Differences Between CompacTape I, II, III

From: Eric Smith <eric_at_brouhaha.com>
Date: Fri Oct 22 17:06:00 1999

Jerome Fine <jhfine_at_idirect.com> asks:
> Does anyone know what are the magnetic strength of the
> different media inside DLT type tapes? I am trying to
> understand what are the differences between a
> CompacTape
> CompacTape II
> CompacTape III also know as a DLT tape

I though I'd saved some info from Usenet on this subject, but
a quick grep doesn't turn it up. From memory, I think
CompacTape I and II are TK50 and TK70, respectively.

CompacTape III might be equivalent to DLT I,
but there are also DLT II, III, and IV.

> I assume that the tape media have different magnetic strengths.

Yes.

It's reportedly possible to use a TK70 cart as a TK50 by bulk
erasing it, so apparently the tape formulation isn't too much
different. But I wouldn't trust *my* data to it.

ECMA has published the DLT standards, and unlike ANSI, IEEE, etc.,
they make them available free on the web or CD-ROM. The standards
should include specs for the media coercivity. Look them up at:
        http://www.ecma.ch/
Received on Fri Oct 22 1999 - 17:06:00 BST

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