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From: ghg@en.ecn.purdue.edu (George Goble)
Newsgroups: comp.periphs.scsi
Subject: Re: DAT versus 8mm Tape
Message-ID: <1990Nov15.142202.8486@en.ecn.purdue.edu>
Date: 15 Nov 90 14:22:02 GMT
References: <272DB1E1.9737@orion.oac.uci.edu> <9850005@hpcpbla.HP.COM> <3007@canisius.UUCP>
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network
Lines: 18

In article <3007@canisius.UUCP> pavlov@canisius.UUCP (Greg Pavlov) writes:
>  I have some doubt about the long-term viability of the data stored on either
>  of these formats.  But since I do, I would rather bet on the lower density
>  of the 8mm medium, when considering two units of the same capacity.
>
>   greg pavlov, fstrf, amherst, ny
>   pavlov@stewart.fstrf.org

I can still read the 8mm tapes made during the summer of 1987 made on the
engineering prototypes of the EXB-8200. Studies have shown that 8mm
holds magnetization better than 1/2" magtape.  They are very hard to 
erase, "refrigerator" and other "normal" magnets will not hurt them
and neither will cheap "audio" erasers.  Strong alnico (speaker magnets)
and the radio shaft high power video eraser will erase them though.
Try this (normal magnets) on 1/2" magtape sometime.
>  

--ghg