On Aug 5, 21:43, Tony Duell wrote:
> > I've been asked about a quarter-inch tape standard from 1976,
called
> > ECMA-46.
> I have here the manuals (user and technical) for a Penny and Giles
'Data
> Logger' -- actually a QIC drive with a RS232 or current loop
interface.
> The user manuals says
>
> Recording Media : DC300A, DC300XL or equivalent 1/4in. data cartridge
> conforming to ISO4057 (ECMA 46)
>
> Recording Format : 1600 bpi phase encoded data to ISO 4057
[...]
> What I don't know is wherte ISO 4057 and ECMA 46 are essentially the
same
> thing, or whether the latter just specifies the physical form of the
> cartridge (The manual could be interpretted either way).
Neither do I, offhand, but virtually all the ECMA standards are
available online. Unlike some standards bodies, the ECMA believe they
should be accessible if people are to adhere to them. Anyway, ECMA 46
is at
http://www.ecma-international.org/publications/files/ECMA-TR/TR-046.PDF
BTW, many ECMA standards were adopted verbatim by ISO, so if you need a
copy of an ISO standard, and you know there's a corresponding ECMA one,
just download the ECMA version.
--
Pete Peter Turnbull
Network Manager
University of York
Received on Tue Aug 05 2003 - 17:11:00 BST