat to help protect the surface of the discs from scratches and
fingerprints. In addition, the gold reflective layer provides an archival lifetime.
9.Does KODAK CD-R Gold Ultima media work in all CD writers and CD readers?
Yes. With this product, Kodak continues to provide media that work great in all leading writers and
readers.
10.What is the warranty on KODAK CD-R Gold Ultima media?
All of our Gold Ultima products that have the INFOGUARD Protection Systemand, therefore,
carry a lifetime warranty. If any disc is found to be defective in manufacture or packaging, it will
be replaced.
Received on Sun Jul 22 2001 - 15:26:16 BST