🚀 go-pugleaf

Donovan Baarda wrote:

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> segate TR-3, floppy interface, 1.6G native,     $310
> segate TR-4, SCSI interface, 4.0G native,       $580
> Wang DSS2 DAT, SCSI interface, 4.0G native,     $670
> 
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> I'm keen to hear any suggestions on what I should go for or avoid. If
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1) My first seagate TR-4 ran tapes off end of reel when new;
returned to dealer. My second one came DOA; returned to 
Seagate was not ordering more. They returned an internal 
(wrong) one 5 mo later; returned. They then returned a 
correct one 1 mo later. I have no idea if it was new or 
reconditioned.  (I disliked their threat to return drive 
unrepaired if shipped via US Postal Service, or not removed 
from case and placed in un-supplied electrostatic bag, 
in foam - not "peanuts".)

2) Drive reads and writes faster than my sytem can process
the data. Supposedly at 300, 450, or 600 KB/sec. They also 
say a max of 30 MB/min and maybe 18-28 MB/min under less-
that-optimum conditions.

3) While it will report a linear tape record number, it doesn't 
seem to support commands to move directly to given record, as
I believe DAT drives do.  It seems to take as long to run the
tape to end-of-data as it did to record it in the first place.