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From: mark@hpcpbla.HP.COM (Mark Simms)
Newsgroups: comp.periphs.scsi
Subject: Re: Exabyte Data Compression Devices
Message-ID: <9850016@hpcpbla.HP.COM>
Date: 5 Mar 91 11:18:20 GMT
References: <4501@syma.sussex.ac.uk>
Organization: HP Computer Peripherals Bristol, UK
Lines: 25

With respect to 4mm devices, there are a lot of activities underway at
the moment to define a standard recording format for compressed data.
The final draft of ECMA/TC17 has been submitted to the European Computer
Manufacturer's association.  This defines the way in which compressed
data should be stored by extending the DDS format to allow compressed
data to be identified.

If you are worried about the possibility of not being able to restore
data in the future, I would wait for drives that support this standard
to become available.  At least two manufacturers are working on drives
with on board compression, that implement this standard.  These drives
should be available later this year.

Mark Simms

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Opinions expressed are my own and are not intended to be an official
statement by Hewlett-Packard Company
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Name:         Mark Simms
Profession:   Software Engineer
Occupation:   Research and Development
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Computer Peripherals Division
Unix-mail:    mark%hpcpbla@hplb.hpl.hp.com
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