MAGNETIC VIDEO TAPE IS NOT AN ARCHIVAL MATERIAL. IT DETERIORATES WITH TIME, EVEN UNDER IDEAL STORAGE CONDITIONS, TO THE EXTENT THAT THERE IS SOME DETECTABLE DEGRADATION OF VIDEO AND AUDIO QUALITY IN 5 YEARS OR LESS, AND NOTICEABLE DEGRADATION IN PERIODS OF 20 YEARS OR MORE. MOTION PICTURE FILM, ON THE OTHER HAND, IS A SUITABLE ARCHIVAL MATERIAL WHEN PROPERLY PROCESSED, HANDLED, AND STORED. THE TECHNOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT FOR CONVERTING AUDIO AND VIDEO SIGNALS RECORDED ON VIDEOTAPE TO PICTURES AND AN OPTICAL SOUND TRACK ON MOTION PICTURE FILM ARE COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE. OF THE SEVERAL SYSTEMS NOW AVAILABLE, THE KINESCOPE SYSTEM WITH A RAPID-PULLDOWN CAMERA APPEARS TO BE THE MOST SUITABLE. THE LASER SCANNER SYSTEM NOW UNDER DEVELOPMENT HAS THE POTENTIAL OF REDUCING COST OF EQUIPMENT AND IMPROVING QUALITY WHEN FULLY DEVELOPED. THE CONVERSION OF VIDEOTAPE TO MOTION PICTURE FILM IS ALSO OFFERED AS A SERVICE BY NUMEROUS COMMERCIAL LABORATORIES. THE DECISION BETWEEN USING A COMMERCIAL LABORATORY SERVICE OR SETTING UP AN (EXPENSIVE) IN-HOUSE FACILITY FOR MAKING THE CONVERSION MUST BE MADE ON THE BASIS OF COST AND CONVENIENCE. A BIBLIOGRAPHY, FIGURES, AND TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)