Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!uwm.edu!ogicse!verdix!bit!jayl From: jayl@bit.UUCP (Jay Lessert) Newsgroups: comp.sys.dec Subject: Re: 8mm or 4mm? Summary: EXB-8500 is truly 5GB Message-ID: <234@bit.UUCP> Date: 26 Jun 91 19:00:38 GMT References: <13753@mentor.cc.purdue.edu> <1991Jun25.181021.7508@newshub.ccs.yorku.ca> <1991Jun26.120606.14138@cs.utk.edu> Reply-To: jayl@bit.UUCP (Jay Lessert) Organization: BIT Portland, OR Lines: 20 In article <1991Jun26.120606.14138@cs.utk.edu> Dave Sill writes: >Are you *sure* the EXB-8500 does compression? I thought it was just a We're getting ready to buy some EXB-8500's and have done the requisite market surveys, etc. The EXB-8500 uses improved head technology to write double the effective density ("two tracks", according to the Exabyte sales rep) and is truly 5GB, no compression. 5GB tapes written on an 8500 cannot be read by an 8200 (sorta like QIC150/QIC24), but 2.3GB tapes can be read by an 8500 with up-to-date firmware. In addition, a compression module is available for the 8500 (don't know if it's actually the same compression HW as the 8200) which gets you to 10GB (average), or so. Or 25GB if you work for Exabyte Marketing! :-) -- Jay Lessert {decwrl,cse.ogi.edu,sun,verdix}!bit!jayl Bipolar Integrated Technology, Inc. 503-629-5490 (fax)503-690-1498