View source for TA81 Streaming Tape Unit

{{Infobox Tape drive
| name = TA81 Streaming Tape Unit
| manufacturer = [[Digital Equipment Corporation]]
| media = standard half-inch tape
| controller = any [[Hierarchical Storage Controller]]
| interface = [[Standard Tape Interconnect]]
| tape speed = 75 inch/sec (high speed streaming mode) or 25 inch/sec (start/stop mode or low-speed streaming mode)
| tape density = 1600 bpi (PE), 6250 bpi (GCR)
| capacity = 40 MB (1600 bpi, 2K byte blocks)<br>145 MB (6250 bpi, 8K byte blocks)
| transfer rate = 40 Kbyte/sec (low speed), 1200 Kbyte/sec (high; 1600 bpi)<br>156 Kbyte/sec (low speed), 469 Kbyte/sec (high; 6250 bpi)
| rewind speed = 192 ips (average)
| rewind time = 150 secs (nominal, 2,400')
| power = 300 VA (standby or loaded)<br>550 VA (maximum) 
| size = 41.5"H x 21.5"W x 30"D
| weight = 295 lbs
| year introduced = 1985
}}
The '''TA81 Streaming Tape Unit''' was a mid-range dual-density, 9-track, streaming, [[ANSI]]-standard [[magnetic tape drive]] for heavy backup duties. It was basically a [[TU81 Streaming Tape Unit|TU81]], but fitted with a [[Standard Tape Interconnect]]/[[Standard Drive Bus]] interface controller, instead of the [[Mass Storage Control Protocol|TMSCP]]/[[Low End System Interconnect]] interface controller of the TU81. The TA81 is dual-ported, and can be connected to two different [[Hierarchical Storage Controller]]s.

The recording density, of either 1600 bpi (using [[Phase Encoding|PE]] [[encoding]]) or 6250 bpi (using [[Group Coded Recording|GCR]] encoding), was selectable by software. 

==Further reading==

* ''TU81/TA81 and TU81 PLUS Subsystem User's Guide'' (EK-TUA81-UG)

''No longer available online''

==External links==

* [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/magtape/tu81/EK-TUA81-TM_002_Nov85.pdf EK-TUA81-TM_002 TU81/TA81 Technical Manual]
* [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/magtape/tu81/EK-TUA81-SV-003_Pathf_Sep85.pdf TU81/TA81 Pathfinder] (EK-TUA81-SV-003)
* [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/brochures/DEC-TA79+TA81-MagneticTapeSubsystems-1986.pdf TA78 and TA81 Magnetic Tape Subsystems] - brochure, covers the TU81 too
* [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/brochures/DEC-TA79+TA81-MagneticTapeSubsystems.pdf TA79 and TA81 Magnetic Tape Subsystems] - brochure, similar

[[Category: STI Tape Drives]]