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From: mnowak@oit.itd.umich.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hardware
Subject: SUMMARY:  8mm tape backup drives for Mac
Message-ID: <1990Dec4.212246.2622@terminator.cc.umich.edu>
Date: 4 Dec 90 21:22:46 GMT
Sender: usenet@terminator.cc.umich.edu (usenet news)
Organization: University of Michigan, Information Technology Division
Lines: 45

Thank you for your messages concerning 8mm (2.2G) tape backup units.
Here is a summary of what I was told or discovered:

o  All of the 8mm video tape-based backup units use an Exabyte mechanism.
   This makes the purchase of an 8mm tape backup unit analog to buying
   a 45M removable cartridge drive:  they all use SyQuest mechanisms so
   look for price and software features.

o  No one mentioned any differences between Exabyte model numbers so I
   assume they're all the same.

o  Various units come with a variety of drivers and backup software.
   Most come with appropriate cables.

Some suggested manufacturers were:

Contemporary Cybernetics (price around $3K)
Third Wave Computing (price unknown)
Transitional Technology Inc. (price unknown)

I also found in the Nov 1990 issue of MacWorld, an article on various
tape drives from:

Maynard Electronics
PCPC
Relax Technology
Tecmar

The Relax Technology drive appeared to be the cheapest at $2399 (that may be
an educational discount price).  I don't understand why these drives vary
from almost $5000 to this price, unless this price of $2399 is incorrect.
I assuming that because drives are made with the same Exabyte mechanism,
cheapest is best.

Thanks to:

Jeff Wasilko
Tasuki Hirata
Tom Johnson
David Gutierrez
MacWorld magazine
-----------------------------------
Mike Nowak
Office of Instructional Technology
The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor