>Craig lamented:
 
>Hi all -
>
>   Does anybody out here know a manufacturer/seller that makes very
>   short DAT tapes?
>
>   Both our support and R&D organizations use these tapes for end-of-
>   volume/reel switch situations in testing our storage management
>   products.  Once upon a time we had access to these tapes, but as
>   our organizations grew and changed, the location of the short DATs
>   became closely guarded secrets - nobody wanted to give up "their"
>   tapes; likewise, manufacturers decided that constuction, demand and
>   profit margins dictated their demise.
>
>   Making "short" reel-to-reel tapes is a very simple matter - just spin
>   off as much tape as you feel you need and place an EOT marker on it.
>   Making a short DAT tape tape on the on the other hand requires the
>   dexterity of a Swiss watch repair-person, with results that are often
>   unsatisfactory.
>
>   Any help greatly appreciated,
>   cv
>--
>Craig Vespe [log in to unmask] Unison Software
 
Craig,
 
We have been buying short dat (7.5m) tapes for quite a while and still are
getting them without any problem. In fact, we have had no problems with the
short dats and we had used many hundreds (thousands probably) of these
beasts. I can offer the following sources:
 
CPI Users Group in New Jersey. Talk to Scott Klar: 1-800-522-4274. We have
been buying media from these folks for over 12 years (short, medium, long,
dat, tape,etc) with nothing but positive results. Good prices, good service,
friendly folks. Highly recommended. They can also sell you blank dat laser
labels. Not super high quality, but the only source we've ever found.
 
I recently traded in some 2400' tapes for credit with a local outfit that
also sells short dats. They are:
 
CMT - 1-800-969-4268. Talk to Amy Hand. I haven't acquired any short dats
yet, but they have the same media as the other outfit.
 
Good luck and happy buying!
 
Duane Percox  (QSS)
[log in to unmask] (415-306-1608, fax 415-365-2706)
http://www.aimnet.com/~qssnet/
 ftp://ftp.aimnet.com/pub/users/qssnet/
"The best way to have a good idea is to have a lot of ideas." -- Linus Pauling