Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!saxony!pesch
From: pesch@pa.reuter.COM (Roland Pesch)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: VCR backup units [request for info]
Summary: Can anybody relate experiences w/ Seymour Radix DVT VCR or comparable?
Keywords: VCR, backup, tape
Message-ID: <423@saxony.pa.reuter.COM>
Date: 29 Sep 90 00:03:05 GMT
Organization: Reuter:file Inc  (A Reuter Company) Palo Alto, CA
Lines: 29


Last time I dropped in to see my local ST dealer, he had something
that caught my eye: a VCR-based tape backup adapter and software kit
for the ST.  Apparently the thing is called "DVT VCR", and is by some
outfit called "Seymour/Radix".  The price seems reasonable---$99---but
according to the dealer, it won't do any sort of good to my Spectre
partitions; it doesn't even have an image backup mode.

Now, I've been wishing for some kind of tape backup, and at that price
I'd love to go for the thing.  But I've got a lot of stuff under
Spectre, and may at some point start keeping a lot of stuff under
something like Minix---another non-TOS partition or two.

Anywho: (1) has anyone got experience with this, or any other, VCR
backup device for the ST?
        (2) Can it really not deal with non-TOS partitions?  Does this
apply to its competition as well, if it has any?
        (3) Any general thoughts on robustness of VHS tape as a backup
medium---how reliable is it (do I need to make three copies of
everything because of expecting two to fail?), how long do the tapes
last, anything else that seems useful?

    Thanks!
                  /Roland

-- 

Roland Pesch			pesch@pa.reuter.com		(415) 327-1700
          :Reuters::425 Sherman Av., Ste 200::Palo Alto CA::94306: