The MAM Gold Archive Grade™ DVD is designed for applications requiring long-term storage of sensitive data, video or music files. The product uses 24 karat gold as the reflective layer, offering maximum resistance to chemical breakdown - one of the major causes of disc failure. Preliminary tests show that the MAM Gold Archive Grade™ DVD lasts significantly longer than ordinary silver recordable DVD discs. The chart below shows 2 silver DVDs that have failed in less than 500 hours and another silver DVD that did much better, but the MAM gold DVD still has error rates well below the upper limit of 28D, At this pace, we are expecting a lifetime of over 100 years.
The MAM Archive Grade™ Gold DVD is offered as the long awaited companion to the MAM Archive Grade™ Gold CD-R which has an expected lifetime of 300 years and has earned a reputation as the highest quality storage media today MAM longevity tests are conducted according to ISO 18927-2002 guidelines titled "imaging materials -- Recordable compact disc systems-- Method for estimating the life expectancy based on effects of temperature and relative humidity"
In general, the test consists of placing samples in an environmental chamber at specified temperature and humidity levels for 5 different "stress conditions" A stress condition is defined by 2000 hours {m 500 hour segments} at 85% relative humidity and BO centigrade Temperature and humidity "Incubation" periods are reached gradually with the use of ramp times. (This is done to avoid a shock condition where bubbles can form in the media due to rapid transition).