Critical Tape Maintenance Tips

If you are like many people we have come across, you have at least one drawer, shelf or file cabinet full of old tape. Whether it is Professional DAT, Betacam, DVCPro, D-2, D-5, or HDCAM, these tapes contain historical or valuable footage that can never be recaptured if lost due to tape damage.  

Unfortunately, most people don’t realize that neglect alone can cause the demise of these tapes and the loss of that critcial footage. As tapes age, they lose tension, causing them to warp and eventually crease or become so brittle that the tape can separate from the spool. Thankfully, there is a simple solution that you can follow to prevent this occurrence for years.  

Since the cause of the problem is simply a case of loss of tension, the solution is easy – keeping the tape taut. This can be done by fast forwarding the tape to the end and then rewinding the tape completely once every six months, at a minimum. That’s it.   

As advocates of tape technology, we know that with a little TLC tapes remain the best choice for long-term storage and archiving. That’s because they can last for 30+ years and hold up better in that drawer, on that shelf, or tucked away in that file cabinet than solid state or hard disk alternatives.   

To learn more about Maxell’s complete line of tape solutions for professional broadcast and video applications, visit www.maxellpromedia.com.