7980S tape drive and locking density?

[Fred N. vanKempen]

Hi all,

How does one "lock" the unit's density to 1600bpi, regardless of what the server tells
it to do?

(probably an obvious one, but: isn't there any info online about this thingie ??)

Cheers,
Fred

[Rothery Harris]

Dear Fred,
I think its a CONF function if its possible. Its a long time since I saw a 7980. The conf functions are all numeric and I can't find a manual with them listed.
Rothery

[Orhan]

Dear Harris,
I could write data via GPIB card on a hp7974A magnetic tape with 1600 PE density. However, my HP7974A doesnt support 800 NRZI density that I have to write data ro mag. tape with that density. How could I achieve this task?

[Rothery Harris]

see separate reply.

Hp has not produced a 800bpi tape drive since the 7970B which has a custom interface.

You may find something like a DEC PDP system that supports both formats and do a conversion.
The old PDP 11s supported many 3rd party tape drives which could have been 800bpi.

I would look at other solutions.

[Orhan]

Dear Harris, I got the manual of HP7974a-hp7980 products and written there that some products support 1600 PE and some of them 6250 but I saw that in the all products, 800 NRZI was an optional accessories. On the other hand, hp7970B series could write data with 800 NRZI. My problem is, I could write data well with hp7974A product with 1600 PE density and should have read the data with hp7970b (it could read only 800 NRZI tape). Therefore, I have to find the accessories for my HP product or find a hiher version that can support 800 NRZI density support.