WHITE PAPER: Dangers of Inadequate
Restoration During Digitization
Magnetic tape ages over time and is very subject to a variety of factors in the environment. If these factors are not properly addressed before attempting to play a tape to digitize it, content recorded on the tape can be compromised and serious damage can occur to the tape. Some of this damage can be sufficient that the content on the tape cannot be recovered and is permanently lost.
The round object in the center of the magnified picture
is a spec of dirt that was not removed before digitization.
The lines are digital recording tracks.
The white area around the spec of dirt is lost signal.
Larger debris can scratch tape during playback attempts
causing removal of lines of recording.
Failure to identify hydrolysis decay left residue on a tape guide during playback attempt...
...commonly resulting in scored or
deformed tape.
Serious hydrolysis decay can abrade the recording surface off of tape...
... or jam and mangle a tape
in the playback machine.
Other decay residues can seriously
contaminate playback machines
blocking the signal.
stick tape wraps together causing
the tape to rip during playback...
...or just make your tape fall apart.