I have a Compaq (rebranded Sony) DDS-4/DAT40 autoloader in which until
now I have used only Sony tapes. These have never needed to be
retensioned or initialized before use, but none of the tapes in a
package of Fuji DDS-4 cartridges I just opened would work ("media
fault") until I retensioned and initialized them.

Since it now about time to pension off all my old tapes, I checked the
prices of replacements and found that IBM 59H4456 or Compaq/HP 152842
are the cheapest (both the same price and much cheaper than Sony) if I
buy a pack of 20 or 50. Dell 09W083 are a little more but still much
cheaper than Sony.

Do some brands of tape need to be retensioned and initialized before
use? Is there any reason not to use the IBM- or HP/Compaq-branded tapes
(probably made for them by somebody else anyway)?

Perce

"Percival P. Cassidy" wrote:
DDS tapes don't support retensioning. The drive have a motor on each
reel and on the capstan, it can always directly control the tension of
the tape. Retensioning is only required for the QIC/Travan/SLR
technology where _both_ reels are driven indirectly by a single motor
via a belt.

Take a look at this to understand the difference (it's in german but the
pictures should say enough):
http://micha.freeshell.org/tape/Tech_DDS.html
http://micha.freeshell.org/tape/Tech_QIC.html

I know the issue that some DDS media need to be initialized before the
first use ("mt erase" have done the job for me). IMHO this is a logical
problem (missing signature, TOC or whatever) and says nothing about the
quality of the media itself.


Micha
--
http:/micha.freeshell.org

On 05/10/07 05:36 pm Michael Baeuerle wrote:

OK. Das verstehe ich jetzt.

Gut.

OK. Ich werde die IBM oder HP/Compaq cartridges kaufen. Danke sehr fuer
Ihre Hilfe.

Perce

"Percival P. Cassidy" <nobody (AT) notmyISP (DOT) net> wrote

IBM and HP do not manufacture their own media. There are only a few media
manufacturers in the world, such as Matsushita, TDK and Sony. Fuji may do
their own tapes too. IBM and HP relabel tapes from any of these, and usually
use a dual-source policy. There's no guaranty that the tape you buy from
them today comes from the same manufacturer as the tape that you buy from
them tomorrow.

Rob