19 Jul
2010
19 Jul
'10
3:37 p.m.
On 19 Jul 2010 at 16:22, Richard wrote:
The belt is not necessary to read data from the tape,
only to keep the
two reels in the cartridge moving together.
This is similar to the 9/7-track reading device: there are no takeup
and feeder reels as they are normally present in a working drive. The
tape is not pulled over the read head under tension.
Do you mean the system used in vacuum-column 7/9 track drives? (I
think IBM used a pinch roller on either side of the head; CDC used
vacuum capstans. The tape columns were kept at the appropriate level
by a photocell system, with each reel motor activated as necessary to
keep an adquate supply of tape in the columns for buffering.
Making something like that for QIC tapes is possible, but there are a
lot of mechanical issues to address.
--Chuck