Mark Simms ([log in to unmask]) wrote:
: Bill McBrine ([log in to unmask]) wrote:
: : As title mentions, I have a 35401 AR tape drive here.
 
: The HP 35401A was intended for use on HP computer systems.  It was
: supported on HP3000 and HP9000 systems.  I cannot remember whether it
: was ever supported on HP1000 systems.  Use on any other system woudl
: require the writing of a special driver for the device.  This would
: not be trivial.
 
  Yes, it worked on the HP 1000 systems too.
 
  One very important piece of info:  Although the cartridges look like QIC
  tapes, they are not.  The 9144 and 35401 preceeded the QIC recommendations
  and records data at 10,000 bpi on a 16 track preformatted tape.  The format
  is 512 byte blocks, which can be individually addressed and the drive told
  to seek to the address.  This made the tape drive look like a (very slow)
  disk drive.
 
  QIC is unformatted and variable record sizes, thus no random positioning.
  If a QIC tape is inserted, it will be popped right back out.  If an HP
  9144/35401 tape is recorded on a QIC tape drive, the tape format is
  destroyed and cannot be reformatted for use in the HP drives. This box
  and the tape format were state of the art in the early 80's, but are far
  surpassed by today's technology.
 
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|   Bill Hassell            |  Hewlett-Packard Response Center    |
|   System Administrator    |  [log in to unmask]  /  Atlanta, GA.    |
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