--- Gunther Schadow <gunther_at_aurora.regenstrief.org> wrote:
> Hi,
> ...I am fighting with the automatic threading system. There
> is a switch to select Auto and Manual, but in reality a complete
> manual threading is not possible at all, i.e. there is no way to
> manually see to it the tape gets properly wound on the empty reel.
Right... the tape path is inaccessible. "Manual" means that you
manually start the tape into the load process.
> The automatic threading will suck the tape into all sorts of blind
> canals, it's quite funny. Even though I have a TM78 user manual,
> the magic of threading isn't described there (guess that's in the
> operator's manual?)
We used to have one. It was nice when it worked. It sucked when it
didn't. IIRC, "AUTO" requires a certain type of tape reel, the ones
that are somewhat complex, not the simple white strips with the black
latch. There's a small metal pin in the tape path that flips around
during an auto-loading sequence. You place the still-sealed tape on
the hub, then press the load button. The pin flips over, opens the
latch and expands the tape seal into the edge of the tape area. The
air stream comes through perforations in the seal and helps push out
the tape. AFAIK, this sequence only works with the right kind of
tape case.
> The TU78 also has a nice key pad that seems to allow all sorts of
> stand-alone testing and diagnosis, but that again is not described
> in the TM78 manual. Does anyone of you run a TU78 and could initiate
> me into the art of handling one :-)?
We had to get our DEC Field Circus guy to give us a few sequences for
some basic tests. It was > 10 years ago. I do not remember any of them.
-ethan
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Received on Mon May 27 2002 - 21:58:48 BST