Videotape Preservation: Format Identification and Condition Assessment (Part I)

This is the first in a two part series dealing with the preservation of videotape.

Videotape — and all other magnetic media — is considered high risk from a preservation perspective. In archives, videotape often suffers from the preservation syndrome of benign neglect. This neglect is due to a general lack of information regarding format identification and a lack of playback equipment required to view and appraise the media. Finally, the confusion regarding migration strategies can paralyse the best of archivists or conservators.

Before a videotape preservation strategy can even be considered the videotapes must be appraised. A common problem encountered during many BC Archives Preservation Service (BCAPS) site visits is the acquisition of unappraised videotapes. Appraisal of the videotape content is not done as the archive does not have appropriate playback equipment. The videotapes are then left to languish on the shelf. In an attempt to deal with this problem BCAPS is compiling a list of videotape playback equipment found in archives throughout the province. Archives will be asked if they would be willing to make their playback equipment available to other archives so that appraisal of videotape can be undertaken. Use of playback equipment and subsequent appraisal would be completed at the archive that owns the playback equipment. This is a crucial step in the development of a videotape preservation strategy as videotape migration is costly so an archive will want to ensure that the tapes being migrated are worth the effort and cost.

A preservation strategy for videotape consists of four steps:

• Videotape format identification
• Condition assessment and evaluation of storage environment
• Videotape priority for migration
• Evaluation of migration format options. (This step will be covered in the Autumn 2005 AABC Newsletter in " Videotape Preservation: Migration Options").

1. Videotape Format Identification

Since the introduction of commercially viable videotape in the mid 1950s over 65 formats – analog and digital — have been in use.

Identification of videotape formats has become much easier with access to two excellent videotape identification websites. The Texas Commission on the Arts Videotape Identification and Assessment Guide
(http://www.arts.state.tx.us/video/) is divided into five sections: Identity format; Longevity Risks; Condition Assessment, Conservation Actions and Resources. The section on Identity Format is of particular use as it offers a detailed videotape identification guide with colour images and a description of each video format.

A second website compiled by Sarah Stauderman is the Video Format Identification Guide (http://www.video-id.com/). While less comprehensive than the Texas Commission on the Arts website is useful as it also has descriptions of videotape formats with images arranged by date. This site has identified formats not included in the Texas Commission on the Arts website.

Condition assessment and evaluation of storage environment

Assessing the condition of videotapes can be tricky. To assist with condition assessment the Association of Moving Image Archivists (AMIA) has produced a series of 18 Videotape Preservation Fact Sheets. (www.amianet.org/publication/resources/guidelines/videofacts/about.html) Fact Sheet – 9 Tape Inspection is easy to follow and outlines seven steps to undertake as part of a basic videotape inspection. A more detailed condition assessment can be completed by a videotape migration company technician.

The terminology used to describe videotape, in general, and deterioration characteristics in particular are specific and technical. While the AMIA Fact Sheets tend to explain terms as they are used more detailed terminology glossaries are available. The AMIA Fact Sheet 18 – Glossary(http://www.amianet.org/publication/resources/guidelines/videofacts/glossary.html) and the Moving Image Collections (MIC)Glossary of Preservation Terms (http://mic.imtc.gatech.edu/preservationists_portal/presv_bggloss.htm) are useful references to download.

Storage Environment

Media format and equipment obsolescence are proving to be more of a deterrent to tape (information) access and preservation than the more common preservation issues of chemical and physical deterioration. However, a storage environment that meets ISO recommended standards will extend the life expectancy of all magnetic media and "buy" time to implement a tape migration program.

The ISO standard for the archival storage of polyester based magnetic media is listed in the Table 1 below.

Table 1

Videotape priority for migration

Determining priority for migration is the next step in the preservation strategy. It is unlikely that an archive could afford to migrate all their videotapes at one time so it is necessary to identify which videotapes are a priority for migration. Table 2 — Videotape Priority Migration Tool — offers a numerical checklist to assess priority for migration. The videotapes with the highest numbers would be the first to be migrated. This checklist is not exhaustive and should be modified to fit the needs of individual archives.

Table 2

The Format Obsolescence Rating referred to in Table 2 is based on the obsolescence rating system outlined in the Video Format Identification Guide (http://www.video-id.com/). To determine which numerical value (+1 - +6) your videotape should receive see Table 3 — Format Obsolescence Rating below.

Table 3 — Format Obsolescence Rating includes 12 videotape formats commonly found in archives. (They are included in no particular order).

The six obsolescence rating levels are subjective but allow for relative ranking of formats.

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© 2005 Archives Association of British Columbia