5 Ways to Prolong the
Life of Your DVDs & CDs
Unlike
the video cassettes and records of old, DVDs and CDs will last for as
long as you take care of them. While video cassettes had
moving parts that eventually failed, DVDs do not have this
failing. Records were eventually destroyed by the very needle
that produced their sound, but the laser recreating music from CDs does
not cause such damage. Here are five tips that will make sure
that your movie and music collection will continue to provide you with
pleasure for years to come.
1. Keep your
discs in the case.
While this is an obvious thing to do,
most people don't always follow this suggestion. Not only
will the case keep your DVD or CD dust free, there will be few
opportunities for them to get scratched if they are kept safely inside.
2. Keep your
discs away from heat.
Heat can do all kinds of nasty things to
your discs, not the least of which is warping them. A warped
disc will not spin properly and, depending on the degree of damage,
becomes useless in the disc player.
3. Handle your
discs on only the edges.
The benefits of holding the disc on the
edges are twofold. The first of these is that it will help
prevent accidental scratches. The second benefit is it will
reduce the amount of smudges and fingerprints left on the disc, both of
which can degrade disc performance.
4. Only clean
when the disc is visibly dirty.
When wiping your discs, you run the risk
of scratching them with any stray particles that may be on the
surface. By avoiding the need to clean the discs, there will
be fewer chances to create these scratches
5. Clean with
soft, clean cloths that have a tight weave.
If you do not have a specialized DVD/CD
cleaning kit, use a soft cloth that is tightly woven to wipe your
discs. Be sure to wipe from the center in a straight line to
the outer edge. DO NOT USE A COTTON CLOTH! The
reason why cotton is comfortable to wear is because it is not tightly
woven and "breathes". This open weave also catches small dirt
particles that will scratch your discs. One great option is
the little cleaning cloth that comes with glasses. You can
buy these at any eyeglass store and they are specially designed to
clean without scratching lenses. This design also bodes well
for your DVDs and CDs.
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