Digital Tape Format

Digital Tape Format is a magnetic tape data storage format developed by Sony. It uses a 1/2" wide tape, in a cassette with two reels, which is written and read with a helical scan process. The format is described by the ECMA 248 (adopted June 1998) and ISO/IEC 15731 standards. There are two sizes of tape cassettes, "S" and "L".

Generations

Generation DTF-1 DTF-2
Release Date 1994 1999
"S" Capacity (GB) 12 60
"L" Capacity (GB) 42 200
Max Speed (MB/s) 12 24

Notes:

  • Both used ALDC compression
  • DTF-2 used Fibre Channel or SCSI interfaces
  • The tape cassettes are similar to those of Sony Betacam.

External links

  • ECMA 248 Specification of DTF-1. [1]
  • ECMA 315 Specification of DTF-2. [2]
  • Brochure for DTF-1 drive with specs
  • DTF at the Computer Desktop Encyclopedia, including images
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Magnetic-tape data storage formats
Linear
Wide (19–25.4 mm)
  • IBM 7340 (1961)
  • LINCtape (1962)
  • DECtape (1963)
  • CDC 626 (1966)
Half inch (12.7 mm)
  • UNISERVO (1951)
  • IBM 7-track (1952)
  • TX-2 Tape System (1958)
  • 9-track (1964)
  • IBM 3480 (1984)
  • DLT (1984)
  • IBM 3590 (1995)
  • T9840 (1998)
  • T9940 (2000)
  • LTO Ultrium (2000)
  • IBM 3592 (2003)
  • T10000 (2006)
Eight millimeter (8 mm)
Quarter inch (6.35 mm)
  • QIC (1972)
  • SLR (1986)
  • Ditto (1992)
"Eighth" (0.15) inch (3.81 mm)
Stringy (1.58–1.9 mm)
Helical
Three quarter inch (19 mm)
  • Sony DIR (19xx)
  • Ampex DST (1992)
Half inch (12.7 mm)
Eight millimeter (8 mm)
Four millimeter (3.81 mm)


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