Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!daver!vsi1!zorch!paulmc From: paulmc@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG (Paul McClelland) Newsgroups: comp.periphs.scsi Subject: Re: DAT drives and tape sizes Summary: Maketing Hype Keywords: HP compression capacity Message-ID: <1990Dec12.084307.5836@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG> Date: 12 Dec 90 08:43:07 GMT References: Organization: SF-Bay Public-Access Unix Lines: 27 Greg Lehmann writes: >HP announced a tape drive that handles tapes 50% longer. I guess this means >300ft. This means their ordinary drives can't handle longer tapes? Any ideas? >Also does anybody besides HP make these 180 min tapes. If I could get one to >try it out for myself. GIGAtrend is going to offer a compression upgrade for >their existing units which will expand the capacity of my backup medium. >Longer would mean I would get 1.5GB and with compression 3GB and 6GB per tape. >-- >Greg Lehmann, Yep, HP, WangDAT, Wangtech and almost everyone else in the DAT playground has announced these longer tapes. They are being sampled (Note: SAMPLED) by Kokak and Maxcell, only to companys who are producing or developing DAT machines, and (most likely) won't be ready for commercial use for six months or more. The main difference is that the tape is thinner. And yes some drives might not be able to handle the longer tape, if the expected tape lenth is imbedded in their micro-code, then your SOL. As for the compression, don't hold your breath, HP is the main supplier of one type of these chips, and started ship- ping samples two months or so ago. Other vendors are out there but none are cross compatible. So much for interchangeability. paulmc Normal disclaimer invoked. Normal .signature CENSORED! I used to work for HP, but they are degree crazy. I used to work for Pyramid, but they force non-degreed engineers to leave. I used to work for Sun, but they are plane crazy.