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From: mingo@well.sf.ca.us (Charles Hawkins Mingo)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc,comp.sys.mac.hardware,comp.sys.mac.programmer,rec.audio
Subject: Re: DAT backup for MAC?
Message-ID: <23192@well.sf.ca.us>
Date: 16 Feb 91 16:16:48 GMT
References: <789@david.UUCP>
Organization: Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link, Sausalito, CA
Lines: 25

In article <789@david.UUCP> david@david.UUCP (David A. Roth) writes:
>Has anyone heard of a interface that allows a MAC to be backed-up on
>at DAT(Digital Audio Tape), something like the old VCR backup systems
>with Apple IIs. 
>
>I've heard about the DAT backup offered with DigiDesign but I don't
>think that allows complete archive of the system just the soundfiles.

	I don't think one can use a conventional audio DAT deck for data
backups.  There ARE archival tape units based on the DAT mechanism (one
of them claims to be able to put 10Gb on one cassette), but audio DAT units
lack a mechanism to permit the computer to externally control them.

	I know that VCR's *have* been used to back up macs, but the 
information density on a DAT means that several megabytes would be recorded/
played each second;  the mac could only keep up with a DAT if it could
turn the DAT on and off for millisecond intervals.
 
	It's a bit like how you can't use a conventional CD player to play
CD-ROM's.  You need a hardware interface to the deck's controller.
-- 
______________________________________________________________________________
Charlie Mingo					Internet: mingo@well.sf.ca.us 
2209 Washington Circle #2				  mingo@cup.portal.com
Washington, DC  20037	    CI$: 71340,2152	AT&T:  202/785-2089