Predicting the Longevity of DVDR Media by Periodic Analysis of Parity, Jitter, and ECC Performance Parameters

• Main Author: Wells, Daniel Patrick
• Format: Others
• Published: BYU ScholarsArchive 2008
• Subjects: DVD-R; DVD; CD; archival; quality; longevity; Arrhenius; Eyring Equation; jitter; parity; ECC; error correction codes; Reed Solomon; PIE; PIF; POE; POF; PIE8; predict; analyze; Communication Technology and New Media; Computer Sciences; Manufacturing
• Online Access: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/1530; https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2529&context=etd

For the last ten years, DVD-R media have played an important role in the storage of large amounts of digital data throughout the world. During this time it was assumed that the DVD-R was as long-lasting and stable as its predecessor, the CD-R. Several reports have surfaced over the last few years questioning the DVD-R's ability to maintain many of its claims regarding archival quality life spans. These reports have shown a wide range of longevity between the different brands. While some DVD-Rs may last a while, others may result in an early and unexpected failure. Compounding this problem is the lack of information available for consumers to know the quality of the media they own. While the industry works on devising a standard for labeling the quality of future media, it is currently up to the consumer to pay close attention to their own DVD-R archives and work diligently to prevent data loss. This research shows that through accelerated aging and the use of logistic regression analysis on data collected through periodic monitoring of disc read-back errors it is possible to accurately predict unrecoverable failures in the test discs. This study analyzed various measurements of PIE errors, PIE8 Sum errors, POF errors and jitter data from three areas of the disc: the whole disc, the region of the disc where it first failed as well as the last half of the disc. From this data five unique predictive equations were produced, each with the ability to predict disc failure. In conclusion, the relative value of these equations for end-of-life predictions is discussed.