WHAT IS THE DLTtape SYSTEM?
2.10
Single Reel Design
The DLTtape media cartridge is unique in the midrange system
market, in that it has only one reel. The take-up reel – the second
reel – is in the DLTtape drive itself. This single-reel design leaves a
great deal more space for tape inside the cartridge. (See Figure 2-13
and 2-14.)
Most tape cassettes have two reels – a feed reel and a take-up reel.
The tape is pulled across the read/write heads between the two
reels, kept in alignment by the moving head guide assembly
described earlier. So, the part of the tape that needs to be accurate-
ly aligned with the read/write heads is actually suspended between
two moving points, held in place by a series of movable guides. All
that motion makes it hard to maintain perfect alignment.
On the other hand, the DLTtape media is attached at one end to a
fixed point, the take up reel, which is mounted within the drive
Figure 2-13 DLTtape Cartridge
provides low-cost-per-giga-
byte, high density data storage. Single-reel design eliminates
wasted space.
Access door
Leader
Supply reel
Write
Protect
switch
Tape
Drive access
