Instructions for the Legacy Analog Videocassette Condition and Treatment Database Tool

Confirmation: This is a required field. Select this button to confirm that the information you are providing is from direct personal experience and not second hand.		Point At Which Symptoms Found: Select the point in time during the playback process at which the Symptoms were first encountered.
Experience Type: This is a required field. Select whether the contributed information refers to a Specific Incident you are describing or to General knowledge of a certain Brand/Model based on your own long-term experience.		Issue Description: Describe the Symptoms and experience in fuller detail. Example: “While winding from tails out to heads out for playback noticed discolored spots along tape. During rewind the wind speed was slower than usual and the motor was making a more labored sound. About 20 minutes into a 45 minute recording there was audible squealing coming from the tape deck. I stopped the tape and saw that the head was coated with a brown colored residue.”
Brand: Select the Brand of tape (Ampex, Scotch, etc.). If the Brand is unknown, select “Generic/Unk.” If your Brand is not listed in the dropdown menu, select “Unlisted” and enter the name in Unlisted Brand below. Unlisted Brands will be compiled and added to the controlled list.		Link To Sample Images & Clips: Enter the URL to any audio or visual samples you have illustrating the issues encountered. (We strongly suggest the use of Internet Archive [http://www.archive.org] for hosting of these clips.)
Unlisted Brand: Enter the Brand name if it is not in the controlled list for Brand.
Model #: Enter the Model Number for the Brand. [Needs Image]		Treatment Applied: If applicable, select the type of Treatment used to address the Symptoms or their resultant behavior. If a combination of Treatments or alternate Treatments were used, select “Combination” or “Other” and describe below.
Other Model Identifiers: Enter other names, numbers, or material/chemical descriptors used to identify the Model. [Needs Image]		Describe Combination/Other Treatment: Describe what combination of above Treatments or alternate Treatments were used to attempt to address the Symptoms or the resultant behavior.
Lot #: Enter the Lot Number or range of Lot Numbers if a series of the same Brand/Model tapes were treated. [Needs Image]
Format: Select the corresponding Format type.
Version: Select the corresponding Version of the Format type.		Treatment Methodology: Describe in detail the methodology used in the Treatments applied above. Please include pertinent information such as temperatures; length of treatment; specific brands or model numbers of hardware, software, or solutions; chemical makeup of solutions; order of operation; etc. Example: “Baked tape for 3 hours at 130 Fahrenheit in Lindberg/Blue M Performance Mechanical Convection Oven, model # LB305645M. Placed on the middle shelf. After 3 hours took tape out and let cool at room temperature for 3 hours before attempting playback again. Upon playback tape still exhibited high stiction. Repeated the above baking process for 6 hours. After cooling for 6 hours, tape played back perfectly. Hand cleaned the tape 2 passes with pelon in library wind mode prior to digitization.“
Cassette Size: Select the corresponding Cassette Size if the particular Format type was manufactured in Large and Small sizes (like U-Matic). Otherwise leave blank.
Tape Formulation: Select the Tape Formulation if known.		Treatment Outcome: Describe in detail what the results of the Treatments were, whether successful or not. Example: “After 2nd baking and cleaning the tape played back without any issues. Tested tape 2 weeks later and it exhibited original stiction issues to the same extent.”
Known Storage History: Enter any Storage History that may have had an effect on the condition of the tape Examples: “Stored in non-climate controlled attic for 25 years prior to acquisition…,” “Collection from country with tropical climate…,” “Was in flood 5 years ago after which it was treated and rehoused…”		Treatment Success: Rate the success of the Treatment process on a scale of 1 (unsuccessful) to 5 (successful).
		Contributor: The name of the person providing the information.
Symptoms Encountered: Select all Symptoms that apply
Fungus: “Look for patterned, fuzzy, thread-like, or hairy-looking growths on the surface of the tape pack. Typically, these growths are white in color on open reel tape although they may also be black, brown, or mustard-colored. Try to distinguish mold from other types of visible contamination such as dirt, which may look similar but usually does not appear as fuzzy or patterned.” (FACET Formats Document, p. 30, sec 2.3.2)
Decomposition Byproduct: May look similar to fungus, although upon close inspection byproduct of the tape’s decomposition and fungus differ in appearance. Decomposition byproduct may appear filamentry and angular, while fungus tends to look more organic in form. Images Courtesy of National Film and Sound Archive, Australia
Above – Decomposition byproduct
Above – Fungus
SBS-SSS – Soft Binder Syndrome-Sticky Shed Syndrome: (See FACET Formats Document pp. 31-32, sec 2.3.3 for a discussion of this.)
SBS-UP – Soft Binder Syndrome-Unidentified Problems: (See FACET Formats Document p. 33, sec 2.3.4 for a discussion of this.)
Binder-Base Adhesion Failure: “Failure of the binder/oxide (magnetic pigment) coating to adhere to the substrate film, resulting in the delamination – the peeling away – of one from the other…Delamination may also be localized to a small part of a tape that has experienced trauma. For example, a splice that was cleaned with a chemical that resulted in localized loss of the binder/oxide coating. This is less serious than general delamination and may not be indicative of a larger problem.” (FACET Formats Document, p. 35, sec 2.3.6)
Blocking & Pinning: “Blocking is the layer-to-layer adhesion or sticking together of adjacent layers of tape…The term pinning is also used to describe small, limited areas where there is adhesion. Blocking and/or pinning may result in delamination, depending on how the layers are separated. Sometimes layers will appear to adhere because of static electricity which can be discharged, solving the problem. This is not blocking.” (FACET Formats Document, p. 35, sec 2.3.6)
Oxide Loss: “Look for oxide flakes or powder (brown colored if the tape oxide coating is brown) on any of the points along the tape path where the oxide part of the tape makes contact with the guides, heads, or rubber parts of the tape machine’s transport system.” (FACET Formats Document p. 35, sec 2.3.6)
Stick Slip: “A description of various processes of friction between magnetic tape and tape heads. The process may occur when the tape sticks to the recording head because of high friction; the tape tension builds because the tape is not moving at the head; the tape tension reaches critical level, causing the tape to release from and briefly slip past the read head at high speed; the tape slows to normal speed and once again sticks to the recording head; the process is repeated indefinitely. Stick Slip is characterized by jittery movement of the tape in the transport and/or audible squealing of the tape.” (FACET Formats Document, p. 35, sec 2.3.6)