> If the cartridges (note correct USian spelling) have a tape length
Is there a non Usian spelling?
> printed on them that will tell you whether they're 1GB, 2GB,
> etc. Most
> DDS drives will read, if not write, older formats. IOW a DDS3 drive
> should rad a DDS1 tape.
Indeed. The thing not to do is put a DDS3 (or DDS2) DAT tape in
a DDS1 drive. At least not if the drive is a TLZ04 since you
will "significantly" degrade the head's lifetime. I never
found out how significant "significant" is. The problem is
that tapes longer than 60m were designed to be used on drives
that wrapped them around the heads at a different angle, so
the tapes are different. The difference is enough to wear
the TLZ04 head much more than is acceptable. I do not know
whether dropping a 120m tape (DDS3) into a TLZ06 (DDS2 drive)
will have similar effects.
So be careful out there!
Antonio
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Antonio Carlini arcarlini_at_iee.org
Received on Thu Sep 30 2004 - 14:54:09 BST