Make no mistake DVD is here to stay. In fact the world’s media giants are taking optical disc technology much further.

Blu Ray discs, a format backed by Sony, Panasonic, and other multinationals, are now on the shelves – along with drives and players in which to use them.

HD-DVD, backed by Toshiba and NEC and rival Hollywood studios to those supporting Blu Ray,is also arriving in what appears to be a format war of some significance — perhaps the biggest since VHS versus Betamax.

Both these new standards have been established to hold a standard-length movie in High Definition format, or High Definition television. Such movies are displayed in significantly higher resolution and therefore they require much more storage space.

A standard Blu-Ray disc, for instnace, will hold 27GB (gigabytes) of information which is about 40 times the amount of data that a CD can hold.

In an important survey, ordinary families have told the Blu Ray Association that backwards compatibility with existing DVD discs is hugely important to them.

So, on the assumption that you’ll be able to play your favourite DVDs long into the future, here is a reminder of how you need to care for them:

Do:
1.  Handle discs by the outer edge or the center hole.
2.  Use a non solvent-based felt-tip permanent marker to mark the label side of the disc.
3.  Keep dirt or other foreign matter from the disc.
4.  Store discs upright (book style) in plastic cases specified for CDs and DVDs.

5.  Return discs to storage cases immediately after use.
6.  Leave discs in their packaging (or cases) to minimize the effects of environmental changes.
7.  Open a recordable disc package only when you are ready to record data on that disc.
8.  Store in a cool, dry, dark environment in which the air is clean.
9.  Remove dirt, foreign material, fingerprints, smudges, and liquids by wiping with a clean cotton fabric in a straight line from the centre of the disc toward the outer edge.
10.  Use CD/DVD cleaning detergent, isopropyl alcohol or methanol to remove stubborn dirt or material.
11.  Check the disc surface before recording.

Do not:
1.  Touch the surface of the disc.
2.  Bend the disc
3.  Use adhesive labels.
4.  Store discs horizontally for a long time (years).
5.  Open a recordable optical disc package if you are not ready to record.
6.  Expose discs to extreme heat or high humidity.
7.  Expose discs to extreme rapid temperature or humidity changes.
8.  Expose recordable discs to prolonged sunlight or other sources of UV light.
9.  Write or mark in the data area of the disc (area where the laser "reads").
10.  Clean in a circular direction around the disc.

For CDs especially do not:
1.  Scratch the label side of a CD.
2.  Use a pen, pencil, or fine tip marker to write on the disc.
3.  Write on the disc with markers that contain solvents.
4.  Try to peel off or re-position a label.

General recommendation for long-term storage conditions
For archiving recordable (R) discs, it is recommended to use discs that have a gold metal reflective layer.

Archival Storage Facility - Recommendation for storing CDs and DVDs together
Media Temperature Relative Humidity (RH)
CD, DVD Less than 20°C (68°F) 20% to 50% RH
Greater than 4°C (39°F)
   
A temperature of 18°C and 40% RH would be considered suitable for long-term storage. A lower temperature and RH is recommended for extended-term storage.

Information comes from the Digital Data Preservation Programme of the United States.