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From: cyliax@ecn.purdue.edu (Ingo Cyliax)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Subject: 1.3Gb DAT on '030 Cube running 2.0
Message-ID: <1991Feb25.151208@ecn.purdue.edu>
Date: 25 Feb 91 23:12:08 GMT
Sender: root@noose.ecn.purdue.edu (ECN System Management)
Reply-To: cyliax@ecn.purdue.edu (Ingo Cyliax)
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network
Lines: 28


I just spend the weekend playing with a WangDAT 1300 on the NeXT at home. 
It works ! I just hooked it up with the default jumper and switch settings
and ran dump/tar/dd on it. The transfer speed seemed about the same as a
Exabyte under 1.0a. I wasn't able to stream the drive, so I know I was under
the maximum transfer rates. The seek times on DATs are _alot_ faster then
anything else I have seen. It will rewind in about 60seconds from the end 
of the tape, and I was able to skip over 300+Mb files in about 20seconds/file.

Too bad I had to give the drive back, I was just borrowing it. If I were
to buy a backup device for my NeXT, this would be it. I think this drive
can be had for under $1500 from FastAccess. Although the media is more
expensive than 8mm Video tape.($7.00/8mmVideo@Kmart vs.$14.00/DAT@GoodVibes),
it's still more economical than ODs and floppies for large volumes of data. 
I expect that the media will come down in price as more audio DATs will be
sold. Also, the 1.3Gb drives should come down in price as they catch on and
higher capacity DATs become available.

So now all I have to do is get working on my backup utility for the NeXT.
A nice backup utility and a DAT or Exabyte would be the way to go for 
backing up small networks of NeXTs (and other machines)....

Bye, -ingo
---
/*                Ingo Cyliax    ECN, Electrical Engineering Bldg.          *
 *      cyliax@ecn.purdue.edu    Purdue University, W. Lafayette,IN 47907   *
 *          ing@cc.purdue.edu    Work: (317) 494-9523                       *
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