Electronic catastrophe!!
- Thread starter bainbridge
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I bought my first ever Blu-ray drive just last week, so it's bound to happen any minute now.
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Still have an optical drive installed on the pc.. Can't remember the last time I used it though.
Physical hardware does wear out in time.
How many people would be happy driving around in a 30 year old car? (I would, but that is a different issue
)Ships, particularly submarines, have a hard life. It is unusual for a working ship to have a service life of much more than this.
Warheads also have a service life. I am not sure exactly how quickly weapons grade Pu degrades as a result of radioactive decay, but I expect that they certainly do not last forever.
If the sums of money discussed are realistic. I suspect that most of the money will be being spent on the new missile subs. the actual missiles and warheads will only be a relatively small part of it.
Building the new subs will maintain our ability to construct cutting edge Ships/Boats and will also employ very large numbers of people whose skills will be adaptable to other areas of our industry once the construction phase is over.
Hardly a waste.
(And though the tech that does have to be cutting edge (Sonar etc) will be right up there, I doubt if the operating systems on the new subs will be the latest windows somehow, nor the electronics being the latest chip set!)
Associate
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My friend has a load of synthesizers and drum machines and a mixing desk.. He makes music and records it on to VHS. Says he likes the sound.
[FnG]magnolia;29812599 said:
I was gutted back in 87 when the video store only had Masters of the Universe on Betamax when it came out.
Then of course I only had shortplay. Someone brought over a longplay tape in 91, sound of the chipmunks.
Making your fancy cases/labels and then popping out the little clip so it couldn't be taped over.
I recorded the whole first series of the Young Ones back in the 80's and remember being totally devastated when I popped it in and it my dad had recorded a load of darts matches over it. I'd labelled it all nice but forgot to pop the tab
I recorded the whole first series of the Young Ones back in the 80's and remember being totally devastated when I popped it in and it my dad had recorded a load of darts matches over it. I'd labelled it all nice but forgot to pop the tab
My Dad recorded over my, carefully complied, copy of "Hitch hikers Guide"
Even worse (much worse really) He actually recorded over the copy of his interview on "Question Time".
My Mum was devastated! (Much more so than you would have been at losing the young ones)
Ironically I've just recently bought myself a refurbished VCR as I'm intending to convert my family's home video collection (e.g. weddings, birthday parties etc..) to digital video format
Cost a fair bit to get a decent SHVS video deck with a good TBC, now just need to source a decent video capture card
Cost a fair bit to get a decent SHVS video deck with a good TBC, now just need to source a decent video capture card
I have three SVHS machines (two work, all JVC's the good/bad ones are the same model, bad one might provide spares for the other good one)
I also have an old Betamax (Do not know if it works, but it is massive!)
Perhaps they might become valuable at some point!
(I also have a load of tapes to transcribe before it becomes impossible.)
Question?
What is the best archive format?
Optical, Flash, or spinning rust (cheap enough to have multiple copies)
Caporegime
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It wasn't just about the film, for me, I enjoyed the whole experience of going to the store, spending ages choosing what to watch, then stocking up on popcorn and drinks. The movie was something special as well. Even if the movie was rubbish I would still watch to the end because of the time and money I had put into choosing it. Nowadays most of us simply open a file or press select on the sky remote and switch off if we do not like it. I also think movie watching was more of a family event during the VHS days.
I'm not lamenting the advancement in technology, but you definitely lose something when you move forward. I do however lament the loss of the video shop.
I'm not lamenting the advancement in technology, but you definitely lose something when you move forward. I do however lament the loss of the video shop.
Associate
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Do it sooner rather than later while the tapes are still intact. They will fall apart eventually (oxide parting company with the base layer) and the result can be terminal damage to the delicate video heads. That's why I daren't use my still fully functional 1983 logic-control Pye 23VR24 V2000 machine with the original tapes anymore.
At least x264 at CRF18, preferably much lower, and at least one of each.
I think that depends entirely on budget, size of archive and how fast you want to recover the data.
IIRC digital tape is still very much the standard for a lot of computer companies as it holds a lot of data on a small, relatively cheap media that can last a very long time if stored and handled properly (so ideal for something that will be transported to off site storage).
Optical is ok for smallish backups and cheap to use, quick to access, but long term reliability varies.
HDD's viable under some conditions but have mechanical and handling issues.
Deleted member 66701
Deleted member 66701
Anything that isn't a single copy - so a combination of hdd, cloud (dropbox etc), usb stick plus something off site and check each regularly to ensure integrity.
Soldato
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I've recorded a few tapes on the family TV back in the 1990s. Never had my own TV but always been a bit of a videophile. When I got my own house, I took the tapes with me, and bagged myself a VHS player off eBay (still no TV though). Recorded a few tapes to the PC via a USB interface, although I tried a tape this year and the sound has a DC offset (buzzing heard over the sound). So probably a knackered VCR now?
Fond memories. Waiting to get out of school that day to run down to Blockbuster? Then trail through all the Schwarzenegger films. Though that was real hard when you were 11. Had to get a parent down. Couldn't even buy Batman Returns.
It was always fun spending an hour going from shelf to shelf with friends/parents looking through all the films then taking an armful up to the checkout as she processed them for a week?
Nothing seems as magical anymore? Films, instant download or On Demand. Music albums, downloaded within 2 - 5 minutes and CD arrived within 2 - 3 days. Games, purchased and downloaded within 30, 45 minutes to 5 hours dependant on size. I don't know if it is just the fond memories or what...
I always remember the days waiting up to a year or two before it was available to buy, or putting your name down for games for pre-orders and travelling to the shop. Itching to get home and spending a while inserting 2 - 3 discs.
So many things don't seem to be as magical as your childhood. TV's, consoles, music systems, PC's are all installed and setup within 30 minutes to a few hours and that magic has gone. The only thing that is magical presently is researching reviews, specifications, order/processing/shipped/on your door.
What were the video shops before Blockbuster? I remember one with red logos and yellow text... Oh! Ritz came up on Google images.
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Caporegime
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Game pre-orders have changed. When I was younger, new top games had to be preordered or you had no chance of getting it. You were the envy of the school if your dad had paid for a preorder and you had it at home. Nowadays preordering is not needed. Turn up at Game on the day and they'll have crates of the thing.