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From: des@musashi.wpd.sgi.com (Des Young)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.nsc.32k
Subject: Tape Drives
Message-ID: <9103121716.AA03750@musashi.wpd.sgi.com>
Date: 12 Mar 91 17:16:48 GMT
Sender: news@daver.bungi.com
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Approved: news@daver.bungi.com

Hi again,
  having read the recent mail, I notice the tape drive is an Archive
2060S. This is the 60MB Archive "Viper" series. According to my manual:

	Drive 2060S:	60MB, 9-track serpentine, 10,000 frpi,
			8000 bpi, 90Kb/s, 1.8MB/s SCSI,
			Recording format QIC-24
			Read Compatability QIC-24

NOTE: drive type 2150S supports QIC-120 (120MB) and QIC-150 (150MB).
	However, it can read but not write QIC-24.

SUMMARY: if the drive is indeed 2060S, then it probably does not do more
than 60MB ! (I would be happy with this though).

The DC600 cartridges are QIC-24 (60MB). I think the DC600A's are higher
coercivity, and along with more tracks yield 120MB (15 tracks, 10Kbpi).
The XTD cartridges are the same as DC600A, but are mechanically
superior, giving 150MB capacity. Someone will correct me if this is
wrong.

In any case, we use the Archive drives in the SGI machines here. They have
tried Tandberg and Wangtek also, but found them to be unreliable (good if
you have a good one, but hit and miss whether you get a good one). The
Archive drives definitely come up best in these workstations.

Cheers, Des.