interesting, interesting. - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

28 Feb 1999

On Feb 28, 13:34, Chuck McManis wrote:

...
  At 01:04 PM 2/28/99 +0000, Pete Turnbull wrote:
 >Both of my ExaByte 8200's have black faceplates.  However, the LEDs are
 >side-by-side about 1.25" from the left side of the drive, and the button
is
...
  on the right.

 This describes my drive as well, two LEDs side by side on the left, button
...
  on the right.

 When the drive is powered up, what do the LEDs do?

 Stay on solid until the CPU counts down to  5 (could be 4) then they go off.

Sounds similar to my ExaBytes...

...
  > If you press the button, does the front open to
allow you to insert a tape,
...
   like a
miniature VHS machine? 
 Wouldn't say a VHS machine (I've got an 8mm cam corder) but certainly the
 door opens and there is space in it to drop in the tape and then presumably
...
  close the door. 
Hmmm... ExaBytes 8200's take an 8mm tape cartridge like a Video8 cartridge.

...
    Or does it
just have an open slot to slide a cartridge into? 
 Nope, the 4MM DAT drive on my Sun is like that. This is not one of those. 
I wasn't thinking of DAT, so much as the old DC300-type cartridges, which
are much bigger.  No matter, it's obviously neither DAT nor QIC.

It sounds like an 8mm ExaByte to me.  If it looks like it's 5.25"
full-height, probably an 8200, maybe an 8500; if half-height, probably
8205, possibly 8505.  I'd suggest you take a look at ExaByte's web pages
and see if it matches one of their pictures.  Try

    http://www.exabyte.com/suppserv/techsupp/8mm/fullhigh/

for starters.  There's quite a good line drawing halfway down

    http://www.exabyte.com/suppserv/techsupp/8mm/fullhigh/in0111.html

I've just noticed Zane mentioned camcorder tapes; they do work, but in my
experience they're don't have quite the same long-term reliability.  Oh,
and they're a slightly different length.  But they'd be OK for testing.

-- 

Pete						Peter Turnbull
						Dept. of Computer Science
						University of York