dv tapes through airport x-ray machines

I passed through an airport x-ray machine with mini dv carry-on tape and was more than guaranteed by the security guys that the x-rays would not damage my tape.
What is the truth here? Is it safe to put the mini dv tape through the carryon machine? underneath the plane?
Is there a cumulative effect of going through the machines many times?
Better to mail or ship tapes rather than take them on the plane?

I've never had a problem with any digital media. Personally I carry on all of my production gear, camera, tapes, hd's. Years ago I did have some problem with some 1" analog audio tape.

If you are really concerned, you may ask them to hand check your tapes, but it does take longer to get through security. Half the time they stop me anyway just to look in the bag to find out what the jumbled ball of firewire cable is.

It can affect old analogue formats and film stock but increased power of the newer x-ray machines means it might interfere with digital media.

However SanDisk® Corporation & the International Imaging Industry Association have said that up to 5 times through x-ray scanners has had no perceived effects on digital media.

Film stock is definately a problem - best to call the supplier/manufacturers of the film and see what they say about lead lined cases for carrying non developed film/dailies.

Read more about the problems here:

[www.kodak.com]

[home.kc.rr.com]


The main problem for digital media is magnetic sources - so through the x-ray should be fine but the metal detectors even the hand wands might cause damage to the data so be careful not to put the tapes/disk/cards near any magnetic or electromagnetic sources (this includes on top of Monitors/TVs/Speakers).


Ben





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Film -- problem
Digital media -- no problem

Not entirely - they also recommend you keep digital media as far away from the powerful electric motors used on x-ray machine conveyer belts....

So middle of the belt people!





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